nRF Connect for VS Code debug

Question

Hello,

I installed the SDK and the toolchain manually because I need to have multiple version of the SDK and everything works great from the terminal (build, flash).

I already used the extension with the SDK version 1.6.1 and the ARM GNU toolchain and everything worked as expected.

Now I would like to use the VS Code extension to debug my custom application with the SDK version 2.3.0 and the Zephyr toolchain and I have problem to debug the application as the extension does not find GDB. When I click on the "Debug" button I get the "Unable to find GDB in the installed toolchain".

The extension is configured to search for the toolchain in the PATH and when I open a terminal in VS Code I can see that arm-zephyr-* binaries are in the PATH.

The only way I found to be able to debug is to click on "Configure debugging" and set the gdbPath manually in the launch.json file but then when I click on the "Reload" button it reflash the binary instead of restarting the application which is really unconvenient as I have to stop the current session and reflash to restart the session.

I am running SDk version 2.3.0 and extension version v2023.2.56.

You can find attached the generated support information.

Regards

Fullscreen support_info.json Download

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IMPORTANT: The data below could contain sensitive or confidential information about your environment.
If you do not wish this to be seen by others, please make sure to remove it before sharing.
For help and support, visit the Nordic DevZone at https://devzone.nordicsemi.com/.
{
  "platform": {
    "os": "linux",
    "osVersion": "#63-Ubuntu SMP Fri Dec 16 14:32:59 UTC 2022",
    "osKernel": "5.14.0-1056-oem",
    "vscode": "1.76.2",
    "electron": "19.1.11",
    "node": "v16.14.2"
  },
  "system": {
    "date": "2023-03-26T14:29:11.068Z",
    "vscodeRoot": "/usr/share/code/resources/app",
    "nrfConnectForDesktopInstalled": "unknown",
    "vscodeUptime": "00:14:01",
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

IMPORTANT: The data below could contain sensitive or confidential information about your environment.
If you do not wish this to be seen by others, please make sure to remove it before sharing.

For help and support, visit the Nordic DevZone at https://devzone.nordicsemi.com/.

