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Daniel Kampert edited this page Sep 14, 2024 · 18 revisions

Recommended tools

Software development

Recommended plugins for Visual Studio Code

NOTE

We recomment to enable the Format On Save option in VS Code to run astyle automatically.

Hardware development

Recommended plugins for KiCad

NOTE

We do not support other versions than KiCad 8!

UI design

Setting up the environment

You need to download and install the following tools for the build environment:

Clone the source code

git clone https://github.com/jakkra/ZSWatch.git
cd ZSWatch
git submodule update --init --recursive
cd app
west init -l .
west update

Building and Flashing

There are two approaches to deal with Zephyr based projects:

  • Using the nRF Connect extension for VSCode (Recommended)
  • Using the command line

Using the nRF Connect extension for VSCode

Installing the nRF Connect extension for Visual Studio Code

To be able to build, flash and debug via Visual Studio Code please install nRF Connect for VS Code Extension Pack. Here you can also find a manual on how to deal with the nRF Connect extension.

For full instructions see here, watch the video: https://www.nordicsemi.com/Products/Development-software/nRF-Connect-SDK/GetStarted#infotabs

Don't forget installng the toolchain in the VSCode nRF Conncet Plugin as shown in the video.

Compile

  • Open the ZSWatch root folder in Visual Studio Code, the nRF Connect plugin will then automatically detect the app and it should show under Applications in the plugin.
  • Under this application press Create new build configuration
  • Select All boards and search for zswatch_nrf5340_cpuapp
  • Set the field revision to 4 etc. depending on what version of ZSWatch is used.
  • Press Add fragment and choose debug.conf for development otherwise use release.conf.
  • Press Build Configuration
  • You should now see the build, debug etc. buttons.

TIPP

You can use the Erase and Flash to Board option of the nRF Connect plugin next to the Flash option to speed up the programming process. This will decrease the time needed for the flash erase from ~32 s to 0.5 s.

Using the command line

  • Set the field revision in zswatch_nrf5340_cpuapp@<revision> to 1 or 3 depending on what version of ZSWatch is used

NOTE

If your watch is built before Aug. 1 2023 it's revision 1, otherwise revision 3 or higher.

  • Replace release.conf with debug.conf if the build is for development.

Example of building for ZSWatch board:

west build app -p -b zswatch_nrf5340_cpuapp@5 -- -DOVERLAY_CONFIG=boards/release.conf -DBOARD_ROOT=${PWD}/app
west flash

Use Bosch BSEC2

To use the air quality features of the BME688 the Bosch BSEC2 binaries needs to be downloaded, this is optional. By downloading (running below commands) you approve this License.

west config manifest.group-filter +bsec2
west update

To enable the feature build with boards/bsec.conf by adding it to the "Build Configuration" in VSCode plugin or on command line by appending -DEXTRA_CONF_FILE="boards/bsec.conf"

Getting image resources into the watch

Many images and icons are placed in external flash and not uploaded when flashing the watch. To upload the image resources into the external flash following needs to be done.

  • Open VSCode
  • Ctrl + shift + P
  • Run task Upload Raw FS
  • Or run west upload_fs from command line.

Running and developing the ZSWatch SW without the actual ZSWatch HW

Depending on preference and available hardware, three options can be chosen:

Native Posix

This option applicable if you host computer hardware have build-in bluetooth module and your host machine is Linux. This option does not require any hardware at all sine Zephyr support BlueZ(details) and also can emulate display peripheral.

Preparation

The Display driver emulator need to be installed (Learn more about nativ_posix peripherals):

sudo apt-get install pkg-config libsdl2-dev:i386
export PKG_CONFIG_PATH=/usr/lib/i386-linux-gnu/pkgconfig

To execute ZSWatch application on native posix fist make sure that you have required version of linux kernel and BlueZ. Find a HCI index on your host using: sudo hcitool dev this is needed later. Usually hci0 for internal and hci1 fo external HCI.

Running ZSWatch app

To build ZSWatch application for native posix simply run:

cd <ZSWatch path>/app
west build -b native_posix
sudo btmgmt --index <hci index> power off
sudo ./build/zephyr/zephyr.exe --bt-dev=hci<hci_index>

Tips

If you want to be able to debug:

sudo gdb -ex=r --args build/zephyr/zephyr.exe --bt-dev=hci<hci index>

or add below in your .vscode/launch.json. Make sure the path to zephyr.exe matches your build folder name for native_posix build.

{
	"version": "0.2.0",
	"configurations": [
		{
            "name": "Debug Native Posix",
            "type": "gdb",
            "request": "launch",
            "target": "${workspaceFolder}/build/zephyr/zephyr.exe",
            "cwd": "${workspaceRoot}",
            "valuesFormatting": "parseText",
            "arguments": "--bt-dev=hci0" // Fill in hciX
        }
	]
}

Native Posix + dev-kit dongle

In case there is no built-in Bluetooth module on the host computer, an external nRF dev kit can be used as a BLE module. In fact, any external BLE module that supports the HCI interface can be used. In doing so, the application will run on the host machine and communicate with BLE controller over hci_usb/hci_uart depending on the hardware you have.

Preparation

Compile and flash the zephyr/samples/bluetooth/hci_usb application with following additions to prj.conf:

CONFIG_BT_EXT_ADV=y
CONFIG_BT_PER_ADV=y
CONFIG_BT_PER_ADV_SYNC=y
CONFIG_BT_PER_ADV_SYNC_MAX=2

NOTE

If hci_uart is used, a new HCI port must be attached, follow this guide. Alternatively in case of using hci_usb you don't need to attach new HCI port, just physically connect USB to nRF USB port.

Make sure that new hci device appear using:

sudo hcitool dev

Next follow the Preparation to install the Display driver emulator and the Running ZSWatch app instruction to execute the application.

nRF5340 dev kit

This is possible, what you need is a nRF5340-DK (or EVK-NORA-B1) and a breakout of the screen I use https://www.waveshare.com/1.28inch-touch-lcd.htm.

You may also add any of the sensors on the ZSWatch, Sparkfun for example have them all:

When using the nRF5340-DK all you need to do is to replace zswatch_nrf5340_cpuapp with nrf5340dk_nrf5340_cpuapp as the board in the compiling instructions above. You may also need to tweak the pin assignment in app/boards/nrf5340dk_nrf5340_cpuapp.overlay for your needs.

Web Dashboard

Visit ZSWatch WebDashboard to connect and view sensor data in a browser that supports Web Bluetooth (Source code).

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