Pull Request #280: [WIP] Analyze dead code and rarely used code in firmware

Development
1

New Pull Request: [WIP] Analyze dead code and rarely used code in firmware
DangerousPrototypes/BusPirate5-firmware → DangerousPrototypes/BusPirate5-firmware

Thanks for asking me to work on this. I will get started on it and keep this PR’s description up to date as I form a plan and make progress.

Dead Code & Rarely Used Code Analysis — Agent Prompt

Agent Instructions

You are a Claude Opus 4.6 agent performing a comprehensive dead code and rarely-used code analysis on the Bus Pirate 5/6/7 firmware codebase at /home/ian/bp5fw. This is an embedded C firmware for RP2040/RP2350 microcontrollers. Your goal is to produce a detailed report with actionable recommendations.

Context

This codebase is undergoing an active migration from a legacy command/argument parsing system (ui_prompt, ui_cmdln_*, cmdln_args_*) to a modern bp_cmd system in src/lib/bp_args/bp_cmd.c/.h. There is already a src/deprecated/ folder containing known deprecated files. The project uses conditional compilation (#define BP_USE_* in src/pirate.h) to enable/disable protocol modes per target board.

Analysis Tasks

Phase 1: Identify Dead Code

Systematically search for and categorize the following:

1.1 — Unreferenced Functions

  • Search all .c files under src/ for function definitions (non-static and static)
  • For each function, check if it is referenced anywhere else in the codebase (called, assigned to a function pointer, or registered in a dispatch table)
  • Pay special attention to src/ui/, src/pirate/, and src/commands/ — these are the areas most affected by the migration
  • Exclude third-party bundled libraries from analysis: src/flatcc/, src/fatfs/, src/printf-4.0.0/, src/mjson/, src/lib/nanocobs/, src/dhara/, src/nand/, src/font/
  • Include but flag separately: src/deprecated/ (these are expected dead code but verify nothing still depends on them)

1.2 — Unreferenced Header Declarations

  • Find functions declared in .h files that have no corresponding implementation in any .c file
  • Find functions declared in .h files whose implementations exist but are never called

1.3 — #if 0 Blocks and Commented-Out Code

  • Search for #if 0 … #endif blocks in project source (not third-party)
  • Search for large blocks of commented-out code (3+ consecutive lines of // comments that look like disabled code, not documentation)
  • Assess whether these blocks are vestigial or intentional feature flags

1.4 — Orphaned Files

  • Check if any .c files under src/ are NOT listed in any CMakeLists.txt (and therefore never compiled)
  • Check if any .h files under src/ are never #included by any .c file

1.5 — Dead Translation Keys

  • In src/translation/en-us.h, identify translation key IDs (T_*) that are defined but never referenced in any .c or .h file outside of the translation files themselves

Phase 2: Identify Rarely-Used / Thin-Wrapper Code

2.1 — Functions Called Only Once

  • Find non-static functions that are called from exactly one location
  • Assess whether these are meaningful abstractions or unnecessary indirection that could be inlined

2.2 — Thin Wrappers

  • Identify functions whose body is a single call to another function (possibly with trivial argument transformation)
  • Especially look in src/ui/ and src/pirate/ for wrappers around lower-level APIs

2.3 — Legacy API Surface Still in Use

  • Count remaining callers of these legacy APIs (the migration targets):
    • ui_prompt_bool()
    • ui_prompt_uint32()
    • ui_prompt_float()
    • ui_prompt_mode_settings_int()
    • ui_prompt_mode_settings_string()
    • ui_prompt_user_input()
    • ui_prompt_vt100_mode_start() / ui_prompt_vt100_mode_feed()
    • cmdln_args_find_flag()
    • cmdln_args_find_flag_uint32()
    • cmdln_args_find_flag_string()
    • cmdln_args_string_by_position()
    • file_get_args() (in src/pirate/file.c)
    • ui_hex_get_args_config() (in src/ui/ui_hex.c)
  • For each, list the file and function where the call occurs
  • Identify which callers are in code that has a bp_command_def_t (partially migrated) vs. code that has no bp_cmd integration yet

