[Buildroot] Default configuration for Ka-Ro TX25 module

[Buildroot] Default configuration for Ka-Ro TX25 module

[Matthew Kerr]

Hi buildroot,

This is my first real Linux based project. I am working with the TX25 module (i.MX257 ARM926EJ-S) from Ka-Ro Electronics. Ka-Ro supplies a development environment (VM), precompiled bootloader, Kernel and root filesystem. They also supply all source files. Due to the age of the product, the VM is rather dated. I would like to be able to use a modern development environment (Ubuntu) but still be able to rebuild the Kernel and rootfs. For now I am happy to use the precompiled bootloader and toolchain; mostly because I had a lot of trouble rebuilding the toolchain and kernel using the Ka-Ro VM, and limited success using Ubuntu 10 (which I figured was similar vintage).

I have been manually creating the rootfs for some time now and decided that there must be an easier way to develop in Linux. I was reading the training notes available on the Free Electrons website and came across Buildroot. On the face of it, it looks like it could make my life much easier. Only I'm a little nervous to use the tool because I know I could spend a week playing with it until I'm convinced I've got it generating something similar to what Ka-Ro has supplied; i.e. their supplied kernel has been configured and I need to work out how to do the same.

So my questions are:

1)      Are you aware of a default configuration which has been created for the TX25 module? Or is there something similar that I should start with?

2)      Is it possible to use the Ka-Ro supplied kernel source (and patches/upgrades)? Should I use it or should I just let Buildroot do its thing and see what happens?

3)      Can I do anything with the Ka-Ro supplied rootfs or should I just let Buildroot generate this for me?

Thanks in advance,

Matthew Kerr | Systems/Software Engineer



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mkerr at atspl.com.au<mailto:mkerr@atspl.com.au>



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[Buildroot] Default configuration for Ka-Ro TX25 module

[Baruch Siach]

Hi Matthew,

On Mon, Sep 21, 2015 at 11:08:22PM +0000, Matthew Kerr wrote:
> 1)      Are you aware of a default configuration which has been created for 
> the TX25 module? Or is there something similar that I should start with?

Buildroot has no specific configuration for the TX25 module.

> 2)      Is it possible to use the Ka-Ro supplied kernel source (and 
> patches/upgrades)? Should I use it or should I just let Buildroot do its 
> thing and see what happens?

You can tell Buildroot to build a kernel from vendor supplied source tree. 
Just select one of the "Custom" options, or "Local directory" in the "Kernel 
version" configuration choice.

Alternatively, you may build the kernel on your own as before, and use 
Buildroot just for the rootfs.

In any case Buildroot can't automatically build a kernel for you, since it 
lacks the required information.

> 3)      Can I do anything with the Ka-Ro supplied rootfs or should I just 
> let Buildroot generate this for me?

Buildroot supports helper mechanisms to ease local customization of generated 
rootfs, like rootfs overlay, and post build script. See 
http://nightly.buildroot.org/manual.html#customize for more details.

Hope this helps,
baruch

-- 
     http://baruch.siach.name/blog/                  ~. .~   Tk Open Systems
=}------------------------------------------------ooO--U--Ooo------------{=
   - baruch at tkos.co.il - tel: +972.2.679.5364, http://www.tkos.co.il -

[Buildroot] Default configuration for Ka-Ro TX25 module

[Arnout Vandecappelle]

On 22-09-15 08:55, Baruch Siach wrote:
> Hi Matthew,
> 
> On Mon, Sep 21, 2015 at 11:08:22PM +0000, Matthew Kerr wrote:
[snip]
>> 3)      Can I do anything with the Ka-Ro supplied rootfs or should I just 
>> let Buildroot generate this for me?
> 
> Buildroot supports helper mechanisms to ease local customization of generated 
> rootfs, like rootfs overlay, and post build script. See 
> http://nightly.buildroot.org/manual.html#customize for more details.

 Note that the binaries in the Ka-Ro supplied rootfs will most likely not work,
unless you also reuse their toolchain.

 Reusing their toolchain is BTW pretty easy as well: copy the toolchain out of
the VM and install it in the same location on your host, and in buildroot select
'External toolchain', 'custom toolchain', 'pre-installed toolchain', and point
'toolchain path' to where the toolchain resided (excluding the bin/ part). Then
you'll have to specify the toolchain properties: which standard C library is
used (most likely glibc), the gcc version, and the kernel headers version. If
you make a mistake there, buildroot will tell you what is wrong.

 One possible issue you may run into is that they also have custom versions for
some of the user-space programs, e.g. for bluetooth or wifi support. If that is
the case, it is probably easiest (to start with) to use the vendor-supplied
toolchain as I described above and just copy those binaries from the
vendor-supplied rootfs.


 Regards,
 Arnout


-- 
Arnout Vandecappelle                          arnout at mind be
Senior Embedded Software Architect            +32-16-286500
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