OpenOCD not starting since Python Platformio process spawn fails

[mhaberler]

Platform: MacOS M1, Vscode
Arduino 3.2 rc2

had the following situation several times, did not see a clear pattern why (it's not Arduino versions):

• cd to the project dir in terminal
• start VSCode with code .
• build/flash works perfectly fine
• starting debug session - Debug Console shows: 'Could not start debugger process > Error: spawn platformio ENOENT'

It turns out that if you activate the pio python environment before starting Vscode with code ., then debugging works fine

NB this has no effect on other aspects of the build - all working fine despite NOT activating the pio Python environment

MacBookPro networking/cores3-read-qrcode logcanvas $ pio
zsh: command not found: pio
MacBookPro networking/cores3-read-qrcode logcanvas $ source /Users/mah/.platformio/penv/bin/activate
(penv) MacBookPro networking/cores3-read-qrcode logcanvas $ pio
Usage: pio [OPTIONS] COMMAND [ARGS]...

Options:
  --version          Show the version and exit.
...
  upgrade   Upgrade PlatformIO Core to the latest version
(penv) MacBookPro networking/cores3-read-qrcode logcanvas $ code .

now starting a debug session works fine, even with latest 3.2rc2

TLDR; activate the platformio Python environment before starting VSCode

Michael

[Jason2866]

Thx a lot for this finding. Will investigate how to implement the activating of the pio python environment without doing harm elsewhere ;-)

[Jason2866]

Honestly currently i have no idea to fix this nice without (ugly) side effects. The Python process spawn needs system env var set to work. Dont want to modify the system env, which is a can of worms to set for all platforms and unset when closing VSC.
Another workaround is to install Platformio in the default system Python. For calling the Debugger (OpenOCD) it is working too to have a Platformio version which is in path which needs just be done one time.

[mhaberler]

not a big issue as there is a workaround

I'm willing to try a few things like Python Environments on VSCode

how would I install pioarduino from the command line?

[Jason2866]

We both use a Apple Silicon Mac so this should work

pip install -U https://github.com/Jason2866/platformio-core/archive/refs/tags/v6.1.18.zip --break-system-packages

[mhaberler]

will report

[mhaberler]

semi-related: it seems the MacOS Python version must be the 3.11 Framework version (whose install package is not online anymore on python.org)

I tried the 3.13 Framework and headed straight to the pits

[mhaberler]

with the activate the platformio Python environment before starting VSCodeworkaround the first debug session also properly downloads tool-openocd-esp32@2.1100.20220706 and debugging works

[Jason2866]

Using python v3.13 with Mac (and in CI runs) works without issues.