nRF Connect on Docker / WSL2 / Windows 11 / USB flashing & debugging / nRF Connect for VS Code extension

[mtsunstrum]

Before I go deep into the rabbit hole, I am wondering if anyone has had success with the following:

• I am in a Windows 11 environment
• I want to setup Docker with nRF Connect SDK image from https://github.com/NordicPlayground/nrf-docker
• In order to support flashing, above link indicates
  • "Docker for Mac OS and Windows does not have support for USB yet, so this will only work on Linux computers"
• So on my Windows 11 machine, I will endeavor to run Docker under WSL2
  • well supported, presumably for a couple of years now
  • https://code.visualstudio.com/blogs/2020/03/02/docker-in-wsl2
• From my Windows 11 environment, I will access the Docker container as a remote container
  • https://code.visualstudio.com/blogs/2020/07/01/containers-wsl
• Appears support for connecting a USB device to a Linux distribution running on WSL 2 ( needed for flashing / debugging ) is fairly recent capability on Windows 11 
  • https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/connect-usb

 

Assuming the above is workable, has anyone battled through this, and seen success ?

The main goal ( but concerns ), are once I have VS Code running on Windows 11, and the nRF Connect for VS Code extension installed

• https://www.nordicsemi.com/Products/Development-tools/nRF-Connect-for-VS-Code)
• ... will I be able to effectively use the debugger / flash operations within VS Code transparently to my Linux WSL2 remote container containing nRF Connect SDK.

Lots of reading material suggests should be possible .... just seeing if anyone has crossed the ocean on this ?

Thanks, Martin

[JONATHAN LL]

Hi,

can provide some info but I am no avid  Docker user or WSL2 for that matter.

But in short, using Docker and nRF Connect SDK with WSL2 should be no issue, when flashing or debugging using a remote J-Link is the recomendation. 

Se : https://www.segger.com/products/debug-probes/j-link/tools/j-link-remote-server/ 

You need the J-link remote server running on the host(WSL2)

west flash --erase -r jlink --tool-opt="ip `dig +short host.docker.internal`"

Regards,
Jonathan

[mtsunstrum]

Thanks Jonathan. I will be trying this out in a couple of weeks. I'll update based on my findings. 

Cheers

[Ian]

Hi Martin,

I've been going down a similar route as you configuring Windows 10, Docker, WSL2, VS Code and USB. I'm trying to program and debug from either the Linux distro on WSL2 or docker container but no luck so far.

Were you able to find a solution? I see Windows 11 allows USB connectivity with WSL2, did that work for you?

Regards,

Ian

[JONATHAN LL]

Hi Ian, 

If you continue to struggle with getting the docker\WSL2 issue you can create a new ticket also and we will do our best to help. But for the time being check out the udev rules. 

https://developer.nordicsemi.com/nRF_Connect_SDK/doc/latest/nrf/gs_installing.html#install-a-toolchain , click on linux tab and it will show. then there is more on this in the zephyr docs, Beyond the Getting Started Guide — Zephyr Project Documentation (nordicsemi.com) 

Regards,
Jonathan