[Buildroot] [PATCH 1/4] fs/custom: generate complete, partition-based device images

[Yann E. MORIN <yann.morin.1998@free.fr>]

Thomas, All,

On 2013-12-21 09:49 +0100, Thomas Petazzoni spake thusly:
> On Fri, 20 Dec 2013 23:32:54 +0100, Yann E. MORIN wrote:
> 
> > +Requirements on host packages
> > +~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> > +
> > +Depending on what types of partitioning and filesystems are used by your
> > ++partition table layout description+, you may have to enable some
> > +host-packages in the +Host utilities+ sub-menu.
> > +
> > +Since the content of a +partition table layout description+ is very
> > +specific to a board and/or a project, there is no way for Buildroot to
> > +automatically select those host packages, and thus it is your
> > +responsibility to select the appropriate ones.
> > +
> > +For example, for an MBR partitioning, you will have to enable the +host
> > +genpart+ package. For FAT filesystems, you will have to enable both of
> > ++host dosfstools+ and +host mtools+.
> 
> I'll have other comments about the genimages stuff later on,

Hey! You can't let us all waiting like that! Speak up, now! ;-)

> but I got an idea this night

I don't know what you usually do at night, but I, for one, sleep. ;-)

> about this specific problem. I don't really like the
> fact that the user has to manually enable in menuconfig the relevant
> host tools, depending on his genimage .ini configuration file.
> 
> What about doing something like:
> 
> ROOTFS_CUSTOM_DEPENDENCIES = $(shell fs/custom/genimages --show-depends \
> 				'$(call qstrip,$(BR2_TARGET_ROOTFS_CUSTOM_PARTITION_TABLE))'
[--SNIP--]
> What do you think?

I was initially thinking about something like it, but found it a bit
dubious. But since you suggested it (and now Peter concurred), I have
now (re-)implemented it, and it works nicely.

Regards,
Yann E. MORIN.

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