How to debug on Arduino mega 2560

maxgerhardt · February 6, 2021, 8:30pm

And downgrading the PlatformIO extension to version 2.1.0 or 2.0.1 in VSCode isn’t working as well?

obiwanjacobi · February 7, 2021, 7:46am

I get the same PackageItem problems when trying to install a previous version.
I don’t think this is going anywhere…
Clearly the install/uninstall logic is not quite there yet.
I guess I have to live without debugging a while longer…

Thanks for your help - appreciate it.

maxgerhardt · February 7, 2021, 11:28am

Okay then the previous VSCode extension is just not compatible with the current core. In previous topics it helped to downgrade that. Sadly you’ll have to do a reinstall again .

Please file an issue at Issues · platformio/platformio-vscode-ide · GitHub when using the newest extension + core version – this should work out of the box as I’ve shown, and I have no idea why that’s not working for you.

rotem · June 29, 2022, 8:17am

Hi,

For me, debugging the “blink” example is not working neither. I get the following in the debug console after launching a debug session:

avrdude done.  Thank you.

================= [SUCCESS] Took 3.77 seconds =========================

Reading symbols from c:\Users\...\PIO Test2\.pio\build\megaatmega2560\firmware.elf...
done.
PlatformIO Unified Debugger -> https://bit.ly/pio-debug
PlatformIO: debug_tool = avr-stub
PlatformIO: Initializing remote target...
Ignoring packet error, continuing...
warning: unrecognized item "timeout" in "qSupported" response
2
Ignoring packet error, continuing...
.pioinit:13: Error in sourced command file:
Bogus trace status reply from target: timeout

I think, I did all the config in platformio.ini correct. Uploading and executing works fine. Any idea what I could try to make it work?

Thanx,
Marco

maxgerhardt · June 29, 2022, 9:02am

Show the full platformio.ini and code so that we can judge that.

rotem · June 29, 2022, 12:25pm

Hi,
Thank you for the quick reply!
Please find the project files below.

On avr-stub.html / [Debugger limitations] is written:

One external interrupt pin must be reserved for the debugger

What does that mean? My board is a Industrial Shields M-Duino 58+ with Arduino Mega 2560 Board / ATmega2560 MCU. It is connected through USB virtual COM-Port (COM4) with the PC. No other connections.

Project files:

platformio.ini:

[env:megaatmega2560]
platform = atmelavr
board = megaatmega2560
framework = arduino

debug_tool = avr-stub
debug_port = COM4        ;also tried\\.\COM4

; GDB stub implementation
lib_deps =
    jdolinay/avr-debugger @ ~1.4

main.cpp:

#include "Arduino.h"
#include "avr8-stub.h"

void setup() {
  // initialize GDB stub
  debug_init();
  pinMode(LED_BUILTIN, OUTPUT);
}


void loop() {
  //breakpoint(); //also tried
  digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, HIGH);
  delay(100);
  digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, LOW);
  delay(500);
}

whole output from DEBUG CONSOLE:

Processing megaatmega2560 (platform: atmelavr; board: megaatmega2560; framework: arduino)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Verbose mode can be enabled via `-v, --verbose` option
CONFIGURATION: https://docs.platformio.org/page/boards/atmelavr/megaatmega2560.html
PLATFORM: Atmel AVR (4.0.0) > Arduino Mega or Mega 2560 ATmega2560 (Mega 2560)
HARDWARE: ATMEGA2560 16MHz, 8KB RAM, 248KB Flash
DEBUG: Current (avr-stub) On-board (avr-stub, simavr)
PACKAGES: 
 - framework-arduino-avr @ 5.1.0 
 - tool-avrdude @ 1.60300.200527 (6.3.0) 
 - toolchain-atmelavr @ 1.70300.191015 (7.3.0)
LDF: Library Dependency Finder -> https://bit.ly/configure-pio-ldf
LDF Modes: Finder ~ chain, Compatibility ~ soft
Found 6 compatible libraries
Scanning dependencies...
Dependency Graph
|-- avr-debugger @ 1.4.0
Building in debug mode
Compiling .pio\build\megaatmega2560\lib782\avr-debugger\app_api.c.o
Compiling .pio\build\megaatmega2560\lib782\avr-debugger\avr8-stub.c.o
Archiving .pio\build\megaatmega2560\lib782\libavr-debugger.a
Linking .pio\build\megaatmega2560\firmware.elf
Checking size .pio\build\megaatmega2560\firmware.elf
Advanced Memory Usage is available via "PlatformIO Home > Project Inspect"
RAM:   [          ]   4.1% (used 339 bytes from 8192 bytes)
Flash: [          ]   2.7% (used 6840 bytes from 253952 bytes)
Building .pio\build\megaatmega2560\firmware.hex
Configuring upload protocol...
AVAILABLE: wiring
CURRENT: upload_protocol = wiring
Looking for upload port...
Auto-detected: COM4
Uploading .pio\build\megaatmega2560\firmware.hex

avrdude: AVR device initialized and ready to accept instructions

Reading | ################################################## | 100% 0.01s

avrdude: Device signature = 0x1e9801 (probably m2560)
avrdude: reading input file ".pio\build\megaatmega2560\firmware.hex"
avrdude: writing flash (6840 bytes):

Writing | ################################################## | 100% 1.10s

avrdude: 6840 bytes of flash written
avrdude: verifying flash memory against .pio\build\megaatmega2560\firmware.hex:
avrdude: load data flash data from input file .pio\build\megaatmega2560\firmware.hex:
avrdude: input file .pio\build\megaatmega2560\firmware.hex contains 6840 bytes
avrdude: reading on-chip flash data:

Reading | ################################################## | 100% 0.88s

avrdude: verifying ...
avrdude: 6840 bytes of flash verified

avrdude done.  Thank you.

