ESP32S3 using very old toolchain

[m-mcgowan]

I have a PlatformIO project that I've been working on for several weeks. It's been working fine, but last week (around 1st August) the project stopped compiling.

xtensa-esp32s3-elf-g++: error: unrecognized command line option '-std=gnu++2b'; did you mean '-std=gnu++2a'?

This is the relevant part of platformio.ini

framework = arduino
platform = https://github.com/platformio/platform-espressif32.git
;platform_packages = espressif/toolchain-xtensa-esp32s3
board = esp32-s3-devkitm-1
build_type = debug
build_flags = ${env:arduino.build_flags}  -DARDUINO_USB_MODE -DARDUINO_USB_CDC_ON_BOOT

When building, the toolchain selected is an old version:

PACKAGES: 
 - framework-arduinoespressif32 @ 3.20017.0 (2.0.17) 
 - tool-esptoolpy @ 1.40501.0 (4.5.1) 
 - toolchain-riscv32-esp @ 8.4.0+2021r2-patch5 
 - toolchain-xtensa-esp32s3 @ 8.4.0+2021r2-patch5

I have tried uninstalling and reinstalling the latest version of toolchain-xtensa-esp32s3 but the PIO build continues to use the old version.

Running pio pkg update shows that all dependencies are already up to date.

I added

platform_packages = espressif/toolchain-xtensa-esp32s3

which then uses the latest version of the toolchain (toolchain-xtensa-esp32s3@12.2.0+20230208), and does build the .elf file, but results in many warnings like:

/Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoespressif32/tools/sdk/esp32s3/include/freertos/port/xtensa/include/freertos/portmacro.h:614:1: warning: ignoring attribute 'section (".iram1.24")' because it conflicts with previous 'section (".iram1.22")' [-Wattributes]
  614 | {

and during linking,

warning: .pio/build/esp32s3/firmware.elf has a LOAD segment with RWX permissions

pio --version
PlatformIO Core, version 6.1.15

python --version
Python 3.12.4

I've also deleted the ~/.platformio directory and the project's .pio directory but no change in behavior.

[m-mcgowan]

I also have an environment that targets both arduino and esp-idf, which fails with this error:

CMake Warning at /Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-espidf/tools/cmake/crosstool_version_check.cmake:8 (message):
  Toolchain
  /Users/mat/.platformio/packages/toolchain-xtensa-esp32s3/bin/xtensa-esp32s3-elf-gcc
  version 12.2.0 is not the supported version 8.4.0.  Check Getting Started
  documentation or proceed at own risk.

Call Stack (most recent call first):
  /Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-espidf/components/esp_common/project_include.cmake:6 (gcc_version_check)
  /Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-espidf/tools/cmake/build.cmake:334 (include)
  /Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-espidf/tools/cmake/build.cmake:543 (__build_process_project_includes)
  /Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-espidf/tools/cmake/project.cmake:476 (idf_build_process)
  CMakeLists.txt:3 (project)


CMake Error at /Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-espidf/tools/cmake/crosstool_version_check.cmake:37 (message):
  

  Toolchain:
  /Users/mat/.platformio/packages/toolchain-xtensa-esp32s3/bin/xtensa-esp32s3-elf-gcc,
  crosstool-ng version esp-12.2.0_20230208 doesn't match supported version
  esp-2021r2-patch5

[Jason2866]

It is not possible to freely choose the toolchain version.

[m-mcgowan]

I understand. But then something must have changed in the package, because this was working fine a week ago - I'm building from a known good commit hash.

[valeros]

Hi @m-mcgowan, unfortunately, the toolchain version is tightly coupled to the framework version, so you cannot change it arbitrarily.

[m-mcgowan]

I feel there's a miscommunication here and that this issue should be kept open. My build was working fine a week ago, with nothing unusual in the platformio.ini file. What used to be a good known build no longer works.

I have an environment for compiling the code for the arduino framework, and another environment that targets arduino and esp-idf. Both of these had been working fine, with C++23 support, but no longer do so. If I knew how to pin the versions of the packages/frameworks to what being selected as default prior to last week that would most likely provide a suitable workaround.

I have found a workaround that doesn't involve pinning versions, which, although far less than ideal, I am happy to share, but I feel this should be addressed at the source, either in this package, or in the espressif Arduino IDF component dependency, or whereever the fix is required. Notwithstanding that, at the very least, I would appreciate some help getting back to a reliable build by pinning versions of frameworks/packages.

I am not very familiar with the inner workings of the PIO frameworks, packages and toolchains, and despite my research of the changes in the past week I was not able to find a solution.

I am working on a project that has been in development for several months, for which I advocated PlatformIO. My workaround can support continued development, but I will not be able to release the software later this year with that workaround.

