Issue with mcrun Command Freezing on M5Stack Core2

[lamfan]

I am encountering an issue while trying to run mcrun to install a mod on the M5Stack Core2. The mcconfig command works fine, but mcrun freezes during the installation process.

Steps to Reproduce

Successfully run the following command:
mcconfig -d -m -p esp32/m5stack_core -t build ./stackchan/manifest_local.json

Attempt to run the following command:
mcrun -d -m -p esp32/m5stack_core2 ./mods/look_around/manifest.json

Environment

ESP-IDF version: esp-idf-v5.2.2
Operating System: macOS

[phoddie]

Thank you for the report.

In your "steps" to reproduce, the command line for the host is incorrect. It is only building (-t build) but not installing the host. Also, the platform is set to esp32/m5stack_core instead of esp32/m5stack_core2. Please try:

mcconfig -d -m -p esp32/m5stack_core2 ./stackchan/manifest_local.json

I don't have an M5Stack Core2. It is powered by an ESP32, the same as Moddable Two. I did a test of a host and mod on Moddable Two and it was successful.

[lamfan]

@phoddie I forget I did run deploy after build

mcconfig -d -m -p esp32/m5stack_core2 -t build ./stackchan/manifest_local.json
mcconfig -d -m -p esp32/m5stack_core2 -t deploy ./stackchan/manifest_local.json

so I try your code

mcconfig -d -m -p esp32/m5stack_core2 ./stackchan/manifest_local.json

after build it and I run

mcrun -d -m -p esp32/m5stack_core2 ./mods/look_around/manifest.json

but it still freeze at Installing mod.
really don't understand what's wrong with it?

[stc1988]

Hi @lamfan , Sharing capture of your terminal when you run mcrun will help us to understand the situation.

[lamfan]

After running mcrun, it freeze at Installing mod.
The M5Stack core2 did reload the screen, but nothing change....

[phoddie]

The screen image shows one .. after "Installing mod" That means that the first fragment of the mod was sent and the Core2 acknowledged it was successful written to flash. After than, mcrun sends the next fragment or, if the mod fits into one fragment, mcrun sends the final command to update the mod header. Either way, there should be at least one more . when the Core2 acknowledges the command.

If the flash write fails (it uses esp_partition_write) the ESP32 reports an error code, which would be displayed in Terminal. Since that is not shown, it seems that the ESP32 is either hung in a loop or rebooted.

Maybe the partition map is corrupt? Unlikely, but.... just in case:

• erase the full flash (esptool.py erase_flash)
• rebuild the host with mcconfig
• reinstall the mod with mcrun

[lamfan]

Hi @phoddie ,
Here are the steps I used to setup my Moddable environment on macOS

1. xs-dev setup
2. xs-dev setup --list-devices
3. cd ~/.local/share/esp32
4. rm -rf esp-idf
5. git clone -b v5.2.2 --recursive https://github.com/espressif/esp-idf.git
6. cd esp-idf
7. ./install.sh

xs-dev-export.sh
export MODDABLE=/Users/lamfan/.local/share/moddable
export PATH="/Users/lamfan/.local/share/moddable/build/bin/mac/release:$PATH"
export IDF_PATH=/Users/lamfan/.local/share/esp32/esp-idf
source $IDF_PATH/export.sh 1> /dev/null

is this setup ok? I manually deleted the esp-idf folder and cloned the updated 5.2.2 esp-idf repository.

I had reinstall everything and run the mcrun again

Please help to check is there any missing? Thank you!

[phoddie]

I had reinstall everything and run the mcrun again

You need to build and install the Stack-chan host using mcconfig before trying to install the mod. (I am sure the Stack-chan documentation explains that.)

[lamfan]

Yes I did run

npm run build --target=esp32/m5stack_core2
npm run deploy --target=esp32/m5stack_core2
npm run mod --target=esp32/m5stack_core2 ./mods/look_around/manifest.json

But it still freeze at Installing mod.

[phoddie]

I see. And did you try erasing flash on the M5Stack Core2 as suggested above?

[lamfan]

Here is my step

1. esptool.py --chip esp32 --port /dev/cu.usbserial-58640313411 --baud 115200 erase_flash
2. mcconfig -d -m -p esp32/m5stack_core2 ./stackchan/manifest_local.json
3. mcrun -d -m -p esp32/m5stack_core2 ./mods/look_around/manifest.json

after reinstall, it still freeze at Installing mod.

I try to edit the mod.js inside look_around folder
this can complete installed

this freeze again at installing mod.

It look like the problem on javascript, how do you think?

[stc1988]

To add some context, we were discussing this issue on Discord, but this issue does not reproduce in my environment.

Original souce code is here.

[stc1988]

@lamfan It might not be related, but which one do you have? I don't have the new one.

• https://shop.m5stack.com/products/m5stack-core2-esp32-iot-development-kit-v1-1
• https://shop.m5stack.com/products/m5stack-core2-esp32-iot-development-kit

[phoddie]

By removing lines from the mod source code, you are making the mod's binary archive size smaller. With the full source code referenced by @stc1988, the mod is only about 1020 bytes. Removing lines, makes it smaller. But 1020 bytes is tiny already. It fits within a a single flash sector (a sector is 4 KB).

I don't think the JavaScript matters. Installing a mod is basically a file copy. The contents of the mod do not run and are not even parsed until the install is successful and the ESP32 reboots.

[lamfan]

@lamfan It might not be related, but which one do you have? I don't have the new one.

• https://shop.m5stack.com/products/m5stack-core2-esp32-iot-development-kit-v1-1
• https://shop.m5stack.com/products/m5stack-core2-esp32-iot-development-kit

I'm using v1.1

[stc1988]

@meganetaaan Have you ever seen mod of stackchan works before in M5stack core2 v1.1?

@lamfan In Discord discussion, I think the installation failed even with a shorter source code before. Are the conditions the same now as they were then?