Develop complete Out of Tree solution using Nordic SDK

RE: Develop complete Out of Tree solution using Nordic SDK

Naeem Maroof — Fri, 16 Feb 2024 11:53:32 GMT

Hello,

As the ticket is old, may I ask you to create a new ticket and mentions all the details like the NCS version and DK/Board details if you are using.

Thanks.

RE: Develop complete Out of Tree solution using Nordic SDK

Beep7 — Thu, 15 Feb 2024 14:05:06 GMT

The latest example is for a workspace application, not a standalone one. I am experiencing the same problems with a standalone application that uses custom drivers whose source lives inside the standalone project.

Would the nRF team consider publishing an example of a standalone app with custom drivers that is similar to the one you posted (https://github.com/nrfconnect/ncs-example-application)?

RE: Develop complete Out of Tree solution using Nordic SDK

Naeem Maroof — Thu, 20 Apr 2023 07:48:57 GMT

Hi Davide,

Sorry for very delayed response, was not able to look into this.

Is there any update on your project? Did you successfully do what you wanted to?

Recently, I came to know about NCS Example Application, that is based on Zephyr Example Application.

Here is the link in case you are interested to look into this. NCS-Example-Application

Best wishes,

Naeem

RE: Develop complete Out of Tree solution using Nordic SDK

Davide Alessandrini — Fri, 20 Jan 2023 12:56:31 GMT

I add that, following the procedure of the example-application Readme, zephyr is installed inside the workspace. This thing is not what I want because I want to use the Nordic SDK which contains Zephyr. I want to use all of Nordic also because I need the modem, I need many things that are inside the Nordic SDK.
For example, how would you, in the current state of your "example-application" folder, send an AT command to nrf9160's modem? or use MQTT?
In general our project is similar to the "asset_tracker_v2" application... but I want to find the way to work as in example-application (= all drivers, boards, bindings out-of-tree) but use the Nordic SDK .

Thank you in advance,

Davide

RE: Develop complete Out of Tree solution using Nordic SDK

Davide Alessandrini — Fri, 20 Jan 2023 08:21:42 GMT

Hi Naeem,
the test you have done is very important. It makes me realize that something is wrong with my system.
If I compile the example-application with VSCode I encounter two problems:

1) The compilation fails because the driver is not found:

2) If I insert an error in the CMakeLists.txt of the parent folder I don't perceive an error, but the compilation is identical to point 1).

In practice the problem is always the same: my build system has something wrong.
The latest SDK I have installed is 2.2.0.

I have NOT compiled with west previously.

Davide

RE: Develop complete Out of Tree solution using Nordic SDK

Naeem Maroof — Thu, 19 Jan 2023 16:38:14 GMT

Hello David,

[quote user="Davide Alessandrini"]I already try to compile "example-application" but I can't, [/quote]

So I started with the same github repo, and I followed instructions given in the readme.

After successfully initializing, updating and then building the "app" project using the west tool from cmd (command-line), I opened the local repo (example-application) using VS Code, and then added "app" as an application. I was able to compile it successfully. Image below shows the correct compilation using the board present in the parent directory (custom_plank board in this case), and also the folder structure.

And, yes, now when I put deliberate error in the parent CMakeLists.txt, it gets detected (snapshot below showing the error)

Removing the error from parent CMakeLists.txt and the project compiles again correctly.

I hope it helps,

Naeem

RE: Develop complete Out of Tree solution using Nordic SDK

Davide Alessandrini — Thu, 19 Jan 2023 08:46:06 GMT

Hello Naeem,

Maybe my minimal project is not so good.

However I had followed the "external-application" sample application, so we can work using it:

https://github.com/zephyrproject-rtos/example-application

My target is to compile that, copying content of "example-application" in C:\ncs\v1.8.0\example-application. Don't care about my personal project. This one has the same structure I want.

I already try to compile "example-application" but I can't, CMakeLists.txt in parent folder is not included!! ./example-application/zephyr/module.yml for some reason doens't take part of the game.

With the structure present there, in the external-application, I had for example the advantage of having in the root folder, the definition of the board, and in the projects (app, app2, app2,samples,nbiot...) (contained in subfolders), only the overlays of board.

This is also the same structure that the c:\ncs\v1.8.0\nrf folder has...and it is also the structure that zephyr has in its "samples"... I struggle to understand why you suggest me to re-define each time, in every project, the custom drivers and the custom board. I thought that somehow the ./zephyr/module.yml file drives the inclusion of the files contained in the parent folder.

So for CMakeLists.txt of parent folder inclusion I expected ./zephyr/module.yml creates this inclusion.

How do you compile "external-application" ?

