Adding ESP32-C3 boards

[gsteiert]

I have a few questions about adding new boards.
I have two ESP32-C3 boards (ESP32-C3-DevKit-02 & ESP32-C3FH4-RGB) that I would like to try with DeviceScript and I have a few questions about adding board support for these.

1. What is productId and where do I get this number?
2. Can I reuse firmware from another board, or do I need to build new firmware for each?
3. The ESP32-C3-DevKit-02 is like the original devkit, but it replaces the status LED with a neopixel type RGB LED, like the QT py. Is anything special required to support this?
4. The ESP32-C3FH4-RGB has an array of 25 of these LEDs, plus an additional blue status LED. I'm assuming the status LED function is only intended to drive a single LED and it would be better to use the blue LED for status and leave the neopixel array for user application.
5. How do you specify if a board uses an external USB uart or the embedded USB uart in the C3?

https://docs.espressif.com/projects/esp-idf/en/latest/esp32c3/hw-reference/esp32c3/user-guide-devkitc-02.html
https://github.com/01Space/ESP32-C3FH4-RGB

[pelikhan]

Great! Let me try to answer a few of these. I've also updated the docs at https://microsoft.github.io/devicescript/devices/add-board with these answers.

(1) If you've used "devs add board", we generate a new product identifier for you automatically. Currently, DeviceScript leverages the Jacdac simulator and the product identifier identifies a product in the Jacdac device catalog https://microsoft.github.io/jacdac-docs/devices/

(2) You can reuse the firmware for esp32-c3. You only have to create new firmware for a new system-on-chip (SoC).
(3) You can see the Qt Py configuration at https://microsoft.github.io/devicescript/devices/esp32/adafruit-qt-py-c3 . If the status LED is a ws2812, you will need to set type: 1 in the led configuration. The JSON schema should give a good intellisense to determine other valid values of type.
(4) Right, the LED array should be supported by a "dot matrix" server (I don't think we have a driver yet).
(5) @mmoskal ?

[pelikhan]

We might be filtering out the boards that are not in the catalog.

In VScode, open the user settings and find "DeviceScript: Developer Mode". It should disable filters on unknown product ids.

[gsteiert]

OK, I'm making progress.
Here are the steps I took:

1. Set DeviceScript: Developer Mode (Thanks for the tip!)
2. Run DeviceScript: Clear Flash (to remove the QT Py image)
3. Run DeviceScript: Flash Firmware (choose the new board that is now visible in developer mode)

Now I can see the LED blinking, and load my code.

I set the status LED to the first LED in the array, for now. Long term it is probably better to use the blue LED for status, but until there is a general purpose WS2812 API, this is the only way to use the array.

Next I can try the Qwiic connector.

Thanks for the help.

[pelikhan]

The developer mode needs to be fixed since there is really no way for you to discover that one!!!

We're working on the screen simulation; then we'll be able to get to ws2812 drivers.

Thank you for reporting!

[gsteiert]

The Qwiic connector works with the I2C API.
I was trying the SSD1306 driver, but it won't accept the address.
The address it wants isn't the same that is on the main branch.

[pelikhan]

You are using the 'devAddr: ...' constructor argument to set the address?

[pelikhan]

Ooops, it's an array of WS2812. In that case, we should use the Led service to mount them.

[gsteiert]

How do you initialize a new directory to start fresh? It seems like it only asks what board you want to use for your first new project.

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On Tue, Jul 18, 2023, 9:10 PM Peli de Halleux ***@***.***> wrote: We might be filtering out the boards that are not in the catalog. In VScode, open the user settings and find "DeviceScript: Developer Mode". It should disable filters on unknown product ids. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#563 (reply in thread)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AJZ2HJQAXN26ITPKYIH67WTXQ5M3XANCNFSM6AAAAAA2MJS6UU> . You are receiving this because you authored the thread.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[pelikhan]

Ha! Very interesting!

You can run the command "DeviceScript: Create New Project".

I guess you were pressing on the wand button?

[pelikhan]

2.14.3 should not have the "developermode" issue anymore.