Debugging Support on ESP32-P4 Functional EV Board (v1.5.2) (VSC-1745)

[sachinraghugowda]

OS

Windows

Operating System version

windows 11

Visual Studio Code version

1.102.0

ESP-IDF version

5.5.0

Python version

3.11.0

Doctor command output

doctor_command_output.zip

Extension

esp_idf_vsc_ext_log.zip

Description

I am using the new version (1.5.2) ESP32 P4 FUnctional EV kit, and and attempting to enable debugging via the inbuilt USB Serial JTAG interface(port) using Visual Studio Code and the ESP-IDF environment.

I have followed the steps outlined in your documentation for JTAG debugging:
https://docs.espressif.com/projects/esp-idf/en/latest/esp32p4/api-guides/jtag-debugging/index.html#jtag-debugging-configure-and-connect-jtag-interface

I was able to run OpenOCD successfully and reached the expected output as mentioned. Please refer the attached image from my terminal output:

Next step, I proceeded with configuring debugging in Visual Studio Code, following the guide below:
https://docs.espressif.com/projects/vscode-esp-idf-extension/en/latest/debugproject.html
The required drivers were installed automatically. However, when I attempt to start the debugger (after selecting the appropriate board/esp32p4-builtin.cfg), I encounter persistent errors in the output window as below :

Could you help me identify any potential misconfigurations or limitations that may be causing this issue?

Debug Message

Debug adapter -> Extension: DEBUG_ADAPTER_STARTED
Debug adapter -> Extension: DEBUG_ADAPTER_READY2CONNECT

Other Steps to Reproduce

I tried chaning the launchs to esp-IDF launch and Eclipse CDT GDB Launch. each resukted in these error

In have also attached my settings.json file here for your reference

settings.json

I have checked existing issues, online documentation and the Troubleshooting Guide

• I confirm I have checked existing issues, online documentation and Troubleshooting guide.

[brianignacio5]

Hi ! Could you please provide an example project so I can try to reproduce the issue? Also could you share the debug console output when running the Eclipse CDT GDB Adapter debug configuration ? The following configuration for launch.json could help troubleshoot the issue. The resulting log file could be shared to understand issue in GDB side.

{
    "configurations": [
        {
            "type": "gdbtarget",
            "request": "attach",
            "name": "Eclipse CDT GDB Adapter",
            "verbose": true,
            "logFile": "${workspaceFolder}/gdb.log"
        }
    ]
}

I've tested with esp-idf master (v6.0.0) and it works well using the Eclipse CDT GDB Adapter using ESP32-P4 Functional EV board 1.5.2 and board/esp32p4-builtin.cfg for openOCD.

[sachinraghugowda]

Hello,
I have adapted the launch.json file the way you have shown. I am posting the debug console output below for your understanding.
Please see the attachment for the gdb.log file.
I am also Debug console output after running the Eclipse CDT GDB Adapter debug configuration:

Verbose logs are written to:
C:\git_ws\plasma_air_purifier_hmi/gdb.log
2025-7-25, 14:08:57.353 UTC
From client: initialize({"clientID":"vscode","clientName":"Visual Studio Code","adapterID":"gdbtarget","pathFormat":"path","linesStartAt1":true,"columnsStartAt1":true,"supportsVariableType":true,"supportsVariablePaging":true,"supportsRunInTerminalRequest":true,"locale":"en","supportsProgressReporting":true,"supportsInvalidatedEvent":true,"supportsMemoryReferences":true,"supportsArgsCanBeInterpretedByShell":true,"supportsMemoryEvent":true,"supportsStartDebuggingRequest":true,"supportsANSIStyling":true})
To client: {"seq":0,"type":"response","request_seq":1,"command":"initialize","success":true,"body":{"supportsConfigurationDoneRequest":true,"supportsEvaluateForHovers":true,"supportsDataBreakpoints":true,"supportsSetVariable":true,"supportsConditionalBreakpoints":true,"supportsHitConditionalBreakpoints":true,"supportsLogPoints":true,"supportsFunctionBreakpoints":true,"supportsDisassembleRequest":true,"supportsReadMemoryRequest":true,"supportsWriteMemoryRequest":true,"supportsSteppingGranularity":true}}
From client: attach({"type":"gdbtarget","request":"attach","name":"Eclipse CDT GDB Adapter","verbose":true,"logFile":"C:\git_ws\plasma_air_purifier_hmi/gdb.log","__configurationTarget":6,"program":"c:\git_ws\plasma_air_purifier_hmi\build\plasma_air_purifier_hmi.elf","gdb":"C:\Users\DE10K21008\.espressif\tools\riscv32-esp-elf-gdb\15.2_20241112\riscv32-esp-elf-gdb\bin\riscv32-esp-elf-gdb.exe","initCommands":["set remote hardware-watchpoint-limit 3","mon reset halt","maintenance flush register-cache","thb app_main"],"target":{"connectCommands":["set remotetimeout 20","-target-select extended-remote localhost:3333"]},"__sessionId":"66915f37-e33c-47c3-9270-8ca4155968ec"})
GDB notify async: thread-group-added,id="i1"
To client: {"seq":0,"type":"event","event":"output","body":{"category":"stdout","output":"GNU gdb (esp-gdb) 15.2_20241112\n"}}
GNU gdb (esp-gdb) 15.2_20241112
To client: {"seq":0,"type":"event","event":"output","body":{"category":"stdout","output":"Copyright (C) 2024 Free Software Foundation, Inc.\n"}}
Copyright (C) 2024 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
To client: {"seq":0,"type":"event","event":"output","body":{"category":"stdout","output":"License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later http://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html\nThis is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.\nThere is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law."}}
License GPLv3+: GNU GPL version 3 or later http://gnu.org/licenses/gpl.html
This is free software: you are free to change and redistribute it.
There is NO WARRANTY, to the extent permitted by law.To client: {"seq":0,"type":"event","event":"output","body":{"category":"stdout","output":"\nType "show copying" and "show warranty" for details.\n"}}

Type "show copying" and "show warranty" for details.
To client: {"seq":0,"type":"event","event":"output","body":{"category":"stdout","output":"This GDB was configured as "--host=x86_64-w64-mingw32 --target=riscv32-esp-elf".\n"}}
This GDB was configured as "--host=x86_64-w64-mingw32 --target=riscv32-esp-elf".
To client: {"seq":0,"type":"event","event":"output","body":{"category":"stdout","output":"Type "show configuration" for configuration details.\n"}}
Type "show configuration" for configuration details.
To client: {"seq":0,"type":"event","event":"output","body":{"category":"stdout","output":"For bug reporting instructions, please see:\n"}}
For bug reporting instructions, please see:
To client: {"seq":0,"type":"event","event":"output","body":{"category":"stdout","output":"https://www.gnu.org/software/gdb/bugs/.\n"}}
https://www.gnu.org/software/gdb/bugs/.
To client: {"seq":0,"type":"event","event":"output","body":{"category":"stdout","output":"Find the GDB manual and other documentation resources online at:\n <"}}
Find the GDB manual and other documentation resources online at:
<To client: {"seq":0,"type":"event","event":"output","body":{"category":"stdout","output":"http://www.gnu.org/software/gdb/documentation/>.\n\n"}}
http://www.gnu.org/software/gdb/documentation/>.

To client: {"seq":0,"type":"event","event":"output","body":{"category":"stdout","output":"For help, type "help".\n"}}
For help, type "help".
To client: {"seq":0,"type":"event","event":"output","body":{"category":"stdout","output":"Type "apropos word" to search for commands related to "word".\n"}}
Type "apropos word" to search for commands related to "word".
GDB command: 0 -gdb-set non-stop off
GDB result: 0 done
GDB command: 1 -gdb-set mi-async on
GDB result: 1 done
GDB command: 2 -file-exec-and-symbols "c:\git_ws\plasma_air_purifier_hmi\build\plasma_air_purifier_hmi.elf"
To client: {"seq":0,"type":"event","event":"output","body":{"category":"log","output":"warning: could not convert 'main' from the host encoding (CP1252) to UTF-32.\nThis normally should not happen, please file a bug report."}}
warning: could not convert 'main' from the host encoding (CP1252) to UTF-32.
This normally should not happen, please file a bug report.To client: {"seq":0,"type":"event","event":"output","body":{"category":"log","output":"\n"}}