========================= [SUCCESS] Took 4.01 seconds =========================
Reading symbols from c:\Users\marco\Documents\PlatformIO\Projects\PIO Test5\.pio\build\megaatmega2560\firmware.elf...
done.
PlatformIO Unified Debugger -> https://bit.ly/pio-debug
PlatformIO: debug_tool = avr-stub
PlatformIO: Initializing remote target...
Ignoring packet error, continuing...
warning: unrecognized item "timeout" in "qSupported" response
2
Ignoring packet error, continuing...
.pioinit:13: Error in sourced command file:
Bogus trace status reply from target: timeout

maxgerhardt · June 29, 2022, 12:28pm

Can you try adding

build_flags =  -DAVR8_BREAKPOINT_MODE=2

or

build_flags =  -DAVR8_BREAKPOINT_MODE=1

to the platformio.ini and retry?

rotem · June 29, 2022, 12:58pm

sorry no. same error messages.

there is also a VS Code Error:

maxgerhardt · June 29, 2022, 1:01pm

I see. I will have the hardware tomorrow to cross-check.

maxgerhardt · June 30, 2022, 10:11pm

I have the hardware now but I can’t reproduce your problem. Both with breakpoint() and without it, I get a proper debug connection, with your original platformio.ini (except debug_port changed of course to \\.\COM21 for me).

Do you get regular serial output from the Mega with e.g. the code

#include "Arduino.h"

void setup() { Serial.begin(9600); }

void loop() { Serial.println("Test"); delay(500); }

and the Upload + Monitor task?

rotem · July 1, 2022, 9:53am

Hi,
thank you so much for your engagement!

Yes, the serial output works fine, also input, I tried with a “echo” code.

I re-installed the Arduino Mega 2560 USB to COM driver. It seems to work correctly

Also run VS Code from the Admin account.
Always the same result.

Seems to be a tricky case…

maxgerhardt · July 1, 2022, 10:13am

Can you open a CLI and execute pio upgrade --dev and pio platform update atmelavr and retry?

rotem · July 1, 2022, 11:11am

Still the same…
I rolled back my computer to before installing vs code & platformio and did everything again from scratch.

Ok:

PS C:\Users\Administrator> pio upgrade --dev
Please wait while upgrading PlatformIO ...
PlatformIO has been successfully upgraded to 6.1.0b1
Release notes: https://docs.platformio.org/en/latest/history.html

But: (I have a Intel Core I7 , not AMD)

PS C:\Users\Administrator> pio platform update atmelavr
WARNING: This command is deprecated and will be removed in the next releases.
Please use `pio pkg update` instead.
Error: Could not find the package with 'atmelavr' requirements for your system 'windows_amd64'

pio pkg update atmelavr does not work (?)

maxgerhardt · July 1, 2022, 11:13am

Ah, it should be pio pkg update -g -p atmelavr.

rotem · July 1, 2022, 5:04pm

gives:

PS C:\Users\Administrator\Documents\PlatformIO\Projects\PIO Test7> pio pkg update -g -p atmelavr
Platform Manager: atmelavr@4.0.0 is already up-to-date
Tool Manager: framework-arduino-avr@5.1.0 is already up-to-date
Tool Manager: tool-avrdude@1.60300.200527 is already up-to-date
Tool Manager: toolchain-atmelavr@1.70300.191015 is already up-to-date

May there be something wrong with the COM settings? Is there a config somewhere?
On the other hand, uploading the firmware works, serial example too, so communication seems ok

I will try on an other machine and let you know next week.

Have a nice weekend & thanks again!

rotem · July 4, 2022, 10:09am

Hi,

I set up the toolchain on an other machine but with the same results, unfortunately.
I ordered a Arduino Mega 2560 board to crosscheck, maybe there is something wrong with the M-Duino, it should arrive tomorrow.

Meanhwhile I modified the loop to

void loop() {
  digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, HIGH);
  delay(100);
  digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, LOW);
  delay(500);
  bk++;
  if (bk == 5) breakpoint();
}

what makes the LED flash 5 times and then stop. So the breakpoint() seems to work

I read something about a OCDEN fuse that might be set to use the onchip-debugging (here: https://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/DeviceDoc/Atmel-ICE_UserGuide.pdf)
Is this something to care about? How to read/set this fuses? When uploading, I see this:
avrdude: safemode: Fuses OK (E:FD, H:D8, L:FF).

rotem · July 7, 2022, 7:33am

Ok, the debugging works with a new out-of-the-box Arduino Mega2560 R3!
There must be an issue with the one in the Industrialshields M-Duino 58+.
I contacted the vendor to figure this out.

maxgerhardt · July 7, 2022, 9:03am

The Mega I bought required 0 fuse modifications – got the Elegoo one, connected it up with the delivered USB cable and used your above code and platformio.ini and it worked straight away. Really strange, everything looked okay code-wise, but you seem to have found out it was about hardware…