Particle CLI with local libraries

Firmware
1

I’m really stuck!

I’m using Particle CLI 3.45.1 on macOS.

I’m trying to locally compile an app (.ino) locally with CLI using a local library and old DeviceOS.

Specifically, Blynk 1.1.0 and Device OS 1.2.1 for a Photon.

This was originally built in January 2023 when Blynk updated their service. Well, an inadequate diode (my mistake), and my Photon has died. I have a replacement Photon, so I just want to recompile, reflash, and go. Well, that doesn’t work with the Web IDE, since it tries to load the latest Blynk library and Device OS.

I have my Device OS flashed to 1.2.1. But, the web IDE updated my library Blynk version to 1.3.2, which, for some reason, puts the Photon into a panic (flashing magenta) shortly after startup.

I have a local folder with project.ino and a project.properties file that has only one dependency:

dependencies.blynk=1.1.0

I saw where Particle CLI stores libraries, so I downloaded the older Blynk library from GitHub and installed it in a parallel path, taking care of the filename and library.properties file.

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I also made sure I had blynk.h set to use the right board include file:

#include "BlynkSimpleParticle.h"

I am using the following command in the local folder

particle compile photon project.ino --target 1.2.1 --saveTo firmware.bin

Particle CLI just can’t seem to find blynk.h! Here’s the relevant barf from CLI:

aquarium1-photon-4.ino:7:19: fatal error: blynk.h: No such file or directory
compilation terminated.
../build/module.mk:277: recipe for target '../build/target/user/platform-6-maquarium1-photon-4.o' failed
make[2]: *** [../build/target/user/platform-6-maquarium1-photon-4.o] Error 1
make[2]: Leaving directory '/firmware/user'

[I referred to my application as project.ino, but the true filename is aquarium1-photon-4.ino]

How can I force a local compile, and, use a specific local library?

2

This is easier to do with Workbench, but will work with the CLI.

  • Create a project directory with a project.properties file at the top level
  • A src directory containing your .ino file
  • A lib directory containing the versions of the libraries that you want to use
  • Make sure the library is not listed in project.properties!

See Workbench pseudo libraries which also applies to Workbench using the cloud compilers, or using the Particle CLI directly.

3

Rick!!! I’m an hobby user, only have a handful of devices, and have been gone from the community for a long time. That said, I saw a quick reply, and, was delighted to see it was the familiar person who is all over this forum, for many years - thank you!

…well, I may have missed a step. I emptied my project.properties file, and moved things as you suggested. Same error. I also tried removing the “@1.1.0” suffix and that didn’t work.

I also tried editing my source file (.ino) and going from <blynk.h> to “blynk.h”, no luck.

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I do really have a blynk.h file! (the original file from Blynk I renamed, then, made a copy and made sure it pointed to a Particle header)

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Contents of blynk.h:

#incude "BlynkSimpleParticle.h"

…very strange that this happens. I must be overlooking something simple.

4

Sorry, I missed something initially.

Change this:

particle compile photon project.ino --target 1.2.1 --saveTo firmware.bin

To this, and run the command in the photon directory containing project.properties.

particle compile photon . --target 1.2.1 --saveTo firmware.bin

If you specify the ino filename, it only builds the ino file, not the rest of the project. The dot builds the whole directory, including src and lib.

5

BAM! That was it! THANK YOU!

It’s so cool when it works! I really love these little devices. I should do more with them, for sure!

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