[U-Boot-Users] [RFC] Host tool to perform semiautomatic updates

[U-Boot-Users] [RFC] Host tool to perform semiautomatic updates

[llandre]

Hi all,

I need a tool running on host (Linux or Windows) that is able to 
interact with u-boot command line emulating a human operator. Also it 
must be able to retrieve from a text file a sequential list of commands 
it must issue.
One of the purpose is to have a simple procedure to perform on-the-field 
upgrades with just a laptop connected to the target via serial cable 
(I'm aware about this 
http://www.denx.de/wiki/view/UBootdoc/AutomaticUpdates but I need a 
procedure that does not require USB nor ethernet).

For example it should be able to parse and execute a "script" like this:

- wait U-Boot startup messages
- interrupt autoboot sequence
- download new linux kernel image
- erase flash region
- program new linux kernel image
- verify new linux kernel image is stored correctly
- in case it failed, retry the erase/writing cycle until it is ok or 
retry counter is reached
- notify human operator about success/failure

So the human operator should just:
a) connect the target to the laptop via RS232 cable
b) start the program on laptop
c) reset the target

 From now on the program will handle all the communication with the 
target and the human operator will have just to wait for notification.

Anybody knows is there is something like this available? If not, any 
suggestions about how to implement it?


Thanks in advance,
llandre

DAVE Electronics System House - R&D Department
web:   http://www.dave.eu
email: r&d2 at dave-tech.it

[U-Boot-Users] [RFC] Host tool to perform semiautomatic updates

[Øyvind Repvik]

llandre wrote:
> Hi all,
> 
> I need a tool running on host (Linux or Windows) that is able to 
> interact with u-boot command line emulating a human operator. Also it 
> must be able to retrieve from a text file a sequential list of commands 
> it must issue.
> One of the purpose is to have a simple procedure to perform on-the-field 
> upgrades with just a laptop connected to the target via serial cable 
> (I'm aware about this 
> http://www.denx.de/wiki/view/UBootdoc/AutomaticUpdates but I need a 
> procedure that does not require USB nor ethernet).
> 
[snip]

> 
>  From now on the program will handle all the communication with the 
> target and the human operator will have just to wait for notification.
> 
> Anybody knows is there is something like this available? If not, any 
> suggestions about how to implement it?

I believe what you are looking for is "expect"
http://linux.die.net/man/1/expect


Regards,
?yvind Repvik

[U-Boot-Users] [RFC] Host tool to perform semiautomatic updates

[Ben Warren]

llandre wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I need a tool running on host (Linux or Windows) that is able to 
> interact with u-boot command line emulating a human operator. Also it 
> must be able to retrieve from a text file a sequential list of commands 
> it must issue.
> One of the purpose is to have a simple procedure to perform on-the-field 
> upgrades with just a laptop connected to the target via serial cable 
> (I'm aware about this 
> http://www.denx.de/wiki/view/UBootdoc/AutomaticUpdates but I need a 
> procedure that does not require USB nor ethernet).
>
> For example it should be able to parse and execute a "script" like this:
>
> - wait U-Boot startup messages
> - interrupt autoboot sequence
> - download new linux kernel image
> - erase flash region
> - program new linux kernel image
> - verify new linux kernel image is stored correctly
> - in case it failed, retry the erase/writing cycle until it is ok or 
> retry counter is reached
> - notify human operator about success/failure
>
> So the human operator should just:
> a) connect the target to the laptop via RS232 cable
> b) start the program on laptop
> c) reset the target
>
>  From now on the program will handle all the communication with the 
> target and the human operator will have just to wait for notification.
>
> Anybody knows is there is something like this available? If not, any 
> suggestions about how to implement it?
>
>
>   
How about expect?  This should get you started:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expect

If you want to use Windows I'd go with expect through cygwin rather than 
the native Windows port of expect.

You can of course do all of this in something more modern like Python, 
but that might be a steeper learning curve.

regards,
Ben

[U-Boot-Users] [RFC] Host tool to perform semiautomatic updates

[llandre]

> How about expect?  This should get you started:
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expect
> 
> If you want to use Windows I'd go with expect through cygwin rather than 
> the native Windows port of expect.
> 
> You can of course do all of this in something more modern like Python, 
> but that might be a steeper learning curve.
I thought about expect/cygwin but in my opinion is too hard to use for 
the average Windows operator who expects just to:
- install the application by running an .exe or unzipping a .zip
- launching the application
- press a couple of buttons on GUI and see the result.

I think Python could be a very good solution. Since I never worked with 
it, I ask just few questions:
1) for Windows platform, is possible to generate one single .exe file 
taht includes all the required stuff (such as libraries and runtime 
components)? If not, it is possible to group all of them in one single 
.zip file?
2) What about serial ports support? Is this really platform independent?
3) What about graphical interface? Is it possible to use the same 
library (and consequently have similar look&feel) on Windows and Linux?


Cheers,
llandre

DAVE Electronics System House - R&D Department
web:   http://www.dave.eu
email: r&d2 at dave-tech.it

[U-Boot-Users] [RFC] Host tool to perform semiautomatic updates

[Nicolas Colombain]

>> I thought about expect/cygwin but in my opinion is too hard to use for 
>> the average Windows operator who expects just to:
>> - install the application by running an .exe or unzipping a .zip
>> - launching the application
>> - press a couple of buttons on GUI and see the result.
>>
>> I think Python could be a very good solution. Since I never worked with 
>> it, I ask just few questions:
>> 1) for Windows platform, is possible to generate one single .exe file 
>> taht includes all the required stuff (such as libraries and runtime 
>> components)? If not, it is possible to group all of them in one single 
>> .zip file?
>> 2) What about serial ports support? Is this really platform independent?
>> 3) What about graphical interface? Is it possible to use the same 
>> library (and consequently have similar look&feel) on Windows and Linux?
>>     
The serial port support is platform independent if you use the right 
library.
We use python to communicate with the target from a windows/linux host 
without any problems.
You can design a simple graphical interface which will look exactly the 
same on both operating systems.
I think the uboot list is not the right place to continue with this 
discussion.

