Consolidate the programmer options to be more logical and flexible

[tchilton]

The configuration of programmers and use of them is inconsistent in the UI and config files 1.5.6. For example :

Preferences file upload.using option - to set bootloader vs others. Why is bootloader not just another programmer type under tools, programmer ?, then preference could be removed and consistency provided

This would then allow the upload and upload using programmer to be consolidated to just upload - with the type set by the tools programmer option, which would also allow the upload button on the UI to work across both types of programming.

There are also two bugs in the programing tool executable selection from boards.txt. If you set another programmer other than avrdude, even when the new executable is in the same folder as avrdudem it fails to spawn that process.
Similarly, if you use tools burn bootloader in the same condition, it claims the file is not present when it is.

[matthijskooijman]

Ha! I was thinking exactly the same thing a few days ago, so +1 from me :-)

As for the two issues you mention, perhaps you should create a separate github issue for them (perhaps even two?) and include a bit more detail. It sounds like you're modifying boards.txt and platform.txt with custom tools, so best include the actual changes you made in your bug report so we can figure out what's going on.

[tchilton]

Following a pointer from Matthijs on issue #2047, the two bugs turned out not to be so. it was my understanding of the boards.txt / programmer.txt - I had missed the linkage through platform.txt..

The rest re the UI side of things remains an issue though.

[matthijskooijman]

@tchilton After implementing your suggestion, some discussion ensued on the developer list. Perhaps you care to chime in? https://groups.google.com/a/arduino.cc/d/msg/developers/CPnr4mPle7Q/k1j-EnkSSZ8J

[tchilton]

No problem, I've submitted my comments on the Google Groups discussion.
(Why are there two discussion places ??)

[matthijskooijman]

(Why are there two discussion places ??)

You mean the forum and the list, or?

[tchilton]

It was a poor joke relating to the two programming options at the top of this thread, now we have two forums to discuss it on .. ;-)