nRF Toolchain Manager - Installs only C:\ncs\toolchains and leaves C:\ncs\v2.2.0 empty

[IulianI]

Hi,

  I followed steps here https://developer.nordicsemi.com/nRF_Connect_SDK/doc/latest/nrf/getting_started/assistant.html so I have installed Segger jlink and NRF Connect for Desktop + command line tools; then from Toolchain Manager I installed v.2.2.0 in advised path C:\ncs. It showed successful install but the folder C:\ncs\v2.2.0 has been left empty so when I select it in NCS Visual Code it gives invalid directory.

  I tried uninstalling/removing all files and environment variables/registy entries and do it from scratch a few times but no success.

  Please kindly advise if you had a similar problem.

Kind Regards,
Iulian

MSc.MEd. Software Engineer and Trainer
"But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)

[Sigurd Hellesvik]

Hi,

In  the toolchain manager, try to "update" the nRF Connect SDK version that you have installed.
Does this help?

Regards,
Sigurd Hellesvik

[IulianI]

Hi Sigurd,
   After I press "Update SDK" it shows 3 seconds the loading bar then it shows as completed successfully: but folder C:\ncs\v2.2.0 is still completely empty

Kind Regards,

Iulian

[Sigurd Hellesvik]

IulianI said:

I saw an error in it "Could not find a JLinkARM.dll." but that file is available in SEGGER folder along with jlink and other.

JLink is something that the Toolchain Manager should install as part of the toolchain as well, so the error does not really make sense.

I will ask our developers for what could cause this error.

If you do not want to wait for this, you can try the Manual Installation, which does not rely on the Toolchain Manager.

Regards,
Sigurd Hellesvik

[Sigurd Hellesvik]

Can you try to run this?

C:\Users\Usr\.nrfconnect-apps\node_modules\pc-nrfconnect-toolchain-manager\resources\nrfutil-toolchain-manager\win32\nrfutil-toolchain-manager.exe

Regards,
Sigurd Hellesvik

[IulianI]

Hi Sigurd,

   It opens a console for a second then it closes by itself.

   If I do it through cmd I get:

C:\Users\Usr\.nrfconnect-apps\node_modules\pc-nrfconnect-toolchain-manager\resources\nrfutil-toolchain-manager\win32>nrfutil-toolchain-manager.exe
nrfutil-toolchain-manager 0.8.0

USAGE:
nrfutil toolchain-manager [FLAGS] [OPTIONS] [SUBCOMMAND]

FLAGS:
-h, --help Prints help information
--help-extended Show comprehensive documentation
--json Print output as JSON
--json-pretty Print output as formatted JSON
--license Show license information for in-built dependencies
-v, --version
--skip-overhead Skip all message overhead when in JSON output mode, outputting only the data part of "info"
messages and ignoring the rest

OPTIONS:
--log-level <log-level> Set the maximum log level [possible values: off, error, warn, info, debug,
trace]
--log-output <log-output>... Set log output type: --log-output=stdout --log-output=file ... [possible values:
file, stdout]

SUBCOMMANDS:
config Get/set toolchain manager settings
env Display the toolchain environment
help Show comprehensive documentation
install Install toolchains
launch Launch applications/shells with the toolchain environment
list List installed toolchains
remove Remove toolchains
search Search for installable toolchains

Kind Regards,

Iulian

[Sigurd Hellesvik]

Try to use the command to "list List installed toolchains" and if none are installed try to " install Install toolchains".
I guess the last one would look something like:

C:\Users\Usr\.nrfconnect-apps\node_modules\pc-nrfconnect-toolchain-manager\resources\nrfutil-toolchain-manager\win32>nrfutil-toolchain-manager.exe install v2.3.0

But if you are unsure how the install command should be called, you can do

C:\Users\Usr\.nrfconnect-apps\node_modules\pc-nrfconnect-toolchain-manager\resources\nrfutil-toolchain-manager\win32>nrfutil-toolchain-manager.exe install --help

Regards,
Sigurd Hellesvik

[IulianI]

Hi Sigurd,

  It does the install as it did with Toolchain Manager, only C:\ncs\toolchains\v2.3.0 

  C:\Users\Usr\.nrfconnect-apps\node_modules\pc-nrfconnect-toolchain-manager\resources\nrfutil-toolchain-manager\win32>nrfutil-toolchain-manager.exe install v2.3.0
[00:01:08] ###### 100% [Download toolchain] Finished
[00:02:43] ###### 100% [Unpack toolchain] Finished

nrfutil-toolchain-manager.exe list
v2.3.0 C:\ncs\toolchains\v2.3.0
v2.2.0 C:\ncs\toolchains\v2.2.0

I followed your advice with manual installation, inside C:\ncs\v2.2.0

west init -m github.com/.../sdk-nrf --mr v2.2.0

west update
And it downloaded and installed the missing SDK



Now, in VSCode I got this error related "invalid toolchain installation" and jlink not found


In cmd is available:

PS C:\ncs\v2.2.0> jlink --version
SEGGER J-Link Commander V7.84f (Compiled Feb 7 2023 16:52:39)
DLL version V7.84f, compiled Feb 7 2023 16:51:10



I tried to build the project and got the error: "-- west build: generating a build system
FATAL ERROR: CMake is not installed or cannot be found; cannot build."

In cmd is available:

PS C:\ncs\v2.2.0> CMake --version
cmake version 3.20.5
CMake suite maintained and supported by Kitware (kitware.com/cmake).

Please advise if is better to continue under a different ticket name

Kind Regards,

Iulian

[Sigurd Hellesvik]

"Please advise if is better to continue under a different ticket name"

Nah, let's keep it here.

I think that your errors are because you used the toolchain manager to set up the repository, but then used the manual install method to clone the repositories.
Since the toolchain manager fails to download the toolchain for some reason(the original issue), VS Code can not find it.

I guess that if you do the manual installation without using a toolchain manager at all, VS Code will look system-wide for the tools instead of in the toolchain.

Does that make sense?

If you got the time, it would be interesting if you could get a laptop or colleague to try the toolchain manager (normal way) to install the nRF Connect SDK as well. Not to see if it works on the first try. This could be useful to see if it is your computer specifically or something with the network.

By the way, a nice guide on how to install the nRF Connect SDK using the toolchain manager can be found at our  Nordic Developer Academy.

Regards,
Sigurd Hellesvik

[IulianI]

Hi Sigurd,

  I had a previous setup on a Win 10 Pro, on a different network, which was working smoothly only through Toolchain Manager. I was not able to continue on machine with issues as it took too much time: maybe I will be allowed to get back to it. Thank you very much for all until now!

  I need to search other posts and if will not find to make a new one: I copied a project from linux to windows, changed the paths and compiled: but memory ranges are different (bigger) and also getting MPU faults for access violation. 

Kind Regards,

Iulian