# SparkFun ESP32 Thing Plus USB-C onboard SD card

**URL:** <https://community.sparkfun.com/t/sparkfun-esp32-thing-plus-usb-c-onboard-sd-card/45014>\
**Category:** ESP32\
**Created:** [January 17, 2023, 6:22am UTC](https://community.sparkfun.com/t/sparkfun-esp32-thing-plus-usb-c-onboard-sd-card/45014 "2023-01-17T06:22:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![richinsc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b3f665/32.png) [@richinsc](https://community.sparkfun.com/u/richinsc)\
**Post date:** [January 17, 2023, 6:22am UTC](https://community.sparkfun.com/t/sparkfun-esp32-thing-plus-usb-c-onboard-sd-card/45014/1 "2023-01-17T06:22:29Z")

</div>

I just started messing with an ESP32 Thing Plus, and when I try and use the SD(esp32) example for SD\_Test it comes up saying that it failed to mount the SD card. I have 2 different SD cards that I have tried, one a 32gig SanDisk Extreme Pro, and the other is a 32gig Western Digital Purple. Both cards have been formatted as Fat32. Below is a copy of the SD\_Test code that I am trying. Any help on this would be great. I have tried searching online, but everything I am finding is for an external card reader, not the one built into the ESP32 Thing Plus USB-C.

```auto
/*
 * Connect the SD card to the following pins:
 *
 * SD Card | ESP32
 * D2 -
 * D3 SS
 * CMD MOSI
 * VSS GND
 * VDD 3.3V
 * CLK SCK
 * VSS GND
 * D0 MISO
 * D1 -
 */
#include "FS.h"
#include "SD.h"
#include "SPI.h"

void listDir(fs::FS &fs, const char * dirname, uint8_t levels){
    Serial.printf("Listing directory: %s\n", dirname);

    File root = fs.open(dirname);
    if(!root){
        Serial.println("Failed to open directory");
        return;
    }
    if(!root.isDirectory()){
        Serial.println("Not a directory");
        return;
    }

    File file = root.openNextFile();
    while(file){
        if(file.isDirectory()){
            Serial.print(" DIR : ");
            Serial.println(file.name());
            if(levels){
                listDir(fs, file.name(), levels -1);
            }
        } else {
            Serial.print(" FILE: ");
            Serial.print(file.name());
            Serial.print(" SIZE: ");
            Serial.println(file.size());
        }
        file = root.openNextFile();
    }
}

void createDir(fs::FS &fs, const char * path){
    Serial.printf("Creating Dir: %s\n", path);
    if(fs.mkdir(path)){
        Serial.println("Dir created");
    } else {
        Serial.println("mkdir failed");
    }
}

void removeDir(fs::FS &fs, const char * path){
    Serial.printf("Removing Dir: %s\n", path);
    if(fs.rmdir(path)){
        Serial.println("Dir removed");
    } else {
        Serial.println("rmdir failed");
    }
}

void readFile(fs::FS &fs, const char * path){
    Serial.printf("Reading file: %s\n", path);

    File file = fs.open(path);
    if(!file){
        Serial.println("Failed to open file for reading");
        return;
    }

    Serial.print("Read from file: ");
    while(file.available()){
        Serial.write(file.read());
    }
    file.close();
}

void writeFile(fs::FS &fs, const char * path, const char * message){
    Serial.printf("Writing file: %s\n", path);

    File file = fs.open(path, FILE_WRITE);
    if(!file){
        Serial.println("Failed to open file for writing");
        return;
    }
    if(file.print(message)){
        Serial.println("File written");
    } else {
        Serial.println("Write failed");
    }
    file.close();
}

void appendFile(fs::FS &fs, const char * path, const char * message){
    Serial.printf("Appending to file: %s\n", path);

    File file = fs.open(path, FILE_APPEND);
    if(!file){
        Serial.println("Failed to open file for appending");
        return;
    }
    if(file.print(message)){
        Serial.println("Message appended");
    } else {
        Serial.println("Append failed");
    }
    file.close();
}

void renameFile(fs::FS &fs, const char * path1, const char * path2){