2.4 — Duplicate / Near-Duplicate Functionality

  • Look for functions that do substantially the same thing but exist in different files
  • Specifically check:
    • src/ui/ui_parse.c vs src/deprecated/ui_parse.c — is there duplication?
    • src/ui/ui_format.c vs src/deprecated/ui_format.c — same question
    • src/deprecated/bp_args.c vs src/lib/bp_args/bp_cmd.c — overlap?
    • Multiple file-open/error-report patterns across commands

Phase 3: Analyze the src/deprecated/ Folder

  • For each file in src/deprecated/:
    • List all functions it exports
    • Check if any code outside src/deprecated/ still calls those functions
    • Determine if the file can be safely deleted, or if it still has active dependents
    • If it has dependents, list them

Phase 4: Conditional Compilation Analysis

  • Examine src/pirate.h for all BP_USE_* defines
  • For each protocol mode in src/mode/, verify it is guarded by a BP_USE_* flag
  • Identify any code that is compiled unconditionally but only makes sense when a specific mode is enabled
  • Check for orphaned BP_USE_* flags that are defined but whose guarded code no longer exists

Report Format

Produce the report in Markdown with the following structure:

# Dead Code & Rarely-Used Code Analysis Report

## Executive Summary
- Total dead functions found
- Total orphaned files found  
- Total legacy API call sites remaining
- Key risk areas
- Estimated lines removable

## 1. Dead Code

### 1.1 Unreferenced Functions
| File | Function | Static? | Notes |
|------|----------|---------|-------|

### 1.2 Orphaned Declarations
| Header | Declaration | Status |
|--------|-------------|--------|

### 1.3 Disabled Code Blocks (#if 0 / commented out)
| File | Lines | Description | Recommendation |
|------|-------|-------------|----------------|

### 1.4 Orphaned Files
| File | In CMakeLists? | Included anywhere? | Recommendation |
|------|----------------|---------------------|----------------|

### 1.5 Dead Translation Keys
| Key | Defined in | Referenced? | Recommendation |
|-----|------------|-------------|----------------|

## 2. Rarely-Used Code

### 2.1 Single-Caller Functions  
| File | Function | Single caller location | Inline candidate? |
|------|----------|----------------------|-------------------|

### 2.2 Thin Wrappers
| File | Wrapper | Wraps | Recommendation |
|------|---------|-------|----------------|

### 2.3 Legacy API Migration Status
| Legacy Function | Remaining callers | Callers with bp_cmd_def | Callers without |
|-----------------|-------------------|------------------------|-----------------|

### 2.4 Duplicate Functionality
| Function A | Function B | Similarity | Recommendation |
|------------|------------|------------|----------------|

## 3. Deprecated Folder Analysis
| File | Exported functions | External dependents | Safe to delete? |
|------|-------------------|---------------------|-----------------|

## 4. Conditional Compilation
| BP_USE_* Flag | Mode/Feature | Status | Issues |
|---------------|-------------|--------|--------|

## 5. Recommendations

### 5.1 Safe Immediate Deletions
Files and functions that can be removed right now with zero risk.

### 5.2 Migration-Dependent Deletions  
Code that becomes dead once specific migration steps complete. 
Present as scenarios:
- **Scenario A**: Complete `ui_hex` migration → unlocks deletion of...
- **Scenario B**: Complete `file_get_args` migration → unlocks deletion of...
- **Scenario C**: Finish mode setup migration → unlocks deletion of...
- **Scenario D**: Remove all `ui_prompt` callers → unlocks deletion of...

### 5.3 Refactoring Opportunities
Single-caller functions or thin wrappers worth consolidating.

### 5.4 Risk Assessment
Code that *looks* dead but may be referenced via:
- Function pointers in dispatch tables (`modes.c`, `commands.c`)
- Conditional compilation (#ifdef paths not currently active)
- External tools or build scripts
Flag these as "verify before deleting."

