Arduino for STM32

ag123 wrote: Wed Mar 03, 2021 11:23 am the only minor catch is that those archives / zip may not be updated as the repository. hence, if there are issues, it may take a little effort to fetch the repository and manually update that in the installed location. the archives are fetched from dan brown's site if you review the package.json

I think it is a nightly build always when there is a commit. the versions number is a date

@mrburnette there is recent compile at the end of the list of plateforms array, 2021.2.21
There is only one file (one index.json) but in the ide board manager v2.0 i see 2 files , one for stmf1xx boards and one for stm4xx boards. All the boards are here
I do not understand how ide do to have all the board.
The last version for stm32f4xx family have only 2 boards name added... i do not look if the compiled file is increase each time but i think it is or i do not understand how does it works (probably).
The zip contain all versions at the date, the declaration only the new board...
Arduino install 2 files boards and tools and only one file when. Install second family board.

IMHO, the best method, even if not the most comfortable, is the manual installation, since the IDE can eventually change the board manager from one version to another, then you have to adapt the JSON file.
The manual installation works for every IDE version. And you save a lot of time avoiding to understand how the board manager works.
See here the manual installation steps to be taken for Roger's (Libmaple) core.

unfortunately i'd guess we'd need to study package-index.json a little and perhaps figure out how to do it similar for libmaple core.
a problem is that Arduino apparently is switching away from the java ide to this typescript/javascript ide and use arduino cli for the build.

i'm not really against this approach as the new ide offers code completion, syntax highlights, (likely have code reference jumps) and integrates debug
https://blog.arduino.cc/2021/03/01/anno ... -2-0-beta/

a thing i'd guess we'd need is package-index.json needs to fetch from the local filesystem. in that way it may possibly be possible to say have a boilerplate package-index.json and provide some instructions (or perhaps a script) on how to package the sources for package-index.json.
having the archives live on public web servers is unlikely sustainable for community cores as no one would pay for hosting it (it is fortunate that github provides codes hosting in the first place)

in the mean time like Juraj mentioned, 'dan brown' has offered that from his blog web.
http://dan.drown.org/stm32duino/package ... index.json
i'm not sure if 'dan brown' is active here in this forum

and to @mrbbp, the libmaple cores is a *community* effort (there is no 'company' behind it). to some extent even the official core is partially community assisted in some ways, there are very lean / few staff to maintain such a large project (not to forget fpistm maintains this phpbb forum which you are viewing). ide 2.0 is new (very new), we'd all need to experiment and figure out how it works and perhaps contribute to that effort e.g. package-index.json if you'd like to see libmaple core being usable with the new ide 2.0. or it'd probably remain this way today. one way though is to install the 'old' ide as well and to see how it works presently if you are not already familiar with that.

ag123 wrote: Thu Mar 04, 2021 9:33 am the libmaple cores is a *community* effort (there is no 'company' behind it). to some extent even the official core is partially community assisted in some ways, there are very lean / few staff to maintain such a large project (not to forget fpistm maintains this phpbb forum which you are viewing). ide 2.0 is new (very new), we'd all need to experiment and figure out how it works and perhaps contribute to that effort e.g. package-index.json if you'd like to see libmaple core being usable with the new ide 2.0. or it'd probably remain this way today. one way though is to install the 'old' ide as well and to see how it works presently if you are not already familiar with that.

you misunderstood me.
i'm sorry, if my words sound harsh, i'm not fluent in english.
I know what a community is, I am old enough to have used phpBB twenty years ago and bought my first arduino numbered 484 and 485 some time ago.
I'm graphic designer, i continue to learn code, but it's not my daily job...

i have to said i'm tired of C flavor for coding.
i use STM32 only because i find an attractive solution to screen videos on small footprint display...
I'm currently using Espruino (propelled by an STM too) and i'm coding in javascript (with Atom.io), cause lot of my works are with char, string, words, sentence, and it's really easier to manipulate strings in javascript than in C.

I'm tired of this boring arduino IDE who has not really evolve in front since 2007... we can add more and more boards (yahoo), but the workspace is still that same old outdated IDE (no auto-completion in 2021. amazing!), so yes I can't wait, I can't wait to work with version 2 which looks like a contemporary IDE.