    Serial.printf("Renaming file %s to %s\n", path1, path2);
    if (fs.rename(path1, path2)) {
        Serial.println("File renamed");
    } else {
        Serial.println("Rename failed");
    }
}

void deleteFile(fs::FS &fs, const char * path){
    Serial.printf("Deleting file: %s\n", path);
    if(fs.remove(path)){
        Serial.println("File deleted");
    } else {
        Serial.println("Delete failed");
    }
}

void testFileIO(fs::FS &fs, const char * path){
    File file = fs.open(path);
    static uint8_t buf[512];
    size_t len = 0;
    uint32_t start = millis();
    uint32_t end = start;
    if(file){
        len = file.size();
        size_t flen = len;
        start = millis();
        while(len){
            size_t toRead = len;
            if(toRead > 512){
                toRead = 512;
            }
            file.read(buf, toRead);
            len -= toRead;
        }
        end = millis() - start;
        Serial.printf("%u bytes read for %u ms\n", flen, end);
        file.close();
    } else {
        Serial.println("Failed to open file for reading");
    }

    file = fs.open(path, FILE_WRITE);
    if(!file){
        Serial.println("Failed to open file for writing");
        return;
    }

    size_t i;
    start = millis();
    for(i=0; i<2048; i++){
        file.write(buf, 512);
    }
    end = millis() - start;
    Serial.printf("%u bytes written for %u ms\n", 2048 * 512, end);
    file.close();
}

void setup(){
    Serial.begin(115200);
    if(!SD.begin()){
        Serial.println("Card Mount Failed");
        return;
    }
    uint8_t cardType = SD.cardType();

    if(cardType == CARD_NONE){
        Serial.println("No SD card attached");
        return;
    }

    Serial.print("SD Card Type: ");
    if(cardType == CARD_MMC){
        Serial.println("MMC");
    } else if(cardType == CARD_SD){
        Serial.println("SDSC");
    } else if(cardType == CARD_SDHC){
        Serial.println("SDHC");
    } else {
        Serial.println("UNKNOWN");
    }

    uint64_t cardSize = SD.cardSize() / (1024 * 1024);
    Serial.printf("SD Card Size: %lluMB\n", cardSize);

    listDir(SD, "/", 0);
    createDir(SD, "/mydir");
    listDir(SD, "/", 0);
    removeDir(SD, "/mydir");
    listDir(SD, "/", 2);
    writeFile(SD, "/hello.txt", "Hello ");
    appendFile(SD, "/hello.txt", "World!\n");
    readFile(SD, "/hello.txt");
    deleteFile(SD, "/foo.txt");
    renameFile(SD, "/hello.txt", "/foo.txt");
    readFile(SD, "/foo.txt");
    testFileIO(SD, "/test.txt");
    Serial.printf("Total space: %lluMB\n", SD.totalBytes() / (1024 * 1024));
    Serial.printf("Used space: %lluMB\n", SD.usedBytes() / (1024 * 1024));
}

void loop(){

}

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![TS-Russell](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/sparkfun/user_avatar/community.sparkfun.com/ts-russell/32/6092_2.png) [@TS-Russell](https://community.sparkfun.com/u/TS-Russell)\
**Post date:** [January 17, 2023, 7:07pm UTC](https://community.sparkfun.com/t/sparkfun-esp32-thing-plus-usb-c-onboard-sd-card/45014/2 "2023-01-17T19:07:47Z")

</div>

That library is still a work-in-progress (SDIO) [https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/es … troduction](https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/esp32-thing-plus-usb-c-hookup-guide/all#introduction) not yet implemented…

Post a follow-up if you do find a working solution before it gets added to the official repo 😃

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![tech-mech](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f9b8f/32.png) [@tech-mech](https://community.sparkfun.com/u/tech-mech)\
**Post date:** [February 3, 2023, 2:27am UTC](https://community.sparkfun.com/t/sparkfun-esp32-thing-plus-usb-c-onboard-sd-card/45014/3 "2023-02-03T02:27:20Z")

</div>

I use the SD card for lots of my web page data files on many different boards. A problem that often come up is the chip select pin.

Here is a program to help sort out pin problems I use.

