The RTK Firmware Uploader is a simple, easy to use method for updating the firmware on SparkFun RTK products. Available on all major platforms, as well as a Python package, the Uploader simplifies working with SparkFun RTK products.
From v1.6.0, this GUI does not contain a copy of esptool.py. Instead the latest esptool.py is installed and used by the build workflow. If you want to run RTK_Firmware_Upload.py locally, you will need to pip install esptool first. v1.7.0 of the GUI was written for and tested with v4.8.1 of esptool.
- Attach the RTK product over USB
- Click the
COM Portcombo box and select the correct COM port from the dropdown menu
- Adjust the Baud Rate if desired
- Click
Browseand select the firmware file you'd like to upload (the filename should end in .bin)- For RTK Firmware: SparkFun_RTK_Firmware_Binaries repo on GitHub
- The previous versions of RTK Firmware are in a separate folder
- For RTK Everywhere Firmware: SparkFun_RTK_Everywhere_Firmware_Binaries
- The previous versions of RTK Everywhere are in a separate folder
- For RTK Firmware: SparkFun_RTK_Firmware_Binaries repo on GitHub
- Click the
Upload Firmwarebutton to update the firmware
The selected firmware is then uploaded to the connected SparkFun RTK product. Upload information and progress are displayed in the output portion of the interface.
From version 1.6.1, the Extras pull-down menu contains options to: read the ESP32 WiFi MAC address; reset the ESP32; erase the ESP32.
Clicking the Reset ESP32 button will reset the ESP32 processor. This is helpful when the firmware update succeeds but does not reset the RTK correctly.
If your RTK 'freezes' after the update, pressing Reset ESP32 will get it going again.
Clicking the Erase Flash button will completely erase the ESP32 flash memory - including the LittleFS file system. This can be useful if you need to completely reset the firmware settings.
Installation binaries are available for all major platforms (macOS, Window, and Linux) on the release page of the RTK Uploader GitHub repository:
Click the arrow next to Assets if required to see the installers:
- Download the github release zip file - RTKUploader.win.zip
- Right-click the RTKUploader.win.zip and select "Extract All" to unzip it
- This results in the application executable, RTKUploader.exe
- Double-click RTKUploader.exe to start the application
- The executable isn't signed, so you will see a Windows protected your PC warning
- Click More info and Run anyway to run the executable
Before you begin, check you have drivers for the CH340 USB interface chip installed:
- Full instructions can be found in our CH340 Tutorial
- Here is a link to the WCH downloads page for the CH340 / CH341 macOS driver
- The Zip file contains more instructions: CH34X_DRV_INSTAL_INSTRUCTIONS.pdf
To download and install the RTK Uploader:
- Download the github release file - RTKUploader.dmg
- Click on the Downloads icon, then double-click the RTKUploader.dmg file to mount the disk image
- A Finder window, with the contents of the file will open
- Install the RTKUploader.app by dragging it onto the Applications folder
- Unmount the RTKUploader disk image by opening Finder and ejecting it
To launch the RTK Uploader application:
- Double-click RTKUploader.app to launch the application
- The RTKUploader.app isn't signed, so macOS won't run the application, and will display a warning dialog. Click Done
- To approve app execution bring up the macOS System Settings and navigate to Privacy & Security
- On this page, select the Open Anyway button to launch the RTKUploader application
- Once selected, macOS will present one last dialog. Select Open Anyway to run the application
- Enter your password and click OK. The RTKUploader will now start
- Select the Firmware File using the Browse button. Select the WCH cu.wchusbserial port. Ignore the tty.wchusbserial port
- Download the github release file - RTKUploader.linux.gz
- Un-gzip the file, either by double-clicking in on the desktop, or using the
gunzipcommand in a terminal window. This results in the file RTKUploader - To run the application, the file must have execute permission. This is performed by selecting Properties from the file right-click menu, and then selecting permissions. You can also change permissions using the
chmodcommand in a terminal window - Once the application has execute permission, you can start the application a terminal window. Change directory's to the application location and issue
./RTKUploader - You may need to install drivers for the CH340 USB interface chip. Full instructions can be found in our CH340 Tutorial
The RTK Firmware Uploader is also provided as an installable Python package. This is advantageous for platforms that lack a pre-compiled application.
To install the Python package:
- Download the package file - python-install-package.zip
- Unzip the github release file. This results in the installable Python package file - RTK_Firmware_Uploader-1.6.0.tar.gz (note - the version number might vary)
At a command line - issue the package install command:
pip install RTK_Firmware_Uploader-1.6.0.tar.gz- Once installed, you can start the RTK Uploader App by issuing the command
./RTK_Formware_Uploadat the command line. (To see the command, you might need to start a new terminal, or issue a command likerehashdepending on your platform/shell)
Notes:
- A path might be needed to specify the install file location.
- Depending on your platform, this command might need to be run as admin/root
- Depending on your system, you might need to use the command
pip3
We've tested the Uploader on both 32-bit and 64-bit Raspberry Pi Debian. You will need to use the Python Package to install it.
Notes:
- On 32-bit Raspberry Pi, with both Python 2 and Python 3 installed, use
sudo pip3 install RTK_Firmware_Uploader-1.6.0.tar.gz- By default, the executable will be placed in
/usr/local/bin
- By default, the executable will be placed in
- On 64-bit Raspberry Pi, use
sudo pip install RTK_Firmware_Uploader-1.6.0.tar.gz - The
sudois required to letsetup.pyinstallpython3-pyqt5andpython3-pyqt5.qtserialportusingsudo apt-get install
