[Buildroot] [PATCH 0/1] VIA VAB-820 board

[Buildroot] [PATCH 0/1] VIA VAB-820 board

[imrehg at gmail.com]

From: Gergely Imreh <imrehg@gmail.com>

Hi,

I'd like to submit a patch to add support for an ARM dev board.

I'm technical marketing at VIA Embedded, a Taiwan based board maker,
that makes a couple of ARM boards. One of them is a Freescale i.MX6Q
based board VAB-820 (and its system equivalent, called AMOS-820), inspired
by the SABRE Lite design.

These boards unfortunately don't come with a bootable OS image in the BSP,
but with a manual explaining how to get an OS image up based on the relevant
Freescale BSP. I did some development to remedy this and make it easier
for the board's users to get started[0]. I was using Buildroot to make the
toolchain setup easier for the kernel compilation part. Now I managed to add
all the parts and sources that are needed to be able to build the whole
image within Buildroot. I'm submitting this patch to release the development
to the wider community.

Since this is our first contribution, would love to have any kind of feedback.
Most of the changes I've based on other code that is already part of Buildroot,
and kept changes to the absolute minimum.

Comments on the patch:

 * the included u-boot patch is needed to have working system without any manual
   u-boot variable setting in the debug console (thus making the compiled image
   usable right out of factory)
 * the gcc version in the defconfig is set to a value that is known to work (4.7),
   as newer versions seem to result in an uImage that kernel panics during boot

Cheers,
   Greg

[0]: http://www.viaspringboard.com/blog/2014/12/31/ready-go-file-system-vab-820/

Gergely Imreh (1):
  board: add support for the VIA VAB-820 board

 board/via/imx6_vab820/6x_bootscript.txt            |  5 ++
 board/via/imx6_vab820/post-build.sh                |  7 ++
 board/via/imx6_vab820/readme.txt                   | 95 ++++++++++++++++++++++
 .../imx6_vab820/uboot-0001-add-bootscript.patch    | 44 ++++++++++
 configs/via_imx6_vab820_defconfig                  | 38 +++++++++
 5 files changed, 189 insertions(+)
 create mode 100644 board/via/imx6_vab820/6x_bootscript.txt
 create mode 100755 board/via/imx6_vab820/post-build.sh
 create mode 100644 board/via/imx6_vab820/readme.txt
 create mode 100644 board/via/imx6_vab820/uboot-0001-add-bootscript.patch
 create mode 100644 configs/via_imx6_vab820_defconfig

-- 
2.2.2

[Buildroot] [PATCH 1/1] board: add support for the VIA VAB-820 board

[imrehg at gmail.com]

From: Gergely Imreh <imrehg@gmail.com>

The VIA VAB-820 board (and the AMOS-820 system built around it) is
based on Freescale i.MX6Q for embedded and industrial computing

http://www.viaembedded.com/en/products/boards/2150/1/VAB-820_(Pico-ITX).html

Signed-off-by: Gergely Imreh <imrehg@gmail.com>
---
 board/via/imx6_vab820/6x_bootscript.txt            |  5 ++
 board/via/imx6_vab820/post-build.sh                |  7 ++
 board/via/imx6_vab820/readme.txt                   | 95 ++++++++++++++++++++++
 .../imx6_vab820/uboot-0001-add-bootscript.patch    | 44 ++++++++++
 configs/via_imx6_vab820_defconfig                  | 38 +++++++++
 5 files changed, 189 insertions(+)
 create mode 100644 board/via/imx6_vab820/6x_bootscript.txt
 create mode 100755 board/via/imx6_vab820/post-build.sh
 create mode 100644 board/via/imx6_vab820/readme.txt
 create mode 100644 board/via/imx6_vab820/uboot-0001-add-bootscript.patch
 create mode 100644 configs/via_imx6_vab820_defconfig

