Skip to main content

Known Issues

This section lists some of the common issues encountered when using Zephyr Workbench, along with possible solutions and workarounds.

Conflict with STM32 VS Code Extension​

When the STM32Cube for Visual Studio Code is installed alongside Zephyr Workbench, it can cause conflicts that break the build process.
You may see errors such as:

ERROR: it looks like . is a build directory: did you mean --build-dir . instead?
FATAL ERROR: refusing to proceed without --force due to above error

This issue typically occurs because both extensions attempt to manage CMake build directories.

Workarounds​

  • Disable or uninstall the STM32 VS Code extension.

  • Alternatively, install Zephyr Workbench in a standalone portable VS Code.

  • Remove any files previously generated by the STM32 extension:

    • CMakeFiles/
    • CMakeCache.txt

PowerShell 7 as Default Terminal​

Another reported issue occurs when PowerShell 7 is configured as the default integrated terminal in VS Code.
This can lead to errors when running build or flash tasks.

Workarounds​

  • Uninstall PowerShell 7 if not required.
  • Or, in VS Code, change the default terminal to Windows PowerShell instead of PowerShell 7.

More details are available in GitHub Issue #36.

Runner Not Found While Flashing​

You may encounter an error such as:

-- west flash: using runner openocd
FATAL ERROR: required program openocd not found; install it or add its location to PATH

This happens when the flashing/debugging runner (e.g. openocd, jlink) is not installed or cannot be found in the system PATH.

Workarounds​

Add the runner to the global PATH

  • Ensure the folder containing the runner executable (e.g openocd.exe on Windows, openocd on Linux/macOS) is in your PATH.