VS Arduino - Can't Open Arduino Project / Blank Board and Programmer List

Jun 9^th, 2025 at 4:32pm (UTC)

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VS Arduino › Visual Micro › Installation & Troubleshooting › Can't Open Arduino Project / Blank Board and Programmer List

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Can't Open Arduino Project / Blank Board and Programmer List (Read 14413 times)

GiovanniC Newbies Offline Posts: 8 Joined: Aug 4^th, 2015	Can't Open Arduino Project / Blank Board and Programmer List Aug 4^th, 2015 at 6:32pm
	Hi everyone! I started to program in the Visual Studio, and I think it's much better than the Arduino IDE, so I installed the VisualMicro. But I can't Open Arduino Project and my Board and Programmer List are blank. If I try to Open I get this message: Code Error during processing of the command. Please review or post the stack trace in the www.visualmicro.com forumThe path is not of a legal form. (Visual.Micro.Visual.Studio.Arduino.Helper.SolutionOpenArduinoSketch) System.ArgumentException: The path is not of a legal form. at System.IO.Path.NormalizePath(String path, Boolean fullCheck, Int32 maxPathLength, Boolean expandShortPaths) at System.IO.Path.GetFullPathInternal(String path) at System.IO.DirectoryInfo.Init(String path, Boolean checkHost) at System.IO.DirectoryInfo..ctor(String path) at processing.app.MCUApplication.getSketchbookFolder() at processing.app.SketchUtils.OpenSketchFilePicker(MCUApplication mcuApp) at Visual.Micro.Visual.Studio.Arduino.AddInApp.ExecCmd(String commandName) Arduino IDE version 1.6.5 Microsoft Visual Studio 2013 version 12.0.3 My IDE path: C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino I'm using Windows 10 x64. What can I do to solve this? Thanks, User.
	« Last Edit: Aug 4^th, 2015 at 6:33pm by GiovanniC »

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Tim@Visual Micro Administrator Offline Posts: 12191 Location: United Kingdom Joined: Apr 10^th, 2010	Re: Can't Open Arduino Project / Blank Board and Programmer List Reply #1 - Aug 4^th, 2015 at 6:54pm
	Hi, Please open the ide locations config window and confirm which Ide name you have selected and the location. Also confirm what you entered for the sketchbook location (if anything at all)? Thanks


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GiovanniC Newbies Offline Posts: 8 Joined: Aug 4^th, 2015	Re: Can't Open Arduino Project / Blank Board and Programmer List Reply #2 - Aug 4^th, 2015 at 7:02pm
	I've attached a PNG image of the Configuration Window. My paths in Arduino IDE are all default.
	« Last Edit: Aug 4^th, 2015 at 7:03pm by GiovanniC »
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Tim@Visual Micro Administrator Offline Posts: 12191 Location: United Kingdom Joined: Apr 10^th, 2010	Re: Can't Open Arduino Project / Blank Board and Programmer List Reply #3 - Aug 4^th, 2015 at 7:15pm
	Thanks, I have windows 10 testing on my list for this week. It's been a busy time with arduino 1.6.2+ and Vs2015 and Atmel 7.0 major releases. I think this must be an issue discovering the Arduino preferences.txt which stores the sketch book path or a problem finding the current users mydocuments folder. The default for the sketchbook path is "myDocuments\Arduino". Whatever that location is on your pc please enter it into the sketchbook location which is currently (correctly) empty in your image. Thanks
	« Last Edit: Aug 4^th, 2015 at 7:16pm by Tim@Visual Micro »

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GiovanniC Newbies Offline Posts: 8 Joined: Aug 4^th, 2015	Re: Can't Open Arduino Project / Blank Board and Programmer List Reply #4 - Aug 4^th, 2015 at 7:40pm
	I changed the Optional Skectbook to C:\Users\Giovanni\Documents\Arduino and now it Works very well. Thanks!
	« Last Edit: Aug 4^th, 2015 at 7:52pm by GiovanniC »