diff --git a/board/via/imx6_vab820/6x_bootscript.txt b/board/via/imx6_vab820/6x_bootscript.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0cd6c52
--- /dev/null
+++ b/board/via/imx6_vab820/6x_bootscript.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+set loadaddr 0x10800000
+set kernel uImage
+set hdmi video=mxcfb0:dev=hdmi,1920x1080M at 60,bpp=32
+set bootargs console=ttymxc1,115200 console=tty1,115200 ${hdmi} root=/dev/mmcblk1p2 rootwait rw
+mmc dev 0; ext2load mmc 0:1 ${loadaddr} ${kernel} && bootm ; echo "Error loading kernel image"
diff --git a/board/via/imx6_vab820/post-build.sh b/board/via/imx6_vab820/post-build.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..0d49680
--- /dev/null
+++ b/board/via/imx6_vab820/post-build.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+#!/bin/sh
+
+TARGET_DIR=$1
+BOARD_DIR="$(dirname $0)"
+
+mkimage -A arm -O linux -T script -C none -a 0 -e 0 -n "boot script" \
+    -d $BOARD_DIR/6x_bootscript.txt $TARGET_DIR/6x_bootscript
diff --git a/board/via/imx6_vab820/readme.txt b/board/via/imx6_vab820/readme.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..243cf81
--- /dev/null
+++ b/board/via/imx6_vab820/readme.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,95 @@
+VIA VAB-820/AMOS-820
+====================
+
+These settings are aimed to use Buildroot-generated images on an SD card
+with a VIA VAB-820 board or AMOS-820 system. Code is based on the original
+VIA BSP, which is in turn based on the Freescale Linux 3.0.35 / 4.1.0 BSP.
+
+Configuring and building Buildroot
+----------------------------------
+
+First apply the relevant defconfig
+
+  $ make via_imx6_vab820_defconfig
+
+Then you can edit build uptions by
+
+  $ make menuconfig
+
+When happy with the setup run
+
+  $ make
+
+The results of the build should be these files in the default setting:
+
+  output/images
+  ??? 6x_bootscript
+  ??? rootfs.tar
+  ??? rootfs.tar.gz
+  ??? u-boot.bin
+  ??? uImage
+
+Set up your SD card
+-------------------
+
+Important: pay attention which partition you ar modifying so you don't
+accidentally erase your host computer's system!
+
+In the default setup you need to create 2 partitions on your SD card:
+a boot partition (ext2) and a root partition (ext4). For example, if your
+SD card is at /dev/sdX, using fdisk, starting from an empty card:
+
+  # fdisk /dev/sdX
+  n  (new partition)
+  p  (primary partition)
+  <return>  (default first sector, should be at least 2048 or larger)
+  50M  (50MB size)
+  n  (the second partition)
+  p  (primary partition type)
+  <return>  (default first sector)
+  <return>  (use all remaining space)
+  p  (print so the partition looks something like this:)
+    Device     Boot  Start      End  Sectors  Size Id Type
+    /dev/sdX1         2048   104447   102400   50M 83 Linux
+    /dev/sdX2       104448 15564799 15460352  7.4G 83 Linux
+  w  (save changes)
+
+After this you need to format the the newly created file system:
+
+  # mkfs.ext2 -L boot /dev/sdX1
+  # mkfs.ext4 -L rootfs /dev/sdX2
+
+After this the system can be copied onto the card. First copy the u-boot
+onto the region of the card before the first partition (starting from the
+root directory of buildroot):
+
+  # dd if=output/images/u-boot.bin bs=512 seek=2 skip=2 of=/dev/sdX
+
+Mount the first partition /dev/sdX1, and copy the boot script and kernel:
+
+  # cp output/images/6x_bootscript /mnt/<BOOT-PARTITION>
+  # cp output/images/uImage /mnt/<BOOT-PARTITION>
+
+Finally copy the root file system as well onto the mounted /dev/sdX1
+rootfs partition:
+
+  # tar xzvf output/images/rootfs.tar.gz -C /mnt/<ROOTFS-PARTITION>
+
+Booting
+-------
+
+On the VAB-820 board make sure the jumper J11 (just next to the SD card
+slot) is sorted betweek  the two pins towards the center of the board.
+This signals to the onboard bootloader to try get the u-boot from the
+SD card.
+
+If you haven't modified the u-boot variables (i.e. never run a `saveenv`
+in the u-boot console), the SD card should automatically boot.
+
+If you have modified the variables, you might need to run a `destroyenv`
