How to program nrf5340 network core with nrf connect programmer?

[ErwinCes]

Hello,

I have the Feeling with nrf connect programmer you can't select the Network core.

I use Programmer Version 2.2.0 and have our own hardware but also the nrf5340 evaluation board. When I connect the programmer with the eval board and press read I see in the log that memory of the applicatin core is read. This is also displayed graphically. But I need the memory of the network core. The programmer shows the processor even with one core. But there are two cores. 

Practically I just need a way to program the BLE application into the network core that is part of the BLE nRF5340 example. My application (running on the application core) on my hardware is endless waiting for the registered rpmsg part of the network core. But as there is no right firmware on the network core, it doesn't work. On the evaluation board my application is running.

Regards
Erwin

[Simonr]

Hi Erwin

Indeed, this is an issue that has come up in the later versions of the nRFConnect Programmer unfortunately. We're currently working on fixing this in the next version of the nRFConnect Programmer. In the meantime you can either roll back to nRFConnect for Desktop 3.7.1 and Programmer v1.4.1.1 which should let you get to the NET core using the nRFConnect Programmer, or you can program the NET core using the command line or the nRFConnect for VS Code interface. I also think that if you merge the network and application core files into one "merged.hex" file using the nRFConnect Programmer should work, you just won't have a graphical indicator of what's programmed on the NET core.

To roll back nRFConnect for Desktop, here are the instructions:

1. Download the latest 3.7 version of nRF Connect for Desktop from www.nordicsemi.com/.../Download (for macOS this is 3.7.2, for Windows and Linux 3.7.1, because 3.7.2 was not needed and not released for these).

2. After starting nRF Connect for Desktop 3.7 a prompt will come up about the 3.8 upgrade. Click “No” on this.

3. In the Settings, click on “Add source”, enter the URL developer.nordicsemi.com/.../apps.json and click “Add”.

4. Back in the list of all apps, all apps should show up twice now, one with “official” below them and one with “3.7 compatible apps” below them. If you want to hide the incompatible versions, click on “Filter” and deselect “Official”.

5. Install the apps you need in the old versions and use them.

Best regards,

Simon