Alternative to install arduino-esp32 for Arduino IDE (Windows)
Same as in the original instructions, you need to have Arduino IDE and Git already installed on your computer.
In Arduino IDE open the preferences. On the top you see “Sketchbook location”.
For me that is “B:\Arduino-Dev”.
Open git bash and go to your Sketchbook location, create a folder hardware and inside hardware create a folder espressif. This is folder where you start to clone arduino-esp32. See a list of commands below.
For me the folder structure looks like:
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B:\ ->Arduino-Dev\ ->hardware\ ->espressif\ |
You need to replace B:\Arduino-Dev with your sketchbook location.
Then use git bash instead of the git GUI.
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cd <your_sketchbook_location> mkdir hardware cd hardware mkdir espressif cd espressif git clone https://github.com/espressif/arduino-esp32.git ./esp32 |
after cloning is finished do
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cd esp32 git submodule update --init --recursive cd tools ./get.exe |
That should install the stuff in the correct place.
Important is to get the correct sketchbook folder from your Arduino-IDE preferences!







10:39
Hi I was wondering if you can give me a hand, I already tried this method
https://github.com/espressif/arduino-esp32/blob/master/docs/arduino-ide/windows.md
and yours….
but I still get the same error when I compile anything involving the esp32 dev module, “error compiling for esp32 Dev Module” I tried doing the replacement mentioned here
https://github.com/espressif/arduino-esp32/issues/135 but still the same error :S
I would really apreciate if that you can help me with some advice… Thanks in advance
17:29
Hi Jimmy,
When you open Arduino IDE and open the menu File->Preferences you see on top the “Sketchbook location:” Can you tell me what is written there?
And can you give me the directory structure where you installed the arduino-esp32 repository?
00:50
Sure beegee thi is my sketchbook location:
C:\Users\jimmy\Documents\Arduino
and this is the location for repository:
C:\Users\jimmy\Documents\Arduino\hardware\espressif\esp32
08:52
Paths are correct. What happens when you start “get.exe” (3rd step of my tutorial). Do you get any warnings or errors?
If yes try https://desire.giesecke.tk/index.php/2018/03/10/esp32-framework-installation-on-windows-xp/
05:20
thanks for your tutorial, my father bought 2 esp32 by geekcreit on banggood.
Now I’m able to chose some esp32 boards in arduino IDE, but can’t select a port because of missing drivers. Downloaded some drivers (don’t know which one, tried 2 of them) but windows tell me drivers are already up to date, so I can’t install
08:47
Try different USB cables.
If you are using an Apple Mac PC or laptop check out https://desire.giesecke.tk/index.php/2018/01/30/esp32-not-showing-in-serial-port-mac-desktop-laptop-problem/.
For WindowsPC, if the ESP32 you bought are on a red PCB you need USB driver for CH340 (link: http://www.wch.cn/index.php?s=/page-downloads-alias-driver-p-2.html look for USBSER.ZIP). If the PCB is black you need USB driver for CP210x (link: https://www.silabs.com/products/development-tools/software/usb-to-uart-bridge-vcp-drivers).
Once you plugged in the ESP32 to your PC open device manager and check the COM devices. There should be one Serial port shown. Uninstall the driver or try to replace it with the downloaded one.
08:43
Thanks for your help beegee, I’m running a PC with win 8.1 64 bit, but I had installed that specific driver already…. I’m going to replace it either way to see if that helps…
08:44
The specific esp 32 is the esp 32 dev kit by do it… it has the cp2102
15:20
I think you didn’t see my other reply:
Paths are correct. What happens when you start “get.exe” (3rd step of my tutorial). Do you get any warnings or errors?
If yes try https://desire.giesecke.tk/index.php/2018/03/10/esp32-framework-installation-on-windows-xp
or you can install the toolchain and other tools manually.
Download
1. toolchain
2. esptool
3. mkspiffs
and unzip
1. content of xtensa-esp32-elf-win32-1.22.0-80-g6c4433a-5.2.0.zip into [SKETCHBOOK_PATH]\hardware\espressif\esp32\tools\xtensa-esp32-elf
2. esptool.exe from esptool-4dab24e-windows.zip to [SKETCHBOOK_PATH]\hardware\espressif\esp32\tools\
3. mkspiffs.exe from mkspiffs-0.2.1-windows.zip into [SKETCHBOOK_PATH]\hardware\espressif\esp32\tools\mkspiffs
12:53
You were right beegee, I didn’t see you previous reply, when I start “get.exe” I don’t see any errors popping up. I tried downloading the 3 compressed files and putting them in the specified folders… I retried compiling the program (which is practically empty) but I keep getting the same error :/, It’s just the compiling I’m not even trying to upload it to the card….
13:14
Then I have no idea whats wrong. I have both Arduino IDE and PlatformIO with Microsoft Visual Code running without problems. But I have to say that installing and maintaining the ESP32-Arduino framework is much easier on PlatformIO (no need to manually download and start of get.exe) than on Arduino IDE. Maybe you want to give PlatformIO a try.
04:39
Thanks for the advice Beegee, apparently one of the many tries a made did it, I’m now working on the connection between my nextion screen, do you happen to know where I could find wich pin is the hardwareSerial(2) in the DO IT esp 32 dev kit? Thanks again for all of your help
08:51
Hi Jimmy, glad it works now.
For the serials, like most digital peripherals on the ESP32 you can map them to nearly any GPIO during initialization. E.g.
===========================i
HardwareSerial bt(2);
void setup(){
Serial.begin(115200);
bt.begin(9600,SERIAL_8N1,35,34);
===========================
The syntax is
===========================
void begin(unsigned long baud, uint32_t config=SERIAL_8N1, int8_t rxPin=-1, int8_t txPin=-1, bool invert=false);
===========================
You can find the default values here: ESP WROOM 32 Pin Definitions