Error during installation： Index error: could not find referenced tool

[naviman]

I want to customize my own ESP32 development environment and write my own json file according to the original esp32-Arduino format. But every time I install it, I get the following error.

1. I would like to know the reason for these errors.
2. How should the parameters of this place be set? Is there any reference document?

https://github.com/Heltec-Aaron-Lee/WiFi_Kit_series/releases/download/0.0.7/package_heltec_esp32_index.json

Index error: could not find referenced tool name=riscv32-esp-elf-gcc version=gcc8_4_0-esp-2021r2-patch3 packager=esp32
Index error: could not find referenced tool name=xtensa-esp32-elf-gcc version=gcc8_4_0-esp-2021r2-patch3 packager=esp32
Index error: could not find referenced tool name=xtensa-esp32s2-elf-gcc version=gcc8_4_0-esp-2021r2-patch3 packager=esp32
Index error: could not find referenced tool name=xtensa-esp32s3-elf-gcc version=gcc8_4_0-esp-2021r2-patch3 packager=esp32
Index error: could not find referenced tool name=esptool_py version=3.3.0 packager=esp32
Index error: could not find referenced tool name=mkspiffs version=0.2.3 packager=esp32
Index error: could not find referenced tool name=mklittlefs version=3.0.0-gnu12-dc7f933 packager=esp32

[ptillisch]

Hi @naviman.

When you put something like this in your package index:

        "toolsDependencies": [
            {
              "packager": "esp32",
              "name": "riscv32-esp-elf-gcc",
              "version": "gcc8_4_0-esp-2021r2-patch3"
            },

It is telling the Arduino development tools: "this platform has a dependency on the tool riscv32-esp-elf-gcc that is provided by the esp32 package, so install that tool along with the platform".

So how does the Arduino IDE know where to find that tool? It gets this information from a tool definition in the package index that defines the esp32 package.

In the case of tools from the arduino package, this is simple because the IDE is configured to always download the primary package index that defines the arduino package. But when it comes to other packages that are not in the primary package index, you must tell the IDE to download the package index containing the definition for that package. This is done by adding the download URL for that package index to the "Additional Boards Manager URLs" preference in the Arduino IDE's "Preferences" dialog.

The URL for the package index defining the esp32 package is listed here in the documentation provided by Espressif:

https://docs.espressif.com/projects/arduino-esp32/en/latest/installing.html#installing-using-arduino-ide

So just add the package index URL you find at the link above (https://raw.githubusercontent.com/espressif/arduino-esp32/gh-pages/package_esp32_index.json) to the "Additional Boards Manager URLs" preference and the error should no longer occur.

[naviman]

Thanks a lot, modified it according to your information, now it doesn't give an error.

[ptillisch]

You are welcome. I'm glad it is working now.

Regards,
Per