ESP8266 Community Forum

I have Arduino 1.65 IDE and am trying to use the nodemcu 12e development module. I have added the esp8266.com URL to the preferences file. Is there some reason to still be using the 1.6.4 IDE and the Sandurskee(sp?) update?

I had to go in add some additional Boards( Cut and Paste) to the release.

Get a fresh install probably. You may have an old library in your sketchbook file so clean the "libraries" out of the sketchbook and make sure the json file is in the preferences properly and the link bottom left (which can be hard to see) in pref page will take you to where the esp libraries and packages are supposed to be.

when I download the latest version of the Arduino.cc versio of the IDE i.e. 1.6.5 r2, thecurrent version of preferences.txt file remains on your computer ( From the last update, or from whenever it was last created). The file already has in it the ESP8266 URL in the window.
My Question, Do I need to delete the reference BEFORE i download the latest IDE
OR does the IDE check the url each time it starts up for latest additions to the arduino.esp8266.com ...JSON file?

I haven't seen anywhere in the forums where this is explained?

I'm trying to learn but it is very difficult to go to one location and find out the BASIC information about how and what to do to get the latest version of the IDE and what else in needed?

Maybe I just haven't looked enough?

Your good it's all new .

OR does the IDE check the url each time it starts up for latest additions to the arduino.esp8266.com ...JSON file?

I believe it does updates automatically. You can see by clicking on lower left link in preferences ,takes you to the packages and look through to versions .

I have not deleted anything before downloading . All the existing files would be overwritten I suppose but anything you have added would be left . Just try it and if not successful, go in to where Arduino1.6.x is saved and delete the lot , go into your sketchbook file too and delete "libraries " and download the IDE again.

You can choose where to save the downloaded file if you want . Using linux I put in /opt so I can get to it easily and put any new libraries in there too and don't put a "libraries" directory in sketchbook at all, but that may confuse you, so ignore this paragraph perhaps.