Flash firmware without PlatformIO

[leon0399]

Using PlatformIO and PlatformIO IDE is not as straightforward as using Arduino IDE, so an alternative is required

As proposed, WebFlash API may be used to achieve a more effortless firmware flashing experience. Using newly-created openhaptics.github.io it is possible to create a WebFlash-based page. To achieve this following steps are required:

• Create releases for firmware
• Attach firmware binaries to releases #16
• https://github.com/openhaptics/openhaptics.github.io/issues/1
• https://github.com/openhaptics/openhaptics.github.io/issues/9

Original issue

As project is developed using PlatformIO IDE, it is not that user-friendly, especially for entry-level developers, so it will be easier for most of people to configure and flash it using Arduino IDE

Need to investigate how Marlin IDE is made this happen. They also use PlatformIO and flash it with Arduino IDE

[sanjay900]

The other option would be to just build one of those web interfaces that uses webserial to program it, then users could have a one-click upload from chrome?
Since you already have it building the various environments, it should be easy enough to just have a web tool that flashes those builds

Projects like Tasmota go this route, and it makes for a really nice user experience
Tasmotas: https://tasmota.github.io/install/

Should be easy enough to provide something like that via Github Pages?

[leon0399]

The other option would be to just build one of those web interfaces that uses webserial to program it, then users could have a one-click upload from chrome?

Since you already have it building the various environments, it should be easy enough to just have a web tool that flashes those builds

Projects like Tasmota go this route, and it makes for a really nice user experience

Tasmotas: https://tasmota.github.io/install/

Should be easy enough to provide something like that via Github Pages?

Thank you for great idea! I've found an article on this: https://blog.toit.io/flash-your-esp32-from-the-browser-using-web-serial-5eccb1483b9c

I can easily create website for this 🙂

[sanjay900]

The only thing is that this only works with chrome / edge since firefox do not intend on implementing things like the web serial API, but thats easy enough to deal with

[leon0399]

I also found @SlimeVR use using same approach but also seems like can build firmware on-demand for different features

https://github.com/SlimeVR/SlimeVR-Firmware-WebBuilder

[sanjay900]

That would probably be a super nice way to go about it, cause then people could customise how their pins are bound or how many motors they are using and things like that