Compilation fails for ESP32 : myproject.partition.bin missing.

[UltimateUnicorn]

Hello. Thanks for the support and many advices you've already provided here.
I would like to report a bug that occurs when I try to compile a sketch for an ESP32.

My setup

• Ubuntu 18.04.2 LTS 64 bits
• Arduino-cli version 0.3.6-alpha.preview
• ESP32 boards core version 1.0.1 (added https://dl.espressif.com/dl/package_esp32_index.json)
• Espressif ESP32 DevKitC (module : ESP32-WROOM-32D)

Steps to reproduce

• Create a new project (I copied the HelloServer.ino from the examples directory into a new directory called test and renamed HelloServer.ino into test.ino).
• Compile it using arduino-cli compile --fqbn esp32:esp32:esp32 test (from the parent directory of test) -> works well (I got a "normal" output from the compiler and the following files have been created in the test folder : test.esp32.esp32.esp32.bin & test.esp32.esp32.esp32.elf.
• Upload the project : arduino-cli upload --fqbn esp32:esp32:esp32 -p /dev/ttyUSB0 test -> doesn't work. I get the following output :

No new serial port detected.
usage: esptool write_flash [-h] [--flash_freq {keep,40m,26m,20m,80m}]
[--flash_mode {keep,qio,qout,dio,dout}]
[--flash_size FLASH_SIZE]
[--spi-connection SPI_CONNECTION] [--no-progress]
[--verify] [--compress | --no-compress]

[ ...]
esptool write_flash: error: argument : [Errno 2] No such file or directory: 'test/test.esp32.esp32.esp32.partitions.bin'
Error: exit status 2
Error during upload.

Additional information

• When using the Espressif toolchain & ESP-IDF on the same computer I can upload the sketch and it runs.
• I used the exact same procedure using the Arduino IDE version 1.8.8 under Windows : it worked flawlessly.
• I just realized that there is no newline between "directory:" and "test/tes....." on my console. Don't know if it's relevant.

Feel free to contact me for additional details / testings.
Thanks.

[per1234]

The ESP32 core's recipe.objcopy.eep.pattern creates a file named {build.project_name}.partitions.bin:
https://github.com/espressif/arduino-esp32/blob/master/platform.txt#L80

recipe.objcopy.eep.pattern={tools.gen_esp32part.cmd} -q "{runtime.platform.path}/tools/partitions/{build.partitions}.csv" "{build.path}/{build.project_name}.partitions.bin"

and then the upload recipe expects to find that file in {build.path}, but arduino-cli doesn't copy that file from the temporary build folder to the sketch folder, thus the error.

[WayneBooth]

I have same problem. Happy to provide details is required.
For now I have two workarounds:

Edit platform.txt to remove the upload for partitions.bin

102,103c102,105
< tools.esptool_py.upload.pattern="{path}/{cmd}" --chip esp32 --port "{serial.port}" --baud {upload.speed}  --before default_reset --after hard_reset write_flash -z --flash_mode {build.flash_mode} --flash_freq {build.flash_freq} --flash_size detect 0xe000 "{runtime.platform.path}/tools/partitions/boot_app0.bin" 0x1000 "{runtime.platform.path}/tools/sdk/bin/bootloader_{build.boot}_{build.flash_freq}.bin" 0x10000 "{build.path}/{build.project_name}.bin" 0x8000 "{build.path}/{build.project_name}.partitions.bin"
< tools.esptool_py.upload.pattern.linux=python "{path}/{cmd}" --chip esp32 --port "{serial.port}" --baud {upload.speed}  --before default_reset --after hard_reset write_flash -z --flash_mode {build.flash_mode} --flash_freq {build.flash_freq} --flash_size detect 0xe000 "{runtime.platform.path}/tools/partitions/boot_app0.bin" 0x1000 "{runtime.platform.path}/tools/sdk/bin/bootloader_{build.boot}_{build.flash_freq}.bin" 0x10000 "{build.path}/{build.project_name}.bin" 0x8000 "{build.path}/{build.project_name}.partitions.bin"
---
> tools.esptool_py.upload.pattern="{path}/{cmd}" --chip esp32 --port "{serial.port}" --baud {upload.speed}  --before default_reset --after hard_reset write_flash -z --flash_mode {build.flash_mode} --flash_freq {build.flash_freq} --flash_size detect 0xe000 "{runtime.platform.path}/tools/partitions/boot_app0.bin" 0x1000 "{runtime.platform.path}/tools/sdk/bin/bootloader_{build.boot}_{build.flash_freq}.bin" 0x10000 "{build.path}/{build.project_name}.bin" 
> #0x8000 "{build.path}/{build.project_name}.partitions.bin"
> tools.esptool_py.upload.pattern.linux=python "{path}/{cmd}" --chip esp32 --port "{serial.port}" --baud {upload.speed}  --before default_reset --after hard_reset write_flash -z --flash_mode {build.flash_mode} --flash_freq {build.flash_freq} --flash_size detect 0xe000 "{runtime.platform.path}/tools/partitions/boot_app0.bin" 0x1000 "{runtime.platform.path}/tools/sdk/bin/bootloader_{build.boot}_{build.flash_freq}.bin" 0x10000 "{build.path}/{build.project_name}.bin" 
> #0x8000 "{build.path}/{build.project_name}.partitions.bin"

or simply upload manually
path_to_tool/esptool.py --port /dev/ttyUSB0 write_flash 0x10000 ~/Arduino/tst/tst.esp32.esp32.esp32.bin

[ubidefeo]

@WayneBooth I recommend manual upload for now.
If you issue an erase_flash command this will delete the partition scheme and if you manually upload a firmware after such operation your program will not run.
@cmaglie how can we tackle copying the partition.bin file as well?

[thbar]

I met the same problem. Thanks @WayneBooth for the work-arounds. If it helps someone not familiar with esptool, on a Mac here is exactly what I had to do (using the installed Arduino IDE):

~/Library/Arduino15/packages/esp32/tools/esptool_py/2.6.1/esptool --port /dev/cu.SLAB_USBtoUART write_flash 0x10000 WifiScan/WifiScan.esp32.esp32.esp32.bin 

After that, attaching using screen /dev/cu.SLAB_USBtoUART 115200 allowed me to verify that the upload succeeded.

[jdwolin]

Same problem here!