```auto
/*
  SD_spcPins_test_v1.ino

  From Arduino Forum

  works 12-19-2022 10:00 AI Thinker Cam 10:10 ArduCam
*/

// = = Compiler Definitions = = //
//#define SD_CS 5 // SS - from pins_arduino.h in variants for esp32cam - these did not work
//#define SD_MISO 19 // MISO
//#define SD_MOSI 23 // MOSI
//#define SD_SCLK 18 // SCK

#define SD_CS 13 // Define CS pin for the SD card module
#define SD_MOSI 15 // these work on ArduCam and AI Thinker Cam
#define SD_MISO 2
#define SD_SCLK 14

#define Baud 115200

// = = Include Files < > for Standard and "" "" for Local = = //
#include "FS.h" // Libraries for SD card
#include <SD.h>
#include <SPI.h>

// = = Global Variables = = //
String dataMessage;
uint8_t cardType;

// = = Start Instances (of incudes), Ceate Objects = = //
SPIClass sdSPI(VSPI);

// = = Function / Task / Interrupt Definitions = = //
void init_SD();
void log_SD_card(); // Write the readings on the SD card
void write_file(fs::FS &fs, const char * path, const char * message); // Write to the SD card (DON'T MODIFY THIS FUNCTION)
void append_file(fs::FS &fs, const char * path, const char * message); // Append data to the SD card (DON'T MODIFY THIS FUNCTION)

void setup()
{
  Serial.begin(Baud);
  Serial.println("\n\nStarting SD_spcPins_test_v1.ino\n");

  init_SD();

  Serial.println("Testing");

  File file = SD.open("/data1.txt"); // If the file doesn't exist create it on the card and write the data labels

  if(!file)
  {
    Serial.println("File doens't exist");
    Serial.println("Creating file");

    write_file(SD, "/data1.txt", "Reading ID, Date, Hour, Temperature \r\n");
  }
  else
  {
    Serial.println("File already exists");  
  }

  file.close();

  log_SD_card();  
}

void loop()
{
  // The ESP32 will be in deep sleep it never reaches the loop()
}

// = = Function / Task / Interrupt Code = = //
void init_SD()
{
  Serial.println("Initializing SD card");

  sdSPI.begin(SD_SCLK, SD_MISO, SD_MOSI, SD_CS); // Initialize SD card

  if(!SD.begin(SD_CS, sdSPI))
  {
    Serial.println("Card Mount Failed HALTING");
    while(1);
  }

  cardType = SD.cardType();

  if(cardType == CARD_NONE)
  {
    Serial.println("No SD card attached HALTING");
    while(1);
  }
}

void log_SD_card() // Write to the SD card
{
// dataMessage = String(readingID) + "," + String(dayStamp) + "," + String(timeStamp) + "," + String(temperature) + "\r\n";
  dataMessage = "Hello World \n";

  Serial.print("Save data: ");
  Serial.println(dataMessage);

  append_file(SD, "/data1.txt", dataMessage.c_str());
}

void write_file(fs::FS &fs, const char * path, const char * message) // Write to the SD card (DON'T MODIFY THIS FUNCTION)
{
  Serial.printf("Writing file: %s\n", path);

  File file = fs.open(path, FILE_WRITE);

  if(!file)
  {
    Serial.println("Failed to open file for writing");
    return;
  }

  if(file.print(message))
  {
    Serial.println("File written");
  }
  else
  {
    Serial.println("Write failed");
  }

  file.close();
}

void append_file(fs::FS &fs, const char * path, const char * message) // Append data to the SD card (DON'T MODIFY THIS FUNCTION)
{
  Serial.printf("Appending to file: %s\n", path);

  File file = fs.open(path, FILE_APPEND);

  if(!file)
  {
    Serial.println("Failed to open file for appending HALTING");
    while(1);
  }

  if(file.print(message))
  {
    Serial.println("Message appended");
  }
  else
  {
    Serial.println("Append failed");
  }

  file.close();
}
//

```

Give it a try. it helped me.

Dale