ESP-IDF under win10 directly generating micropython\ports\esp32 firmware

[qqjyh]

To generate the MicroPython (ESP32) firmware on a Windows 10 system, I installed ESP-IDF (v5.2.2) and successfully tested idf.py build with the example (esp-idf-v5.2.2\examples\get-started\hello_world). However, when I tried to generate the firmware using idf.py build in the MicroPython ESP32 port directory (micropython\ports\esp32), it consistently failed at the last step.

I wonder if generating the firmware for micropython\ports\esp32 requires first building micropython\mpy-cross using make. However, Windows 10 lacks the necessary toolchain (e.g., make, Cmake, etc.) for this purpose.

After setting up the toolchain correctly in Windows 10 using MSYS2, I successfully built micropython\mpy-cross with make. I also tested successfully make CROSS=1 in the MicroPython minimal port (micropython\ports\minimal). However, when attempting make CROSS for the MicroPython ESP32 (micropython\ports\esp32), it required idf.py from ESP-IDF. Unfortunately, idf.py cannot be executed in the MSYS2 command window (it throws an error about missing import click). How can this be resolved?

Is it possible to directly use idf.py build for micropython\ports\esp32 in ESP-IDF (Windows) without first running make CROSS for micropython\mpy-cross?

[stinos]

(it throws an error about missing import click). How can this be resolved?

Have had similar issues in the past and solution was to install the 'right' version of click. Searching for the error should give some pointers.

I wonder if generating the firmware for micropython\ports\esp32 requires first building micropython\mpy-cross using make.

It requires mpy-cross, as far as I'm aware, but that doesn't mean that must be built using make. Windows builds can be downloaded (sorry don't remember the link) or built using the MSVC toolchain.

[Josverl]

it is also possible to install and use mpy-cross from PyPI on Windows

use any one of these commands to install

uv tool install mpy-cross
pipx install mpy-cross
pip install mpy-cross

[qqjyh]

Thank you very much for promptly providing the important information.
Can the mentioned [pip install mpy-cross] be used to install make with Python-PIP on Windows 10, generate the cross-compiled mpy-cross.exe, and be utilized by esp-idf's idf.py build?

[Josverl]

no , pip install mpy-cross does exactly what it reads on the tin. It installs mpy-cross , and nothing else.

[qqjyh]

【Challenges in Building MicroPython ESP32 Firmware with esp-idf and msys2 on Windows 10】
Since it is widely agreed that esp-idf (on Windows) requires make CROSS to first generate mpy-cross.exe in the micropython\mpy-cross build directory, I successfully installed the toolchain in the Windows 10 msys2 environment and ran make in micropython\mpy-cross, which worked. Testing make CROSS=1 in micropython\ports\minimal also succeeded.

However, running make CROSS in micropython\ports\esp32 requires idf.py from esp-idf, which cannot be launched in the msys2 terminal (it throws an error about missing import click). Naturally, I proceeded to install esp-idf using the Windows installer. My question is: how can the esp-idf Windows CMD terminal and the msys2 Linux-like terminal work together?

Should I run idf.py build in the esp-idf Windows CMD terminal (and if so, how can it utilize the msys2 make cross-compilation toolchain and mpy-cross.exe)? Or should I run make CROSS=1 in the msys2 terminal (for the micropython\ports\esp32 directory—and if so, how would it recognize that esp-idf is already installed)?