Trying to try out VisualGdb.  Tired of arduino/platformio, looking to find a real dev environment for microcontroller software development, ESP32’s.

I am professional developer, longtime VisualStudio user, win11pro, vs2022.  Just downloaded and installed VisualGdb.   My immediate goal: get the debugger running.

Throughout this, when informed “You don’t have XXX installed, Install it?” I always picked Install, saw no errors reported, was allowed to proceed after each install step.  Anything un-mentioned below, was left at its supplied default.

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Thought I’d start with something easy, this is what happens, tried a couple of rounds, same same:

1. picked “new arduino project”
2. (Project Type)    picked “create a new blinking led project”
3. (Arduino Device)   picked  “Nologo ESP32C3 Super Mini” ,  picked “Com 25”
4. (Debug Method – Debug using)
   1. from Usb Devices list, picked  “usb-ESP32S3/ESP32Cx built-in JTAG”
      1. (Debug Method – Test)  Fails with pop-up, “USB Composite Device does not appear to have WinUSB driver installed.”  That is correct.  Abandoned path, been down zadig ratholes before.
   2. from Debug Methods list, picked “OpenOCD”
      1. (Debug Method – Test)  Test Works!
5. Picked finish

Presto, looks good, a project, a source file.  I pick File/Save-All .

1. I notice banner “The currently selected Arduino platform produces binaries without debug information…”  I pick “Fix Build Settings”.  Momentary progress bars, then banner disappears.
2. I select Build, project builds ok.
3. I hunt around, find “Program FLASH Memory”, works fine, board starts blinking.  Sweet!
4. Feeling bold, I try F5
   1. VS swaps into its debugging colors, the various debugging sub-windows appear
   2. Get a big pop-up  “Debugging failed”
      1. GDB Session output :Your VisualGDB trial expires in 30 days!
         C:\Users\pdp\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\esp32\tools\esp-rv32\2302\bin\\riscv32-esp-elf-gdb –interpreter mi “C:/Usr/Iot/SysProgs/ApBl1/Output/Nologo_ESP32C3_Super_Mini/Debug/ApBl1.ino.elf”
         -gdb-version

          

      2. Exception details: VisualGDB version: 6.0.105.5243
         —————— le3+l2 ——————
         le3+l2: GDB session exited prematurely. Please verify that the project is built, the selected GDB binary exists and the working directory is specified correctly. If GDB reports an internal error, try updating GDB or erasing the target’s FLASH memory using external tools.
         at le3.q()
         at p63.t_2()
         at VisualGDB.GDBDebugEngine.x1(pa3 a, j1 b)
         trace=[le3.q:5068, p63.t_2:39, VisualGDB.GDBDebugEngine.x1:69]
      3. openocd details: Info : Listening on port 6666 for tcl connections
         Info : Listening on port 51087 for telnet connections
         Info : esp_usb_jtag: serial (7C:2C:67:D1:7F:B8)
         Info : esp_usb_jtag: Device found. Base speed 40000KHz, div range 1 to 255
         Info : clock speed 3076 kHz
         Info : JTAG tap: esp32c3.cpu tap/device found: 0x00005c25 (mfg: 0x612 (Espressif Systems), part: 0x0005, ver: 0x0)
         Info : [esp32c3] datacount=2 progbufsize=16
         Info : [esp32c3] Examined RISC-V core; found 1 harts
         Info : [esp32c3] XLEN=32, misa=0x40101104
         Info : starting gdb server for esp32c3 on 51089
         Info : Listening on port 51089 for gdb connections
5. Tried putting the board into “boot mode”, holding boot while pressing reset, same result

I followed the example here: https://visualgdb.com/tutorials/arduino/esp32/

My steps differ only in how the jtag is connected.  I feel like the successful debug-method test result validates the choices I made.  The successful flash programming, and the board-doing-the-blink, also argue that things must be pretty-close.

How should I proceed?  What have I missed?