DTM (direct test mode) connect fail in ncs v2.2.0

[Felix Shih]

HI,

I build project direct_test_mode and empty_app_core and connect to PC softwarre DTM v2.

If build from ncs v1.9.1, it connect ok to show standby. but if build from ncs v2.2.0, DTM show NG.

Can you help me to verify it? something wrong?

[Håkon Alseth]

Hi,

 

Which nRF device are you compiling for?

Does DTM work in nRF connect for desktop application?

 

Kind regards,

Håkon

[Felix Shih]

Hi,

1) HW is nRF5340-DK, UART is RX(P1.00), TX(P1.01)

2) I just test with nRF connect for Desktop still fail in ncs v2.2.0 image

[Håkon Alseth]

Hi,

 

I see the same behavior.

I believe this is due to this change in direct test mode, taken from the release notes (https://developer.nordicsemi.com/nRF_Connect_SDK/doc/2.2.0/nrf/releases/release-notes-2.2.0.html):

On the nRF5340 development kit, the application core UART interface is used for communication with testers instead of the network core UART interface.

 

As a workaround, can you try to select the application core COM-port?

Please note that you should not use empty_app_core now, but program the RPC image (which is automatically given as a child_image in direct_test_mode)

 

I'll report this internally as a bug.

 

Kind regards,

Håkon

[Felix Shih]

Hi,

1) for ncs v2.2.0, I build direct_test_mode project, but I can not find RPC image in directory \direct_test_mode\child_image. Should I build following project to program mcu? 

https://developer.nordicsemi.com/nRF_Connect_SDK/doc/2.2.0/nrf/samples/nrf5340/remote_shell/README.html#nrf5340-remote-shell

2) If I want to use ncs v1.9.1 first, my HW use P0.25 and P0.26, and have 4 antennas.

The origin overlay is:

Can I just change to 

Is it ok?

[Håkon Alseth]

Hi,

 

Felix Shih said:

1) for ncs v2.2.0, I build direct_test_mode project, but I can not find RPC image in directory \direct_test_mode\child_image. Should I build following project to program mcu? 

It is called "remote_shell" in your build-catalog.

Here's how the partition_manager_report looks for direct_test_mode in ncs v2.2.0:

  flash_primary (0x40000 - 256kB): 
+----------------------------------+
| 0x1000000: app (0x40000 - 256kB) |
+----------------------------------+

  sram_primary (0x10000 - 64kB): 
+-------------------------------------------+
| 0x21000000: sram_primary (0x10000 - 64kB) |
+-------------------------------------------+

 CPUAPP flash_primary (0x100000 - 1024kB): 
+---------------------------------------+
+---0x0: app (0x100000 - 1024kB)--------+
| 0x0: remote_shell (0x100000 - 1024kB) |
+---------------------------------------+

 CPUAPP otp (0x2fc - 764B): 
+------------------------------+
| 0xff8100: otp (0x2fc - 764B) |
+------------------------------+

 CPUAPP sram_primary (0x80000 - 512kB): 
+-----------------------------------------------+
| 0x20000000: sram_primary (0x70000 - 448kB)    |
| 0x20070000: rpmsg_nrf53_sram (0x10000 - 64kB) |
+-----------------------------------------------+

 

Felix Shih said:

2) If I want to use ncs v1.9.1 first, my HW use P0.25 and P0.26, and have 4 antennas.

The origin overlay is:

That is possible, as per the documentation, which states that atleast one must be provided:

https://developer.nordicsemi.com/nRF_Connect_SDK/doc/latest/nrf/samples/bluetooth/direct_test_mode/README.html#antenna-matrix-configuration

 

Kind regards,

Håkon

[Felix Shih]

Hi, 

I build DTM with ncs v1.9.1, and I only see P0.25 pin has a pulse, P0.26 is always low. Is it correct?

If it is wrong, how to fix?

DTM v2 setting:

UART monitor:

[Håkon Alseth]

Hi,

 

Q1: Does it behave like this in ncs v2.2.0 at your end as well?

You can disable the remote_shell, and use empty_app_core (as previous) by setting this:

https://developer.nordicsemi.com/nRF_Connect_SDK/doc/latest/nrf/samples/bluetooth/direct_test_mode/README.html#building-and-running

CONFIG_NCS_SAMPLE_REMOTE_SHELL_CHILD_IMAGE=n

 

Q2: Also, if you try to switch the GPIOs, dtm_antenna_1_pin =26 and _2_pin=25, does the issue follow the GPIO?

 

Kind regards,

Håkon

[Felix Shih]

Hi,

Can you show me how to modify overlay file to use P0.25, P0.26?

It use the different format than ncs v1.9.1, and I will try it in the office tomorrow. Thanks!

[Felix Shih]

Hi, 

I follow your suggestion to build DTM in ncs v2.2.0, but test fail in our HW.

Our HW structure is as following,

nRF5340 UART (P1.00, P1.01) connect to another MCU (as UART transparent role),

can I use ncs v2.2.0 DTM? or I just can use ncs v1.9.1 DTM?

You said "As a workaround, can you try to select the application core COM-port?" before.

[Håkon Alseth]

Hi,

 

My apologies, but there are more steps that needs to be included for DTM in ncs v2.2.0 to behave similar to previous SDK versions.

Håkon Alseth said:

You can disable the remote_shell, and use empty_app_core (as previous) by setting this

You will need to change this section:

https://github.com/nrfconnect/sdk-nrf/blob/main/samples/bluetooth/direct_test_mode/boards/nrf5340dk_nrf5340_cpunet.overlay#L7-L13

to:

&uart0 {
	status = "okay";
	compatible = "nordic,nrf-uarte";
	current-speed = <19200>;
};

 

And also change the board .conf file:

https://github.com/nrfconnect/sdk-nrf/blob/v2.2.0/samples/bluetooth/direct_test_mode/boards/nrf5340dk_nrf5340_cpunet.conf

 

To only include this line:

CONFIG_NCS_SAMPLE_REMOTE_SHELL_CHILD_IMAGE=n

 

Unfortunately, this does not automatically include the empty_app_core project, so that must also manually be flashed first.

Felix Shih said:

nRF5340 UART (P1.00, P1.01) connect to another MCU (as UART transparent role),

As long as your external mcu forwards byte for byte, that should in theory work. One thing that will be different is the timing of the bus communication in your scenario.

Kind regards,

Håkon

[Felix Shih]

Hi, 

I follow your steps to build DTM in ncs v2.2.0, it seems to work. DTM v2 can connect to nRF5340 and show "STAND BY" now.

I also got the following problem message in VS code, is it ok?

\projects\direct_test_mode\src/fem/Kconfig:49: error: couldn't parse 'depends on $(dt_nodelabel_has_prop,nrf_radio_fem,chl-gpios)': macro expanded to blank string