I ask the question on a dedicated forum, filled with a community that knows a lot more than I do about the STM32 and Arduino, which is certainly as well aware about the use of Github and nightlybuilds because it is the center of interest of this community.
I'm just a hobbyist, an "artist" who uses microcontrollers to do more than open garage doors or manage my aquarium...
I ask question in this forum because this is the place, or should be the place to ask.

For sure i want to help, but did you try to read the Arduino json spec - https://arduino.github.io/arduino-cli/l ... ification/
TLTR
all the information is in a big bulk, no hierarchy ... you have to sort the basard to gather the relevant information from the least relevant and all this in a language that is not my mother tongue.
i try to ask a meaningful question by sharing the informations I read / tested / gleaned during my research, but i don't know every thing and i'm here to learn.
thanks google translate

I agree with Steve, a "manual" installation of Roger's (Libmaple) core is the preferred approach for now ... likely, forever.

We (the old forum members) spent thousands of words years ago about the pro/con of creating a package install; eventually no one decided to take ownership and a workable, manual installation was available for everyone. Dan built an install but it does not as I understand support a Libmaple-based core - I have never used Dan's core but my understanding is it is a wrapper round STM's HAL. Thus, Dan's approach is obsolete with the accessibility of STM's Official core and support.

The "right" thing to do is to stop using Roger's Core unless you can self-support yourself at the install level. Roger's core is still maintained "somewhat" at the break/fix level, but it is not a dedicated effort and subject to a very limited resource... human freetime.

If you have not used/learned Roger's Core - Do not start now!
If you must have new feature(s) to Roger's Core, you are on your own.

Rather, if you have code that requires Roger's Core (published code or example code) and you can link or provide code snippets to support your question, then the community can help, maybe.

If you are trying to write new project code against Roger's Core, you made a poor decision unless you are advanced enough to support yourself. This forum's success rate with such needs is not exceptional, although the effort is genuine.

@mrbbp
no worries, it is just that i've not ventured into package-index.json as currently an eclipse, makefile solution works well for me.
i hardly used the arduino ide except when prior to release codes to the 'wild', i'd run them through the arduino IDE (and build) just so as to be sure it works as expected.

Arduino IDE 2.0 has features i liked like mentioned prior. however, i'm not sure where that old 'hardware' folder goes in the new ide or perhaps they have finally deprecated it. I'm yet to install that and try it myself as i'm preoccupied with other stuff. while Arduino IDE 2.0 has its merits, its design is going to cause a lot of problems with custom (community) cores which are not distributed with the likes of the 'commercial' flavors. i.e. that the archives are packaged nicely and hosted on sites for a 'single button' install.

the first distress will be that hosting the archives is not free in terms of both space and most importantly network bandwidth to distribute the archives.
this is true for just about most places except for very few like github that graciously hosted them.
and unlike 'commercial' more systematic developments, maintenance is more casual than properly defining 'releases' and 'versions'.
which in effect means that the current snapshot is the current 'release', it is less likely that changes between the versions are tracked.
(except that in github, the changes are tracked and we can review the changes)

at the moment i don't think i'd meddle with package-index.json, but i'm just thinking in terms that Arduino IDE 2.0 may become the norm.
this would become a trap of sorts if they no longer support the 'hardware folder' and instead requires 'package-index.json' and the board manager.

for my own 2 cents, i'm just thinking in terms that perhaps a boilerplate and some instructions (and if possible some script) could help to bridge the gap. this is so that users can build the archives themselves from the sources and install locally using a templated package-index.json perhaps with edits etc. but i really don't know package-index.json so i'm as clueless as any

ag123 wrote: Thu Mar 04, 2021 8:56 pm ...
for my own 2 cents, i'm just thinking in terms that perhaps a boilerplate and some instructions (and if possible some script) could help to bridge the gap. this is so that users can build the archives themselves from the sources and install locally using a templated package-index.json perhaps with edits etc. but i really don't know package-index.json so i'm as clueless as any

