Create Zip firmware package for DFU over Bluetooth

[Neel Oza]

Hi,

I'm developing an application based on the nRF52832 development kit. It is nrf52dk_nrf52832(PCA10040). I have used nRF Connect SDK (3.0.0) for the project development.

Now, I want to add a feature of DFU over Bluetooth to update the firmware. We used the Simple Management Protocol (SMP) and we could complete the DFU using the Android/iOS nRFConnect application using the *.bin file created by Zephyr.

We have a custom mobile application which is based on React Native and it only supports zip packages created using "nrfutil pkg generate" command.

Hereby, the API that using in my custom mobile Application.

import { NordicDFU, DFUEmitter } from "react-native-nordic-dfu";

 

NordicDFU.startDFU({
  deviceAddress: "12:34:56:78:90:99",
  deviceName: "Pilloxa Pillbox",
  filePath: "/data/user/0/com.nordicdfuexample/files/RNFetchBlobTmp4of.zip",
})

Is there any possible way to do DFU using a zip package?

Zephyr version: 3.0.99
Zephyr SDK version: zephyr-sdk-0.13.2

Thanks!

[Neel Oza]

Hi Hung,

Thank you for your quick response. I am good that you can reproduce the issue.

This issue is only with the dfu_application.zip package. There is no issue with the app_update.bin file in the Android or iOS nRF Connect application.

As I have earlier informed you that we are also developing a custom mobile application based on React Native. It only supports the ZIP package to perform the DFU operation.

Thanks!

[Hung Bui]

Hi Neel, 

Please be aware that the .zip that the library in React Native is build for a different DFU protocol. It's the nRF5 SDK DFU protocol not the nRF Connect SDK protocol. 

So if you plan to support the nRF Connect SDK DFU you would need to write the new app based on the Device Manager app that we provided. 

The old React Native app won't be able to do DFU update to a nRF Connect SDK application. 

[Neel Oza]

Hi Hung,

Please let us know if any library is available for React Native which can work with nRF Connect SDK DFU operation.

Thanks!

[Hung Bui]

Hi Neel, 

I am checking internally if there is React Native library available. 

But as far as I know the only available code we have for nRF Connect DFU is the nRF Connect Device Manager app , so you may want to consider study the code of the app. 

[Aleksander Nowakowski]

Hello,

You're using Files tab, instead of Image tab. Files tab is to send and download files to a file system on the device, not to update it. Please, use Image tab. There, you'll have 2 modes: Basic and Advanced.

In Basic mode (visible by default) you may select the bin file and upload it. The upload should work.

ZIP files are for updating multi-code devices, like nRF5340, which need one bin file per core.