Python scripts not executed in Espressif build?

[gojimmypi]

I seem to recall an issue where Espressif cmake files in PlatformIO do not properly call python scripts. Is that true?

[robertlipe]

Asking others what you recall doesn't seem productive. We have no idea whether you recall that or not.

If there's an actual issue, you'll get much further by actually stating it, documenting it linking to doc that set different expectations, etc.

[gojimmypi]

Ah, I found where the exchange was: on the PlatformIO forum, not here on GitHub. And yes: there's an issue where PlatformIO does not call scripts from CMake files in the Espressif ESP-IDF.

This was in the context of wolfSSL/wolfssl#7936

@valeros provided this helpful information:

Hi @gojimmypi, unfortunately it’s expected that python scripts called from the CMake are not executed, it’s a limitation imposed by CMake’s file-based API. They simply do not export all necessary build information to properly reproduce the entire build process. Are there any other Python scripts beside gen_crt_bundle.py that need to be executed? I’m asking because this case is already covered and described here Espressif 32 — PlatformIO latest documentation. Although the settings are specific for a project, not a component.

and:

[ ... ]

"The error “x509_crt_bundle.S not found” (or in my case “Source x509_crt_bundle_wolfssl.S not found”) - seems to be a commonly question asked in the platformio forum and GitHub"

"Although it may be mentioned in the documentation, the “not found” error doesn’t really lend itself to looking at that particular doc page."

We would love to improve the developer experience, but sadly, from the CMake API point of view, the certificate files are generic assembly files with no traces of the command used to generate it.

"If there’s not an existing GitHub issue that addresses the cert bundle, and cmake scripts in general, would you like me to open one?"

Unfortunately, there is no active issue for this problem in our repositories. Developers just got used to the embed_txtfiles historically available for the Arduino framework, so those who switched to IDF already knew that they need to specify these files in platformio.ini. Although newcomers have to read the docs or figure out it the hard way by googling the error message or searching in the community forum.

There is also a long-standing issue in the CMake repo we filed several years ago describing our difficulties with API limitations, but sadly no actions were taken. That’s why we added the embed_txtfiles as a workaround.

I'll go ahead and close this issue, as there's unlikely to be a solution, certainly not implemented here.

I will add that I've taken the advice from @valeros (thank you, again!) and implemented two possible solutions for the Certificate Bundle when using wolfSSL for the esp-tls component:

• one where the application bakes in the embedded binary
• the other is a simple component called wolfssl_cert_bundle, that has the sole purpose of providing the Certificate Bundle to PlatformIO-compiled projects. I'm not sure if I'll go as far as making it a Managed Component - in case anyone is interested.

Perhaps in future versions of the Managed Component, I'll include the binary Certificate Bundle for PlatformIO builds.

Thank you