Platformio will rebuild all the library dependency if we just add a new file?

PlatformIO IDE
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1

In the project, I have libdeps of lvgl in platformio.ini

 lib_deps =
   lvgl@9.1

Every time I create a new file in src directory, platformio will re-build the whole library of lvgl and it spend a lot of time to build this project. For my old laptop, it takes 3min to build the project…
Is this a normal building process? Add a new file will trigger the library rebuild even it is not modilfied.
Is there a way to avoid the lvgl rebuild if we just create a new file? as the related configuration is fixed.

2

No that is not a normal behavior.

Usually a full rebuild is triggered when the platformio.ini has been modified / changed.

Disable all other VS Code extensions except C++ and PlatformIO and restart VS Code.

3

Hi Sivar,

Thanks for your reply. I have disable all unrelated extensions. But it still rebuild all the dependency.

After I have tried a simple esp32 project which created from platformio with no other libdeps, seems it is the normal behavior.

If I just add a simple test.h file in src folder, it will rebuild the whole Arduino framework. The test.h is just a empty file with no content. But it will trigger the whole rebuild of the framework.

Edit the exiting file will not cause the rebuild but adding a file will makes platformio rebuild everything no matter what is the content of the file.

4

Hm, this must be caused by something in your VS Code setup or on your system, like an antivirus tool.

It is definitely not normal behavior.

5

Whole platformio.ini?

Do you edit the project in a network drive, or OneDrive?

6

Hi Sivar,

I have tried on my mac book, same behavior. You can also try with following steps if you have doubt on this behavior.

  1. Create a new project using the platformio GUI in VS code. I am using the board esp32-s3 dev kit as example
  2. Add a library also using the platormio GUI in VS code. For me, I using fastled as example
  3. The platformio.in would be like this:
    [env:esp32-s3-devkitc-1]

platform = espressif32
board = esp32-s3-devkitc-1
framework = arduino
lib_deps = fastled/FastLED@3.6.0
  1. Click build. Then it will build all the library:FrameworkArduino and FastLED.
  2. Edit the main.cpp and add some code.
  3. Click build. Then it will just build the main.cpp. And that is normal.
  4. But if you add a file test.h in the src directory. Then it will re-build the all library FrameworkArduino and FastLED.
7

Hi max
I test it with simple project template using platformio in local drive. Please check about steps.
Do you know how to prevent the re-build if we just add a file?
At least not build the fastled library which we will not modify any code in that library.
Thanks.

8

Does this only happens if you have a library listed in lib_deps?

By the way: FastLED throws a lot of warnings and errors when compiling. I think i missed some settings?

9

I just noticed the same behavior. It is irrelevant whether a lib_deps is present or not. As soon as a new file is added to the project, the entire project is compiled. However, this only happens once after a file has been added. If this file is changed, a normal compilation process takes place.

To be honest, I never noticed this before.

1 Like
10

Thanks for the test. If the library is small, then we don’t notice the build time.
So far, I edit all my code in main.cpp first, then create a new file once it is tested.