+in the u-boot console to clear all the settings and let the just compiled
+u-boot and the 6x_bootscript take care of things.
+
+In the future, add your modifications to the defaults at
+`board/via/imx6_vab820/6x_bootscript.txt`, and see the `post-build.sh`
+in the same directory on how to create a new `6x_bootscript`.
diff --git a/board/via/imx6_vab820/uboot-0001-add-bootscript.patch b/board/via/imx6_vab820/uboot-0001-add-bootscript.patch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5054aad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/board/via/imx6_vab820/uboot-0001-add-bootscript.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+From 029eae9870057300547e41bd3e289132a35d4467 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
+From: Gergely Imreh <imrehg@gmail.com>
+Date: Thu, 22 Jan 2015 14:19:53 +0800
+Subject: [PATCH] vab820: modify default bootcmd to look for 6x_bootscript on
+ the first partition
+
+Previously it is not possible to supply the relevant u-boot parameters on the
+SD card or eMMC storage, but they are always either read from the compiled-in
+parameters, or the SPI flash.
+
+This modification is based on the Boundary Devices Nitrogen6X board's parameters.
+https://github.com/boundarydevices/u-boot-imx6/blob/77ab23a8670d5d05679a168f595ab11c3cea034b/include/configs/mx6_r.h#L175-L191
+---
+ include/configs/mx6q_sabrelite.h | 14 +++++++++++++-
+ 1 file changed, 13 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)
+
+diff --git a/include/configs/mx6q_sabrelite.h b/include/configs/mx6q_sabrelite.h
+index 987df11..73b762e 100644
+--- a/include/configs/mx6q_sabrelite.h
++++ b/include/configs/mx6q_sabrelite.h
+@@ -170,7 +170,19 @@
+ 		"bootcmd_mmc=run bootargs_base bootargs_mmc; mmc dev 1; ext2load mmc 1:1 $loadaddr $vkernel && bootm\0"   \
+ 		"bootargs_sd=setenv bootargs ${bootargs} root=/dev/mmcblk1p1 rootwait rw\0"     \
+ 		"bootcmd_sd=run bootargs_base bootargs_sd; mmc dev 0; ext2load mmc 0:1 $loadaddr $vkernel && bootm\0"   \
+-		"bootcmd=run bootcmd_mmc\0"
++		"bootcmd=for disk in 0 1 " \
++		   "; do "\
++                     " mmc dev ${disk} ;" \
++		     "for fs in fat ext2 ; do " \
++		       "${fs}load "  \
++		         "mmc ${disk}:1 "  \
++		         "10008000 " \
++		         "/6x_bootscript" \
++		         "&& source 10008000 ; " \
++		     "done ; " \
++		  "done ; " \
++		"echo ; echo 6x_bootscript not found ;\0" \
++
+ #endif
+ 
+ #define CONFIG_ARP_TIMEOUT	200UL
+-- 
+2.2.2
+
diff --git a/configs/via_imx6_vab820_defconfig b/configs/via_imx6_vab820_defconfig
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..167a90a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/configs/via_imx6_vab820_defconfig
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+# architecture
+BR2_arm=y
+BR2_cortex_a9=y
+
+# toolchain
+BR2_DEPRECATED=y
+BR2_KERNEL_HEADERS_3_0=y
+BR2_DEFAULT_KERNEL_HEADERS="3.0.101"
+BR2_GCC_VERSION_4_7_X=y
+
+# system
+BR2_TARGET_GENERIC_GETTY_PORT="ttymxc1"
+
+# kernel
+BR2_LINUX_KERNEL=y
+BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_CUSTOM_GIT=y
+BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_CUSTOM_REPO_URL="git://github.com/viaembedded/vab820-kernel-bsp.git"
+BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_CUSTOM_REPO_VERSION="via_3.0.35"
+BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_DEFCONFIG="imx6"
+BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_UIMAGE_LOADADDR="0x10008000"
+BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_UBOOT_IMAGE=y
+BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_UIMAGE=y
+
+# bootloader
+BR2_TARGET_UBOOT=y
+BR2_TARGET_UBOOT_BOARDNAME="mx6q_sabrelite"
+BR2_TARGET_UBOOT_CUSTOM_GIT=y
+BR2_TARGET_UBOOT_CUSTOM_REPO_URL="git://github.com/viaembedded/vab820-uboot-bsp.git"
+BR2_TARGET_UBOOT_CUSTOM_REPO_VERSION="via_3.0.35"
+BR2_TARGET_UBOOT_CUSTOM_PATCH_DIR="board/via/imx6_vab820"
+BR2_TARGET_UBOOT_FORMAT_BIN=y
+
+# rootfs
+BR2_TARGET_ROOTFS_TAR=y
+BR2_TARGET_ROOTFS_TAR_GZIP=y
+
+# post-build	
+BR2_ROOTFS_POST_IMAGE_SCRIPT="board/via/imx6_vab820/post-build.sh"
-- 
2.2.2

