While working with the Arduino Due on the Arduino IDE, you might come across the error:
Invalid FQBN: board arduino:sam:arduino_due_x_dbg not found
Compilation error: Invalid FQBN: board arduino:sam:arduino_due_x_dbg not found
This error is related to the Fully Qualified Board Name (FQBN), which specifies the board and its configuration. It typically occurs when there is a problem with the board library or its installation. In this post, I’ll share how I solved this error and got my Arduino Due up and running again.
Step-by-Step Solution to Fix the Invalid FQBN Error
The following steps helped me resolve the issue:
1. Uninstall the Current Version of Arduino SAM Boards Library
First, I uninstalled the current version of the Arduino SAM Boards (32-bits ARM Cortex-M3) library, which was v1.6.12. This library is essential for programming the Arduino Due, and an issue with its installation can cause FQBN errors.
- Go to Tools > Board > Board Manager in the Arduino IDE.
- Search for Arduino SAM Boards (32-bits ARM Cortex-M3).
- Click Remove to uninstall the current version (v1.6.12).
2. Install the Previous Version of Arduino SAM Boards Library
After uninstalling the current version, I installed the nearest previous version, v1.6.11.
- In the Boards Manager, after uninstalling v1.6.12, search again for Arduino SAM Boards (32-bits ARM Cortex-M3).
- Select v1.6.11 from the drop-down list and click Install.
This version was installed without any issues, allowing me to proceed to the next step.
3. Compile the Sketch
With v1.6.11 installed, I tried compiling my Arduino sketch again.
- Open the sketch you want to compile.
- Click on the Verify button.
The sketch compiled successfully without throwing the Invalid FQBN error. This indicated that the issue was likely related to the v1.6.12 installation.
4. Update Back to the Latest Version
To ensure that I could use the latest version of the board library, I then updated back to v1.6.12.
- Go back to the Boards Manager.
- Search for Arduino SAM Boards (32-bits ARM Cortex-M3) again.
- Select v1.6.12 from the drop-down list and click Install.
5. Verify the Compilation Again
After updating back to v1.6.12, I tried compiling the sketch again. This time, there were no errors.
- Open the sketch.
- Click on the Verify button.
The sketch compiled without any issues, confirming that the board library was correctly installed and configured.
Conclusion
If you encounter the "Invalid FQBN" error while working with the Arduino Due in the Arduino IDE, try the following steps:
- Uninstall the current version of the Arduino SAM Boards library.
- Install a previous version (e.g., v1.6.11).
- Compile your sketch to ensure there are no errors.
- Update back to the latest version (e.g., v1.6.12) and verify again.
This approach effectively resets the library installation and resolves any underlying configuration issues that might cause the error. By following these steps, you can get your Arduino Due back up and running without any compilation problems.