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Tim@Visual Micro Administrator Offline Posts: 12191 Location: United Kingdom Joined: Apr 10^th, 2010	Re: Can't Open Arduino Project / Blank Board and Programmer List Reply #5 - Aug 4^th, 2015 at 7:46pm
	Thanks. I will be sorting win10 out shortly! Appreciate the report


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GiovanniC Newbies Offline Posts: 8 Joined: Aug 4^th, 2015	Re: Can't Open Arduino Project / Blank Board and Programmer List Reply #6 - Aug 4^th, 2015 at 7:53pm
	My Board and Programmer List are still blank. And the libraries are missing. (I have then installed but the compiler says they doesn't exist) Maybe I will wait Windows 10 tests so I can use it properly.
	« Last Edit: Aug 4^th, 2015 at 7:55pm by GiovanniC »

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Tim@Visual Micro Administrator Offline Posts: 12191 Location: United Kingdom Joined: Apr 10^th, 2010	Re: Can't Open Arduino Project / Blank Board and Programmer List Reply #7 - Aug 4^th, 2015 at 8:20pm
	Yes I would only expect the boards to be blank if the wrong ide name is selected or the wrong location has been entered. I expect this is a windows 10 path issue and the following does not apply but please be sure that in program files(x86)\arduino you have an Arduino 1.6.5 Ide? The version.txt in arduinoide/libs/ folder contains the ide version but it is also shown on the title bar when running the arduino ide.


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Tim@Visual Micro Administrator Offline Posts: 12191 Location: United Kingdom Joined: Apr 10^th, 2010	Re: Can't Open Arduino Project / Blank Board and Programmer List Reply #8 - Aug 4^th, 2015 at 8:26pm
	Oh I might know the problem. For arduino 1.6.5 we also read board and other info from C:\Users\[your name]\AppData\Roaming\Arduino15 That is where Arduino stored the Board Manager stuff. You can set the path manually for Visual Micro as follows:- Tools>options>visual micro>applications & locations>contributions folder I also suggest setting the temp build folder to some temp area Tools>options>visual micro>compiler>temporary build folder Then re-start the ide or click "Rescan" in the Micro Explorer Thanks
	« Last Edit: Aug 4^th, 2015 at 8:43pm by Tim@Visual Micro »

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GiovanniC Newbies Offline Posts: 8 Joined: Aug 4^th, 2015	Re: Can't Open Arduino Project / Blank Board and Programmer List Reply #9 - Aug 5^th, 2015 at 7:28pm
	Thanks for your reply! -My paths: Contributions Folder = C:\Users\Giovanni\AppData\Roaming\Arduino15 Temporary Build Folder = C:\Users\Giovanni\AppData\Local -Configurations: Optional Sketchbook location = C:\Users\Giovanni\Documents\Arduino I've attached (print1) the message box I get when I click in the yellow '?' (Open the Visual Micro Explorer). The other attached image (print2) is what happens when I click on 'Rescan'.
	« Last Edit: Aug 5^th, 2015 at 7:31pm by GiovanniC »
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Tim@Visual Micro Administrator Offline Posts: 12191 Location: United Kingdom Joined: Apr 10^th, 2010	Re: Can't Open Arduino Project / Blank Board and Programmer List Reply #10 - Aug 5^th, 2015 at 7:40pm
	Hi, It's wrong to set the Temporary Build Folder to an important existing location on your computer because it will add folder among other existing folder. Please create a temp folder such as "[MyDocuments]\Build\Temp" then point to that. Whilst it is important to change the config while you remember it will not solve the problem. Two last requests, 1) please switch on "tools>options>visual micro>user interface>trace" then restart the ide and post what appears in the Trace output window to info [at] visualmicro.com 2) Open the arduino ide in C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino and confirm what version number appears in the ide window title Thanks