### 5.5 Prioritized Action Plan
Ordered list of recommended actions by impact/effort ratio.

Important Notes

  • This is an embedded firmware — some functions may appear uncalled but are invoked via function pointer tables (_mode struct dispatch tables in modes.c, command handler registrations in commands.c). Always check these dispatch tables before flagging a function as dead.
  • The src/commands.c file registers command handlers — a function listed there is NOT dead even if grep finds no direct call.
  • Similarly, src/modes.c registers mode functions via struct initialization.
  • PIO (Programmable IO) .pio files generate headers — don’t flag generated PIO headers as orphaned.
  • Files in build/generated/ are auto-generated and should be excluded from analysis.
  • The src/display/ and src/toolbars/ directories contain LCD rendering code that runs on Core 1 — it may have unusual call patterns.
  • Static functions that are used within their own file are NOT dead — only flag statics that are defined but never called within their own translation unit.
  • Be thorough: use grep_search and semantic_search extensively. When uncertain, read the actual file to verify before flagging something as dead.
  • Do not make any code changes. This is a research and reporting task only.

:sparkles: Let Copilot coding agent set things up for you — coding agent works faster and does higher quality work when set up for your repo.

Created by: Copilot

2

Dead Code & Rarely-Used Code Analysis Report

Executive Summary

Metric Count
Dead functions found 8 2 remaining (ui_prompt_menu_int, ui_prompt_prompt_int) — 6 others deleted or made static
Orphaned files (not compiled) 7 mode files + 1 sigrok file + ~15 test/example files
Deprecated folder files (fully isolated) 12 files (~4,000 lines) DELETED
#if 0 disabled code blocks 37 ~20 remaining — 17 blocks removed from hw1wire_pio.c, flat.c, ddr4.c, usbpdo.c
Dead/orphaned headers 2 0 — both background_image_v4-orig.h and robot16.h deleted
Legacy API call sites remaining ~80+ across modes and commands
Commands migrated to bp_cmd system ~87 commands
Estimated lines safely removable 7,500–8,500 ~2,000 remaining (~6,100 already removed)

Key risk areas:

  • src/deprecated/ is fully isolated — safe to delete entirely DONE
  • 7 orphaned mode files (SW3W.c, SW2W.c, SWI2C.c, LCDSPI.c, ST7735.c, HD44780.c, usbpd.c) are not compiled
  • Large #if 0 blocks in hw1wire_pio.c (~400+ lines), flat.c, ddr4.c, usbpdo.c DONE
  • Legacy prompt/cmdln API has ~80+ remaining call sites blocking full migration

1. Dead Code

1.1 Unreferenced Functions

File Function Static? Notes
src/pirate/bio.c bio_buf_test() — DELETED — function and header declaration removed
src/debug_uart.c rx_uart_disable() — DELETED — empty function body removed
src/ui/ui_prompt.c ui_prompt_menu_int() No Declared in header but no external callers found
src/ui/ui_prompt.c ui_prompt_prompt_int() No Declared in header but no external callers found
src/ui/ui_cmdln.c cmdln_consume_white_space() No static :white_check_mark: DONE — marked static
src/ui/ui_cmdln.c cmdln_args_get_string() No static :white_check_mark: DONE — marked static
src/ui/ui_cmdln.c cmdln_args_get_hex() No static :white_check_mark: DONE — marked static
src/ui/ui_cmdln.c cmdln_args_get_bin() No static :white_check_mark: DONE — marked static
src/ui/ui_cmdln.c cmdln_args_get_dec() No static :white_check_mark: DONE — marked static
src/ui/ui_cmdln.c cmdln_args_find_flag_internal() No static :white_check_mark: DONE — marked static

Note: The 6 ui_cmdln.c functions have been marked static. ui_prompt_menu_int() and ui_prompt_prompt_int() remain as candidates for removal.

1.2 Orphaned Declarations

Header Declaration Status
src/pirate/bio.h bio_buf_test() DELETED
src/ui/ui_prompt.h ui_prompt_menu_int() Declared but never called externally
src/ui/ui_prompt.h ui_prompt_prompt_int() Declared but never called externally
src/ui/ui_prompt.h ui_prompt_validate_int() Declared, thin wrapper only used internally

1.3 Disabled Code Blocks (#if 0 / commented out)

37 ~20 #if 0 blocks remaining in non-third-party code (17 removed):

