Unable to program AVR chips via Atmel ICE with IDE 1.6.7

[DrewOJensen]

I've been unable to successfully program/burn a boot loader through the IDE (1.6.7) using an Atmel ICE. I've got the cable properly connected to the AVR output on the debugger/programmer and connect properly to ISP. The MCU is an Atmega328P-AU.

The main issue is as soon as I select the Atmel-ICE for the programmer and I select the Arduino Pro, due to using the same MCU and general design (my own PCB), I get the following error when I try to program. "Please select a programmer from Tools->Programmer menu". I have verified this error in both OS X & Windows 10. Both OS's recognize I have the Atmel ICE connected via the USB port.

Does the Arduino IDE actually support the Atmel ICE programmer?

[per1234]

Just to avoid duplicate effort I thought I should mention that this issue was also posted to the Arduino forum where I've attempted to provide an answer. http://forum.arduino.cc/index.php?topic=368886

[gh-megabit]

Note that avrdude 6.0.1 is the current version supplied with the IDE and this does not support the Atmel-ICE. As such the Atmel ICE can not be used to program or burn bootloaders to AVR chips with the IDE.

You can try to use avrdude 6.1 or 6.2. Alternatively you can use Atmel Studio or the "atprogram" utility that comes with it.

See arduino/toolchain-avr#17 for more information

[facchinm]

Thanks everyone, as reported on arduino/toolchain-avr#17 avrdude 6.1 works great with atmel-ice. The menu entry needs to be created for AVR platform (the one you are referring to is bundled with SAMD (Zero) core.

[jockm]

As far as I am concerned this never should have made it into the release if it doesn't work. How is this not an embarrassment?

[Simon72]

Hello everyone,
I installed the latest version of the Arduino IDE 1.8.0 but even if I connect the Atmel -Ice is never available in the list programmers.
Could you tell me what to do and which files change?

Thank you

[facchinm]

Tada! #5880

[xenomorf]

Tada! is nice, knowing that things are moving. However, I just upgraded to arduino ide 1.8.2. And guess what? Still no atmel-ice in the list! Did I overlook something? What can I do next?
Regards

[facchinm]

@xenomorf I bet you overlooked in fact 🙂 You can find it under Programmers/Atmel-ICE (AVR). If it's not there please report here the IDE version you are running and your OS, thanks!

[xenomorf]

Hi, I just upgraded to arduino ide 1.8.2, and I’m using MacOS sierra. Here is in attach my programmers.txt file in attach. About half a year ago, I introduced it manually, and then it appeared in the list. However, after the following upgrade, it was gone from the list, but still in the .txt file. It looks like it wasn’t touched by the recent upgrade of 1.8.2 (nightly build). So, what do you think I’m in? Shit…? Kind regards and thanks for replying so quickly, Francisco Ramirez ``` atmelice_isp.name=ATMEL-ICE (ISP) atmelice_isp.program.tool=avrdude atmelice_isp.program.extra_params= atmelice_isp.communication=usb atmelice_isp.protocol=atmelice_isp avrisp.name=AVR ISP avrisp.communication=serial avrisp.protocol=stk500v1 avrisp.program.protocol=stk500v1 avrisp.program.tool=avrdude avrisp.program.extra_params=-P{serial.port} avrispmkii.name=AVRISP mkII avrispmkii.communication=usb avrispmkii.protocol=stk500v2 avrispmkii.program.protocol=stk500v2 avrispmkii.program.tool=avrdude avrispmkii.program.extra_params=-Pusb usbtinyisp.name=USBtinyISP usbtinyisp.protocol=usbtiny usbtinyisp.program.tool=avrdude usbtinyisp.program.extra_params= arduinoisp.name=ArduinoISP arduinoisp.protocol=arduinoisp arduinoisp.program.tool=avrdude arduinoisp.program.extra_params= arduinoisporg.name=ArduinoISP.org arduinoisporg.protocol=arduinoisporg arduinoisporg.program.tool=avrdude arduinoisporg.program.extra_params= usbasp.name=USBasp usbasp.communication=usb usbasp.protocol=usbasp usbasp.program.protocol=usbasp usbasp.program.tool=avrdude usbasp.program.extra_params=-Pusb parallel.name=Parallel Programmer parallel.protocol=dapa parallel.force=true # parallel.delay=200 parallel.program.tool=avrdude parallel.program.extra_params=-F arduinoasisp.name=Arduino as ISP arduinoasisp.communication=serial arduinoasisp.protocol=stk500v1 arduinoasisp.speed=19200 arduinoasisp.program.protocol=stk500v1 arduinoasisp.program.speed=19200 arduinoasisp.program.tool=avrdude arduinoasisp.program.extra_params=-P{serial.port} -b{program.speed} usbGemma.name=Arduino Gemma usbGemma.protocol=arduinogemma usbGemma.program.tool=avrdude usbGemma.program.extra_params= usbGemma.config.path={runtime.platform.path}/bootloaders/gemma/avrdude.conf # STK500 firmware version v1 and v2 use different serial protocols. # Using the 'stk500' protocol tells avrdude to try and autodetect the # firmware version. If this leads to problems, we might need to add # stk500v1 and stk500v2 entries to allow explicitely selecting the # firmware version. stk500.name=Atmel STK500 development board stk500.communication=serial stk500.protocol=stk500 stk500.program.protocol=stk500 stk500.program.tool=avrdude stk500.program.extra_params=-P{serial.port} ## Notes about Dangerous Prototypes Bus Pirate as ISP ## Bus Pirate V3 need Firmware v5.10 or later ## Bus Pirate V4 need Firmware v6.3-r2151 or later ## Could happen that BP does not have enough current to power an Arduino board ## through the ICSP connector. In this case disconnect the +Vcc from ICSP connector ## and power Arduino board in the normal way. buspirate.name=BusPirate as ISP buspirate.communication=serial buspirate.protocol=buspirate buspirate.program.protocol=buspirate buspirate.program.tool=avrdude buspirate.program.extra_params=-P{serial.port} ```