[Buildroot] [PATCH 0/1] VIA VAB-820 board

[Thomas Petazzoni]

Hello Gergely,

On Fri, 23 Jan 2015 16:02:47 +0800, imrehg at gmail.com wrote:

> I'm technical marketing at VIA Embedded, a Taiwan based board maker,
> that makes a couple of ARM boards. One of them is a Freescale i.MX6Q
> based board VAB-820 (and its system equivalent, called AMOS-820), inspired
> by the SABRE Lite design.

Thanks for this contribution! Nice to see the HW vendor being directly
involved in contributing a defconfig for Buildroot!

I'll reply with some specific comments on the patch itself.

Thanks!

Thomas
-- 
Thomas Petazzoni, CTO, Free Electrons
Embedded Linux, Kernel and Android engineering
http://free-electrons.com

[Buildroot] [PATCH 1/1] board: add support for the VIA VAB-820 board

[Thomas Petazzoni]

Hello,

This generally looks very good, I only have a few minor comments.

On Fri, 23 Jan 2015 16:02:48 +0800, imrehg at gmail.com wrote:

> +The results of the build should be these files in the default setting:

results -> result.

> +Important: pay attention which partition you ar modifying so you don't

ar -> are.

> +Finally copy the root file system as well onto the mounted /dev/sdX1
> +rootfs partition:

I guess you meant "mounted /dev/sdX2" here, no?

> +On the VAB-820 board make sure the jumper J11 (just next to the SD card
> +slot) is sorted betweek  the two pins towards the center of the board.

"sorted betweek" ? I guess you meant "between", but even with this, I
don't understand what it means.

> diff --git a/configs/via_imx6_vab820_defconfig b/configs/via_imx6_vab820_defconfig
> new file mode 100644
> index 0000000..167a90a
> --- /dev/null
> +++ b/configs/via_imx6_vab820_defconfig
> @@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
> +# architecture
> +BR2_arm=y
> +BR2_cortex_a9=y
> +
> +# toolchain
> +BR2_DEPRECATED=y

This is not needed.

> +BR2_KERNEL_HEADERS_3_0=y
> +BR2_DEFAULT_KERNEL_HEADERS="3.0.101"

Use instead:

BR2_KERNEL_HEADERS_VERSION=y
BR2_DEFAULT_KERNEL_VERSION="3.0.101"

> +BR2_GCC_VERSION_4_7_X=y
> +
> +# system
> +BR2_TARGET_GENERIC_GETTY_PORT="ttymxc1"
> +
> +# kernel
> +BR2_LINUX_KERNEL=y
> +BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_CUSTOM_GIT=y
> +BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_CUSTOM_REPO_URL="git://github.com/viaembedded/vab820-kernel-bsp.git"
> +BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_CUSTOM_REPO_VERSION="via_3.0.35"
> +BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_DEFCONFIG="imx6"
> +BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_UIMAGE_LOADADDR="0x10008000"
> +BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_UBOOT_IMAGE=y
> +BR2_LINUX_KERNEL_UIMAGE=y
> +
> +# bootloader
> +BR2_TARGET_UBOOT=y
> +BR2_TARGET_UBOOT_BOARDNAME="mx6q_sabrelite"
> +BR2_TARGET_UBOOT_CUSTOM_GIT=y
> +BR2_TARGET_UBOOT_CUSTOM_REPO_URL="git://github.com/viaembedded/vab820-uboot-bsp.git"
> +BR2_TARGET_UBOOT_CUSTOM_REPO_VERSION="via_3.0.35"
> +BR2_TARGET_UBOOT_CUSTOM_PATCH_DIR="board/via/imx6_vab820"
> +BR2_TARGET_UBOOT_FORMAT_BIN=y
> +
> +# rootfs
> +BR2_TARGET_ROOTFS_TAR=y
> +BR2_TARGET_ROOTFS_TAR_GZIP=y

Compressing the rootfs tarball is not necessary.

