Getting at_client sample to work on M1 Mac

JetForMe · 2022-04-20T02:16:54+00:00

I’ve spent the last few days installing tools and trying to get basic stuff working on my M1 Mac. Many parts of the nRF Connect SDK and toolchain don’t work...

jaredwolff

A few things here:

The version of NCS you’re using is not supported for the boards right now (not tested). The latest I can support is v1.7.x. https://github.com/circuitdojo/nrf9160-feather-examples-and-drivers You can take a look at the at_client sample there on how I set it up.
I’m not sure how you’ve initialized your Zephyr repository but the easiest way, by far, is to use the VSCode extension. You’re getting some interesting Python errors which are typical of a bad install/setup. My docs also should apply for the Thing Plus. The documentation on Sparkfun site is out of date since there have been many changes and improvements since: https://docs.jaredwolff.com/nrf9160-getting-started.html

JetForMe

jaredwolff I haven’t even tried to use VS Code, because of the M1 issues preventing that. Is there a command-line-only way to do it?

I’ll try to DL the 1.7 SDK.

JetForMe

I had installed my tools following the SparkFun instructions (they really should update to point to yours).

I tried following your steps using my M1 VS Code, and it seems to work. But the init zephyr step is confusing. It prompts me for a directory, but your instructions say to use a URL. Anyway, I created an empty folder and set that, then VS Code prompted me to save my workspace (I have another workspace open for a web project I’m working on, not sure if it was that it was trying to save; it never has before). I canceled that, now I’m not sure where I stand.

JetForMe

Ah yeah, I get an error “invalid repository URL provided,” but I don’t know where to specify that.

JetForMe

I tried cloning the git repo you referenced and selecting that for init. It seemed to accept that, but build complains that init hasn’t been run. Something isn’t right.

Also, your instructions have me install git and python3, but those already exist in macOS if Xcode is installed (which it is), so I’ve skipped that step.

Also, nRF Connect installed its own copy of git that was super broken, so I removed nRF’s bin from my PATH.

JetForMe

I tried installing everything (starting with Xcode) on my older Intel Mac, and this time the init command prompted me for a repo URL. So either my M1 install is busted, or something about being M1 breaks init.

JetForMe

Just to verify, what board name do I use for the SparkFun Thing+? circuitdojo_feather_nrf9160ns?

JetForMe

I was able to build and flash the at_client sample (and I found a SparkFun-specific board string), and I used the load & monitor function. I can see the output in the VS Code terminal:

Connecting..
Connected to /dev/tty.usbserial-1430!
*** Booting Zephyr OS build v2.6.99-ncs1-1  ***
The AT host sample started

But it doesn’t respond to me typing “at” at all. Not sure if I should be able to do that in the VS Code Terminal or not.

UPDATE: I connected to the Thing+ using screen in a Terminal.app window and I can send it AT commands. Now to figure out how to actually connect to LTE…

Also: I don’t think I have the nRF Connect app and tools installed (like the LTE Link Monitor) after running through your setup instructions, is that right? Or did your VS Code extension install those? I can’t seem to find them via Spotlight.

JetForMe

Ah! I set the APN to “hologram” and CFUN to 1, and after a bit my hologram dashboard showed it connected! This is exciting! Now to wait for my GPS antenna to arrive…

I’d still like to be able to use the LTE Link Monitor.

jaredwolff

JetForMe nRF Desktop is a separate install: https://www.nordicsemi.com/Products/Development-tools/nrf-connect-for-desktop/download

vinifr

I am sorry for newbie question. But i am trying to run the “nrf9160/location” example using a Vodafone SIM card, but i did not find where I can set the APN…

jaredwolff

vinifr you can set the APN in runtime by using the pdn API: https://github.com/nrfconnect/sdk-nrf/tree/main/samples/nrf9160/pdn

You can use CONFIG_PDN_DEFAULT_APN to set it in your .conf file.

CONFIG_PDN_DEFAULTS_OVERRIDE=y
CONFIG_PDN_DEFAULT_APN="your-apn"

If you have any other questions feel free to open a new thread.