New version 1.48.2 to test before final release

[Electroguard]

I bought ten ESP32-S2's while still cheap because of their ESP8266 Wemos D1 Mini footprint compatibility with the many accessories that are available.
Am unable to flash them to test the latest firmware yet until the online flasher is updated, but the online flasher does not work with any of the MX Linux browsers anyway (presumably an MX Linux issue), so I must use my wifes old Win10 laptop... therefore when Win10 is no longer supported I will no longer be able to use the online flasher.

So in the absence of an Annex Toolkit upgrade, might it be possible to provide a simple script for manual flashing to prevent Annex from becoming a very exclusive club ?

[cicciocb]

I bought ten ESP32-S2's while still cheap because of their ESP8266 Wemos D1 Mini footprint compatibility with the many accessories that are available.
Am unable to flash them to test the latest firmware yet until the online flasher is updated, but the online flasher does not work with any of the MX Linux browsers anyway (presumably an MX Linux issue), so I must use my wifes old Win10 laptop... therefore when Win10 is no longer supported I will no longer be able to use the online flasher.

So in the absence of an Annex Toolkit upgrade, might it be possible to provide a simple script for manual flashing to prevent Annex from becoming a very exclusive club ?

Honestly I focused only on the classic ESP32 seen the lack of interest around the other versions of the family.
Actually the 1.48.21 version is not yet available for the -S2 and the -S3, I'm just testing the -C3 in this moment.
I prefer to focus again on the ESP32 for the moment and I plan to release the other versions in a second time.
I understand the point about the exclusive use of the web browser but, unfortunately, each technology brings its problems of incompatibility.
I developed the toolkit with JAVA and many people complain that they can't get it to work; almost all people continue to use the previous windows only version; again, still very difficult to assess given the very low feedback I receive.
At the same time, JAVA has lost the notion of free and I find it hard to imagine re-developing in another environment.
Obviously I updated it for my development needs but I can't distribute it because there are too many versions and variants to manage now and it is hard for me to support it.
Yes, it is, of course, possible to flash using another flasher (just the binary is needed) or a script but I'm sure there will always be someone unable to get it to work for various reasons.

I believe that the WEB is the only viable solution in the medium term, probably associated with a local server style node.js or nwjs to transform it into a local application.
Unfortunately, a miracle solution does not exist.

[Electroguard]

Ok, well even though the currently available firmware for S2 has problems, it is still better than a wemos esp8266 for many things, so they won't be wasted. And I'm pleased to find out about the focus on classic esp32 before buying any C3's.

[bugs]

I appreciate the difficulties in maintaining different versions.
I was intending to make a post about the web method but Electroguard beat me to it.

I am a great fan of the older methods (even including the java version) since it is easy to select which Annex version to revert to when a problem arises.
As there are about six ESPxxxs working 24/7 in my house, it is very easy to load the toolkit, connect to one device IP, download a working program(or data file) then connect to another and upload it.

I have no problem with the web version (win10 and win7) but I hope there will be option to select which version to program e.g. will 1.47.2 still be possible when 1.48.2 is the current web choice? There is no 1.47.2 binary that I can see.

[Electroguard]

I could not find any reference to hardware serial TX and RX on the S2, else I would have tried flashing the bin using the Toolkit and a UART... might that be a feasible solution ?

[Palm Liu]

I bought ten ESP32-S2's while still cheap because of their ESP8266 Wemos D1 Mini footprint compatibility with the many accessories that are available.
Am unable to flash them to test the latest firmware yet until the online flasher is updated, but the online flasher does not work with any of the MX Linux browsers anyway (presumably an MX Linux issue), so I must use my wifes old Win10 laptop... therefore when Win10 is no longer supported I will no longer be able to use the online flasher.

So in the absence of an Annex Toolkit upgrade, might it be possible to provide a simple script for manual flashing to prevent Annex from becoming a very exclusive club ?

I will try this very cheap ESP32C3 board (Euros 1.75) . They also has a cost down version (Euros 1.34) without USB-UART convertor.

ESP32C3.png

[Palm Liu]

I bought ten ESP32-S2's while still cheap because of their ESP8266 Wemos D1 Mini footprint compatibility with the many accessories that are available.
Am unable to flash them to test the latest firmware yet until the online flasher is updated, but the online flasher does not work with any of the MX Linux browsers anyway (presumably an MX Linux issue), so I must use my wifes old Win10 laptop... therefore when Win10 is no longer supported I will no longer be able to use the online flasher.

So in the absence of an Annex Toolkit upgrade, might it be possible to provide a simple script for manual flashing to prevent Annex from becoming a very exclusive club ?

Honestly I focused only on the classic ESP32 seen the lack of interest around the other versions of the family.
Actually the 1.48.21 version is not yet available for the -S2 and the -S3, I'm just testing the -C3 in this moment.
I prefer to focus again on the ESP32 for the moment and I plan to release the other versions in a second time.
I understand the point about the exclusive use of the web browser but, unfortunately, each technology brings its problems of incompatibility.
I developed the toolkit with JAVA and many people complain that they can't get it to work; almost all people continue to use the previous windows only version; again, still very difficult to assess given the very low feedback I receive.
At the same time, JAVA has lost the notion of free and I find it hard to imagine re-developing in another environment.
Obviously I updated it for my development needs but I can't distribute it because there are too many versions and variants to manage now and it is hard for me to support it.
Yes, it is, of course, possible to flash using another flasher (just the binary is needed) or a script but I'm sure there will always be someone unable to get it to work for various reasons.

I believe that the WEB is the only viable solution in the medium term, probably associated with a local server style node.js or nwjs to transform it into a local application.
Unfortunately, a miracle solution does not exist.

Hi cicciocb, just brainstorming on Univerisal Annex Flashing tool

Assume user has a classic ESP32 or WeMos D1 mini (say Device A), if he want to flash a ESP32S2 (say Device B) with problem.
1. Upload "Annex32.bin" to Device A
2. Connect UART lines (V3.3, GND, TXD, RXD) between Device A & B
3. Set Device B in flash mode (or connect GPIO from Device A to Device B to control RST & GPIO0, so Device A can force Device B into Flash mode)
4. Run a SUITABLE program ( of couse, need cicciocb HELP!!!) to flash Device B by Device A

... Then Device A is actually a offline Flasher

[cicciocb]

I could not find any reference to hardware serial TX and RX on the S2, else I would have tried flashing the bin using the Toolkit and a UART... might that be a feasible solution ?

Robin,
The ESP32-S2 cannot be flashed with the current AnnexToolkit as the flashing procedure is different.

[Palm Liu]

I could not find any reference to hardware serial TX and RX on the S2, else I would have tried flashing the bin using the Toolkit and a UART... might that be a feasible solution ?

Robin,
The ESP32-S2 cannot be flashed with the current AnnexToolkit as the flashing procedure is different.

Oh! ESP32-S2 use DFU (USB data to GPIO19 & 20)!!!

[cicciocb]

I will try this very cheap ESP32C3 board (Euros 1.75) . They also has a cost down version (Euros 1.34) without USB-UART convertor.
ESP32C3.png

Yes, it is a good and cheap choice as the ESP32-C3 is the direct substitute for the ESP8266.

It can be found in also Europe for cheap
https://fr.aliexpress.com/item/10050049 ... gNvS2eW2X8