[facchinm]

I think I'm getting it. I just checked the content of 1.8.2 nightly and the programmers.txt reads

avrisp.name=AVR ISP
avrisp.communication=serial
avrisp.protocol=stk500v1
avrisp.program.protocol=stk500v1
avrisp.program.tool=avrdude
avrisp.program.extra_params=-P{serial.port}

avrispmkii.name=AVRISP mkII
avrispmkii.communication=usb
avrispmkii.protocol=stk500v2
avrispmkii.program.protocol=stk500v2
avrispmkii.program.tool=avrdude
avrispmkii.program.extra_params=-Pusb

usbtinyisp.name=USBtinyISP
usbtinyisp.protocol=usbtiny
usbtinyisp.program.tool=avrdude
usbtinyisp.program.extra_params=

arduinoisp.name=ArduinoISP
arduinoisp.protocol=arduinoisp
arduinoisp.program.tool=avrdude
arduinoisp.program.extra_params=

arduinoisporg.name=ArduinoISP.org
arduinoisporg.protocol=arduinoisporg
arduinoisporg.program.tool=avrdude
arduinoisporg.program.extra_params=

usbasp.name=USBasp
usbasp.communication=usb
usbasp.protocol=usbasp
usbasp.program.protocol=usbasp
usbasp.program.tool=avrdude
usbasp.program.extra_params=-Pusb

parallel.name=Parallel Programmer
parallel.protocol=dapa
parallel.force=true
# parallel.delay=200
parallel.program.tool=avrdude
parallel.program.extra_params=-F

arduinoasisp.name=Arduino as ISP
arduinoasisp.communication=serial
arduinoasisp.protocol=stk500v1
arduinoasisp.speed=19200
arduinoasisp.program.protocol=stk500v1
arduinoasisp.program.speed=19200
arduinoasisp.program.tool=avrdude
arduinoasisp.program.extra_params=-P{serial.port} -b{program.speed}

usbGemma.name=Arduino Gemma
usbGemma.protocol=arduinogemma
usbGemma.program.tool=avrdude
usbGemma.program.extra_params=
usbGemma.config.path={runtime.platform.path}/bootloaders/gemma/avrdude.conf

## Notes about Dangerous Prototypes Bus Pirate as ISP
## Bus Pirate V3 need Firmware v5.10 or later
## Bus Pirate V4 need Firmware v6.3-r2151 or later
## Could happen that BP does not have enough current to power an Arduino board 
## through the ICSP connector. In this case disconnect the +Vcc from ICSP connector
## and power Arduino board in the normal way.
buspirate.name=BusPirate as ISP
buspirate.communication=serial
buspirate.protocol=buspirate
buspirate.program.protocol=buspirate
buspirate.program.tool=avrdude
buspirate.program.extra_params=-P{serial.port}

# STK500 firmware version v1 and v2 use different serial protocols.
# Using the 'stk500' protocol tells avrdude to try and autodetect the
# firmware version. If this leads to problems, we might need to add
# stk500v1 and stk500v2 entries to allow explicitely selecting the
# firmware version.
stk500.name=Atmel STK500 development board
stk500.communication=serial
stk500.protocol=stk500
stk500.program.protocol=stk500
stk500.program.tool=avrdude
stk500.program.extra_params=-P{serial.port}

jtag3isp.name=Atmel JTAGICE3 (ISP mode)
jtag3isp.communication=usb
jtag3isp.protocol=jtag3isp
jtag3isp.program.protocol=jtag3isp
jtag3isp.program.tool=avrdude
jtag3isp.program.extra_params=

jtag3.name=Atmel JTAGICE3 (JTAG mode)
jtag3.communication=usb
jtag3.protocol=jtag3
jtag3.program.protocol=jtag3
jtag3.program.tool=avrdude
# Set a bitclock of 0.1us (the fastest supported value). This should
# work regardless of the crystal used, since JTAG doesn't use the MCU
# clock but dictates its own clock.
jtag3.program.extra_params=-B0.1

atmel_ice.name=Atmel-ICE (AVR)
atmel_ice.communication=usb
atmel_ice.protocol=atmelice_isp
atmel_ice.program.protocol=atmelice_isp
atmel_ice.program.tool=avrdude
atmel_ice.program.extra_params=-Pusb

So your txt is not matching at all. Could you open Board Manager and uninstall the AVR core (if possible)? Maybe the bundle one gets overwritten by the board manager one.

[xenomorf]

Thanks for assistance, but at the board manager’s (see bottom of mail) core « Arduino AVR boards » says : INSTALLED. And I don’t see a way to uninstall… clicking around, banging, bad language , … nothing helps. Of course I can still select a previous version, but probably one without ATMEL-ICE stuff… Kind regards, Arduino AVR Boards by Arduino version 1.6.17 INSTALLED Boards included in this package: Arduino Yún, Arduino/Genuino Uno, Arduino Uno WiFi, Arduino Diecimila, Arduino Nano, Arduino/Genuino Mega, Arduino MegaADK, Arduino Leonardo, Arduino Leonardo Ethernet, Arduino/Genuino Micro, Arduino Esplora, Arduino Mini, Arduino Ethernet, Arduino Fio, Arduino BT, Arduino LilyPadUS