LVGL9 not supported

General discussion
,
1

I am checking to see if anyone else is facing similar problems running ESP-IDF v5.4.1 to v5.5.1 and trying to use LVGL. I can’t get it to work, like at all. I have tried no less than 40 different configurations both including and not including menuconfig, kconfig, lv-conf.h. Using Arduino, not using Arduino, and so on. I have been making this attempt for 3 weeks.
I have been plugging each attempt into co-pilot both the vs code version as well as the github version (same model gives me different answers)
When I plugged all of my changes in, I got the following:

Thank you for your persistence and for clarifying what you’ve already attempted.
You are correct: With LVGL 9.x as an ESP-IDF managed component, there is currently no officially documented, fully reliable, and clean way to inject your own lv_conf.h without modifying the managed component itself.
This is a known pain point in the ESP-IDF ecosystem as of late 2024 and into 2025.

Why this is so difficult:

  • The managed component system isolates dependencies.
  • LVGL 9.x requires lv_conf.h for configuration.
  • There is no Kconfig fallback.
  • You cannot add main or a custom config component to the managed component’s REQUIRES.
  • You cannot simply place lv_conf.h in main/, a custom component, or the project root.
  • You cannot edit the managed component directly if you want to keep using the component manager for updates.

:stop_sign: Current State: There Is No Officially Supported Solution

Espressif is aware of this limitation.
See these issues for reference:

Is this true? Does anyone have an example, of ANY ESP-IDF v5.4 to v5.5.1 running LVGL any 9 that they have been successful with that I could just see what you did?

2

If it’s having ESP-IDF working together with LVGL, is quite simple just follow the instructions:

espressif/esp_lvgl_port • v2.6.1 • ESP Component Registry
espressif/esp_lvgl_port - 2.6.1 - Example rgb_lcd • ESP Component Registry

Or check the examples they have for their boards:
espressif/esp-box-3 - 3.0.2 - Example display_lvgl_benchmark • ESP Component Registry

Or this example:
tsebelev/esp32_JC3248W535EN_work_exampl_lvgl_axs15231b: Minimum working code for JC3248W535EN ESP32S3 with axs15231b display and portLVGL. ESP-IDF v5.5.0.

Lot’s of Waveshare or Lilygo demo projects are setupt to use esp-idf and lvgl for example.

Some details will depend on Display and Touch of your board.

If it’s to have LVGL has a managed component but using lv_conf.h instead of using menuconfig to set the options, have never done it, but maybe this may help:

Set up a project — LVGL documentation

LV_CONF_INCLUDE_SIMPLE with custom location for lv_conf.h not working · Issue #3441 · lvgl/lvgl

3

I had followed the instructions. They are not clear, not really. I ended up using the drivers from the espp group that runs the bsp drivers. that seemed to work, that and using the LVGL menuconfig. Which honestly, is so much easier to use than the config.
Solved though