File Approx Lines Description Recommendation
src/pirate/hw1wire_pio.c 400 (6 blocks) ROM search test, DS18B20 demo, onewire_temp_app() — all moved to commands/1wire/ DONE :white_check_mark: — 406 lines removed
src/commands/global/flat.c 130 (4 blocks) FlatBuffer test/debug functions — file removed entirely DONE :white_check_mark: — file deleted
src/commands/i2c/ddr4.c 50 (4 blocks) Polling idle status, DDR5 SPD reading logic (wrong file) DONE :white_check_mark: — 45 lines removed
src/commands/i2c/usbpdo.c 90 (3 blocks) Alternative fusb_read_source_capabilities(), PDO request error handling DONE :white_check_mark: — 98 lines removed
src/commands/2wire/sle4442.c ~30 (2 blocks) Disabled SLE4442 smartcard operations Review — may be WIP
src/commands/eeprom/eeprom_i2c.c ~20 (2 blocks) Disabled EEPROM I2C code paths Review
src/commands/i2c/i2c.c ~20 (2 blocks) Disabled I2C helper code Review
src/mode/dio.c ~20 (2 blocks) Disabled DIO mode code Review
src/ui/ui_process.c ~15 (2 blocks) Disabled UI processing code Review
src/system_config.c ~5 (1 block) Small disabled block Review
src/system_config.h ~5 (1 block) Small disabled block Review
src/pirate/shift.c ~10 (1 block) Disabled shift register code Review
src/pirate/pullup.c ~5 (1 block) Disabled pull-up code Review
src/pirate/irio_pio.c ~5 (1 block) Disabled IR I/O code Review
src/mode/hw3wire.c ~10 (1 block) Disabled 3-wire mode code Review
src/mode/hwspi.c ~10 (1 block) Disabled SPI mode code Review
src/mode/hw2wire.c ~10 (1 block) Disabled 2-wire mode code Review
src/json_parser.c ~5 (1 block) Disabled JSON parser code Review
src/commands/i2c/usbpd.c ~10 (1 block) Disabled USB PD code Review
src/commands/i2c/ddr5.c ~10 (1 block) Disabled DDR5 code Review
src/commands/i2c/sniff.c ~10 (1 block) Disabled I2C sniff code Review
src/commands/i2s/sine.c ~10 (1 block) Disabled I2S sine wave code Review
src/commands/global/macro.c ~10 (1 block) Disabled macro code Review
src/commands/global/hex.c ~10 (1 block) Disabled hex viewer code Review
src/commands/eeprom/eeprom_1wire.c ~10 (1 block) Disabled 1-wire EEPROM code Review
src/binmode/irtoy-air.c ~10 (1 block) Disabled IR toy air code Review

1.4 Orphaned Files

File In CMakeLists? Included/Referenced? Recommendation
src/mode/SW3W.c (436 lines) No Referenced in modes.c conditionally Orphaned mode — not compiled, likely superseded by hw3wire
src/mode/SW2W.c (237 lines) No Referenced in modes.c conditionally Orphaned mode — not compiled, likely superseded by hw2wire
src/mode/SWI2C.c (212 lines) No Referenced in modes.c conditionally Orphaned mode — not compiled, likely superseded by hwi2c
src/mode/LCDSPI.c (96 lines) No Referenced in modes.c conditionally Orphaned mode — disabled feature (BP_USE_LCDSPI commented out)
src/mode/ST7735.c (315 lines) No Referenced by LCDSPI.c Orphaned — dependency of orphaned LCDSPI
src/mode/HD44780.c (194 lines) No Referenced by LCDSPI.c Orphaned — dependency of orphaned LCDSPI
src/mode/usbpd.c (82 lines) No Referenced in modes.c conditionally Orphaned mode — disabled (BP_USE_USBPD commented out)
src/lib/sigrok/pico_sdk_sigrok.c (1,387 lines) — — DELETED :white_check_mark:
src/display/background_image_v4-orig.h — — DELETED :white_check_mark:
src/display/robot16.h — — DELETED :white_check_mark:
src/deprecated/*.c (12 files) — — DELETED :white_check_mark: — entire folder removed

Not flagged (test/example files in third-party libs):

  • src/lib/minmea/example.c, tests.c — library test files
  • src/lib/rtt/Examples/* — RTT example code
  • src/lib/sfud/inc/sfud_port-stm32.c, app.c — wrong platform / example
  • src/lib/bp_expr/bp_expr_test.c — expression library test
  • src/lib/ap33772s/main.c — library example
  • src/lib/arduino-ch32v003-swio/main.c — library example
  • src/lib/nanocobs/tests/* — nanocobs test files

1.5 Dead Translation Keys

No dead translation keys found. All 624 translation key enum values defined in src/translation/base.h are referenced in .c files outside of src/translation/. The translation system appears well-maintained.

