How to access hardware from Workshop¶

The host device used to flash a board depends on the board and runner. Create an in-project SDK with a custom-device plug that matches only the device required by your board.

Prerequisites¶

Before starting, ensure you have these requirements satisfied:

A launched zephyr-26-04 Workshop.
A development board connected to the host.
A Zephyr application built for that board in /project/zephyr/build.
The host device node used by the board’s flash runner.

Run the host commands in this guide from the project directory that contains .workshop/zephyr-26-04.yaml.

Identify the host device¶

Use your board and runner documentation to identify the device node used for flashing. For a USB serial adapter, the node can be /dev/ttyUSB0 or /dev/ttyACM0.

Query its subsystem, vendor ID, and product ID:

$ udevadm info --query=property \
    --property=SUBSYSTEM \
    --property=ID_VENDOR_ID \
    --property=ID_MODEL_ID \
    /dev/ttyUSB0

The output for a serial adapter is similar to:

SUBSYSTEM=tty
ID_VENDOR_ID=0403
ID_MODEL_ID=6001

Use the values reported for your device. Do not copy the example identifiers unless they match your hardware.

Create a device SDK¶

Create an in-project SDK definition:

$ mkdir -p .workshop/board-device
$ editor .workshop/board-device/sdk.yaml

Add a custom-device plug with the attributes from udevadm:

.workshop/board-device/sdk.yaml¶

name: board-device
plugs:
  flash-device:
    interface: custom-device
    subsystem: tty
    vendorid: "0403"
    productid: "6001"

The tty subsystem applies to the serial-adapter example. Use the subsystem reported for your device. Always set vendorid for a tty device, and set productid when the host reports one. Quote both identifiers so YAML preserves leading zeroes.

Add the in-project SDK to the sdks list in .workshop/zephyr-26-04.yaml:

sdks:
  # Existing SDK entries...
  - name: project-board-device

Apply the updated definition:

$ workshop refresh zephyr-26-04

Connect the device¶

Connect the plug to the system custom-device slot:

$ workshop connect \
    zephyr-26-04/board-device:flash-device :custom-device

Verify the connection:

$ workshop connections --all

The connection for board-device:flash-device must show system:custom-device in the slot column and manual in the notes column.

Flash the application¶

Flash the application from the default /project/zephyr/build directory:

$ workshop run zephyr-26-04 -- flash

To use a different build directory, pass its path with the -d option:

$ workshop run zephyr-26-04 -- flash -d /project/path/to/build

Some boards expose more than one host device, or they require a board-specific runner and additional arguments. Declare and connect one narrowly scoped plug for each required device. Use west flash --context to list the available options.

Remove device access¶

Disconnect the plug:

$ workshop disconnect zephyr-26-04/board-device:flash-device

Run workshop connections --all to check that the plug is disconnected.