Compilation error: grpc: error while marshaling: proto: Marshal called with nil

[KurtE]

Describe the problem

Sorry there is probably something screwy in this code, that I am hacking up...

I tried to do a verify operation, and the build aborted with an error:

grpc: error while marshaling: proto: Marshal called with nil

Compilation error: grpc: error while marshaling: proto: Marshal called with nil

That was all of the output, all in orangish color.

I have no idea what that error is supposed to imply.

To reproduce

Not sure, but I included the code... Note: this code is not done yet, nor may never be used, but just an experiment on Teensy 3.2, to see if I can use FTM timer to capture pulse widths and maybe generate specific pulses...

I simply clicked on verify with this sketch, which includes a header file, which is part of the sketch.

t3x_test_ftm_pin_capture-220717a.zip

Expected behavior

I am guessing probably lots of error messages.

Arduino IDE version

20220716

Operating system

Windows

Operating system version

Windows 10

Additional context

I am running with yesterdays IDE did not see any updates for today.

Issue checklist

• I searched for previous reports in the issue tracker
• I verified the problem still occurs when using the latest nightly build
• My report contains all necessary details

[KurtE]

I believe I figured it out what happened.

Before this I had done a SaveAs operation to this new name. The code hung with spinning ... So I closed out the window (and process). Restarted IDE. Browsed to the new saved file and tried to do the compile...

But turned out it had forgotten I was building for T3.1/2 and had the simple chose board... in drop down list.
Going back up and choose T3.1 now it behaves normal...

Side note: Thought maybe had issue with the new sketch name. So I exited the IDE, used browser to rename the directory and sketch to different name. I then restarted the IDE. Looks like it had issue with not finding the last sketch that was last edited, and gave me a blank window... Also the Sketchbook tab area showed as empty, but was able to go up to File ->Sketchbook and open up the sketch with the new name.

[per1234]

had the simple chose board... in drop down list.

Do you mean the "❌ No board selected" like this?

I gave it a try but I only got the expected "Missing FQBN" message rather than the unexpected error you reported.

I exited the IDE, used browser to rename the directory and sketch to different name. I then restarted the IDE. Looks like it had issue with not finding the last sketch that was last edited, and gave me a blank window...

I guess it is the same issue you reported at arduino/arduino-ide#1089. That will be fixed by arduino/arduino-ide#1152

[KurtE]

Maybe, I just reproduced it.

I was verifying fine... Then I decided to program a board, so I turned it on, and tried to compile and it warned that I need to select a board...

I then clicked on the drop down list (select board), which brought up dialog where you can choose the board type..., I then canceled, the dialog.

I then tried to do a verify and got that error.

[per1234]

OK, I am able to reproduce it now. I was using a slightly outdated version of the IDE before.

This was a regression introduced by arduino/arduino-ide@73835ec.

The menu item text was also just changed, but by a different commit unrelated to this new unpleasant error message.

[kittaakos]

I then clicked on the drop down list (select board), which brought up dialog where you can choose the board type..., I then canceled, the dialog.

It's tracked here: arduino/arduino-ide#1204

[per1234]

I determined this is a bug in the Arduino CLI codebase, so I have moved the issue to the appropriate repository.

I bisected the issue to a5466d0

In case it will be useful, I will provide instructions for reproducing the issue using the Arduino CLI gRPC interface directly (the issue does not occur when using the Arduino CLI command line interface).

Set up

$ arduino-cli version
arduino-cli.exe  Version: 0.25.1-rc1 Commit: 436f0bb9 Date: 2022-07-22T15:47:42Z

$ arduino-cli sketch new /tmp/FooSketch

$ arduino-cli daemon

Demo

Use grpcurl to run the following commands in another terminal:

$ grpcurl \
  -plaintext \
  -import-path ./rpc \
  -proto cc/arduino/cli/commands/v1/commands.proto \
  127.0.0.1:50051 \
  cc.arduino.cli.commands.v1.ArduinoCoreService.Create

{
  "instance": {
    "id": 1
  }
}

$ grpcurl \
  -plaintext \
  -import-path ./rpc \
  -proto cc/arduino/cli/commands/v1/commands.proto \
  -d '{"instance": {"id": 1}}' \
  127.0.0.1:50051 \
  cc.arduino.cli.commands.v1.ArduinoCoreService.Init

$ grpcurl \
  -plaintext \
  -import-path ./rpc \
  -proto cc/arduino/cli/commands/v1/commands.proto \
  -d '{"instance": {"id": 1}, "sketch_path": "/tmp/FooSketch"}' \
  127.0.0.1:50051 \
  cc.arduino.cli.commands.v1.ArduinoCoreService.Compile

ERROR:
  Code: Internal
  Message: grpc: error while marshaling: proto: Marshal called with nil

Since the fqbn field was omitted from the cc.arduino.cli.commands.v1.ArduinoCoreService.Compile request, an error is expected. However, it should be the slightly more user friendly "Missing FQBN (Fully Qualified Board Name)" error that was returned prior to a5466d0.