How to get Exception Decoder working with Arduino 2.3.10

Development Tools IDE 2.x
1

Following up on a post: Exception Decoder post from 2025

I upgraded my arduino to the Arduino IDE 2.3.10 - which is a nice upgrade (faster compiles). Anyway, the previous Arduino has the exception decoder working (one of the reasons I stuck with it for this long). But I can't find how to get it for the current IDE. I'm on a MacBook.

The post says to use this dankeboy36 GitHub, but that site says:

Arduino IDE 2.2.x users must stay on the 1.x release line and install the extension manually as a VSIX file.

So is there any update on how to get the exception decoder working with IDE 2.3.10?

The posts from 2021 say it's not supported. But it's 2/3 way through 2026 so what's up?

2

Hi @concurrents.

I think you interpreted the "1.x" in that statement as referring to the Arduino IDE version number. It is not. It is instead referring to the "ESP Exception Decoder" extension version number.

This message means that you must use a version of the "ESP Exception Decoder" extension from the 1.x version series. You must not use any newer version of the extension, as newer versions of the extension are not compatible with Arduino IDE.

Do this:

  1. If Arduino IDE is running, select Arduino > Quit Arduino from the Arduino IDE menus.
    All Arduino IDE windows will close and the application will exit.
  2. Click the following link to open the release page for version 1.1.1 of the "ESP Exception Decoder" extension in your web browser:
    https://github.com/dankeboy36/esp-exception-decoder/releases/tag/1.1.1
  3. Click the "esp-exception-decoder-1.1.1.vsix" link you see under the "Assets" section of that page.
    Your browser will start a file download.
  4. Wait for the file download to finish.
  5. Use macOS Finder to create a new folder named plugins under the folder at the following path on your hard drive:
    /Users/<username>/.arduinoIDE/
    (where <username> is your macOS username)
    • :red_exclamation_mark: The .arduinoIDE folder is hidden by default. You can make it visible by pressing the Command+Shift+. keyboard shortcut.
  6. Copy the downloaded esp-exception-decoder-1.1.1.vsix to the plugins folder you created.

Now start Arduino IDE. You will now be able to use the extension by following the instructions here:

https://github.com/dankeboy36/esp-exception-decoder/tree/1.1.1#usage

As you might expect, the posts from five years ago are outdated. You can now add exception decoder capability to Arduino IDE 2.x by simply installing the compatible version of the "ESP Exception Decoder" extension.

3

Thanks for the clarification on those steps. I've gone through these steps, and placed that vsix file into a newly created plugins folder (under the .arduinoIDE folder). Restarted Arduino.

But I don't see the ESP Exception decoder in the Sketch or Tools.

Arduino created a deployedPlugins folder with this (from my plugins).

Any ideas?

thanks,

4

This is expected. You didn't read the usage instructions carefully:

https://github.com/dankeboy36/esp-exception-decoder/tree/1.1.1#usage

Please read and follow those instructions. If you still have questions or problems after doing that, just let us know and we'll provide further assistance.

5

Ok, using the ctrl-p shows the ESP exception decoder now. Obviously I assumed it was a pull down menu, so thanks for clarification.

ESP Exception Decoder
Sketch: ESP_IOT FQBN: m5stack:esp32:m5stack_atoms3

The summary of the previous compilation is unavailable. Compile the sketch

Thanks.

6

You are welcome. I'm glad if I was able to be of assistance.

Regards, Per