Thank you,

Davide

RE: Develop complete Out of Tree solution using Nordic SDK

Naeem Maroof — Wed, 18 Jan 2023 17:39:02 GMT

Hi Davide,

I am sorry I could not compile your project. Your custom board is even not appearing in the build configurations. Maybe I need to configure something ?

Also, again, I think your folder structure is different.

We put "boards", "drivers" and other folders within project directory, which is not the case for your project.

Also, a question: How do you expect "CMakeLists.txt" of the parent folder to be included?

CMakeLists.txt of your project (in folder nbiot) does not have error.

However, you are not including "/nbiot/src/drv" directory as well.

I would suggest you to change/update your folder structure, and if possible then send bare-minimal project (with a single board and single driver for example just to demonstrate the usecase).

Regards,

Naeem

RE: Develop complete Out of Tree solution using Nordic SDK

Davide Alessandrini — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 14:38:52 GMT

Hello Naeem,

please download this archive, not the first one.

Thank you in advance,

Davidedevzone.nordicsemi.com/.../7178.DEVZONE_5F00_OOT.7z

RE: Develop complete Out of Tree solution using Nordic SDK

Davide Alessandrini — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 08:16:29 GMT

Hello Naeem,

I've seen Out-of_tree sample you sent me but this like others did not help me.

In the attached project you will find a sample of a driver that also uses a custom board.

In ./zephyr/module.yml and in CMakeLists.txt there are deliberately some errors (a string "ERROR ERROR ERROR") which make it clear that those files are not taken into consideration. That's the problem.

In fact, when compiling I immediately find an error, where the SPS30 symbol is not found.

The only way, wrong, for solve this from my side, is to put the directive in ./nbiot/Kconfig:

rsource "../Kconfig.solari"

and a similar thing for the CMakeLists.txt...but even so obviously the driver .c files are not compiled.

The build system should use the ./zephyr/module.yml file to configure the build and entry points, if I understand, but it doesn't.

I hope my problem is clear.

Thanks in advance,
Davide

devzone.nordicsemi.com/.../DEVZONE_5F00_OOT.7z

RE: Develop complete Out of Tree solution using Nordic SDK

Naeem Maroof — Mon, 16 Jan 2023 16:56:28 GMT

Hi Davide,

So, your project folder is c:/GIT_PROJ/slb/

Does that Out-of-Tree Zephyr sample help?

Looks like CMakeList issue.

Can you send your minimal (dummy) project with same configurations as you have to replicate the problem.

Mention files names that you wanted to include.

Thanks,

Naeem

RE: Develop complete Out of Tree solution using Nordic SDK

Davide Alessandrini — Mon, 16 Jan 2023 14:27:24 GMT

Thanks Naeem for the reply.

The answer is NO, my work paths are:

c:/ncs/v1.8.0/ it contains Nordic SDK as usual

c:/GIT_PROJ/slb/nbiot it contains my project specific for narrow band module nrf9160

Inside c:/GIT_PROJ/slb I have my "Out-of-Tree folders" boards, drivers, dts and include.

Inside c:/GIT_PROJ/slb I have in particular three files that are not considered by the building system. This is my problem. These files are:

c:/GIT_PROJ/slb/CMakeLists.txt:

include_directories(include)

add_subdirectory(drivers)

set(BOARD_ROOT ${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR})

c:/GIT_PROJ/slb/Kconfig.solari:

rsource "drivers/Kconfig"

c:/GIT_PROJ/slb/zephyr/module.yml:

build:
  cmake: .
  kconfig: Kconfig.solari
  settings:
    board_root: .
    dts_root: .
    module_ext_root: .

Thank you in advance,

Davide

RE: Develop complete Out of Tree solution using Nordic SDK

Naeem Maroof — Mon, 16 Jan 2023 12:38:23 GMT

Hello Davide,

Thank you for contacting DevZone at NordicSemi.

You query is not super clear to me. Nonetheless, I will try to provide my view.

Your folder setup doesn't look like a typical setup. Typically, we have:

c:/ncs/ This is the folder for everything related to ncs-sdk and toolchains.
c:/ncs/v2.0.1/ is the ncs version 2.0.1
you can have multiple version.
c:/ncs/v2.0.1/nrf/ contains all folder like boards, drivers, include, modules, samples, subsys etc.
c:/ncs/myprojects/ this folder contains all projects created using VSCode

and then within the project folder, we have custom-board and custom-driver folder, and CMakeLists.txt configured to include those.

is your folder "nbiot" in the c:/ncs/v2.0.1/ ?

We can access the built-in and custom drivers. Built-in drivers are included in c/ncs/v2.0.1/drivers/
and for the out of tree custom drivers, please have a look at Zephyr-Out-Of-Tree driver.

With regards,
Naeem