It is not possible to freely choose the toolchain version.

To be clear, I was not choosing the toolchain version and was just using the latest, which had C++23 (gnu++2b) support. platformio.ini has not changed in the meantime, yet the build is now broken with missing support for gnu++2b and the concepts headers. Since the source code hasn't changed, I can only assume it's something in the PIO frameworks/packages that has changed, or perhaps in the PIO core.

I would truly appreciate some help from anyone that knows the PIO ecosystem better than I do.

[valeros]

@m-mcgowan please share here your entire platformio.ini file.

[brightproject]

My trouble.

platformio.ini

[env:esp32-s3-devkitc1-n16r8]
; platform = espressif32 @ 5.3.0
platform = espressif32 @ 6.6.0
board = esp32-s3-devkitc1-n16r8
framework = arduino
monitor_speed = 115200
monitor_port = COM6
upload_speed = 921600
upload_port = COM22
monitor_filters = esp32_exception_decoder

PLATFORM: Espressif 32 (6.6.0) > Espressif ESP32-S3-DevKitC-1-N16R8V (16 MB Flash Quad, 8 MB PSRAM Octal)
HARDWARE: ESP32S3 240MHz, 320KB RAM, 16MB Flash
DEBUG: Current (esp-builtin) On-board (esp-builtin) External (cmsis-dap, esp-bridge, esp-prog, iot-bus-jtag, jlink, minimodule, olimex-arm-usb-ocd, olimex-arm-usb-ocd-h, olimex-arm-usb-tiny-h, olimex-jtag-tiny, tumpa)
PACKAGES:
 - framework-arduinoespressif32 @ 3.20014.231204 (2.0.14)
 - tool-esptoolpy @ 1.40501.0 (4.5.1)
 - toolchain-riscv32-esp @ 8.4.0+2021r2-patch5
 - toolchain-xtensa-esp32s3 @ 8.4.0+2021r2-patch5

[Jason2866]

@brightproject Dont hijack this issue with something unrelated.

[m-mcgowan]

@brightproject Dont hijack this issue with something unrelated.

I believe this is the same problem. The old toolchain is now being used, where it wasn't previously.

[m-mcgowan]

Here's a minimal example:

[env:esp32s3]
; This used to work just fine, but no longer recognizes -std=gnu++2b
framework = arduino
platform = espressif32
board = esp32-s3-devkitm-1
build_flags = -std=gnu++2b 
build_unflags = -std=gnu++11

[env:esp32s3_working]
; This works with some caveats:
; Warnings about IRAM sections
; gdb is not found out of the box (workaround is to manually copy from the gdb package to the esp32s3 package)
extends = env:esp32s3
platform_packages = espressif/tool-xtensa-esp-elf-gdb
	espressif/toolchain-xtensa-esp32s3

The esp32s3 environment used to work shortly before I opened this issue. The project relies on concepts, so the minimal source to test is

#include <concepts>

void setup() {}
void loop() {}

The esp32 environment, which used to compile, now fails with

xtensa-esp32s3-elf-g++: error: unrecognized command line option '-std=gnu++2b'; did you mean '-std=gnu++2a'?

Changing to gnu++2a removes the unrecognized option error, but the concepts header is not present in that version of the toolchain.

src/main.cpp:1:10: fatal error: concepts: No such file or directory
 #include <concepts>

So, the newer toolchain was being used by default previously, but for some reason has reverted to a much older version without gnu++2b and concepts support.

The esp32s3_working environment is my workaround, which does compile. Although many warnings are generated:

/Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoespressif32/tools/sdk/esp32s3/include/freertos/port/xtensa/include/freertos/portmacro.h:614:1: warning: ignoring attribute 'section (".iram1.24")' because it conflicts with previous 'section (".iram1.22")' [-Wattributes]
  614 | {
      | ^
/Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoespressif32/tools/sdk/esp32s3/include/freertos/port/xtensa/include/freertos/portmacro.h:343:30: note: previous declaration here
  343 | static inline bool IRAM_ATTR xPortCanYield(void);
      |                              ^~~~~~~~~~~~~
/Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoespressif32/tools/sdk/esp32s3/include/freertos/port/xtensa/include/freertos/portmacro.h:633:1: warning: ignoring attribute 'section (".iram1.25")' because it conflicts with previous 'section (".iram1.23")' [-Wattributes]
  633 | {
      | ^
/Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoespressif32/tools/sdk/esp32s3/include/freertos/port/xtensa/include/freertos/portmacro.h:385:36: note: previous declaration here
  385 | static inline BaseType_t IRAM_ATTR xPortGetCoreID(void);
      |                                    ^~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In file included from /Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoespressif32/tools/sdk/esp32s3/include/freertos/include/freertos/portable.h:51,
                 from /Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoespressif32/tools/sdk/esp32s3/include/freertos/include/freertos/FreeRTOS.h:63,
                 from /Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoespressif32/cores/esp32/esp32-hal.h:34,
                 from /Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoespressif32/cores/esp32/esp32-hal-touch.h:28,
                 from /Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoespressif32/cores/esp32/esp32-hal-touch.c:19:
/Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoespressif32/tools/sdk/esp32s3/include/freertos/port/xtensa/include/freertos/portmacro.h:614:1: warning: ignoring attribute 'section (".iram1.24")' because it conflicts with previous 'section (".iram1.22")' [-Wattributes]
  614 | {
      | ^
/Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoespressif32/tools/sdk/esp32s3/include/freertos/port/xtensa/include/freertos/portmacro.h:343:30: note: previous declaration here
  343 | static inline bool IRAM_ATTR xPortCanYield(void);
      |                              ^~~~~~~~~~~~~
/Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoespressif32/tools/sdk/esp32s3/include/freertos/port/xtensa/include/freertos/portmacro.h:633:1: warning: ignoring attribute 'section (".iram1.25")' because it conflicts with previous 'section (".iram1.23")' [-Wattributes]
  633 | {
      | ^
/Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoespressif32/tools/sdk/esp32s3/include/freertos/port/xtensa/include/freertos/portmacro.h:385:36: note: previous declaration here
  385 | static inline BaseType_t IRAM_ATTR xPortGetCoreID(void);
      |                                    ^~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Compiling .pio/build/esp32s3_working/FrameworkArduino/stdlib_noniso.c.o
In file included from /Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoespressif32/tools/sdk/esp32s3/include/freertos/include/freertos/portable.h:51,
                 from /Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoespressif32/tools/sdk/esp32s3/include/freertos/include/freertos/FreeRTOS.h:63,
                 from /Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoespressif32/cores/esp32/esp32-hal.h:34,
                 from /Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoespressif32/cores/esp32/esp32-hal-uart.c:15:
/Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoespressif32/tools/sdk/esp32s3/include/freertos/port/xtensa/include/freertos/portmacro.h:614:1: warning: ignoring attribute 'section (".iram1.24")' because it conflicts with previous 'section (".iram1.22")' [-Wattributes]
  614 | {
      | ^
/Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoespressif32/tools/sdk/esp32s3/include/freertos/port/xtensa/include/freertos/portmacro.h:343:30: note: previous declaration here
  343 | static inline bool IRAM_ATTR xPortCanYield(void);
      |                              ^~~~~~~~~~~~~
/Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoespressif32/tools/sdk/esp32s3/include/freertos/port/xtensa/include/freertos/portmacro.h:633:1: warning: ignoring attribute 'section (".iram1.25")' because it conflicts with previous 'section (".iram1.23")' [-Wattributes]
  633 | {
      | ^
/Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoespressif32/tools/sdk/esp32s3/include/freertos/port/xtensa/include/freertos/portmacro.h:385:36: note: previous declaration here
  385 | static inline BaseType_t IRAM_ATTR xPortGetCoreID(void);
      |                                    ^~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Compiling .pio/build/esp32s3_working/FrameworkArduino/wiring_pulse.c.o
Compiling .pio/build/esp32s3_working/FrameworkArduino/wiring_shift.c.o
In file included from /Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoespressif32/tools/sdk/esp32s3/include/freertos/include/freertos/portable.h:51,
                 from /Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoespressif32/tools/sdk/esp32s3/include/freertos/include/freertos/FreeRTOS.h:63,
                 from /Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoespressif32/cores/esp32/Arduino.h:33,
                 from /Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoespressif32/cores/esp32/wiring_private.h:31,
                 from /Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoespressif32/cores/esp32/wiring_pulse.c:18:
/Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoespressif32/tools/sdk/esp32s3/include/freertos/port/xtensa/include/freertos/portmacro.h:614:1: warning: ignoring attribute 'section (".iram1.24")' because it conflicts with previous 'section (".iram1.22")' [-Wattributes]
  614 | {
      | ^
/Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoespressif32/tools/sdk/esp32s3/include/freertos/port/xtensa/include/freertos/portmacro.h:343:30: note: previous declaration here
  343 | static inline bool IRAM_ATTR xPortCanYield(void);
      |                              ^~~~~~~~~~~~~
/Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoespressif32/tools/sdk/esp32s3/include/freertos/port/xtensa/include/freertos/portmacro.h:633:1: warning: ignoring attribute 'section (".iram1.25")' because it conflicts with previous 'section (".iram1.23")' [-Wattributes]
  633 | {
      | ^
/Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoespressif32/tools/sdk/esp32s3/include/freertos/port/xtensa/include/freertos/portmacro.h:385:36: note: previous declaration here
  385 | static inline BaseType_t IRAM_ATTR xPortGetCoreID(void);
      |                                    ^~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In file included from /Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoespressif32/tools/sdk/esp32s3/include/freertos/include/freertos/portable.h:51,
                 from /Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoespressif32/tools/sdk/esp32s3/include/freertos/include/freertos/FreeRTOS.h:63,
                 from /Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoespressif32/cores/esp32/esp32-hal.h:34,
                 from /Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoespressif32/cores/esp32/wiring_shift.c:20:
/Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoespressif32/tools/sdk/esp32s3/include/freertos/port/xtensa/include/freertos/portmacro.h:614:1: warning: ignoring attribute 'section (".iram1.24")' because it conflicts with previous 'section (".iram1.22")' [-Wattributes]
  614 | {
      | ^
/Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoespressif32/tools/sdk/esp32s3/include/freertos/port/xtensa/include/freertos/portmacro.h:343:30: note: previous declaration here
  343 | static inline bool IRAM_ATTR xPortCanYield(void);
      |                              ^~~~~~~~~~~~~
/Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoespressif32/tools/sdk/esp32s3/include/freertos/port/xtensa/include/freertos/portmacro.h:633:1: warning: ignoring attribute 'section (".iram1.25")' because it conflicts with previous 'section (".iram1.23")' [-Wattributes]
  633 | {
      | ^
/Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoespressif32/tools/sdk/esp32s3/include/freertos/port/xtensa/include/freertos/portmacro.h:385:36: note: previous declaration here
  385 | static inline BaseType_t IRAM_ATTR xPortGetCoreID(void);
      |                                    ^~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In file included from /Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoespressif32/tools/sdk/esp32s3/include/freertos/include/freertos/portable.h:51,
                 from /Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoespressif32/tools/sdk/esp32s3/include/freertos/include/freertos/FreeRTOS.h:63,
                 from /Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoespressif32/cores/esp32/main.cpp:1:
/Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoespressif32/tools/sdk/esp32s3/include/freertos/port/xtensa/include/freertos/portmacro.h:613:48: warning: ignoring attribute 'section (".iram1.24")' because it conflicts with previous 'section (".iram1.22")' [-Wattributes]
  613 | static inline bool IRAM_ATTR xPortCanYield(void)
      |                                                ^
/Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoespressif32/tools/sdk/esp32s3/include/freertos/port/xtensa/include/freertos/portmacro.h:343:30: note: previous declaration here
  343 | static inline bool IRAM_ATTR xPortCanYield(void);
      |                              ^~~~~~~~~~~~~
/Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoespressif32/tools/sdk/esp32s3/include/freertos/port/xtensa/include/freertos/portmacro.h:632:55: warning: ignoring attribute 'section (".iram1.25")' because it conflicts with previous 'section (".iram1.23")' [-Wattributes]
  632 | static inline BaseType_t IRAM_ATTR xPortGetCoreID(void)
      |                                                       ^
/Users/mat/.platformio/packages/framework-arduinoespressif32/tools/sdk/esp32s3/include/freertos/port/xtensa/include/freertos/portmacro.h:385:36: note: previous declaration here
  385 | static inline BaseType_t IRAM_ATTR xPortGetCoreID(void);
      |                                    ^~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Archiving .pio/build/esp32s3_working/libFrameworkArduino.a
Indexing .pio/build/esp32s3_working/libFrameworkArduino.a
Linking .pio/build/esp32s3_working/firmware.elf
/Users/mat/.platformio/packages/toolchain-xtensa-esp32s3/bin/../lib/gcc/xtensa-esp32s3-elf/12.2.0/../../../../xtensa-esp32s3-elf/bin/ld: warning: .pio/build/esp32s3_working/firmware.elf has a LOAD segment with RWX permissions
Retrieving maximum program size .pio/build/esp32s3_working/firmware.elf
Checking size .pio/build/esp32s3_working/firmware.elf
Advanced Memory Usage is available via "PlatformIO Home > Project Inspect"
RAM:   [=         ]   5.5% (used 18032 bytes from 327680 bytes)
Flash: [=         ]   7.0% (used 235345 bytes from 3342336 bytes)
Building .pio/build/esp32s3_working/firmware.bin
esptool.py v4.5.1
Creating esp32s3 image...
Merged 2 ELF sections
Successfully created esp32s3 image.

The firmware built works as expected despite the compiler and linker warnings.

[Jason2866]

If you want/need pin the platform version. This will use any version found on the system

platform = espressif32

better do like this (using latest version)

platform = espressif32 @ 6.8.1