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GiovanniC Newbies Offline Posts: 8 Joined: Aug 4^th, 2015	Re: Can't Open Arduino Project / Blank Board and Programmer List Reply #11 - Aug 6^th, 2015 at 12:26pm
	Thanks for your reply! I changed the Temporary Build Folder = C:\Users\Giovanni\Documents\Build\Temp My Arduino IDE version = 1.6.5 Hourly Build 2015/06/09 06:42 I've put the Trace on and checked the following in Tools > Visual Micro = Debug Trace Only. Here is the Output: Code Application Begin Status Application - Extenders Created Status Application - VS Config Helpers Complete Status AddinKickOff - Setup temp commands required Status AddinKickOff - Command event obtained Status Launched - Mcu Init Info MyVisualMicro location C:\Users\Giovanni\Documents\Visual Micro Status Unable to select the current application System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object. at processing.app.MCUApplication.get_runtimeBoardsList() at processing.app.SketchBase.setCurrentMcuApp(String sAppName) Status Available application configuations = 10 Status Launched. Application configurations loaded = 10 Create UI command items Begin CreateCommandBarItems Begin AddinVer=1.1507.05 Adding Debug status button to toolbar: Ports Get Bar Help Get Bar Tools Create Bar Tools>Arduino Adding Tools>Ports Adding Tools>Other Ports Get CustomToolBarObjects Adding UI Menu-Board-Items Adding Seral port menu items Adding Creating project menu libraries for platform Adding Tools-and-libraries-menu-begin Adding Libraries-menu-cleared Adding ToolBar-Tools-Menu-Caption-Error Adding Lib-user-begin Adding Lib-user-cleared Create UI command items End Launch Complete Status Usb or network device connect/disconnect detected Just a note: In the line Code Info MyVisualMicro location C:\Users\Giovanni\Documents\Visual Micro I checked the path and there is nothing there. The Visual Micro is installed in: C:\Program Files (x86)\Visual Micro\Visual Micro for Arduino
	« Last Edit: Aug 6^th, 2015 at 12:28pm by GiovanniC »

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Tim@Visual Micro Administrator Offline Posts: 12191 Location: United Kingdom Joined: Apr 10^th, 2010	Re: Can't Open Arduino Project / Blank Board and Programmer List Reply #12 - Aug 6^th, 2015 at 12:37pm
	Hi, Don't use the hourly build use the release. We don't support hourly because it often has bugs and often has an invalid version number Thanks


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GiovanniC Newbies Offline Posts: 8 Joined: Aug 4^th, 2015	Re: Can't Open Arduino Project / Blank Board and Programmer List Reply #13 - Aug 6^th, 2015 at 12:53pm
	Thanks for your reply! I downloaded it again, and now this is the name o Arduino IDE: Code Arduino 1.6.5 But, I'm still receiving the same Output and the same Warning Window in Visual Micro Explorer.


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Tim@Visual Micro Administrator Offline Posts: 12191 Location: United Kingdom Joined: Apr 10^th, 2010	Re: Can't Open Arduino Project / Blank Board and Programmer List Reply #14 - Aug 6^th, 2015 at 1:05pm
	Ok thanks for all the testing. I am sure during the next week we will find out why you had this problem.


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GiovanniC Newbies Offline Posts: 8 Joined: Aug 4^th, 2015	Re: Can't Open Arduino Project / Blank Board and Programmer List Reply #15 - Aug 6^th, 2015 at 1:14pm
	Thanks for your efforts, I will be waiting.


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Tim@Visual Micro Administrator Offline Posts: 12191 Location: United Kingdom Joined: Apr 10^th, 2010	Re: Can't Open Arduino Project / Blank Board and Programmer List Reply #16 - Aug 19^th, 2015 at 10:15am
	Visual Micro is tested and working with 1.6.6 I replicated the path error in your screen shot by adding an invalid path to the arduino ide. However 1.6.6 does use a different location for board support files. Both are now supported. Any problems please create a new thread Thanks


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