Arduino IDE 2.0 problem with ESP32-CAM-MB and Module CH340G

[Erhie]

Describe the problem

No output in Serial Monitor using Arduino IDE 2.0 RC6 on Windows 10 with ESP32-CAM and CH340G

Because there are some pictures the detailed description in a Google Docs:
[Arduino IDE 2.0 problem with Serial monitor - Google Docs 2]

Discussion with ptillisch and also tests with CLI nightly build https://downloads.arduino.cc/arduino-cli/nightly/arduino-cli_nightly-latest_Windows_64bit.zip don't solve the problem.

To reproduce

Plug USB and according the sketch the LED blinks
starting the command ./arduino-cli.exe monitor -p COM5
The led is dark and the message is
Connected to COM5! Press CTRL-C to exit
no output is logged.

starting the command with unplugged USB
and plug USB few seconds after the message is

Connected to COM5! Press CTRL-C to exit.
��f������`���

and the led is dark.

With same sketch and
Arduino 1.8.16 after press reset on ESP board:

20:24:35.642 -> 9Zv⸮c/a{)a5⸮⸮⸮V:⸮aQVHhello #0
20:24:37.143 -> hello #1
20:24:37.658 -> hello #2
20:24:38.128 -> hello #3
20:24:38.641 -> hello #4
20:24:39.153 -> hello #5
20:24:39.622 -> hello #6
20:24:40.136 -> hello #7
20:24:40.648 -> hello #8
20:24:41.159 -> hello #9
20:24:41.625 -> hello #10
20:24:42.138 -> hello #11

and led blinks

Expected behavior

to have the same output as on Arduino 1.8.16

serial-monitor version

arduino-cli.exe Version: nightly-20220519 Commit: 6883b39 Date: 2022-05-19T01:34:16Z

Operating system

Windows

Operating system version

10 Pro 21H2

Additional context

please implement the behavior on Arduino 2.0 as on Arduino 1.8.16

Issue checklist

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

[cmaglie]

Hi @Erhie !

I've read the discussion on the forum, it's a really bad issue.

I'd like to send you a small terminal program written in golang to try out, to further reduce the possible causes. May you compile a golang program in case?
Otherwise I can post here a prebuild executable if you're ok with that.

[cmaglie]

package main

import (
	"fmt"
	"os"
	"strconv"

	"go.bug.st/serial"
)

func usage() {
	fmt.Println("Usage: term <PORT> [baudrate]")
	os.Exit(1)
}

func main() {
	args := os.Args[1:]
	if len(args) == 0 {
		usage()
	}
	portname, args := args[0], args[1:]
	baudrate := 9600
	if len(args) > 0 {
		if b, err := strconv.Atoi(args[0]); err != nil {
			fmt.Println("Invalid baudrate:", args[0])
			os.Exit(1)
		} else {
			baudrate = b
		}
		args = args[1:]
	}
	if len(args) > 0 {
		usage()
	}

	port, err := serial.Open(portname, &serial.Mode{BaudRate: baudrate})
	if err != nil {
		fmt.Printf("Error opening serial port %s: %s\n", portname, err)
		os.Exit(2)
	}

	var buff [1024]byte
	for {
		n, err := port.Read(buff[:])
		if err != nil {
			fmt.Println("Error reading from serial port:", err)
			break
		}
		if n == 0 {
			fmt.Println("Timeout reading from serial port.")
			continue
		}
		os.Stdout.Write(buff[:n])
	}

	port.Close()
}

ok this is the program, it should be run like this:

C:\> go run main.go COM1
Connected to COM1
16814
16815
16816
16817
16818
16819
16820
16821  <--- this is the output from my board
16822
16823
16824
16825
16826
16827

Otherwise you can use this precompiled term.exe, you should run it the same:

C:\> term.exe COM1
Connected to COM1
16814
16815
16816
16817
16818
16819
16820
...

[cmaglie]

I've been looking at the Arduino IDE 1.8.x source code and I see that the IDE is explicitly setting RTS/CTS:

https://github.com/arduino/Arduino/blob/43b0818f7fa8073301db1b80ac832b7b7596b828/arduino-core/src/processing/app/Serial.java#L81-L87

On the IDE 1.8 they are always enabled (unless specified otherwise), instead on the IDE 2.0/CLI they are left "untouched". It may be that the board you're using requires an explicit activation of those bits, something to try out.

[ubidefeo]

@Erhie
have you had any chance to follow up on testing?