{
  "platform": {
    "os": "linux",
    "osVersion": "#63-Ubuntu SMP Fri Dec 16 14:32:59 UTC 2022",
    "osKernel": "5.14.0-1056-oem",
    "vscode": "1.76.2",
    "electron": "19.1.11",
    "node": "v16.14.2"
  },
  "system": {
    "date": "2023-03-26T14:29:11.068Z",
    "vscodeRoot": "/usr/share/code/resources/app",
    "nrfConnectForDesktopInstalled": "unknown",
    "vscodeUptime": "00:14:01",
    "osUptime": "1397:55:41",
    "cpu": {
      "model": "11th Gen Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-1185G7 @ 3.00GHz",
      "speed": "1800 MHz",
      "count": 4
    },
    "memory": {
      "total": "15.37 GB",
      "free": "3.66 GB"
    }
  },
  "workspace": {
    "name": "nrf9160",
    "workspaceFile": null,
    "folders": [
      "/home/alexandre/Documents/Dev/<redacted>"
    ]
  },
  "extensions": {
    "internal": {
      "nordic-semiconductor.nrf-connect": {
        "version": "2023.2.56",
        "path": "/home/alexandre/.vscode/extensions/nordic-semiconductor.nrf-connect-2023.2.56-linux-x64",
        "isActive": true
      },
      "nordic-semiconductor.nrf-terminal": {
        "version": "2022.11.29",
        "path": "/home/alexandre/.vscode/extensions/nordic-semiconductor.nrf-terminal-2022.11.29",
        "isActive": true
      },
      "nordic-semiconductor.nrf-devicetree": {
        "version": "2022.11.153",
        "path": "/home/alexandre/.vscode/extensions/nordic-semiconductor.nrf-devicetree-2022.11.153",
        "isActive": true
      },
      "nordic-semiconductor.nrf-kconfig": {
        "version": "2022.11.50",
        "path": "/home/alexandre/.vscode/extensions/nordic-semiconductor.nrf-kconfig-2022.11.50",
        "isActive": true
      }
    },
    "external": {
      "marus25.cortex-debug": "1.10.0",
      "ms-vscode.cpptools": "1.14.5",
      "ms-vscode.js-debug": "1.76.1",
      "ms-vscode.js-debug-companion": "1.0.18",
      "ms-vscode.vscode-js-profile-table": "1.0.3",
      "cschlosser.doxdocgen": "1.4.0",
      "dan-c-underwood.arm": "1.7.4",
      "eamodio.gitlens": "13.4.0",
      "GitLab.gitlab-workflow": "3.60.0",
      "jeff-hykin.better-cpp-syntax": "1.17.2",
      "josetr.cmake-language-support-vscode": "0.0.9",
      "mathiasfrohlich.Kotlin": "1.7.1",
      "mcu-debug.debug-tracker-vscode": "0.0.15",
      "mcu-debug.memory-view": "0.0.20",
      "mcu-debug.rtos-views": "0.0.6",
      "mhutchie.git-graph": "1.30.0",
      "ms-azuretools.vscode-docker": "1.24.0",
      "ms-dotnettools.vscode-dotnet-runtime": "1.6.0",
      "ms-python.isort": "2022.8.0",
      "ms-python.python": "2023.4.1",
      "ms-python.vscode-pylance": "2023.3.30",
      "ms-vscode-remote.remote-containers": "0.282.0",
      "ms-vscode-remote.remote-ssh": "0.98.0",
      "ms-vscode-remote.remote-ssh-edit": "0.84.0",
      "ms-vscode-remote.remote-wsl": "0.76.1",
      "ms-vscode.cpptools-extension-pack": "1.3.0",
      "ms-vscode.cpptools-themes": "2.0.0",
      "ms-vscode.hexeditor": "1.9.11",
      "ms-vscode.remote-explorer": "0.2.0",
      "trond-snekvik.gnu-mapfiles": "1.1.0",
      "zxh404.vscode-proto3": "0.5.5"
    }
  },
  "tools": {
    "/home/alexandre/Documents/Dev/Tools/nRF_Connect_SDK_2.3.0/opt/zephyr-sdk-0.15.2/arm-zephyr-eabi/bin/arm-zephyr-eabi-gcc": "0.15.2",
    "/opt/SEGGER/JLink/JLinkExe": "7.66g",
    "/usr/local/bin/nrfjprog": "10.15.3",
    "nrfutil": "Not found",
    "/usr/bin/cmake": "3.26.0",
    "/home/alexandre/Documents/Dev/Tools/nRF_Connect_SDK_2.3.0/venv/bin/west": "1.0.0",
    "/home/alexandre/Documents/Dev/Tools/nRF_Connect_SDK_2.3.0/venv/bin/python3": "3.8.10",
    "/usr/bin/ninja": "1.10.0",
    "/usr/bin/gperf": "3.1",
    "/usr/bin/dtc": "1.5.0",
    "gn": "Not found",
    "/usr/bin/git": "2.40.0",
    "gdbPath": "GDB path not found"
  },
  "sdks": [
    {
      "version": "1.9.1",
      "path": "/home/alexandre/Documents/Dev/Tools/nRF_Connect_SDK_1.9.1/opt/ncs"
    },
    {
      "version": "2.3.0",
      "path": "/home/alexandre/Documents/Dev/Tools/nRF_Connect_SDK_2.3.0/opt/ncs"
    },
    {
      "version": "1.6.1",
      "path": "/home/alexandre/Documents/Dev/Tools/nRF_Connect_SDK_1.6.1/opt/ncs"
    },
    {
      "version": "2.0.0",
      "path": "/home/alexandre/Documents/Dev/Tools/nRF_Connect_SDK/opt/ncs"
    }
  ],
  "toolchains": [],
  "connectedDevices": [
    {
