ESPLoader (Windows GUI programmer with terminal)

[mathijs]

Hi all,

I am developing for the ESP8266 for a few days now, and something that bothers me a bit is, that i like both a serial terminal AND easy programming of my target in Windows. The python script available in the SDK does work with windows, but its not that friendly in use

- Have to close COM port every time i want to program my ESP8266.
- Need to be executed twice (for 0x00000 part and 0x40000 part)
- Often fails to reset/program at my system.
- Python in Command prompt terminal.

To make things easier, i wrote a small application 'ESPLoader' that can program the ESP8266 from a windows environment together with a GUI.
This application also has a terminal window, so you don't have to disconnect putty, start programming, start putty, connect, disconnect, etc, etc.

If someone would like to use it, please give a reply. Then i will upload it somewhere with some adjustments/sanity/dummy proof checks
together with the sources.

This is how it looks like.



Currently working:

- Auto reset
- Auto connect with FTDI cable (TTL3V3) with FTDI driver, so no hassling with COM ports, direct connect to the device by DeviceDescription.
- Programs both 0x00000 and 0x40000 in one mouse click.
- Terminal automatically set the correct baud rates for programming, and sets it back after programming.
- No python needed, its just a .NET application


Todo:

- Would like to make it only erase/program sectors that have changed compared by the previous programming cycle, so it quicker
- Automaticly select boot mode (DTR? BitBang mode on FTDI)
- Terminal input
- Auto reload files after compiling and popup for programming.
- Legacy COM port support if wanted.

Please let me know!

Disclaimer: the programming protocol for flashing the ESP8266 is gathered from the esptool.py file. All credits goes to Fredrik Ahlberg and Juergen Eckert for their work.

Sources:

https://github.com/mathijsvandenberg/esploader/

For compatibility with others, I set up the project with Visual C# 2008, so that people with VC# 2008 and 2010 can also compile ESPLoader.
Please change the FTDI description string to fit your FTDI cable!

[jmg5150]

Nice! I was also thinking about doing a similar project but didn't want to stop what I was doing with the actual esp device sdk to work on it. It'd be great if you were willing to make it open source. What language did you write it in? (C#, fingers crossed ) It'd be great if you'd put the code up on github, even in rough shape - I'd be happy to collaborate on it to clean it up and even add more features.

Looking forward to trying it out
-Jonathan

[mathijs]

Hi Jonathan,

Thanks for your reply,I will put the sources on github (just the way they are now).
The language used is C# indeed (VC# 2013 Express edition)
I will post the github repo later this day.

Regards,

Mathijs

[jmg5150]

Fantastic! I look forward to trying it out once you've got it checked in. Thanks again!

[mathijs]

I've put it online at github:

https://github.com/mathijsvandenberg/esploader/

For compatibility with others, I set up the project with Visual C# 2008, so that people with VC# 2008 and 2010 can also compile ESPLoader.


Kind regards,

Mathijs

[jmg5150]

Hi Mathijs,

Thanks for sharing - I just downloaded your code a bit ago. Looks good! Unfortunately I'm using non-FTDI usb-to-uart chips (CP2102) that the driver you're using in the app doesn't recognize, so I haven't been able to try it out yet. I'm going to modify the code tomorrow to use the generic serial/comm port so that I can try it out on my board. Thanks again!

-Jonathan