2. Rarely-Used Code

2.1 Single-Caller Functions

File Function Single Caller Location Inline Candidate?
src/pirate/lcd.c lcd_reset() src/pirate.c → pirate_startup() No — hardware init, keep separate
src/pirate/hw3wire_pio.c pio_hw3wire_cleanup() src/mode/hw3wire.c → cleanup No — mode dispatch pattern
src/pirate/hw2wire_pio.c pio_hw2wire_cleanup() src/mode/hw2wire.c → cleanup No — mode dispatch pattern
src/pirate/hwuart_pio.c hwuart_pio_deinit() src/mode/hwhduart.c → cleanup No — mode dispatch pattern
src/pirate/hw1wire_pio.c onewire_cleanup() src/mode/hw1wire.c → cleanup No — mode dispatch pattern
src/pirate/hwi2c_pio.c pio_i2c_cleanup() src/mode/hwi2c.c → cleanup No — mode dispatch pattern
src/pirate/rc5_pio.c rc5_drain_fifo() src/binmode/irtoy-irman.c No — hardware abstraction
src/pirate/rc5_pio.c rc5_rx_deinit() src/binmode/irtoy-irman.c No — cleanup function
src/pirate/psu.c psu_clear_error_flag() src/commands/global/w_psu.c Maybe — very thin
src/pirate/lsb.c lsb_get() src/commands/global/cmd_convert.c Maybe — single use utility
src/pirate/rgb.c rgb_put() src/mode/hwled.c No — hardware abstraction
src/ui/ui_help.c ui_help_pager_disable() src/commands/global/h_help.c Maybe — very thin
src/pirate/shift.c shift_output_enable() src/pirate.c → startup No — hardware init
src/pirate/storage.c storage_unmount() src/pirate/storage.c → mount No — cleanup pair

Assessment: Most single-caller functions follow valid embedded patterns (hardware init/cleanup pairs, mode dispatch). Only psu_clear_error_flag(), lsb_get(), and ui_help_pager_disable() are minor inline candidates.

2.2 Thin Wrappers

File Wrapper Wraps Recommendation
src/ui/ui_prompt.c ui_prompt_invalid_option() ui_help_error() Keep — semantic clarity
src/ui/ui_prompt.c ui_prompt_mode_settings_int() printf() Keep — used by many modes
src/ui/ui_prompt.c ui_prompt_mode_settings_string() printf() Keep — used by many modes
src/ui/ui_parse.c ui_parse_get_colon() ui_parse_get_delimited_sequence() Keep — readability
src/ui/ui_parse.c ui_parse_get_dot() ui_parse_get_delimited_sequence() Keep — readability
src/pirate/bio.c bio_buf_output() gpio_put() Keep — hardware abstraction layer
src/pirate/bio.c bio_buf_input() gpio_put() Keep — hardware abstraction layer
src/pirate/bio.c bio_put() gpio_put() Keep — hardware abstraction layer
src/pirate/bio.c bio_get() gpio_get() Keep — hardware abstraction layer
src/pirate/bio.c bio_set_function() gpio_set_function() Keep — hardware abstraction layer
src/pirate/psu.c psu_measure_vreg() hw_adc_to_volts_x2(amux_read()) Keep — meaningful abstraction
src/pirate/psu.c psu_measure_vout() hw_adc_to_volts_x2(amux_read()) Keep — meaningful abstraction
src/pirate/hwspi.c hwspi_read() hwspi_write_read(0xff) Keep — SPI read semantics
src/pirate/hw2wire_pio.c pio_hw2wire_check_error() pio_interrupt_get() Keep — hardware abstraction
src/pirate/hw2wire_pio.c pio_hw2wire_get() pio_sm_get() Keep — hardware abstraction

Assessment: All thin wrappers serve meaningful roles in the embedded architecture (hardware abstraction, semantic clarity, or mode dispatch). None are recommended for removal — the wrapper pattern is an intentional design choice for this firmware.

