PlatformIO instructions are incomplete

[cmumford]

I'm new to PlatformIO, but I'm pretty sure that the platformio instructions in README.md are incorrect. I read through issue #168 and it only recommends the following:

1. Start with lv_platformio
2. Modify platformio.ini
3. Modify main.cc

I think it is ambiguous whether it is necessary to create the git submodule in the lv_platformio project is required as described in Build this repository standalone and run the demo. If this was done, then this would result in two copies of lvgl. One in //components/lv_port_esp32/components/lvgl/lvgl/, and a second in //lib/lvgl/. If the submodule is not created, then there is a missing step to add lv_port_esp32 as a dependency (lib_deps) in platformio.ini.

There is a comment in issue 168 which says that following the README.md steps successfully builds - which it does, but the default app doesn't use any drivers and doesn't display anything.

Maybe somebody with more PlatformIO knowledge can see what I might be doing wrong, but from what I can see this project is not compatible (or ready to be used by) PlatformIO.

[cmumford]

I managed to get my project running with lv_port_esp32. Here's what I had to do:

1. Checkout lv_port_esp32 into the //lib directory.
2. Make the following changes to lv_port_esp32:
   1. Include lvgl.h differently, PR Including "lvgl.h" if LV_LVGL_H_INCLUDE_SIMPLE is defined. #221
   2. Include lv_refr.h diffently, PR Including lv_core/lv_refr.h differently form platformio. #222.
   3. Added a library.json file (no PR yet - more on that later).
3. Made the following changes to my app's project:
   1. Modified my platformio.ini file to have "lv_port_esp32" in the "lib_deps" section.
   2. Copied lib/lv_port_esp32/components/lvgl/lv_conf. to src/lv_conf.h
   3. Copied the three Kconfig files from this project (skipping examples) to my project.
   4. Ran platformio run -t menuconfig, and set values as described by https://github.com/lvgl/lv_port_esp32#configuration-options.
   5. Added the LVGL code from main.c into my project's application.

Here is what I'd like to do to complete support for PlatformIO for this project - as far as I can tell lv_port_esp32 really isn't yet compatible with PlatformIO.

1. Land the two PR's above.
2. Complete and land a PR for library.json. This is necessary for platformio to see this project as a library project and to know what files to build.
3. Modify all driver files to ifdef out their code if the appropriate constant isn't defined. For example, the contents of ili9341.c will be surrounded by:

   #if defined(CONFIG_LV_TFT_DISPLAY_CONTROLLER_ILI9341)
   ...
   #endif

   This is necessary because library.json doesn't have the ability (I believe) to selectively compile files, so they will need to be a no-op - except for the drivers turned on in sdkconfig.
4. Hopefully come up with an alternative to making a copy of lv_conf.h.
5. Hopefully come up with an alternative to copying the Kconfig files.
6. Modify the README platformio section. I believe it should still say "go to lv_platformio and follow instructions there".
7. Add the actual LVGL+PlatformIO+ESP32 instructions to the lv_platformio project.

If anybody knows PlatformIO better, please let me know if I'm not seeing an easier solution, but this is the cleanest solution I can come up with at the moment.

[kisvegabor]

Hi Chris,

Thanks for sharing your experiences. The things you have pointed out seems correct.

In the very near future, we will make lvgl and lv_examples directly work as an ESP component. lvgl was updated to work with Kconfig (Kconfig file will be added soon) and without lv_conf.h, that is you can add LVGL defines to platfromio.ini. (it should solve "Hopefully come up with an alternative to making a copy of lv_conf.h.").

Finally, the drivers part from this repo will be moved to its own repo. The changes you have suggested for the driver part seems valid to me. However, @C47D is the maintainer of this repo and he knows it much better. 🙂

[cmumford]

OK. user @davidjade was very helpful on PR #225, and I think this would be a more clear way to describe how to build this project using PlatformIO.

1. Follow the configuration steps above in Build this repository standalone and run the demo - i.e. steps 1-6.
2. Create the PlatformIO using the desired board. In this example we are using "esp-wrover-kit":

   pio project init --board esp-wrover-kit
   rmdir src # src/ not needed - this project uses main/

   This will create a platformio.ini file like this:

   [env:esp-wrover-kit]
   platform = espressif32
   board = esp-wrover-kit
   framework = arduino

3. Specify the src_dir setting in platformio.ini to be "main":

   [platformio]
   src_dir = main
   
   [env:esp-wrover-kit]
   platform = espressif32
   board = esp-wrover-kit
   framework = arduino

4. Change the framework in platformio.ini to be "espidf"

   [platformio]
   src_dir = main
   
   [env:esp-wrover-kit]
   platform = espressif32
   board = esp-wrover-kit
   framework = espidf

5. [Optional step] Add new project files to source control:

   git add platformio.ini include/ lib/ test/

6. Build as desired. e.g. with the command-line using platformio run, or with VSCode.

I think it we should keep the reference to the lv_platformio project as a more complete example.

I still think that ideally PlatformIO projects should utilize Platform IO Library Management to source project dependencies (LVGL, lv_port_esp32, etc.). To avoid confusion, But, I think it's best to have that discussion in a different bug - probably after @C47D finishes his lv_drivers refactoring.

[kisvegabor]

@cmumford Thanks for sharing this. I wonder if we can add these environment settings to platform.ini file lv_platformio.

[stale]

This issue or pull request has been automatically marked as stale because it has not had recent activity. It will be closed if no further activity occurs. Thank you for your contributions.

[tlechman49]

Is more work being done on this topic? Should I just follow steps as @cmumford described? The instructions for set up with platformio are still incomplete and this post doesn't seem like it should be left closed.

[C47D]

Hi @tlechman49, can you try the @cmumford steps? If they work please let us know, on the meantime I reopen the issue.

[cmumford]

I'm happy to put together a PR with these changes if @tlechman49 concludes they are correct.

[tlechman49]

So I actually just posted a pull request ( #234 ) for this that worked fine for me. If someone else tests that, I guess further notes should be added on how to set the .ini file in the readme and then this would be solved.

[stale]

This issue or pull request has been automatically marked as stale because it has not had recent activity. It will be closed if no further activity occurs. Thank you for your contributions.

[kisvegabor]

The PR is merged so I close this issue.

Thank you @tlechman49