GDB result: 2 done
GDB command: 3 -enable-pretty-printing
GDB result: 3 done
GDB command: 4 set remotetimeout 20
To client: {"seq":0,"type":"event","event":"output","body":{"category":"log","output":"set remotetimeout 20\n"}}
set remotetimeout 20
GDB notify async: cmd-param-changed,param="remotetimeout",value="20"
GDB result: 4 done
GDB command: 5 -target-select extended-remote localhost:3333
GDB result: 5 error,msg="Remote connection closed"
To client: {"seq":0,"type":"response","request_seq":2,"command":"attach","success":false,"message":"Remote connection closed","body":{"error":{"id":1,"format":"Remote connection closed","showUser":true}}}

gdb.log

Also, when I run the openocd -f board/esp32p4-builtin.cfg command the output i get is

(In my issue aboce i had posted a wrong image, so please consider this image)

here it is throwing error for CPU1 intialisation. May be it is causing the problem?

[brianignacio5]

What about the openOCD output? You can see it in Output(Problems, Output, Debug Console...) -> Select ESP-IDF from dropdown

Does any error happen there?

You can set

"idf.openOcdLaunchArgs": [
    "-d4",
    "${config:idf.openOcdConfigs,-f}",
    "-c",
    "init",
    "-c",
    "reset halt",
    "-c",
    "esp appimage_offset 0x10000"
  ]

in settings.json for more verbose OpenOCD output.

Any thoughts @erhankur @Lapshin ?

[sobuch]

Hi guys, there is a know issue in OpenOCD with esp32p4 when cpu1 is unavailable, e.g. cpu1 can be stalled because of CONFIG_FREERTOS_UNICORE option.

@sachinraghugowda you can try running OpenOCD for cpu0 only, this should always work - openocd -c "set ESP_ONLYCPU 0x1" -f board/esp32p4-builtin.cfg. Does that help you, or do you expect cpu1 to be available with your project?

[sachinraghugowda]

Hi Guys,
As per your suggestions i have changed the settings.json accordingly as per comment by @brianignacio5, and also used openocd -c "set ESP_ONLYCPU 0x1" -f board/esp32p4-builtin.cfg . with this there is no cpu 1 error more

after that when i run debug i get below error in the output. It is in the attachement:
OpenOcd output file.txt

and then following error in Terminal output :

The debugger is still failing to start. Is there anything I am still missing, or is it some known issue? Let me know nif you need any more info from me

[sobuch]

@sachinraghugowda could you please try with latest version or latest release from https://github.com/espressif/openocd-esp32 ? we added support for memory protection already, maybe its all thats needed now

The attached error log is strange because it still contains cpu1 logs that shouldnt be there anymore, but lets see if you still see that error with a newer OpenOCD

[sachinraghugowda]

Hi @sobuch I tried with the new release version [openocd-esp32-win64-0.12.0-esp32-20250707], still kind of same error.
after that when i run debug i get below error in the output. It is in the attachement:

OpenOcd output file_new version.txt

below is my terminal output:

It still says memory protection not supported yet. Do you mean to use any other version of openOCD?

I am also attaching the laund.json and settings.json here for your conveience.

launch.json
settings.json

Please let me know, if I am missing something still.

[sobuch]

Hi @sachinraghugowda there is probably version mismatch of OpenOCD binaries and config files, see in the output file:

Open On-Chip Debugger v0.12.0-esp32-20241016 (2024-10-16-14:17)
...
Debug: 23 10 configuration.c:88 find_file(): found C:\Users\DE10K21008\.espressif\tools\openocd-esp32\v0.12.0-esp32-20250707/openocd-esp32/share/openocd/scripts/board/esp32p4-builtin.cfg

The warning "Memory protection support is not implemented yet" also means outdated config files are used.

I am not actually sure how to select OpenOCD binary in the project settings, so could you try like this:

• make sure OpenOCD server is stopped in the vscode
• run the new release version in terminal openocd -c "set ESP_ONLYCPU 0x1" -f board/esp32p4-builtin.cfg -d3 -l openocd_log.txt
• with the OpenOCD running, start debug session in vscode
• in case that doesnt work, please share log file openocd_log.txt

[brianignacio5]

You can set

"idf.openOcdLaunchArgs": [
    "-d4",
    "-c",
    "set ESP_ONLYCPU 0x1",
    "${config:idf.openOcdConfigs,-f}",
    "-c",
    "init",
    "-c",
    "reset halt",
  ]

to achieve this in vscode OpenOCD server.