PlatformIO: All you need to know in 10 Minutes!

I recently tried PlaformIO & VSCode. I found that code for my Uno R4 WiFi works great from the Arduino IDE but won't work if complied from VSCode. It's so odd.

So platformIO exposes all the files that the ardiuino IDE hides.

What is the difference between PlatformIO extension and the EspressIF IDF extension?

I want to use VS Code (instead of the EspressIF IDF environment), but when I install/configure the extension, it keeps looking for the IDF before installing the IDF! I tried installing IDF/Tools directly (esp-idf-tools-setup-online-2.20).. and compiling via the command prompt works fine (idf_py build), yet VS Code IDF extension still does not see it!

Any plans to do debug using a JTAG programmer? I bought an FT2232HL device (ESP-Prog), pointed it to the WinUsb driver (via Zadig), but how does debugging work ? For example, does it automatically start OpenOCD and load the elf file onto the ESP32?

And if you unplug/plug, does the last debug program run, or was the debugger running out of RAM?

what about Arduino bootloaders on Arduino cards, and AVR chips?, what if I need to use an Attiny85?

But it is free

I have to say that I loved your fast tutorial.
I was overwhelmed by all the VScode buttons, windows, things opening and closing, files and folders, blablabla... and you solved it in 10 minutes. No waiting times for you writing down hello world code letter by letter, just focus on what is relevant for the topic.
good job

Absolutely the best no BS intro to the basics. I know how to read docs, but almost all docs try to walk you through $#17 holding your hand like a 2yr old. Once I have the basics, like this, I can just search for what I need. Now if anyone knows how to enable the UART on the ESP32S2 devices that seem to insist you use an alternate serial port please let me know.

I did watch your video on the Arduino debug, and that is great for those few boards. For less than 10 US-Dollars you can get one of those USB dongle ST-Link Clones and Flash it to work as a Black Magic Debug Probe. Unfortunately it does require you to install the ST Cube software to flash it. Black Magic has it's own much more expensive USB debug probe. That is because it has a gdb server on-board that you can just connect to with gdb. This is great if you develop on something like a Raspberry Pi as you only have to run the monitor portion of gdb, or if you IDE supports it just attach to the Black Magic gdb server.

Gdb is not intuitive so most users should go with the cheap ST-Link cone dongle. I know a lot of this should probably be on the other video but I think this one is going to get way more traffic.

I cannot agree with you more on the fact that you should never use print of any kind to debug! On top of that errors should be sent through a logging function not a print. Print does not allow you to stop the program and inspect variables, memory locations, or even the state of GPIO!

I work for a fairly large company and when I started there as an SRE I was helping a developer and he had been there for quite some time and did not know how to set break points or use watch lists! Learn this stuff people, it saves you so much time. Also learn to use Linters, they are like real-time debuggers of your code and often tell you exactly how to fix your error before you ever even compile!

Ok, GREAT video! Thank you.

Very nice. i find VSCode better to use than Arduino IDE for my ESP32 development. I always thought the PlatformIO logo was of an ant head, not an alien?

Enough said. I'm out. As soon as you said Visual Studio's I'm out. I hate using it. When I code I just want to get in and get out. That is why I like the Arduino IDE. It is simple. You have to make a career out of Visual Studio's to use it effectively; maybe; I'm guessing; I don't know; I don't have the patience to find out. Here is something you cannot argue in favor of Visual Studio's over the Arduino IDE. If you want to lookup to do something (with complete code and not code snippets) you can find it using the Arduino IDE. But "not" with Visual Studio's! Sorry I did not watch the rest of your video. As soon as you said Visual Studio's I cut out. It is logical to believe why Xbox is having so much trouble making exclusives. It is because of Visual Studios. Rule #1 in picking a tool. Short learning curve. If it does everything you want stick with it. If it doesn't is when you explore other tools.

I'm all for improvements over the arduino IDE. But why swap it for another crap one ? VSC is awful with it's hard-to-read text, split-pane view, and annoying memory of distant projects. I want to divide my screen up sensibly with overlapping, indefinitely-sized windows, readable text and projects that stay separate.

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Your clear explanation rescued me from days of frustration battling a persistent bug. While my Arduino functioned flawlessly when I utilized the Arduino IPA to upload the code, I encountered complete silence when attempting to do so through VSCode Platform IO. I discovered that the solution lied in crafting my own code within main.cpp rather than simply creating a folder with a name and a file with the name.ino extension. Your guidance was invaluable. Thank you!

thanks buddy

Have you been able to use the intellisense feature for the HAL? When I use it with STM32 cube framework, everything works, compiles, builds, etc, except accessing the HAL itself(header / source files). I've seen plenty of pp complaining already but no solution, so I wonder what was Hou experience with it. Thanks!

thanks bro , i subscribed.

I used PIO for a while - it can be good, but currently (2023) there is no stable/ working solution for code upload to AVR4809, and support can't sort it. So I'm using JTAG2UPDI in arduino and VScode as an editor. (JTAG2UPDI does not work in PIO). [edit] I got jtag2updi working on one machine, but not on another. Support can be really good, but it's not always there. :( It's frustrating that the basics don't always work when you're trying to get stuff done.

lol hahah never gonna use the Arduino IDE again. Thanks!

Brilliantly jam packed video with golden information. Thanks my man!