NSPanel_HA_Blueprint/docs/en/tft_upload.md

ATTENTION! If you have already installed the version "nspanel-lovelace-ui" from joBr99 on your NSPanel, an intermediate step is necessary - otherwise, it is not possible to install this or any other version.

See Common Issues | TFT Upload when NSPanel Lovelace UI has been installed

The previous method of having the NSPanel download the TFT directly from GitHub has been discontinued due to a large number of users experiencing slow or failed downloads. Please make sure you change to a locally hosted TFT file for a more reliable installation process.

Common Issues and Troubleshooting

The following is a list of common issues affecting the TFT upload, along with suggested solutions. These issues are not specific to the NSPanel HA Blueprint project but are common to Nextion displays and ESPHome.

Wait a Bit Before Starting the TFT Upload

• Issue: The Nextion display might not connect to ESPHome immediately after boot.
• Solution: Wait up to 2 minutes for the boot script to complete. If you are already using a TFT from this project, the display of ESPHome version and the framework used (arduino vs esp-idf) is an indication that a communication was established. If you haven't installed any TFT yet, look for Nextion related messages on ESPHome logs.
• Additional Guidance: Knowing when the device is fully booted and ready to accept the TFT upload can prevent many issues. Observe any changes in the display or logs indicators to ensure the device is ready.

Using a Local Source (Home Assistant)

• Issue: Problems with downloading the TFT from GitHub.
• Solution: Host the TFT file on your Home Assistant and change the nextion_update_url accordingly.
• Step-by-Step Guide: Here's how you can change your nextion_update_url:
  1. Locate your panel's ESPHome configuration file.
  2. Find the line with nextion_update_url.
  3. Replace the URL with the local address where your TFT file is hosted.

HTTP Instead of HTTPS

• Issue: HTTPS connections may be problematic with ESP.
• Solution: Use HTTP for hosting the TFT file and updating the nextion_update_url.
• Why HTTP?: HTTP can be more stable for these connections. To switch, simply replace 'https' with 'http' in your URLs and make sure your http server supports non-secure connections.

Remove Customizations

• Issue: Customizations like bluetooth_proxy and ble_tracker may interfere with the upload.
• Solution: Temporarily remove any customizations to free up memory.
• How to Remove Customizations: Identify any additional features you've added and remove them from your configuration file. Pay special attention to memory-intensive customizations.

Use IP Address Instead of DNS

• Issue: DNS may cause connection problems.
• Solution: Use the IP address of your Home Assistant directly.
• Example: Replace http://homeassistant.local:8123/local/nspanel_blank.tft with http://192.168.0.100:8123/local/nspanel_blank.tft.

Consider changing the framework

• Issue: You might be facing some situation where the transfer engine used by your framework cannot handle it properly.
• Solution: Temporarily switch between the frameworks.
• Additional Guidance: This project supports both arduino (ESPHome default) or esp-idf frameworks. Those have totally independently upload TFT engines, so changing the framework may cause a significant change. In our experience, esp-idf have a better memory management and therefore is more efficient with uploading TFT, however the support to HTTPS is a bit better (although not indicated) with arduino. You can set the framework you want by adding this to your ESPHome yaml:

ESP-IDF

esp32:
  framework:
    type: esp-idf

Arduino

esp32:
  framework:
    type: arduino

Check the File Size by Downloading to Your Computer

• Issue: Ensuring the file size matches the GitHub version.
• Solution: Use the same URL you provided to ESPHome to download the file on your computer and compare sizes.
• Verification Steps: Download the file, then right-click and select 'Properties' to check the size. Compare this with the size listed on GitHub or from the file you downlodaded directly from GitHub.

Power Cycle Your Panel

• Issue: General troubleshooting.
• Solution: Turn off the power supply, wait a moment, and power it back on. If your panel is already installed in the wall, you probably can still power cycle using your electricity relay's panel and switching the relay connected to your panel.
• How Long to Wait: Wait at least 30 seconds before turning the power back on. This ensures the system resets to a clean state.

Flash your panel again

• Issue: Your firmware might be missing some important library, you may be using an outdated version or the ESP may be out of memory.
• Solution: Remove all add-ons and non-essential customization and flash your panel again.
• Step-by-Step Guide:
  1. Look your yaml file and commment out all the customization (typically on a section name "My customizations") and any of the remote files other than nspanel_esphome.yaml.
  2. Flash your panel with the new cleaner yaml. You can do this over the air/wirelessly, although it is recommended to use serial when changing between frameworks
  3. Try to update the TFT file again
  4. Add the add-ons and removed customization back and then flash it again.

Try an alternative http service

• Issue: Your current http server may be overloaded.
• Solution: Try another http server installed in your computer. There are many options available for free to run under you local Windows, MAC or Linux machine.
• Examples: Just to name some:

  Solution	Website	Supported OSs	Pros	Cons
  NGINX	nginx.org	Linux, Windows, macOS	High performance, efficient for static content, good for high concurrency	Configuration can be complex for beginners
  IIS	Microsoft Web Platform	Windows	Integrated with Windows, GUI for setup, good for Windows environments	Limited to Windows OS
  Apache	httpd.apache.org	Linux, Windows, macOS	Highly reliable and flexible, wide OS compatibility, extensive customization	Can be less efficient under high load than NGINX
  XAMPP	apachefriends.org	Linux, Windows, macOS	All-in-one package, easy to install, ideal for beginners	Not optimized for high-traffic sites, more suited for development than production

Additional Tips and Resources

After troubleshooting, if issues persist, consult the Issues and feel free to create a new one asking for more personalized assistance.

Please share as much info as possible, like:

1. Describing (or a picture of) what is in your screen
2. Are updating from a previous version of this same project, or coming from another NSPanel customization (which one?) or customizing for the first time a panel with original Sonoff settings?
3. Please share the ESPHome logs from when your panel starts to the moment the upload fails.
4. Describe what you have already tried.

Important note

Remember, these steps are a guideline and might vary slightly based on your specific setup and previously installed system.