[U-Boot] mpc83xx U-boot questions

[Jerry Van Baren <gerald.vanbaren@ge.com>]

Yuke Tian wrote:
> Hi David,
> 
> Thank you for your kind response. What I am doing is to try to load the
> RTEMS (a kind of open source real time operating system) image to the
> board. It has a BSP for this board. All the tools I used are targeting
> powerpc and tailed for this board.  But the final executable format is
> .exe. I am not sure if this format is good to download and run on the
> board using U-boot.  I just happen to know there is a mkimage utility
> from U-boot.

1) You need to do a lot of reading: books - see below - and on-line 
documentation such as <http://www.denx.de/wiki/U-Boot/Documentation>. 
Also the RTEMS documentation
   <http://www.rtems.com/wiki/index.php/Quick_Start>
   <http://www.rtems.com/onlinedocs.html>
You have to have some fundamental knowledge before you can ask questions 
that we can answer.

Note that you aren't the first to ask the question you started out with, 
see the README file:
<http://git.denx.de/?p=u-boot.git;a=blob;f=README;h=ccd839ca25828c2be9d2ac576259b443d0704792;hb=HEAD#l3859>

2) Some (idiot) tools create non-Windows binary executables as .exe 
files.  This is nonstandard in terms of Windows executables and is 
nonstandard in terms non-Windows executables.  As a result, we cannot 
say *anything* about your question WRT your gcc compiler producing a 
.exe file.

If you list/dump/edit the .exe file, are the first three bytes the 
characters "ELF"?  If so, it isn't a Windows executable, but we still 
don't know much about what it *is.*  If it doesn't say "ELF", it may be 
a Windows executable and is useless for your purposes, or it may be a 
raw binary file, but we still don't know much about what it *is.*

3) Your description of your toolset totally inadequate.  Who made it? 
Where did it come from?  How do you know it is a cross-PPC compiler? 
What version of gcc is it?  What is your host? Windows? Windows+cygwin? 
Linux? BSD? OSX? Solaris?

It sounds like you need to be asking questions of your toolset provider 
(company if commercial), subscribe to the toolset's email list, and 
RTEMS email lists.
   <http://www.rtems.com/wiki/index.php/RTEMSMailingLists>

Good luck,
gvb

> Thank you,
> 
> Yuke
> 
> David Hawkins wrote:
>> Hi Yuke,
>>
>>> I am new to U-boot. I have a mpc8313erdb board that already has U-boot
>>> burned in flash. When the board reset, I get into U-boot (with U-boot
>>> prompt =>).  My questions is: my gcc compiler produce a .exe file, can I
>>> just tftp this file to an address and run it (go) ? Or I need to convert
>>> it to some format (use mkimage) to run it ?
>>>
>>> Does the load address and entry address matters ?  Does anyone happen to
>>> know what is the correct load address for this board ?  One more
>>> question, where do I get the mkimage for this board ?
>> New to U-Boot and embedded systems, eh?
>>
>> If your gcc compiler is producing a .exe file, then
>> you sound like you are working on a Windows machine,
>> with say Cygwin. That particular version of gcc is
>> for the *Windows OS* and the *Intel architecture*.
>>
>> The gcc compiler can be built for a specific processor
>> type and OS. The Denx ELDK has a prebuilt version of
>> gcc for the PowerPC on the MPC8313 that can be used
>> to build both U-boot, stand-alone, and Linux
>> applications. You would typically install the ELDK on
>> a Linux machine (eg. an Intel-based laptop/desktop).
>>
>> You'll probably want to get yourself a copy of
>>
>> "Building Embedded Linux Systems", K. Yagmour, O'Reilly.
>>
>> and read it to learn some of the basics of embedded
>> programming, and cross-platform development.
>>
>> If you want to run an executable from U-Boot, then you'll
>> want to read the 'stand-alone applications' section of
>> the DULG.
>>
>> http://www.denx.de/wiki/DULG/WebHome
>>
>> But if what you really want is a Linux application, then
>> U-Boot will be used to boot Linux, and then your application
>> will run under Linux.
>>
>> If you let us know exactly what you want your program to do,
>> we can suggest the path of least-resistance for you.
>>
>> Cheers,
>> Dave
>>
>>
>>
>>
> 
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