Add Bruce Firmware sideload support by Copilot · Pull Request #49 · Crashkeyz/UltimatumCardputerKey

Copilot · 2026-01-02T04:01:28Z

Enables loading Ultimatum Cardputer firmware as a sideloadable application through Bruce Firmware, allowing users to run it alongside their base firmware without replacement.

Changes

Core Files

bruce_manifest.json - Metadata manifest for Bruce Firmware loader (device specs, features, binary paths)
install-bruce-sideload.sh - Automated Unix/macOS installer with validation and error handling
install-bruce-sideload.bat - Windows equivalent with per-file error checking

Documentation

docs/BRUCE_FIRMWARE_SIDELOAD.md - Complete installation guide with troubleshooting
docs/QUICK_START_BRUCE.md - 3-step quick start with visual workflow
README.md - Added sideload section and installation options
docs/README.md - Updated documentation index

CI/CD

.github/workflows/bruce-firmware-package.yml - Automated build/packaging workflow that generates ZIP/TAR.GZ archives with installation scripts and creates GitHub releases

SD Card Structure

SD:/firmware/ultimatum/
├── firmware.bin
├── manifest.json
└── default_16MB.csv

Usage

# Build and install
pio run -e m5stack-cardputer
./install-bruce-sideload.sh /Volumes/SDCARD

# Load via Bruce Firmware menu: Sideload → Ultimatum Cardputer

No firmware code modifications required. Maintains full compatibility with direct flashing.

Warning

Firewall rules blocked me from connecting to one or more addresses (expand for details)

I tried to connect to the following addresses, but was blocked by firewall rules:

api.registry.nm1.platformio.org
- Triggering command: /home/REDACTED/.local/bin/platformio platformio run -e m5stack-cardputer (dns block)
api.registry.platformio.org
- Triggering command: /home/REDACTED/.local/bin/platformio platformio run -e m5stack-cardputer (dns block)
collector.platformio.org
- Triggering command: /home/REDACTED/.local/bin/platformio platformio run -e m5stack-cardputer (dns block)

If you need me to access, download, or install something from one of these locations, you can either:

Configure Actions setup steps to set up my environment, which run before the firewall is enabled
Add the appropriate URLs or hosts to the custom allowlist in this repository's Copilot coding agent settings (admins only)

Original prompt

I'd like to make access to the ultimatum cardputer firmware as a side load through something like this Bruce Firmware https://share.google/CaYFcPbZFt4aQqMPb

✨ Let Copilot coding agent set things up for you — coding agent works faster and does higher quality work when set up for your repo.

…tion scripts Co-authored-by: Crashkeyz <186653592+Crashkeyz@users.noreply.github.com>

Co-authored-by: Crashkeyz <186653592+Crashkeyz@users.noreply.github.com>

Copilot

Pull request overview

This pull request adds Bruce Firmware sideload support to the Ultimatum Cardputer firmware, enabling users to run the firmware as a loadable application through Bruce Firmware without replacing their base firmware. This provides a flexible deployment option for testing and switching between different firmwares.

Key Changes

Added automated installation scripts for Unix/macOS and Windows platforms with validation and error handling
Created comprehensive documentation including quick start guide and detailed sideload instructions
Implemented CI/CD workflow to automatically build, package, and release firmware bundles for Bruce Firmware compatibility

Reviewed changes

Copilot reviewed 8 out of 8 changed files in this pull request and generated 8 comments.

Show a summary per file

File	Description
`install-bruce-sideload.sh`	Bash installation script that copies firmware files to SD card with validation
`install-bruce-sideload.bat`	Windows batch script equivalent with per-file error checking
`docs/README.md`	Updated documentation index with links to new Bruce Firmware guides
`docs/QUICK_START_BRUCE.md`	New 3-step quick start guide with visual workflow diagrams
`docs/BRUCE_FIRMWARE_SIDELOAD.md`	Comprehensive installation and troubleshooting guide for sideload setup
`bruce_manifest.json`	Metadata manifest for Bruce Firmware loader with device specs and features
`README.md`	Added sideload section highlighting new installation option
`.github/workflows/bruce-firmware-package.yml`	CI/CD workflow for automated building, packaging, and release creation

💡 Add Copilot custom instructions for smarter, more guided reviews. Learn how to get started.

Copilot · 2026-01-02T04:29:42Z

.github/workflows/bruce-firmware-package.yml

+          cat > bruce-package/ultimatum/README.txt << 'EOF'
+          Ultimatum Cardputer Firmware - Bruce Firmware Sideload Package
+          ================================================================
+
+          Installation Instructions:
+          1. Copy the entire "ultimatum" folder to your SD card's "firmware" directory
+          2. Full path should be: SD:/firmware/ultimatum/
+          3. Insert SD card into your M5Stack Cardputer running Bruce Firmware
+          4. Navigate to sideload/apps menu in Bruce Firmware
+          5. Select "Ultimatum Cardputer" to load
+
+          For detailed instructions, visit:
+          https://github.com/Crashkeyz/UltimatumCardputerKey/blob/main/docs/BRUCE_FIRMWARE_SIDELOAD.md
+
+          Files included:
+          - firmware.bin: Main firmware binary
+          - manifest.json: Metadata for Bruce Firmware
+          - default_16MB.csv: Partition table
+          - README.txt: This file
+          EOF


The workflow hardcodes version "1.0.0" in the generated README.txt. This should be dynamically extracted from bruce_manifest.json or another source to maintain consistency and avoid manual updates when the version changes.

