tft_eSPI and Wifi don't work when compiled with Arduino 2.3.2 (but works with Arduino 1.8.19)

[markeld]

I use one of the samples (Local custom font) and have slightly modified setup to be (after including WiFi.h):

void setup(void) {

  Serial.begin(115200);

  tft.begin();

  tft.setRotation(1);

  Serial.printf("Starting Wifi");
  WiFi.mode(WIFI_STA);  //Optional
  WiFi.begin("SSID", "passworddd");

}

I am using an ESP32 WROOM32E board with 3.0.0-alpha3 SDK and 2.5.43 (but I've had the same problems with 2.0.14 SDK).

When I compile this using Arduino 1.8.9, it works fine. When I compile this using Arduino 2.3.2, the display stops working as soon as WiFi is initiated (even just WiFi.mode). The screen freezes and no further updates go through.

Now, I understand the two different IDEs shouldn't play a role, yet they do.

I use an ILI9481 display:

#define ILI9481_DRIVER
#define TFT_BL   26            // LED back-light control pin
#define TFT_BACKLIGHT_ON HIGH  // Level to turn ON back-light (HIGH or LOW)
//#define USE_HSPI_PORT

// Settings for the H-SPI bus; V-SPI also shown
#define TFT_MISO 12 // V-19 // (leave TFT SDO disconnected if other SPI devices share MISO)
#define TFT_MOSI 13 // V-23
#define TFT_SCLK 33 // normally for VSPI 14 // V-18
#define TFT_CS   15 // V-27  // Chip select control pin
#define TFT_DC   14 // normally for VSP 33  // Data Command control pin
#define TFT_RST  25  // Reset pin (could connect to RST pin)

#define LOAD_GLCD   // Font 1. Original Adafruit 8 pixel font needs ~1820 bytes in FLASH
/*#define LOAD_FONT2  // Font 2. Small 16 pixel high font, needs ~3534 bytes in FLASH, 96 characters
#define LOAD_FONT4  // Font 4. Medium 26 pixel high font, needs ~5848 bytes in FLASH, 96 characters
#define LOAD_FONT6  // Font 6. Large 48 pixel font, needs ~2666 bytes in FLASH, only characters 1234567890:-.apm
#define LOAD_FONT7  // Font 7. 7 segment 48 pixel font, needs ~2438 bytes in FLASH, only characters 1234567890:.
#define LOAD_FONT8  // Font 8. Large 75 pixel font needs ~3256 bytes in FLASH, only characters 1234567890:-.*/
#define LOAD_GFXFF  // FreeFonts. Include access to the 48 Adafruit_GFX free fonts FF1 to FF48 and custom fonts

#define SMOOTH_FONT  // used by VLW fonts
#define SPI_FREQUENCY  15000000

I suspect this is an issue with how 2.3.2 compiles the code, but I can't figure it out. Maybe someone else has seen this?

In 2.3.2. I've tried setting Events and Arduino to run on all combinations of Core 0 and Core 1, with no difference.

[abrar-nazib]

I am facing similar issue... Whenever the flash memory consumption gets higher than 85%, screen stops working. You may want to test the screen with lightweight images with WiFi on. Mine works when the Flash memory consumption is less than 85% on arduino IDE 2.3.2

[markeld]

@abrar-nazib my own binary is about 1.6mb, and I use an 8MB flash (3/3/2 partition), so there's plenty of flash space left.

I get the same behavior with the sample above, which is tiny - so I doubt flash size is the problem.