As I mentioned, several years ago, Roger and I exchanged a series of emails around installation concepts, one being the json package install. At that time, Roger was stressed for time to give to STM32DUINO and I was more into the Espressif and Pi stuff. We were both aware at that time of STM's Official effort and we were in agreement that Libmaple was getting long-in-the-tooth and had diminishing value unless a team could be assembled to move the product forward and professionally manage QA. We tried to set-up testing procedures for various scenarios and even some scripts were written to automate the process. There simply was not enough traction in the forum to move forward...
IMO, there is even less traction today in this forum. Everyone wants something but are unwilling or unable to catalyze a quality effort. Roger knew how to create an install as well as many of the old community but we all independently avoided the effort. I wrote to Roger and stated we should leave the install as-in in manual effort as an automated install would expand the product to a larger group of less mature users and thus actually increase the support effort beyond that which the old group could effectively manage.

As with Roger, I suggest you let this template/package install idea die. There are much better alternatives now and the Arduino users have a solid product in the Official core.

Ray

i'm learning the official core, but currently libmaple still have its merits, even if we'd keep it pretty much with today's footprint of supported mcus.
i.e. stm32f103c8,b and stm32f401, stm32f411, stm32f407.

among its merits is its somewhat leaner (but possibly incomplete) function set especially on the smaller mcus e.g. stm32f103, stm32f401 etc
as a result reading the codes is quite a bit easier than the much more complete and significantly larger hal and cmsis libraries.

it is unlikely that i'd create a literal package-index.json that'd simply 'install at a button click', but i'd think documenting the migration pathway may be important. This is given how Arduino IDE 2.0(beta) is evolving currently. I'd guess there is a fair chance the next thing is for Arduino to depreciate the old Arduino IDEs and simply move forward with Arduino IDE 2.0. and in terms of package-index.json, i'd think it matters more to show how the files can be packaged than to package them. and i'd think where relevant, that's only relevant to install locally from the user's pc rather than referencing online repositories for the code.

for what it is worth Arduino IDE 2.0 uses arduino-cli for the build if i guessed correct. Hence, there should still be a way to install the 'hardware' folder manually. just that i've not yet tried the IDE yet. package-index.json may however still be necessary for the new 2.0 IDE to setup the menu items, but it'd take trying it out and working it to find that out. after all Arduino IDE 2.0 is still pretty new and it documentation is pretty much 'embryonic' (possibly evolving)
https://www.arduino.cc/en/Tutorial/gett ... rd-manager

i'd think Arduino's move towards IDE 2.0 is partly as they may soon release their version of rp2040 board.
https://www.tomshardware.com/news/first ... ct-spotted
And all of a sudden, all these complexities we are dealing with on stm32duino all along in these rather complex ARM mcus suddenly become relevant.
we've been 'living' with a IDE feature set that's less than complete to use complex ARM mcus, and Arduino finally caught up with us

ag123 wrote: Thu Mar 04, 2021 11:32 pm ... but currently libmaple still have its merits, even if we'd keep it pretty much with today's footprint of supported mcus. i.e. stm32f103c8,b and stm32f401, stm32f411, stm32f407.

among its merits is its somewhat leaner (but possibly incomplete) function set especially on the smaller mcus e.g. stm32f103, stm32f401 etc. as a result reading the codes is quite a bit easier than the much more complete and significantly larger hal and cmsis libraries.

Frederic published a comparison of compiled sizes. I did not waste time looking because I believe that as a codebase becomes more complex, HAL will win.

But, just so everyone understands, "Roger's Core" is depreciated ... as in no new features and no support beyond what one can beg online. Even worst, break-fix is not guaranteed and QA testing is minimal. Personally I think Roger's enhanced Libmaple is adequate for hobby use, but I simply cannot recommend it for anything serious. I do not hesitate, but I am self-sufficient.

I completely appreciate your opinion and respect where you are "coming from" but you are advanced and self-sufficient in working through minor issues. Steve and I and a few others are in the same group as you; reasonably self-sufficient. But our numbers are far fewer than the old forum. I feel we need to lead members to a supported Arduino solution for STM32: that solution is available, mature, documented, and supported.

And finally, new Arduino enthusiasts/hobbyists (inexperienced) should start with approved hardware: STM or Arduino official. Starting to learn electronics, coding, and Arduino on a Bluepill with Roger's Core is very likely to create a frustrating situation and is not a situation that benefits STM who is graciously hosting this forum.


Ray