# Firmware

{% embed url="<https://youtu.be/d87vueVeX0Q>" %}
How to Video
{% endembed %}

### Install Visual Studio Code&#x20;

{% embed url="<https://code.visualstudio.com/download>" %}

{% hint style="info" %}
Defaults install options are fine
{% endhint %}

Note this Guide is for Windows. Linux and Mac should be similar

### Add PlatformIO Extension

![](/files/-Md89D13StxuQ1YuCFgF)

Choose install. **Wait for all the installation popup messages at the bottom to complete**. It can take a while to install, don't close or do anything else in the meantime.

The final message is please restart VSCode. Go ahead and Restart VSCode by clicking the **Reload Now** button.&#x20;

After it reboots you should see the PlatformIO icon on the bottom of the left tool bar (Alien Head)

### Clone the Git Repository or download + extract the .zip file from GitHub

{% embed url="<https://github.com/dlktdr/HeadTracker>" %}

{% hint style="info" %}
I would suggest using an app like GitHub desktop to clone and keep up to date with changes if your not a command line GIT expert. Use <https://www.gihub.com/dlktdr/Headtracker> for the URL Clone source.
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="warning" %}
There are a lot of sub folders in the GitHub Tree and can overwhelm Windows max path length. Keep it close to the root or it may not compile. e.g. C:\HeadTracker

If your trying this on Linux, it should be fine anywhere, supports a much longer path length 4096 vs 255 on Windows.
{% endhint %}

{% hint style="danger" %}
The folder cannot contain any spaces.
{% endhint %}

### Choose File->Open Workspace from File

The workspace file to open is **firmware/src/headtracker.code-workspace**

![](/files/06bSTJQU3GkBi0QwADkS)

### **Choo**se the Build Task in VSCode

Under the PlatformIO extension tab, expand Head*Tracker-Zephyr-Nano33\_BLE and click build*

![](/files/-Md871l5ii0cqAk_r2XC)

{% hint style="info" %}
It will install all the necessary packages, and try to compile. **This takes a while!**
{% endhint %}

![](/files/-Md8IH3R1DwlRF7uDhLu)

With any luck you should get...

![](/files/-Md8Ph7y_TYGOv3O2hnJ)

{% hint style="success" %}
SUCCESS
{% endhint %}

### A few things about Zephyr

* The device tree file .dts is located in the folder&#x20;

  &#x20;%USERPROFILES%\\.platformio\packages\framework-zephyr\boards\arm\\\
  \&#xNAN;**\*** I have left this file as shipped and have used an device tree overlay file in zephyr/arduino\_nano\_33\_ble.overlay which defines the hardware used \
  &#x20;Changed in master on 7/25/21
* The prj.conf file located in src/zephyr contains all the KConfig options included in the code

### How to add your changes and make a Pull Request

If you want to add your changes to the main project, follow these steps. You should always work in a branch not in Master. There are many tutorials online. Git is a very powerful tool and can be overwhelming, start with a GUI and learn the command line after.

1. Be sure your Master branch is up to date.
2. Create a new local branch
3. Make your changes
4. Publish your new branch to your github account
5. Create a pull request on GitHub.com

### Happy coding. Visit Discord for Support


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