Compatibility Issue with Non-ASCII User Profile Path in STM32CubeMX

[Ömer]

Dear STMicroelectronics Support Team,

I am writing to report a critical compatibility issue in STM32CubeMX related to user profile paths containing non-ASCII characters (e.g., Turkish characters like "Ö"). This issue prevents the software from functioning correctly after the first launch and causes persistent errors in subsequent sessions.

Issue Details

1. User Profile Path:
   My Windows username contains a non-ASCII character (Öxxx), resulting in the default profile path:
   C:\Users\Öxxx\.stmcufinder
   C:\Users\Öxxx\.stm32cubemx
2. Observed Errors:
• STM32CubeMX fails to initialize properly on the second launch.
3. Temporary Workaround:
   Creating a new Windows user with ASCII-only username (e.g., "Omer") resolves the issue, confirming that the problem stems from non-ASCII characters in the profile path.

Requested Fixes/Improvements

1. Unicode Path Support:
   Update STM32CubeMX to fully support Unicode/non-ASCII characters in file and directory paths.
2. User-Defined Data Directory:
   Allow users to specify a custom data directory during installation or via a configuration file (e.g., stm32cubemx.ini).
3. Clear Error Messaging:
   Provide user-friendly error messages when path-related issues occur, guiding users to resolve conflicts (e.g., "Non-ASCII characters detected in user profile path. Please specify a custom data directory.").
4. Documentation Update:
   Add a troubleshooting section in the official documentation addressing non-ASCII username limitations and workarounds.

Why This Matters

Many users worldwide have non-ASCII characters in their system usernames due to language-specific naming conventions. This issue creates unnecessary barriers for engineers relying on STM32CubeMX for critical projects.

System Information

• STM32CubeMX Version: 6.14.0
• OS: Windows 11 Pro (23H2)
• Java Version: 8
• User Profile Path: C:\Users\Ömer

Please let me know if additional details or log files are required. I hope this feedback helps improve STM32CubeMX’s accessibility for all users.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.Best regards,
Ömer

[TDK]

This is a known issue and is already listed in the STM32CubeIDE known issues list.

STM32CubeIDE:STM32CubeIDE errata 1.18.x - stm32mcu

59435

Having a space or non-ASCII character in the project/workspace path or installation path is not fully supported.

Edit: I guess this ticket is STM32CubeMX-specific. Can't find it listed there anywhere.

[Andrew Neil · Accepted solution]

It is a truth universally acknowledged that putting "special" characters into your project path is going to mess things up:

https://www.avrfreaks.net/s/topic/a5C3l000000UY8vEAG/t145039?comment=P-1182240

[Ömer]

Response to TDK:

Thank you for your response. While I understand this is a known issue in STM32CubeIDE, I would like to emphasize that the same problem persists in STM32CubeMX and significantly impacts usability for users with non-ASCII characters in their system paths.

To work around this limitation, I had to abandon my original user profile (C:\Users\Ömer) and create a new Windows account with an ASCII-only username (Omer), which involved manually migrating all my data and reconfiguring applications. This is neither practical nor scalable for users who rely on localized naming conventions.

Suggestion for Improvement:
A simple yet critical enhancement would be to allow users to select a custom data directory during installation or configuration (e.g., via a command-line parameter, settings file, or GUI option). This would empower users to bypass system-specific path restrictions and ensure broader compatibility across global use cases.

I urge the STM32CubeMX team to prioritize this fix or at least document a user-friendly workaround until Unicode paths are fully supported. Many engineers worldwide face this barrier, and a small configuration tweak could resolve it effortlessly.

Thank you for your attention to this accessibility issue.

Best regards,