circuitpython 🚀 - large data burst hangs UART on nrf52840

somehow, I couldn't upload atcommand lib using ampy

ampy -d 1.5 --port /dev/ttyUSB0 put adafruit_espatcontrol.mpy
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/home/hathach/.local/bin/ampy", line 11, in <module>
    sys.exit(cli())
  File "/home/hathach/.local/lib/python3.6/site-packages/click/core.py", line 764, in __call__
    return self.main(*args, **kwargs)
  File "/home/hathach/.local/lib/python3.6/site-packages/click/core.py", line 717, in main
    rv = self.invoke(ctx)
  File "/home/hathach/.local/lib/python3.6/site-packages/click/core.py", line 1137, in invoke
    return _process_result(sub_ctx.command.invoke(sub_ctx))
  File "/home/hathach/.local/lib/python3.6/site-packages/click/core.py", line 956, in invoke
    return ctx.invoke(self.callback, **ctx.params)
  File "/home/hathach/.local/lib/python3.6/site-packages/click/core.py", line 555, in invoke
    return callback(*args, **kwargs)
  File "/home/hathach/.local/lib/python3.6/site-packages/ampy/cli.py", line 263, in put
    board_files.put(remote, infile.read())
  File "/home/hathach/.local/lib/python3.6/site-packages/ampy/files.py", line 209, in put
    self._pyboard.exec_("f = open('{0}', 'wb')".format(filename))
  File "/home/hathach/.local/lib/python3.6/site-packages/ampy/pyboard.py", line 267, in exec_
    raise PyboardError('exception', ret, ret_err)
ampy.pyboard.PyboardError: ('exception', b'', b'Traceback (most recent call last):\r\r\n  File "<stdin>", line 1, in <module>\r\r\nOSError: [Errno 1] Permission denied\r\n')

hathach on 26 Dec 2018

@hathach the adafruit_espatcontrol.py does not run on the esp8266 -- It runs on the board using it as the coprocessor. Which board do you have? ESP8266 needs to be flashed with a new "AT Firmware load" as in this guide https://learn.adafruit.com/adding-a-wifi-co-processor-to-circuitpython-esp8266-esp32/firmware-upload If you are using an ESP32 - If you have an ESP32 I have a newer Firmware file -- let me know if you need it.

jerryneedell on 26 Dec 2018

👍1

@hathach I can reproduce the issue by connecting an ESP8266 (with with either the AT Firmware or the latest CP build) to a nrf52840 (I am using a Particle xenon) -- Connect VUSB,GND, TX<->RX, RX <->TX

Then I use this test script on the nrf52840 to comminacate
For tha AT Firmware enetr AT then return and you should see a response
For CP on the ESp8266 just enter return and you should see the REPL prompt ">>>"

then press the RESET button on the ESP8266 and no more responses will be received.
(note: the "reset" command in the test program was used to send a control-C/control-D to the CP REPL across the UART -- It's not needed for this test. I used this code for quick UART testing)
A hard reset of the ESP8266 is what causes the issue.

import board
import busio
import time

RX = board.RX
TX = board.TX

with  busio.UART(TX, RX, baudrate=115200, timeout=3) as uart:
    while True:
        data=input()
        if "reset" in data:
            uart.write(bytes("\x03",'utf-8'))
            uart.write(bytes("\x04",'utf-8'))
        else:
            uart.write(bytes(data+"\n"+"\r",'utf-8'))
        getresponse = True
        while getresponse:
            response=uart.readline()
            print(response)
            if(response==b'' or response == None):
                getresponse=False

example using AT Firmware

Press any key to enter the REPL. Use CTRL-D to reload.
Adafruit CircuitPython 4.0.0-alpha.5-29-gbce6d124a on 2018-12-21; Particle Xenon with nRF52840
>>>
>>> import esp8266comm
AT
b'AT\r\n'
b'\r\n'
b'OK\r\n'
b''
AT+GMR
b'AT+GMR\r\n'
b'AT version:1.6.2.0(Apr 13 2018 11:10:59)\r\n'
b'SDK version:2.2.1(6ab97e9)\r\n'
b'compile time:Jun  7 2018 19:34:26\r\n'
b'Bin version(Wroom 02):1.6.2\r\n'
b'OK\r\n'
b''

PRESSED RESET

AT
b''

example using CP on ESP8266
```Press any key to enter the REPL. Use CTRL-D to reload.
Adafruit CircuitPython 4.0.0-alpha.5-29-gbce6d124a on 2018-12-21; Particle Xenon with nRF52840

import esp8266comm

b'\r\n'
b'>>> '
b''

PRESSED RESET

b''

b''
```

The issues can be cleared on the nrf52840 by a control-D reset.

jerryneedell on 26 Dec 2018

👍1

thanks @jerryneedell , I have the huzzah esp8266 breakout, I am new to this, and didn't know that. Just able to get it up and running as co-processor. Thanks for above details description, it is very helpful since I am totally noob to this :D

hathach on 26 Dec 2018

👍1

@jerryneedell I just erase_flash and write the AT firmware bin, now esp8266 blink blue led very fast and output a lot to terminal, but it is non-readable, I have tried to connect with FTDI cable with both 115200 and 9600. Bin download seems to be OK

$ esptool.py -c esp8266 -p /dev/ttyUSB0 write_flash 0x0 AT_firmware_1.6.2.0.bin 
esptool.py v2.5.1
Serial port /dev/ttyUSB0
Connecting........_____.....___
Chip is ESP8266EX
Features: WiFi
MAC: dc:4f:22:20:f7:b0
Uploading stub...
Running stub...
Stub running...
Configuring flash size...
Auto-detected Flash size: 4MB
Compressed 712704 bytes to 406315...
Wrote 712704 bytes (406315 compressed) at 0x00000000 in 36.0 seconds (effective 158.3 kbit/s)...
Hash of data verified.

Leaving...
Hard resetting via RTS pin...

hathach on 27 Dec 2018

@hathach
That happened to me once as well. Try reflashing...