Other than that, looks good to me! Can you fix those minor issues and
resend an updated patch?

Thanks a lot!

Thomas
-- 
Thomas Petazzoni, CTO, Free Electrons
Embedded Linux, Kernel and Android engineering
http://free-electrons.com

[Buildroot] [PATCH 1/1] board: add support for the VIA VAB-820 board

[Gergely Imreh]

Hi,

Thanks a lot for the overview, really sorry about the embarrassing
number of typos, I'll fix them for v2!

On 26 January 2015 at 02:02, Thomas Petazzoni
<thomas.petazzoni@free-electrons.com> wrote:
>> diff --git a/configs/via_imx6_vab820_defconfig b/configs/via_imx6_vab820_defconfig
>> new file mode 100644
>> index 0000000..167a90a
>> --- /dev/null
>> +++ b/configs/via_imx6_vab820_defconfig
>> @@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
>> +# architecture
>> +BR2_arm=y
>> +BR2_cortex_a9=y
>> +
>> +# toolchain
>> +BR2_DEPRECATED=y
>
> This is not needed.
>
>> +BR2_KERNEL_HEADERS_3_0=y
>> +BR2_DEFAULT_KERNEL_HEADERS="3.0.101"
>
> Use instead:
>
> BR2_KERNEL_HEADERS_VERSION=y
> BR2_DEFAULT_KERNEL_VERSION="3.0.101"

I was trying this setting, and run into the problem that `make
defconfig` defaults to 2.6.x headers with
BR2_PACKAGE_HOST_LINUX_HEADERS_CUSTOM_REALLY_OLD=y and then I run into
a compile time error:

 if ! support/scripts/check-kernel-headers.sh
/home/greg/Software/vab820-buildroot/output/host/usr/arm-buildroot-linux-uclibcgnueabi/sysroot
 2.6; then exit 1; fi
 Incorrect selection of kernel headers: expected 2.6.x, got 3.0.x

It is fixed with BR2_PACKAGE_HOST_LINUX_HEADERS_CUSTOM_3_0=y in the
defconfig, but I'm not sure if that is the correct way.


Also, could I set BR2_DEFAULT_KERNEL_VERSION="3.0.35" for clarity, as
that is the exact version?


So after these two issues above, now I just tested a working version with:
BR2_KERNEL_HEADERS_VERSION=y
BR2_DEFAULT_KERNEL_VERSION="3.0.35"
BR2_PACKAGE_HOST_LINUX_HEADERS_CUSTOM_3_0=y

What do you think?

Cheers,
  Greg

[Buildroot] [PATCH 0/1] VIA VAB-820 board

[Gergely Imreh]

Hi Thomas,

On 26 January 2015 at 01:51, Thomas Petazzoni
<thomas.petazzoni@free-electrons.com> wrote:
> Hello Gergely,
>
> On Fri, 23 Jan 2015 16:02:47 +0800, imrehg at gmail.com wrote:
>
>> I'm technical marketing at VIA Embedded, a Taiwan based board maker,
>> that makes a couple of ARM boards. One of them is a Freescale i.MX6Q
>> based board VAB-820 (and its system equivalent, called AMOS-820), inspired
>> by the SABRE Lite design.
>
> Thanks for this contribution! Nice to see the HW vendor being directly
> involved in contributing a defconfig for Buildroot!
>
> I'll reply with some specific comments on the patch itself.
>
> Thanks!
>
> Thomas

I've submitted the updated patch: https://patchwork.ozlabs.org/patch/435715/
Let me know if it needs any further tuning! :)

Cheers, (and happy new year of the Goat from here in Taiwan!)
   Gergely

[Buildroot] [PATCH 0/1] VIA VAB-820 board

[Thomas Petazzoni]

Dear Gergely Imreh,

On Tue, 24 Feb 2015 11:54:12 +0800, Gergely Imreh wrote:

> I've submitted the updated patch: https://patchwork.ozlabs.org/patch/435715/
> Let me know if it needs any further tuning! :)

Thanks, we'll have a look at your patch as time permits, and we'll let
you know if there are some more comments.

Thanks a lot for following-up on this!

Thomas
-- 
Thomas Petazzoni, CTO, Free Electrons
Embedded Linux, Kernel and Android engineering
http://free-electrons.com