2.3 Legacy API Migration Status

Legacy Function Remaining Callers Callers with bp_cmd_def Callers without
ui_prompt_bool() ~17 Most mode files have bp_cmd (setup defs) legacy4third.c
ui_prompt_uint32() ~3 ui_display.c, ui_mode.c, ui_config.c All 3 lack bp_cmd
ui_prompt_float() ~3 smps.c has bp_cmd legacy4third.c (2 calls)
ui_prompt_mode_settings_int() ~18 All mode setup files have bp_cmd glitch.c (7 calls)
ui_prompt_mode_settings_string() ~9 All mode setup files have bp_cmd glitch.c
ui_prompt_user_input() 2 bp_cmd.c (part of new system) ui_mode.c
ui_prompt_vt100_mode_start/feed() 3 — pirate.c (core system, not command)
cmdln_args_find_flag() 4 eeprom_base.c has bp_cmd ui_hex.c (2), ui_process.c (2)
cmdln_args_find_flag_uint32() 4 sine.c has bp_cmd ui_hex.c (2), eeprom_1wire.c
cmdln_args_find_flag_string() 1 — file.c
cmdln_args_string_by_position() 3 — scope.c, ui_cmdln.c, ui_process.c
file_get_args() 5 i2c.c, ddr4.c, ddr5.c have bp_cmd eeprom_1wire.c, eeprom_i2c.c
ui_hex_get_args_config() 8 spiflash.c, hex.c, ddr4.c, ddr5.c, i2c.c have bp_cmd sle4442.c, eeprom_base.c

Total remaining legacy API call sites: ~80+

2.4 Duplicate Functionality

Function A Function B Similarity Recommendation
src/ui/ui_parse.c (all 16 functions) src/deprecated/ui_parse.c (all 16 functions) — DONE :white_check_mark: — deprecated folder deleted
src/ui/ui_format.c (5 functions) src/deprecated/ui_format.c (5 matching + 1 extra) — DONE :white_check_mark: — deprecated folder deleted
src/deprecated/bp_args.c src/lib/bp_args/bp_cmd.c — DONE :white_check_mark: — deprecated folder deleted

3. Deprecated Folder Analysis

File Exported Functions External Dependents Safe to Delete?
bp_args.c (516 lines) bp_args_init, bp_args_next, bp_args_positional, bp_args_get_* (6 variants), bp_args_has_flag, bp_args_find_* (3 variants), bp_args_positional_* None — no code outside deprecated/ calls these :white_check_mark: Yes
bp_args.h (198 lines) Header declarations for bp_args.c None :white_check_mark: Yes
bp_args_compat.c (288 lines) bp_compat_find_flag, bp_compat_find_flag_uint32, bp_compat_find_flag_string, bp_compat_*_by_position None :white_check_mark: Yes
bp_args_compat.h (126 lines) Header declarations for bp_args_compat.c None :white_check_mark: Yes
bp_linenoise.c (760 lines) bp_cmdln_*, bp_linenoise_*, edit_*, history management None :white_check_mark: Yes
bp_linenoise.h (311 lines) Header declarations for bp_linenoise.c None :white_check_mark: Yes
queue.c (171 lines) queue2_init*, queue2_try_*, queue2_*_blocking, queue_* None :white_check_mark: Yes
queue.h (183 lines) Header declarations for queue.c None :white_check_mark: Yes
syntax.c (771 lines) syntax_compile, syntax_run, syntax_post, syntax_run_* (I/O operations) None — active versions exist in src/syntax_compile.c, src/syntax_run.c, src/syntax_post.c :white_check_mark: Yes
ui_parse.c (387 lines) ui_parse_get_* (16 functions) None — identical active version in src/ui/ui_parse.c :white_check_mark: Yes
ui_format.c (294 lines) ui_format_* (6 functions) None — active version in src/ui/ui_format.c :white_check_mark: Yes
ui_format_old.h (51 lines) Header for deprecated ui_format None :white_check_mark: Yes

Conclusion: The entire src/deprecated/ folder (12 files, ~4,000 lines) is fully isolated and can be safely deleted.

:white_check_mark: DELETED — src/deprecated/ (12 files, ~4,000 lines) removed on 2026-02-21.

