I don't understand your comments but can say this ...

Visual micro used the same system as the arduino ide for port discovery. It is arduino.cc that selected the apple bonjour service.

Since then esp8266 has found a different way to do this using python, it will be considered.

I will look to see if the arduino ide has changed what it recommends for its own wifi board called the Yun. I think it makes sense to use one system if possible.

is there problem on Win10 ?

I have the last visualmicro extension installed on VS2015 and the Apple Bonjour, the network port is discovered but the OTA do not work.
On Arduino IDE 1.6.8 it work.

Compiling 'OTA_test1' for 'Generic ESP8266 Module'
Program size: 238,302 bytes (used 25% of a 958,448 byte maximum) (6.23 secs)
Minimum Memory Usage: 32608 bytes (40% of a 81920 byte maximum)

Uploading to I/O board using '192.168.2.105'
The uploader returned an error
error: Failed to open 192.168.2.105
error: espcomm_open failed
error: espcomm_upload_mem failed
 

I have the same problem ith OTA upload.
The IP address is shown correctely but:
....failed to open xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx.....

Im my ccase configuration is :
IDE 1.6.8
VM last upgrade
ESP core staging 2.2.0

This is what i get:

ARDUINO IDE:

Lo sketch usa 238.154 byte (22%) dello spazio disponibile per i programmi. Il massimo è 1.044.464 byte.
Le variabili globali usano 32.592 byte (39%) di memoria dinamica, lasciando altri 49.328 byte liberi per le variabili locali. Il massimo è 81.920 byte.
python.exe c1/tools/espota.py -i 192.168.1.7 -p 8266 --auth= -f cOTA.ino.bin 
...............
 
Visual Micro:

Uploading 'BasicOTA' to 'NodeMCU 1.0 (ESP-12E Module)' using '192.168.1.7'
Uploader started for board NodeMCU 1.0 (ESP-12E Module)
Upload method will be: bootloader
Uploading via Bootloader 
ool.exe -vv -cd nodemcu -cb 115200 -cp "192.168.1.7" -ca 0x00000 -cf OTA.ino.bin"
The uploader returned an error
esptool v0.4.8 - (c) 2014 Ch. Klippel <ck@atelier-klippel.de>
     setting board to nodemcu
     setting baudrate from 115200 to 115200
     setting port from COM1 to 192.168.1.7
     setting address from 0x00000000 to 0x00000000
     espcomm_upload_file
     espcomm_upload_mem
error: Failed to open 192.168.1.7
error: espcomm_open failed
error: espcomm_upload_mem failed


Could the error be related to Windows 10 user permission to access the network? 
First upload with Arduino IDE windows was asking Administrator password!

I have lost OTA for both nocemcu and esp8266 with the latest tool chains. they have changed the system again

I have been reading this guide. Is this how you have configured your project and ide?

http://esp8266.github.io/Arduino/versions/2.0.0/doc/ota_updates/ota_updates.html...

Thanks, I will take a look. Your doc looks better because it doesn't show the older classic OTA which is described in the other docs. It falls more in line with what we see on the menus.

Thanks for the update!!

The example works but there are still few problems:

-the new ESP8266 often don't get discovered (allways when there is more then one ESP)
-and if I give IP with the menu than I get this error:

Uploading 'OpenSprinkler_ESP8266_V_2_1_6' to 'NodeMCU 1.0 (ESP-12E Module)' using '192.168.1.7'
Uploader started for board NodeMCU 1.0 (ESP-12E Module)
Upload method will be: bootloader
Uploading via Bootloader 
Port Properties (network)
python.exe rc1/tools/espota.py" -i "192.168.1.7" -p "{network.port}" "--auth=" -f p8266_nodemcuv2/OpenSprinkler_ESP8266_V_2_1_6.ino.bin"
Usage: espota.py [options]
espota.py: error: option -p: invalid integer value: '{network.port}'
Upload failed

Hi,

I have tested multiple esp's and automatic ip discovery (using apple bonjour for windows) without problem. 

At one stage the bonjour service stopped reporting the ip addresses so I restarted the Bonjour Service via "control panel>local services" then restarted the Ide. The Arduino Ide demonstrated the same until it was restarted.

So I am keen to understand the issue, if you restarted the ide at anytime and if the arduino ide had the same problem.

I also found that it can take a minute or two for the ip address to appear after connecting the esp8266 to a  power supply.

I am not sure if any of this info will help.

I have updated this page with a summary of this thread: http://www.visualmicro.com/page/esp8266.aspx