[Erhie]

at last I use Arduino IDE 1.8.19 and forgot IDE 2.0

[Erhie]

now I test IDE 2.0 rc9.1
with the script below, but have no output in serial monitor
with IDE 1.8.19 it works fine

int i = 0;
void setup() {
  // put your setup code here, to run once:
  Serial.begin(115200);
  // Serial.setDebugOutput(true); uncommented by OpaErhard
  Serial.println();
}

void loop() {
  // put your main code here, to run repeatedly:
  Serial.println(i++);
}

[per1234]

Thanks @Erhie. Are you able to run the test that was requested above at this comment?

#17 (comment)

Please let us know if you have any questions or problems.

[Erhie]

sorry, I have problems with Go

with VS code
Build Error: go build -o h:\Users\gle\Documents\Arduino__debug_bin.exe -gcflags all=-N -l .
package example.com/m: C source files not allowed when not using cgo or SWIG: led.c

don't know how to fix it because all helps are for Linux alike

[per1234]

It seems you have a file named led.c in the same folder as the Go program. You must remove any unnecessary files from the folder.

I'll provide complete instructions (omitting installation of Go since I can see you already have it):

1. Start the Arduino IDE.
2. Connect your ESP32-CAM-MB board to your computer as usual.
3. Upload a sketch to the ESP32-CAM-MB board that periodically prints to serial at 9600 baud:

   int i = 0;
   void setup() {
     Serial.begin(9600);
   }
   void loop() {
     Serial.println(i++);
     delay(1000);
   }

4. Select Tools > Port from the Arduino IDE menus.
5. Note which serial port your ESP32-CAM-MB board is on.
6. Select File > Quit from the Arduino IDE menus.
7. Hover the mouse pointer over the box below. You will see an icon appear at the top right corner. Click that icon to copy the code to the clipboard.

   package main
   
   import (
   	"fmt"
   	"os"
   	"strconv"
   
   	"go.bug.st/serial"
   )
   
   func usage() {
   	fmt.Println("Usage: term <PORT> [baudrate]")
   	os.Exit(1)
   }
   
   func main() {
   	args := os.Args[1:]
   	if len(args) == 0 {
   		usage()
   	}
   	portname, args := args[0], args[1:]
   	baudrate := 9600
   	if len(args) > 0 {
   		if b, err := strconv.Atoi(args[0]); err != nil {
   			fmt.Println("Invalid baudrate:", args[0])
   			os.Exit(1)
   		} else {
   			baudrate = b
   		}
   		args = args[1:]
   	}
   	if len(args) > 0 {
   		usage()
   	}
   
   	port, err := serial.Open(portname, &serial.Mode{BaudRate: baudrate})
   	if err != nil {
   		fmt.Printf("Error opening serial port %s: %s\n", portname, err)
   		os.Exit(2)
   	}
   
   	var buff [1024]byte
   	for {
   		n, err := port.Read(buff[:])
   		if err != nil {
   			fmt.Println("Error reading from serial port:", err)
   			break
   		}
   		if n == 0 {
   			fmt.Println("Timeout reading from serial port.")
   			continue
   		}
   		os.Stdout.Write(buff[:n])
   	}
   
   	port.Close()
   }

8. Create a new folder.
   ⓘ The folder can be at any convenient location and with any name you like.
9. Create a file in the folder with the name main.go
10. Paste the code you copied at step (6) into the file main.go
11. Save the file.
12. Open a terminal at the folder path.
    ⓘ You can use any terminal you prefer (e.g., PowerShell, Command Prompt, cmd, Bash)
13. Run the following command from the terminal to initialize the Go project:

    go mod init example.com/foo
    

14. Run the following command from the terminal to install the dependencies of the project:

    go get
    

15. Run the following command from the terminal to run the Go program:

    go run main.go <port>
    

    ❗ Replace <port> in the command above with the serial port of your ESP32-CAM-MB board, as determined at step (4) of the instructions (e.g., go run main.go COM7).

Please let me know if you have any questions or problems while following those instructions.

After executing the go run command, the expected behavior is to start seeing numbers printed to the terminal window at 1 Hz. Please let us know whether that happens.

Once you are finished, you can exit the program by pressing Ctrl+C.

---

If you prefer, you can also try the executable provided by @cmaglie in the previous reply:

Otherwise you can use this precompiled term.exe, you should run it the same:

Unfortunately, Windows Defender was not happy about the file when I downloaded it to my computer, so it is possible you will have difficulty with that approach as well, but maybe worth a try if building the program from source is not convenient?

[Erhie]

Thank you for your patience with me.
Sorry,
with Select File > Quit from the Arduino IDE menus
Arduino IDE exits and no possibility to over the mouse pointer over the box below