4. Conditional Compilation

BP_USE_* Flag Mode/Feature Status Issues
BP_USE_HW1WIRE 1-Wire protocol :white_check_mark: Active None
BP_USE_HWUART UART protocol :white_check_mark: Active None
BP_USE_HWHDUART Half-duplex UART :white_check_mark: Active None
BP_USE_HWI2C I2C protocol :white_check_mark: Active None
BP_USE_HWSPI SPI protocol :white_check_mark: Active None
BP_USE_HW2WIRE 2-Wire protocol :white_check_mark: Active None
BP_USE_HW3WIRE 3-Wire protocol :white_check_mark: Active :warning: Guard may be nested inside HW2WIRE guard in modes.c
BP_USE_HWLED LED (WS2812/APA102) :white_check_mark: Active None
BP_USE_DIO Digital I/O :white_check_mark: Active None
BP_USE_INFRARED Infrared TX/RX :white_check_mark: Active None
BP_USE_JTAG JTAG protocol :white_check_mark: Active None
BP_USE_LCDSPI LCD SPI mode :cross_mark: Commented out Orphaned mode files (LCDSPI.c, ST7735.c, HD44780.c)
BP_USE_LCDI2C LCD I2C mode :cross_mark: Commented out Mode exists in modes.c, guarded correctly
BP_USE_SCOPE Logic analyzer/scope :cross_mark: Commented out :warning: Flag defined but no corresponding mode entry in modes.c
BP_USE_DUMMY1 Dummy/test mode 1 :cross_mark: Commented out Mode exists in modes.c, guarded correctly
BP_USE_DUMMY2 Dummy/test mode 2 :cross_mark: Commented out Not referenced in modes.c
BP_USE_BINLOOPBACK Binary loopback :cross_mark: Commented out Referenced in modes.c but flag not defined in pirate.h
BP_USE_USBPD USB Power Delivery :cross_mark: Commented out Orphaned mode file (usbpd.c)
BP_USE_I2S I2S audio :cross_mark: Commented out Mode exists in modes.c, guarded correctly

Issues found:

  1. BP_USE_SCOPE — Flag exists in pirate.h (commented out) but no corresponding mode entry in modes.c. Either an incomplete feature or orphaned flag.
  2. BP_USE_BINLOOPBACK — Referenced in modes.c but the flag definition in pirate.h is commented out. Mismatch.
  3. BP_USE_DUMMY2 — Commented out in pirate.h and no corresponding mode found in modes.c.
  4. HW3WIRE guard nesting — The [HW3WIRE] mode entry in modes.c may have an incorrect guard nesting (inside BP_USE_HW2WIRE block). Verify the #ifdef structure.

5. Recommendations

5.1 Safe Immediate Deletions

These can be removed right now with zero risk:

All items completed 2026-02-21. ~6,100 lines removed.

  1. Delete src/deprecated/ entirely (~4,000 lines) :white_check_mark: DONE — ~4,000 lines removed
  2. Remove #if 0 blocks in src/pirate/hw1wire_pio.c (~400 lines) :white_check_mark: DONE — 406 lines removed
  3. Remove #if 0 blocks in src/commands/global/flat.c (~130 lines) :white_check_mark: DONE — file deleted entirely
  4. Remove #if 0 blocks in src/commands/i2c/usbpdo.c (~90 lines) :white_check_mark: DONE — 98 lines removed
  5. Remove #if 0 blocks in src/commands/i2c/ddr4.c (~50 lines) :white_check_mark: DONE — 45 lines removed
  6. Delete src/display/background_image_v4-orig.h :white_check_mark: DONE
  7. Delete src/display/robot16.h :white_check_mark: DONE
  8. Remove bio_buf_test() from src/pirate/bio.c and its declaration from bio.h :white_check_mark: DONE
  9. Remove rx_uart_disable() from src/debug_uart.c :white_check_mark: DONE
  10. Delete src/lib/sigrok/pico_sdk_sigrok.c (1,387 lines) :white_check_mark: DONE

5.2 Migration-Dependent Deletions

Code that becomes dead once specific migration steps complete:

