VS code extension update broke RTOS viewer

[arunkumar_g]

Hello,

Until now we were using vscode tool version 1.9.20 (old), and we were using https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=mcu-debug.rtos-views to view the status of freertos threads (RT1189). After the update the tool no longer works and just shows "RTOS detection did not finish. It will be resumed on the next halt."  Any suggestions?

Thanks

[cristiantepus]

Hi,

MCUXpresso for VS Code has own RTOS viewer for a long time. Please check https://mcuxpresso.nxp.com/mcux-vscode/latest//html/RTOS-Details.html 

Also, old change, the extension migrated from using Microsoft C/C++ Debug Adapter to own debug adapter based on Cortex-Debug. You have to create a new Debug Configuration that will automatically create one based on our debug adapter (you'll notice "mcuxpresso-debug" as type).

PS. Please be aware that if you are using Segger debug probe, this requires special enablement for RTOS support (see https://mcuxpresso.nxp.com/mcux-vscode/latest//html/Debug-Views.html#enabling-rtos-awareness)

Regards,

Cristian

[arunkumar_g]

Thanks,

In fact the message is coming from MCUXpresso RTOS view itself (I incorrectly referred a different plugin). 

I have attached the launch.json and custom device script (it is same as MIMXRT1180-EVK.json for Linkserver 26.3.123, but the "connect-script" is "RT1180_reset.scp". 

Our app runs in hyperram and uses SDK 2.16. Freertos variables are correctly set.

I can debug an step through our app, but RTOS Details view still shows "RTOS detection did not finish. It will be resumed on the next halt." 

Thanks

[arunkumar_g]

Ok I got it working, we where compiling with -Og flag in debug and changing that to -O0 made the viewer work. But I guess the tool needs improvement as Og shall be default for standard edit-debug process?.

Unrelated to this, I also see this warning in debug console

"warning: could not convert '<proj path>\Main.cpp' from the host encoding (CP1252) to UTF-32.
This normally should not happen, please file a bug report."

Thanks

[arunkumar_g]

Today I found that MCUXpresso RTOS viewer does not work in release mode, and does not show anything.

But https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=mcu-debug.rtos-views

works with -Og and in release modes, but cannot work with current mcuxpresso vscode plugin (gets disabled?). Is there a way to bring that back?

[AdrianOltean]

Hi @arunkumar_g,

The RTOS details view we offer is relying on the existence of some symbols inside the ELF file (e.g. "FreeRTOSDebugConfig", "pxCurrentTCB", "uxCurrentNumberOfTasks", and many more). I agree that the "RTOS detection did not finish. It will be resumed on the next halt." does not guide on what went wrong and we'll make sure to make this clearer.

Regarding the results you obtained for "debug" vs. "release", I'd say this is the result of compiler/linker optimizations -- required symbols are stripped-out so any consumer will not find these. In this case, not only the RTOS Details view will fail but the low-level GDB Thread Awareness (LinkServer, J-Link, PEmicro) will be unable to show and debug FreeRTOS tasks in Call Stack view. In this case, I can only suggest you make sure you update the code so that you ensure the presence of the required symbols in both, "debug" and "release" build modes. We'll make sure to update the documentation and the information from the tool to make it clear what symbols are required but are missing -- thus making the views unable to show data.

You also mentioned that MCU Debug RTOS view is working in this particular case. Could be, but the last time I checked there was no support any kind of versioning support (version is found by inspecting "FreeRTOSDebugConfig"). And keep in mind that the FreeRTOS data structures are really specific to the RTOS version. To enable MCU Debug views you could ask the maintainers how to add the "mcuxpresso-debug" debug adapter (MCUXpresso specific) in the supported list.

Given that you're using a project based on an old SDK 2.16, I'd also suggest switching to the latest MCUXpresso SDK based on CMake & Kconfig.

Some useful links:

- RTOS Details: RTOS Details — MCUXpresso for VS Code 26.04 documentation

- MCUXpresso SDK: MCUXpresso SDK Documentation — MCUXpresso SDK Documentation

Thanks,

Adrian

[arunkumar_g]

@cristiantepus any updates on this?