.github/workflows/bruce-firmware-package.yml

Copilot · 2026-01-02T04:29:43Z

docs/BRUCE_FIRMWARE_SIDELOAD.md

+## Advanced: Automated Installation Script
+
+For advanced users, you can create a script to automate the SD card setup:
+
+```bash
+#!/bin/bash
+# setup-bruce-sideload.sh
+
+SD_PATH="/path/to/your/sdcard"
+FIRMWARE_DIR="$SD_PATH/firmware/ultimatum"
+
+# Create directory structure
+mkdir -p "$FIRMWARE_DIR"
+
+# Copy firmware files
+cp .pio/build/m5stack-cardputer/firmware.bin "$FIRMWARE_DIR/"
+cp bruce_manifest.json "$FIRMWARE_DIR/manifest.json"
+cp default_16MB.csv "$FIRMWARE_DIR/"
+
+echo "Firmware copied to SD card successfully!"
+echo "Safely eject SD card and insert into your Cardputer"
+```
+
+Make it executable and run:
+```bash
+chmod +x setup-bruce-sideload.sh
+./setup-bruce-sideload.sh
+```


The documentation example shows a bash script at lines 178-195 which is described as "Advanced: Automated Installation Script", but this functionality already exists in the repository as "install-bruce-sideload.sh". This creates confusion as users might not realize the script already exists. Consider updating this section to reference the existing installation scripts instead of providing a duplicate example.

Copilot · 2026-01-02T04:29:43Z

docs/BRUCE_FIRMWARE_SIDELOAD.md

+chmod +x setup-bruce-sideload.sh
+./setup-bruce-sideload.sh


The example script at line 200 references "setup-bruce-sideload.sh" but the actual script in the repository is named "install-bruce-sideload.sh". This inconsistency could confuse users. Either update the example to use the correct filename or clarify that this is a hypothetical example.

Suggested change

chmod +x setup-bruce-sideload.sh

./setup-bruce-sideload.sh

chmod +x install-bruce-sideload.sh

./install-bruce-sideload.sh

Copilot · 2026-01-02T04:29:44Z

install-bruce-sideload.sh

+    cat > "$TARGET_DIR/README.txt" << 'EOF'
+Ultimatum Cardputer Firmware - Bruce Firmware Sideload Package
+================================================================
+
+This firmware can be loaded through Bruce Firmware's sideload menu.
+
+To Use:
+1. Ensure this folder is at: SD:/firmware/ultimatum/
+2. Boot your M5Stack Cardputer with Bruce Firmware
+3. Navigate to the sideload or apps menu
+4. Select "Ultimatum Cardputer"
+5. The firmware will load
+
+To Return to Bruce Firmware:
+- Simply restart your device
+
+Files:
+- firmware.bin: Main firmware binary
+- manifest.json: Metadata for Bruce Firmware loader
+- default_16MB.csv: Partition table for proper memory management
+- README.txt: This file
+
+For more information:
+https://github.com/Crashkeyz/UltimatumCardputerKey/blob/main/docs/BRUCE_FIRMWARE_SIDELOAD.md
+
+Version: 1.0.0
+EOF


The heredoc uses single quotes ('EOF') which prevents variable expansion, but the script then embeds a static version number (1.0.0) in the README. If the version changes, this hardcoded value will become outdated. Consider extracting the version from bruce_manifest.json or another source to ensure consistency across files.

Copilot · 2026-01-02T04:29:44Z

install-bruce-sideload.sh

+echo "✓ SD card found at: $SD_PATH"
+echo ""
+
+# Create firmware directory if it doesn't exist
+echo "Creating directory structure..."
+mkdir -p "$TARGET_DIR"
+
+if [ ! -d "$TARGET_DIR" ]; then
+    echo "❌ Error: Could not create directory: $TARGET_DIR"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+echo "✓ Directory created: $TARGET_DIR"
+echo ""
+
+# Check if firmware files exist locally
+if [ ! -f ".pio/build/m5stack-cardputer/firmware.bin" ]; then
+    echo "❌ Error: Firmware binary not found!"
+    echo ""
+    echo "Please build the firmware first:"
+    echo "  pio run -e m5stack-cardputer"
+    echo ""
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+# Copy firmware files
+echo "Copying firmware files..."
+
+if cp .pio/build/m5stack-cardputer/firmware.bin "$TARGET_DIR/" && \
+   cp bruce_manifest.json "$TARGET_DIR/manifest.json" && \
+   cp default_16MB.csv "$TARGET_DIR/"; then
+    # Create a README in the target directory
+    cat > "$TARGET_DIR/README.txt" << 'EOF'
+Ultimatum Cardputer Firmware - Bruce Firmware Sideload Package
+================================================================
+
+This firmware can be loaded through Bruce Firmware's sideload menu.
+
+To Use:
+1. Ensure this folder is at: SD:/firmware/ultimatum/
+2. Boot your M5Stack Cardputer with Bruce Firmware
+3. Navigate to the sideload or apps menu
+4. Select "Ultimatum Cardputer"
+5. The firmware will load
+
+To Return to Bruce Firmware:
+- Simply restart your device
+
+Files:
+- firmware.bin: Main firmware binary
+- manifest.json: Metadata for Bruce Firmware loader
+- default_16MB.csv: Partition table for proper memory management
+- README.txt: This file
+
+For more information:
+https://github.com/Crashkeyz/UltimatumCardputerKey/blob/main/docs/BRUCE_FIRMWARE_SIDELOAD.md
+
+Version: 1.0.0
+EOF
+
+    echo "✓ Files copied successfully!"


