Raspberry Pi Pico 2 W Development Guide

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This guide is designed for Raspberry Pi Pico 2 W developers, utilizing the official Raspberry Pi Pico Visual Studio Code Extension (Pico VS Code Extension) to simplify the C/C++ project creation, compilation, and flashing workflow.

The Pico 2 W is based on the RP2350 microcontroller chip and includes built-in wireless networking (CYW43439). This extension supports all Pico series devices, including the Pico 2 W.

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1. Environment Setup and Extension Installation

Using the VS Code extension is the most convenient way to set up the Pico 2 W development environment, as it automatically manages the complex build system, SDK, and toolchain.

1.1 Install VS Code

Visual Studio Code (VS Code) is a popular open-source editor recommended for Pico project development.

• macOS and Windows: Please download and install from the VS Code official website.
• macOS: You can also install via Homebrew: $ brew install --cask visual-studio-code.
• Linux/Raspberry Pi OS: Run the following commands to install:

$ sudo apt update
$ sudo apt install code

1.2 Install the Extension and Dependencies

1. In VS Code, open the Extensions tab (or press Ctrl+Shift+X or Cmd+Shift+X).
2. In the search bar, type Raspberry Pi Pico, find the extension published by Raspberry Pi, and click Install.
3. Dependencies:
   • On Raspberry Pi OS or Windows, no additional dependencies are typically required.
   • On macOS, you need to run xcode-select --install to install requirements like Git, Tar, and the native C/C++ compiler.
   • On Linux, you may need to install Python 3.9 or higher, Git, Tar, and a native C/C++ compiler (with GCC support).

After successful installation, a Pico icon labeled "Raspberry Pi Pico Project" will appear in the VS Code Activity Bar (left side).

2. Creating a Project (C/C++)

You can choose to create a new blank project or start from an example (like blink_simple).

1. Click the Raspberry Pi Pico Project icon in the Activity Bar.
2. Select New Project or New Project from Examples.
3. Project Configuration:
   • Enter a project name in the Name field (e.g., hello_uart).
   • Select Board type: This is a critical step.
     • Pico 2 W: (Recommended) Select this. This will automatically configure and link the required libraries for the Pico 2 W's wireless chip (CYW43439).
     • Pico 2: This refers to the base Pico 2 (RP2350) board without wireless. If your project does not need Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, you can select this to save resources.
   • Choose a location to save the project files.
   • Set STDIO support: Since the Pico 2 W has built-in wireless, it is generally recommended to select USB CDC, which allows you to view serial console output over the same USB cable.
4. Click Create. The extension will automatically download the SDK and toolchain and generate the project files. The first run may take 5-10 minutes to install the toolchain.

3. Compiling and Running the Project

The compilation process converts your C/C++ code into a .uf2 firmware file that can run on the Pico 2 W.

3.1 Compile

1. In the VS Code bottom status bar, find the Compile button and click it to start compiling.
2. Alternatively, you can select Compile Project from the Pico sidebar.
3. Compilation progress will be shown in the Terminal bottom panel. When successful, you will find the .uf2 file in the build directory.

3.2 Entering BOOTSEL Mode

To flash the firmware to your Pico 2 W device, you must enter USB Mass Storage Mode:

1. Press and hold the BOOTSEL button on the Pico 2 W.
2. Connect the device to your computer via a Micro USB cable.
3. Once the device mounts as a disk named RPI-RP2, you can release the BOOTSEL button.

3.3 Run (Flashing)

While the device is in BOOTSEL mode:

1. Click the Run button in the bottom status bar, or click Run project in the sidebar.
2. The extension will automatically find the device and upload the compiled firmware (.uf2 file) to the RPI-RP2 virtual disk.
3. After the upload is complete, the device will automatically restart and begin running your new application.

4. Viewing Console Output (Serial Monitor)

If your project has USB CDC (USB Serial) support enabled (recommended for Pico 2 W):

1. From the top menu in VS Code, select View, then Terminal to open the bottom panel.
2. In that panel, navigate to the Serial Monitor tab.
3. Select the correct serial port and set the Baud Rate to 115200.
4. Select Start Monitoring to see your program's runtime output (e.g., " Hello, UART!").

5. Debugging

For more advanced debugging, you can use a Raspberry Pi Debug Probe, or use a second Pico or Pico 2 device flashed with the debugprobe firmware to act as a debugger.

• Connect the Debug Probe to the Pico 2 W's 3-pin Arm serial wire debug (SWD) port.
• In VS Code, you can click the Pico icon in the sidebar and select Debug Project or press F5 to start debugging.
• When prompted, select Pico Debug (Cortex-Debug) as the debugger. The debugger will automatically upload the code, set a breakpoint at the beginning of the main function, and run to that point.

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License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.