  • Scenario A: Complete ui_hex_get_args_config migration → unlocks simplification of src/ui/ui_hex.c argument handling (8 callers using legacy pattern)
  • Scenario B: Complete file_get_args migration → unlocks simplification of src/pirate/file.c argument handling (5 callers)
  • Scenario C: Finish mode setup migration (remove ui_prompt_mode_settings_int/string from all modes) → unlocks deletion of ui_prompt_mode_settings_int() and ui_prompt_mode_settings_string() (~18 + 9 call sites in mode files)
  • Scenario D: Remove all ui_prompt_bool/uint32/float callers → unlocks deletion of interactive prompt functions in ui_prompt.c (~23 call sites)
  • Scenario E: Remove all cmdln_args_* callers → unlocks deletion of entire legacy cmdln argument parsing system in ui_cmdln.c (~12 call sites remaining)
  • Scenario F: Migrate legacy4third.c binary mode → removes last legacy prompt callers outside of mode setup

5.3 Refactoring Opportunities

  1. Make internal helpers static in ui_cmdln.c: 6 functions (cmdln_consume_white_space, cmdln_args_get_string/hex/bin/dec, cmdln_args_find_flag_internal) are only used within the file — mark them static :white_check_mark: DONE
  2. Remove ui_prompt_menu_int() and ui_prompt_prompt_int(): Declared but appear unused
  3. Consider removing orphaned mode files: 7 mode files (SW3W.c, SW2W.c, SWI2C.c, LCDSPI.c, ST7735.c, HD44780.c, usbpd.c) are not compiled. If the software implementations have been superseded by hardware PIO implementations, they can be archived or deleted
  4. Clean up BP_USE_SCOPE and BP_USE_DUMMY2 flags: Remove from pirate.h if no corresponding code exists
  5. Fix BP_USE_HW3WIRE guard nesting in modes.c: Verify it has its own independent #ifdef block

5.4 Risk Assessment

Verify before deleting — these may be referenced via indirect mechanisms:

Item Risk Verification Needed
Orphaned mode files (SW3W.c, etc.) Medium Check if modes.c conditionally references them via commented-out BP_USE_* flags. If the flags are ever re-enabled, these files would be needed
tusb_config.h (flagged as orphaned header) False positive TinyUSB SDK auto-discovers this via include path — DO NOT DELETE
Display robot*.h headers Low These are conditionally included via BP_SPLASH_FILE macro per-platform. robot5x16.h, robot6x16.h, robot5xx16.h are active — only robot16.h is orphaned
background.h and background_image_v4.h False positive Actively included in src/ui/ui_lcd.c — DO NOT DELETE
Functions in src/display/ and src/toolbars/ Low These run on Core 1 and may have unusual call patterns via function pointer tables in displays.c
ui_prompt_vt100_mode_start/feed() Low Called from pirate.c core init — part of system bootstrap, not command migration
src/lib/sigrok/pico_sdk_sigrok.c — DELETED :white_check_mark:

5.5 Prioritized Action Plan

Ordered by impact/effort ratio (highest first):

Priority Action Impact Effort Lines Saved
1 Delete src/deprecated/ folder — — :white_check_mark: ~4,000
2 Remove #if 0 blocks in hw1wire_pio.c — — :white_check_mark: ~406
3 Remove #if 0 blocks in flat.c, usbpdo.c, ddr4.c — — :white_check_mark: ~268
4 Delete orphaned display headers (robot16.h, background_image_v4-orig.h) — — :white_check_mark: ~50
5 Delete orphaned src/lib/sigrok/pico_sdk_sigrok.c — — :white_check_mark: ~1,387
6 Remove dead functions (bio_buf_test, rx_uart_disable) — — :white_check_mark: ~20
7 Make ui_cmdln.c internal helpers static — — :white_check_mark: 0 (quality)
1 Clean up #if 0 blocks across remaining ~20 blocks Medium Medium ~500
2 Archive orphaned mode files (SW3W.c, etc.) Medium Low ~1,474
3 Remove ui_prompt_menu_int() and ui_prompt_prompt_int() Low Trivial ~20
4 Clean up orphaned BP_USE_* flags (SCOPE, DUMMY2) Low Trivial ~5
5 Continue legacy API migration (Scenarios A–F) High High ~500+ (incremental)

:white_check_mark: ~6,100 lines removed. Remaining estimated removable: ~2,000 lines.