NEW 2.3.3 IDE out

Thanks for sharing. 

@zander

These are my notes on v2.3.4 upgrade

Arduino IDE v2.3.4 upgrade Issues

I feel like I've stepped on a landmine.

I'm having problems using a PCA9685 after updating the Arduino IDE to v2.3.3, added the Adafruit PCA9685 driver library, upgrade the BusIO library to v1.16.2, and upgraded the esp32 board library to v3.0.7.

In the past, I've learned that the Espressif esp board 3.x transition is a cause of many issues, so I tried to revert the library back to v2.0.17.

However, when I went to do so I was notified by Arduino that there is a IDE upgrade.,

Version: 2.3.4
Date: 2024-12-03T10:03:03.490Z
CLI Version: 1.1.1

Copyright © 2024 Arduino SA

Ok, upgrade the IDE and revert the esp32 board back to v2.0.17.

When I build the Adafruit servo example, using the generic ESP DEV Module, I get

Invalid FQBN: getting build properties for board esp32:esp32:esp32: invalid option 'ZigbeeMode'

Compilation error: Invalid FQBN: getting build properties for board esp32:esp32:esp32: invalid option 'ZigbeeMode'

What?!? What is "ZigbeeMode"??? I don't what it is and, as a result, would never have set it. I had to look it up and it appears have something to do with wireless communications.

So I restored the esp32 board to the current version v.3.0.7 and rebuild successfully but the PCA9685 problem I have with the DBWS example persists.

The result is I'm no longer sure  I can revert the esp32 board back to pre v3.x to fix those migration problems until I can figure out the  "ZigbeeMode" issue. There is a setting in the IDE under Tools for the "ZigbeeMode". It was set to "Disabled". There's only one other setting, "Zigbee ZCZR" but that has no effect on the build error message.

I feel like I'm now committed to using the v3.x library with an outstanding issue for "ZigbeeMode". My confidence in the Espressif code was low but now I'm concerned about the Arduino toolchain. I'm none too confident these folks know what they're doing.

@tfmccarthy Where is the Adafruit servo example exactly?

@tfmccarthy Is this what you mean?

@zander 

Posted by: @zander

↑

Where is the Adafruit servo example exactly?

It should be part of the library install. I installed it through the IDE (on Windows) so it ends up in

C:\Users\tfmcc\Documents\Arduino\libraries\Adafruit_PWM_Servo_Driver_Library\examples\servo

@zander 

Posted by: @zander

↑

Is this what you mean?

That's the one.

@tfmccarthy It compiles normally. That means your issue is something in only your environment. Perhaps too much playing with the low level bits?

Posted by: @zander

↑

it compiles normally. That means your issue is something in only your environment. Perhaps too much playing with the low level bits?

OK. So you can compile it on a Mac without an issue, using the v 2.3.4 IDE and the 2.0.17 esp board. 

That throws suspicion on my environment and possible the order of upgrades I performed

I need to figure out a way to get a stable build again.

Thanks.

I won't comment on what's being done to the bits, low or high level. That's between me and the CPU.

@tfmccarthy I only tried the 2.0.17 version, I thought I was on 3.0.7. I am trying it now. It works on both 3.0.7 and 2.0.17. Now I am confused, why were you using 2.0.17 if 3.0.7 wasn't causing a problem with this sketch?

Posted by: @zander

↑

I only tried the 2.0.17 version, I thought I was on 3.0.7. I am trying it now. It works on both 3.0.7 and 2.0.17. Now I am confused, why were you using 2.0.17 if 3.0.7 wasn't causing a problem with this sketch?

Ron, IMHO, they ought to pay us because we're doing the testing that they should be doing but I don't think they are

Here's the gory details of how I screwed up my microcontroller toolchain.

I wanted to replicate the DBWS PCA9685 servo example. To do so, I needed to install the Adafruit PWM driver library. I don't normally build with Arduino IDE but use it to perform installs, upgrades, and occasionally a verification build. The IDE is the "approved" method of install, upgrade, and build.

When I went to install the Adafruit library through the IDE I got the notification of the v2.3.3 IDE upgrade. (I previously saw this post on it but had not gotten around to doing the upgrade.) I was also notified that my esp32 board library could be upgraded because I had reverted it back to 2.0.17 due to the 3.x compatibility issues.

So, I decided to upgrade the IDE, upgrade the esp32 board library, and install the Adafruit PWM library, in that order. The Adafruit install required an upgrade of the BusIO library, so I did that as well.

All that went without a hitch.

Until...I built and ran the DBWS PCA servo example, and it was unstable. As a control test, I built the Adafruit servo example. It ran successfully except the servos occasionally twitched

Now I wasn't 100% sure my circuit implementation was correct, so I posted my findings but since the Adafruit example did run using it, I felt it was probably OK. Still, I couldn't explain the DBWS servo example behavior.

Since the esp32 board v3.x had previously caused issue, I decided to revert it back to 2.0.17.

When I went back into the IDE to triple check the build, I got a new notification that the IDE had another upgrade to 2.3.4! "Thank heavens!", sez me. "This will fix all my problems!"

So, I upgraded the IDE, reverted the esp32board library, and discovered a new technical term, "ZigbeeMode" (which comes after "Flux Capacitor" in the "Electronics Dictionary for Dummies") and stopped compiling sketches altogether.

I then restored the esp32 board library back to 3.0.7 and now I'm back to a misbehaving dbws example, a twitching Adafruit example, and an inability to revert to a pre-3.x esp32 board.

Since this was so enjoyable, I thought I should try to entice you to experience it as well.

I need to find liquor now.

@tfmccarthy The mistake you made was NOT taking the liquor FIRST! I don't understand the following, do you mean you can't make the install 2.0.17 work, because I did. then I compiled the servo sketch. What did you mean?

 an inability to revert to a pre-3.x esp32 board.

@tfmccarthy 

I think you learned the hard way not to change too many things at once. Upgrading the ide is probably the least important as long as you have been using the previous version without issues.

I think going back to 2.0.17 esp-arduino core and troubleshooting your code is what I would be doing.

Normally if your code is not compatible with 3.x.x you would get compile errors to let you know you should roll back to a prevoius version.

@zander 

Posted by: @zander

↑

I don't understand the following, do you mean you can't make the install 2.0.17 work, because I did. then I compiled the servo sketch. What did you mean?

 an inability to revert to a pre-3.x esp32 board

I can install the esp32 v2.0.17. but it won't build. So where previously, if I encountered esp32 3.x compatibility issue, I could revert to 2.0.17 and build and run fine. Now I can revert but the sketch but won't build.

@tfmccarthy I just did a build of the servo sample using 2.0.17. IDE 2.3.4 (not that it matters) Let me double check and grab a screen.