Precompile Arduino code for Raspberry Pi

FAQ
1

I have a robot with several Arduinos controlled by a Raspberry Pi. Compiling the arduino code takes a while on the Pi. Is there a way to compile the code on my computer and transfer the compiled machine code to the pi over ssh, then have the pi upload that code to an arduino?

2

Very interesting task :slight_smile: Have ever used Python? I can explain you how to do it. It’s very easy with PlatformIO.

3

I have used python minimally. I much prefer node.js. I would love for you to explain it to me. Thanks! :smiley:

4

I’ll prepare something for you tomorrow. My time is 1 a.m. :sleeping:

5

What? I didn’t think programmers slept. Thanks for your help!

1 Like
6

I see that you use PlatformIO from the CLI. It significantly simplifies your task. I thought that you use PlatformIO IDE.

  1. Process environment (build) via platformio run
  2. Take a look at .pioenvs cache directory. It contains firmware.hex per each environment.
  3. Initialize new helper project on Raspberry Pi. For example, mkdir /tmp/piotmp; platformio init -d /tmp/piotmp.
  4. Copy/replace local files from the project to Raspberry Pi. platformio.ini -> /tmp/piotmp/platformio.ini and .pioenvs/*/firmware.hex-> /tmp/piotmp/.pioenvs/*/firmware.hex.
  5. Run on Raspberry PI platformio run -d /tmp/piotmp --disable-auto-clean -t nobuild -t upload. This command will upload firmware to the all nodes without rebuilding using existing cached firmware.hex.

You can write for these steps single script and run it. For the 4 step I recommend to use rsync.

In any case, this is just a hint. There are a few other ways how to do it. I recommend to start from this approach because you will understand how does it work. Later, I’ll explain how to make it using extra_script.

7

Thanks for your answer. Very informative. I am using flightplan.js to get my code onto the pi (which uses rsync).

8

I moved this topic to FAQ category. Please provide here your solution it will be useful for other users. Thanks.

9

As requested, my flightplan.js:

var plan = require('flightplan');

var arduinos = {
	wheels: { port: 'ttyWHEELS' },
	eyes:   { port: 'ttyEYES' },
	uno:    { port: 'ttyUNO' },
};

var name = '';
var arduino = {};

plan.target('pi', {
	host: '192.168.0.102',
	username: 'pi',
	agent: process.env.SSH_AUTH_SOCK

});

plan.target('odroid', {
	host: '192.168.0.103',
	username: 'odroid',
	agent: process.env.SSH_AUTH_SOCK
});

function transfer(local){
	local.log('Copying files to Pi');


	// Git's files

	var files1 = local.exec('git ls-files && git ls-files -o --exclude-standard', {silent: true}).stdout.trim().split('\n');;
	var deleted = local.exec('git ls-files -d', {silent: true}).stdout;


	// Remove deleted files from list

	if(deleted){
		deleted = deleted.trim().split('\n');

		files1 = files1.filter((item) => {
			return deleted.indexOf(item) < 0;
		});
	}


	// Remove ingored files from list

	files1 = files1.filter((item) => {
		return item.indexOf('images') === -1;
	});


	// Precompiled arduino code

	var files2 = local.find('arduino/.pioenvs/*/firmware.hex', {silent: true}).stdout.trim().split('\n');

	var filesToCopy = files1.concat(files2);

	// console.log(filesToCopy);
	local.transfer(filesToCopy, '~/eurobot2016/');
}

plan.local('py', (local) => {
	transfer(local);
});

plan.local(Object.keys(arduinos), (local) => {
	name = plan.runtime.task;
	arduino = arduinos[name] || 'lcd';


	local.log('Compiling Arduino code for ' + name);
	local.exec('pio run -d ./arduino/ -e ' + name);

	transfer(local);
});

plan.remote(Object.keys(arduinos), (remote) => {
	var params = [
		'--disable-auto-clean',
		'-t uploadlazy',
		'-d ~/eurobot2016/arduino/',
		'-e', name,
		'--upload-port', '/dev/' + arduino.port
	];

	remote.log('Uploading to ' + name);
	remote.exec('pio run ' + params.join(' '), {silent: true});
});

Edit 1: upadted above code.

10

@ivankravets Has this functionality changed? When I try to use uploadlazy now, I get

pio run --disable-auto-clean -t uploadlazy -d /home/marcel/code/marlin -e megaatmega2560
[Sun Jun 17 11:43:26 2018] Processing megaatmega2560 (platform: atmelavr; board: megaatmega2560; framework: arduino)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Verbose mode can be enabled via `-v, --verbose` option
PLATFORM: Atmel AVR > Arduino Mega or Mega 2560 ATmega2560 (Mega 2560)
SYSTEM: ATMEGA2560 16MHz 8KB RAM (248KB Flash)
Library Dependency Finder -> http://bit.ly/configure-pio-ldf
LDF MODES: FINDER(chain) COMPATIBILITY(soft)
Collected 24 compatible libraries
Scanning dependencies...
No dependencies
*** Do not know how to make File target `uploadlazy' (/home/marcel/code/marlin/uploadlazy).  Stop.
11

A few years ago it was changed to nobuild. See updated post above.

12

Working now. Thanks.