      "serialNumber": "<redacted>"
    }
  ],
  "deviceProviders": [
    "nrfjprog"
  ],
  "config": {
    "nordic-semiconductor.nrf-connect": {
      "topdir": "${nrf-connect.sdk:2.3.0}",
      "toolchain": {
        "path": "PATH"
      },
      "ozonePath": "",
      "applications": [
        "${workspaceFolder}"
      ],
      "applicationOptions": {},
      "kconfig": {
        "interface": "kconfig",
        "executeInDefaultShell": false
      },
      "welcome": {
        "showOnStartup": false
      },
      "west": {
        "env": {
          "$base": "terminal"
        }
      },
      "boardRoots": [],
      "enableTelemetry": false,
      "taskBindings": {},
      "debugging": {
        "backend": "nRF Debug",
        "flash": true,
        "bindings": {
          "${workspaceFolder}/build": "Launch build"
        }
      },
      "activeAppFollowActiveEditor": true
    },
    "nordic-semiconductor.nrf-terminal": {
      "terminalMode": "character",
      "scrollBack": 1000
    },
    "marus25.cortex-debug": {
      "armToolchainPath": null,
      "armToolchainPrefix": "arm-zephyr-eabi",
      "gdbPath": null,
      "objdumpPath": null,
      "JLinkGDBServerPath": null,
      "openocdPath": null,
      "pyocdPath": null,
      "PEGDBServerPath": null,
      "stutilPath": null,
      "stlinkPath": null,
      "stm32cubeprogrammer": null,
      "enableTelemetry": true,
      "registerUseNaturalFormat": true,
      "variableUseNaturalFormat": true,
      "dbgServerLogfile": null,
      "showDevDebugOutput": "none"
    }
  },
  "environment": {
    "westExe": "west",
    "westEnv": {
      "ELECTRON_RUN_AS_NODE": "1",
      "HOME": "/home/alexandre",
      "PATH": "/home/alexandre/Documents/Dev/Tools/nRF_Connect_SDK_2.3.0/opt/ncs/zephyr/scripts:/home/alexandre/Documents/Dev/Tools/nRF_Connect_SDK_2.3.0/venv/bin:/home/alexandre/Documents/Dev/Tools/nRF_Connect_SDK_2.3.0/opt/zephyr-sdk-0.15.2/arm-zephyr-eabi/bin:/home/alexandre/.local/bin:/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/games:/usr/local/games:/snap/bin:/home/alexandre/bin:/home/alexandre/.local/bin",
      "ZEPHYR_BASE": "/home/alexandre/Documents/Dev/Tools/nRF_Connect_SDK_2.3.0/opt/ncs/zephyr",
      "ZEPHYR_TOOLCHAIN_VARIANT": "zephyr",
      "USER": "alexandre"
    },
    "inherited": {
      "ELECTRON_RUN_AS_NODE": "1",
      "HOME": "/home/alexandre",
      "PATH": "/home/alexandre/Documents/Dev/Tools/nRF_Connect_SDK_2.3.0/opt/ncs/zephyr/scripts:/home/alexandre/Documents/Dev/Tools/nRF_Connect_SDK_2.3.0/venv/bin:/home/alexandre/Documents/Dev/Tools/nRF_Connect_SDK_2.3.0/opt/zephyr-sdk-0.15.2/arm-zephyr-eabi/bin:/home/alexandre/.local/bin:/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/games:/usr/local/games:/snap/bin:/home/alexandre/bin:/home/alexandre/.local/bin",
      "ZEPHYR_BASE": "/home/alexandre/Documents/Dev/Tools/nRF_Connect_SDK_2.3.0/opt/ncs/zephyr",
      "ZEPHYR_TOOLCHAIN_VARIANT": "zephyr",
      "USER": "alexandre"
    },
    "toolchainPath": "PATH"
  },
  "terminal": {
    "shell": null,
    "defaultProfile": null
  }
}

Håkon Alseth · Accepted Answer

Hi, 
 
 The debugger will behave a bit different in newer versions of VSCode, as there was a switch from Cortex-Debug to using the native debugger within visual studio code. 
 Could this be the reason for the behavioral change you're seeing? 
 For me, it reloads the whole session regardless of which toolchain (ie. zephyr vs. gnuarmemb) is in-use. 
 
 Zoptune said: Do you confirm that there is issues with the Zephyr toolchain and the VS Code extension ? 
 I would like to know if the problem where I have to specify the gdbPath by hand is related to my installation or if it a more general problem ? 
 I was unable to reproduce this, both with gnuarmemb and zephyr-sdk: 
 "gdbPath": "/opt/gcc-arm-none-eabi-10.3-2021.10/bin/arm-none-eabi-gdb"
...
"gdbPath": "/opt/zephyr-sdk/zephyr-sdk-0.15.1/arm-zephyr-eabi/bin/arm-zephyr-eabi-gdb" 
 I've asked around the office as well, and we haven't seen this before. I know that there has been issues earlier if you use "~/path/in/home/folder" - as vscode has had issues resolving "~" to your home folder. I will still report this to our vscode team. 
 
 Kind regards, 
 Håkon

nRF Connect for VS Code debug

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