[Buildroot] Add host packages in br2-external tree?

[Buildroot] Add host packages in br2-external tree?

[Whitney, Scott]

Hello Buildroot members,


We are using a br2-external tree (with BR2_EXTERNAL) to store some target packages/applications and some special files to generate our file system image.


A co-worker and I have searched through the Buildroot manual extensively, and have not found a way to add host packages to a br2-external tree.  There are example on adding target packages through external.mk and Config.in (with package/pkg1/Config.in, etc.), but no examples on how to add special tools that we want to build and install for the host.


It seems like the only mentions of Config.in.host imply that host packages can only be added within the Buildroot tree itself, rather than via a br2-external tree.


Can host packages be added to a br2-external tree?  If so, could you provide a brief example?


Many thanks,


Scott
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[Buildroot] Add host packages in br2-external tree?

[Ryan Barnett]

Scott,

On Wed, Oct 9, 2019 at 9:27 AM Whitney, Scott <scwhitn@amazon.com> wrote:
>
> Hello Buildroot members,
>
> We are using a br2-external tree (with BR2_EXTERNAL) to store some target
> packages/applications and some special files to generate our file system image.
>
> A co-worker and I have searched through the Buildroot manual extensively, and
> have not found a way to add host packages to a br2-external tree.  There are
> example on adding target packages through external.mk and Config.in
> (with package/pkg1/Config.in, etc.), but no examples on how to add special tools
> that we want to build and install for the host.
>
> It seems like the only mentions of Config.in.host imply that host packages can only
> be added within the Buildroot tree itself, rather than via a br2-external tree.

All that buildroot does to build the host packages menu is to include
package/Config.in.host in the top level Config.in file.

https://git.busybox.net/buildroot/tree/Config.in?id=196e3d2b3393ff477f9162a2fbb0c7df8557faf5#n875

This logic can be applied your br2-external tree. See below.

> Can host packages be added to a br2-external tree?  If so, could you provide a
> brief example?

In your br2-external/Config.in you can either define a menu for host
packages in there or include your own
br2-external/package/Config.in.host. If you go the route of
br2-external/package/Config.in.host then you will need to source all
the packages in your br2-external that have their own Config.in.host.

To select a package in the menuconfig, they will appear under
"External Options > Host" or whatever you name you Config.in.host menu
title.

Thanks,
-Ryan