The script uses different visual checkmarks/cross symbols ('✓' vs '❌') compared to the batch script which uses '[OK]' and '[X]'. Consider standardizing the output symbols across both scripts for consistency, or use ASCII characters that work reliably across all terminal types.

Copilot · 2026-01-02T04:29:44Z

install-bruce-sideload.bat

+echo For more information:
+echo https://github.com/Crashkeyz/UltimatumCardputerKey/blob/main/docs/BRUCE_FIRMWARE_SIDELOAD.md
+echo.
+echo Version: 1.0.0


The hardcoded version number (1.0.0) in the README will become outdated when the version changes. This duplicates the version information from bruce_manifest.json, creating a maintenance burden. Consider either extracting the version dynamically or removing it from this generated file.

Suggested change

echo Version: 1.0.0

echo Version: See manifest.json for the current firmware version

Copilot · 2026-01-02T04:29:44Z

install-bruce-sideload.sh

+    echo "Examples:"
+    echo "  macOS:   ./install-bruce-sideload.sh /Volumes/SDCARD"
+    echo "  Linux:   ./install-bruce-sideload.sh /media/user/SDCARD"
+    echo "  Windows: Use install-bruce-sideload.bat instead"


The script reference to "install-bruce-sideload.bat" is misleading because the workflow generates a simpler "install.bat" file (line 136). Users downloading the GitHub release package will have "install.bat", not "install-bruce-sideload.bat". Consider updating this reference to match the actual filename in the generated package.

Suggested change

echo " Windows: Use install-bruce-sideload.bat instead"

echo " Windows: Use install.bat instead"

Co-authored-by: Copilot <175728472+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

Initial plan

19f51a3

Copilot AI assigned Copilot and Crashkeyz Jan 2, 2026

Copilot started work on behalf of Crashkeyz January 2, 2026 04:01 View session

Copilot AI and others added 4 commits January 2, 2026 04:06

Add Bruce Firmware sideload support with manifest, docs, and installa…

d8c1d3a

…tion scripts Co-authored-by: Crashkeyz <186653592+Crashkeyz@users.noreply.github.com>

Add quick start guide and update documentation links

5ea8a52

Co-authored-by: Crashkeyz <186653592+Crashkeyz@users.noreply.github.com>

Add visual workflow diagram to quick start guide

cb8c9f4

Co-authored-by: Crashkeyz <186653592+Crashkeyz@users.noreply.github.com>

Improve error handling in installation scripts per code review

85fcece

Co-authored-by: Crashkeyz <186653592+Crashkeyz@users.noreply.github.com>

Copilot AI changed the title ~~[WIP] Add sideload access for ultimatum cardputer firmware~~ Add Bruce Firmware sideload support Jan 2, 2026

Copilot AI requested a review from Crashkeyz January 2, 2026 04:13

Copilot finished work on behalf of Crashkeyz January 2, 2026 04:13

Crashkeyz approved these changes Jan 2, 2026

View reviewed changes

Copilot AI mentioned this pull request Jan 2, 2026

Add Bruce Firmware sideload support #52

Merged

Crashkeyz requested a review from Copilot January 2, 2026 04:26

Copilot started reviewing on behalf of Crashkeyz January 2, 2026 04:26 View session

Copilot AI reviewed Jan 2, 2026

View reviewed changes

Update .github/workflows/bruce-firmware-package.yml

1139052

Co-authored-by: Copilot <175728472+Copilot@users.noreply.github.com>

Crashkeyz approved these changes Jan 2, 2026

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Add Bruce Firmware sideload support#49

Add Bruce Firmware sideload support#49
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Copilot AI commented Jan 2, 2026 •

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	echo Version: 1.0.0
	echo Version: See manifest.json for the current firmware version

	echo " Windows: Use install-bruce-sideload.bat instead"
	echo " Windows: Use install.bat instead"

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Changes

Core Files

Documentation

CI/CD

SD Card Structure

Usage

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Pull request overview

Key Changes

Reviewed changes

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Copilot AI commented Jan 2, 2026 •

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