Cheers,
Nicolas
Armadeus Systems
www.armadeus.com

[U-Boot-Users] [RFC] Host tool to perform semiautomatic updates

[Hoi-Ho Chan]

>  1) for Windows platform, is possible to generate one single .exe file
>  taht includes all the required stuff (such as libraries and runtime
>  components)? If not, it is possible to group all of them in one single
>  .zip file?

Look for py2exe, it can convert your .py script into an executable
plus a few DLLs that you can zip up.

>  2) What about serial ports support? Is this really platform independent?
>  3) What about graphical interface? Is it possible to use the same
>  library (and consequently have similar look&feel) on Windows and Linux?

You can look into wxPython for platform-independent GUI

Thanks
Donald

[U-Boot-Users] [RFC] Host tool to perform semiautomatic updates

[Hoi-Ho Chan]

>  I thought about expect/cygwin but in my opinion is too hard to use for
>  the average Windows operator who expects just to:
>  - install the application by running an .exe or unzipping a .zip
>  - launching the application
>  - press a couple of buttons on GUI and see the result.
>

I forgot to say there is a Python expect implementation called pyexpect as well.

Thanks
Donald

[U-Boot-Users] [RFC] Host tool to perform semiautomatic updates

[llandre]

>>  I thought about expect/cygwin but in my opinion is too hard to use for
>>  the average Windows operator who expects just to:
>>  - install the application by running an .exe or unzipping a .zip
>>  - launching the application
>>  - press a couple of buttons on GUI and see the result.
>>
> 
> I forgot to say there is a Python expect implementation called pyexpect as well.
Thank you all for the precious advices.
I think I'll propose a python-based solution to my team.


Cheers,
llandre

DAVE Electronics System House - R&D Department
web:   http://www.dave.eu
email: r&d2 at dave-tech.it

[U-Boot-Users] [RFC] Host tool to perform semiautomatic updates

[Markus Klotzbücher]

llandre <r&d2@dave-tech.it> writes:

> I think Python could be a very good solution. Since I never worked with 
> it, I ask just few questions:
> 1) for Windows platform, is possible to generate one single .exe file 
> taht includes all the required stuff (such as libraries and runtime 
> components)? If not, it is possible to group all of them in one single 
> .zip file?
> 2) What about serial ports support? Is this really platform independent?
> 3) What about graphical interface? Is it possible to use the same 
> library (and consequently have similar look&feel) on Windows and Linux?

If you search the mailing list archive, you'll find some python expect
and serial code from Jerry Van Baren:

http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.comp.boot-loaders.u-boot/33594/focus=33733

Best regards

Markus Klotzbuecher

--
DENX Software Engineering GmbH,     MD: Wolfgang Denk & Detlev Zundel
HRB 165235 Munich, Office: Kirchenstr.5, D-82194 Groebenzell, Germany
Phone: +49-8142-66989-0 Fax: +49-8142-66989-80  Email: office at denx.de

[U-Boot-Users] [RFC] Host tool to perform semiautomatic updates

[Robert Schwebel]

On Sat, Mar 15, 2008 at 01:20:17PM +0100, Markus Klotzb?cher wrote:
> If you search the mailing list archive, you'll find some python expect
> and serial code from Jerry Van Baren:
>
> http://thread.gmane.org/gmane.comp.boot-loaders.u-boot/33594/focus=33733

You've probably read my answer...

Robert
-- 
 Dipl.-Ing. Robert Schwebel | http://www.pengutronix.de
 Pengutronix - Linux Solutions for Science and Industry
   Handelsregister:  Amtsgericht Hildesheim, HRA 2686
     Hannoversche Str. 2, 31134 Hildesheim, Germany
   Phone: +49-5121-206917-0 |  Fax: +49-5121-206917-9

[U-Boot-Users] [RFC] Host tool to perform semiautomatic updates

[Wolfgang Denk]

In message <47DA8762.2090008@dave-tech.it> you wrote:
> 
> I need a tool running on host (Linux or Windows) that is able to 
> interact with u-boot command line emulating a human operator. Also it 
> must be able to retrieve from a text file a sequential list of commands 
> it must issue.

"expect" is your friend.

> One of the purpose is to have a simple procedure to perform on-the-field 
> upgrades with just a laptop connected to the target via serial cable 
> (I'm aware about this 
> http://www.denx.de/wiki/view/UBootdoc/AutomaticUpdates but I need a 
> procedure that does not require USB nor ethernet).

See also http://www.denx.de/wiki/DUTS/DUTSDocs and
http://www.denx.de/cgi-bin/gitweb.cgi?p=duts.git;a=summary


Best regards,

Wolfgang Denk

-- 
DENX Software Engineering GmbH,     MD: Wolfgang Denk & Detlev Zundel
HRB 165235 Munich, Office: Kirchenstr.5, D-82194 Groebenzell, Germany
Phone: (+49)-8142-66989-10 Fax: (+49)-8142-66989-80 Email: wd at denx.de
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