Preferences freeEntries() returns same number regardless of partition size.

[ankgt]

Board

ESP32 Dev Module

Device Description

I am using the official ESP32 Dev Module with a 4MB flash.

Hardware Configuration

None

Version

v2.0.17

IDE Name

VSCode

Operating System

macOS

Flash frequency

40Mhz

PSRAM enabled

yes

Upload speed

115200

Description

I have been using the prefs library with a custom partition table for a while now using a nvs partition named 'nvs' with size 0x5000.

I needed a larger parition, so have created a new partition table where i have a second nvs partition named 'nvs2' with a size 0x40000.

I have attached both tables for your reference.

partitions_custom_old.csv
partitions_custom.csv

Earlier I used to initialize the prefs using:

bool flagSuccess = prefs.begin("w2", false);

I now initialize as follows:

bool flagSuccess = prefs.begin("w2", false, "nvs2");

The issue is that after initializing if I call the prefs.freeEntries() function, in BOTH cases it returns the same number of free entries: about 630.

I tested both by first doing a full clean in platformio and then erasing the flash of the device.

The number 630 is what is reported on the first boot up (after erasing the flash and loading the firmware) using the following code:

size_t entriesAvailable = prefs.freeEntries(); Serial.print("SETTINGS_DEBUG: Entries available: "); Serial.println(entriesAvailable);

I am not able to figure out why the much larger 'nvs2' is still leading to the same amount of free entries.

Sketch

void SettingsSetup(void) {
    // Initialize the preferences.
    bool flagSuccess = prefs.begin("w2", false, "nvs2");
    if (!flagSuccess) {
        Serial.println(F("SETTINGS_ERROR: Unable to load prefs partition!!!"));
    }

    // Get free entries.
    if (true) {
        size_t entriesAvailable = prefs.freeEntries();
        Serial.print("SETTINGS_DEBUG: Entries available: ");
        Serial.println(entriesAvailable);
    }
}

Debug Message

rst:0x1 (POWERON_RESET),boot:0x13 (SPI_FAST_FLASH_BOOT)
configsip: 0, SPIWP:0xee
clk_drv:0x00,q_drv:0x00,d_drv:0x00,cs0_drv:0x00,hd_drv:0x00,wp_drv:0x00
mode:DIO, clock div:2
load:0x3fff0030,len:1184
load:0x40078000,len:13232
load:0x40080400,len:3028
entry 0x400805e4
SETTINGS_DEBUG: Entries available: 630

Other Steps to Reproduce

No response

I have checked existing issues, online documentation and the Troubleshooting Guide

• I confirm I have checked existing issues, online documentation and Troubleshooting guide.

[lbernstone]

freeEntries has to do with available handles, not free space. Last time I looked at this, there was no way to check the amount of free space other than attempting the write and catching the error.

[me-no-dev]

Closing as answered and also because 2.x versions are no longer supported