[U-Boot] Help on U-Boot and Linux integration on PPC cpus

[U-Boot] Help on U-Boot and Linux integration on PPC cpus

[Luigi 'Comio' Mantellini]

Hi Ml,

I'm working on a ppc8541 based board. I ported the U-boot board just creationg 
a "strip-down" version of frescale8541 board (I don't use TSEC and Quicc, 
...)-
My next task is to have the first boot with linux and I'm a lot confused by fdt 
usage.

In the past I always worked on mips based SoC and the ppc is a new world for 
me, then my apologies for my stupid questions.

I have a couple of (trivial) question/doubts  regarding the fdt usage:

1) I created my dts/dtb (exentially copying a 8541 board): How can this object 
be used by u-boot? should I copy it into the flash (for example)?
2) is there a how-to or a survey regarding the fdt usage into u-boot (and 
linux kernel)?

thanks for help,

luigi



-- 

Luigi 'Comio' Mantellini

R&D - Software
Industrie Dial Face S.p.A.
Via Canzo, 4
20068 Peschiera Borromeo (MI), Italy
Tel.:  +39 02 5167 2813
Fax:   +39 02 5167 2459
Email: luigi.mantellini at idf-hit.com

[U-Boot] Help on U-Boot and Linux integration on PPC cpus

[Jerry Van Baren]

Luigi 'Comio' Mantellini wrote:
> Hi Ml,
> 
> I'm working on a ppc8541 based board. I ported the U-boot board just creationg 
> a "strip-down" version of frescale8541 board (I don't use TSEC and Quicc, 
> ...)-
> My next task is to have the first boot with linux and I'm a lot confused by fdt 
> usage.
> 
> In the past I always worked on mips based SoC and the ppc is a new world for 
> me, then my apologies for my stupid questions.

s/ppc/powerpc/ - the linux ppc arch doesn't support fdt. ;-)

> I have a couple of (trivial) question/doubts  regarding the fdt usage:
> 
> 1) I created my dts/dtb (exentially copying a 8541 board): How can this object 
> be used by u-boot? should I copy it into the flash (for example)?

Strictly speaking, it isn't *used* by u-boot, but it is manipulated by 
u-boot to fix it up / augment it to describe the board's hardware.  It 
is then *used* by linux - it allows one linux image to boot on a wide 
variety of boards (MAJOR win).

You need to pass a fdt blob to the linux kernel.  As always, there are 
many ways to do this.  One way is to program it into flash.  This is 
great if your blob is stable (e.g. good for manufacturing).  Another way 
is to tftp the blob over from your server along with your linux image.

The *slickest* way by far is to use a FIT image - this wraps 
*everything* (kernel, board fdt blob, ramdisk) in a fdt blob.  See
   u-boot/doc/uimage.FIT

<http://git.denx.de/?p=u-boot.git;a=tree;f=doc/uImage.FIT;h=f1d03d7350a164ee6c951ea239a0e0e72db0e81b;hb=HEAD>

> 2) is there a how-to or a survey regarding the fdt usage into u-boot (and 
> linux kernel)?

There are various fdt whitepapers out there and *how* the fdt is used by 
linux is documented in the linux source tree.  For PowerPC processors:
   linux/Documentation/powerpc

<http://git.denx.de/?p=linux-2.6-denx.git;a=tree;f=Documentation/powerpc;h=01939ab891de2b352c4e9185d1f6bc667436bfb3;hb=HEAD>

> thanks for help,
> 
> luigi

Best regards,
gvb

[U-Boot] Help on U-Boot and Linux integration on PPC cpus

[Wolfgang Denk]

Dear "Luigi 'Comio' Mantellini",

In message <200910231150.09063.luigi.mantellini.ml@gmail.com> you wrote:
> 
> 1) I created my dts/dtb (exentially copying a 8541 board): How can this object 
> be used by u-boot? should I copy it into the flash (for example)?
> 2) is there a how-to or a survey regarding the fdt usage into u-boot (and 
> linux kernel)?

You may want to read section "7.2. Flattened Device Tree Blob" and
following in the manual, see
http://www.denx.de/wiki/view/DULG/LinuxFDTBlob

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
Perl itself is  usually  pretty  good  about  telling  you  what  you
shouldn't do. :-)     - Larry Wall in <11091@jpl-devvax.JPL.NASA.GOV>

[U-Boot] Help on U-Boot and Linux integration on PPC cpus

[Luigi 'Comio' Mantellini]

Hi Jerry and Wolfgang,

Thanks for your suggestions.

ciao ciao

luigi


venerd? 23 ottobre 2009 13:39 Jerry Van Baren <gerald.vanbaren@ge.com> ha 
scritto:
Luigi 'Comio' Mantellini wrote:
> Hi Ml,
> 
> I'm working on a ppc8541 based board. I ported the U-boot board just 
creationg 
> a "strip-down" version of frescale8541 board (I don't use TSEC and Quicc, 
> ...)-
> My next task is to have the first boot with linux and I'm a lot confused by 
fdt 
> usage.
> 
> In the past I always worked on mips based SoC and the ppc is a new world for 
> me, then my apologies for my stupid questions.

s/ppc/powerpc/ - the linux ppc arch doesn't support fdt. ;-)

> I have a couple of (trivial) question/doubts  regarding the fdt usage:
> 
> 1) I created my dts/dtb (exentially copying a 8541 board): How can this 
object 
> be used by u-boot? should I copy it into the flash (for example)?

Strictly speaking, it isn't *used* by u-boot, but it is manipulated by 
u-boot to fix it up / augment it to describe the board's hardware.  It 
is then *used* by linux - it allows one linux image to boot on a wide 
variety of boards (MAJOR win).

You need to pass a fdt blob to the linux kernel.  As always, there are 
many ways to do this.  One way is to program it into flash.  This is 
great if your blob is stable (e.g. good for manufacturing).  Another way 
is to tftp the blob over from your server along with your linux image.

The *slickest* way by far is to use a FIT image - this wraps 
*everything* (kernel, board fdt blob, ramdisk) in a fdt blob.  See
   u-boot/doc/uimage.FIT

<http://git.denx.de/?p=u-
boot.git;a=tree;f=doc/uImage.FIT;h=f1d03d7350a164ee6c951ea239a0e0e72db0e81b;hb=HEAD>

> 2) is there a how-to or a survey regarding the fdt usage into u-boot (and 
> linux kernel)?

There are various fdt whitepapers out there and *how* the fdt is used by 
linux is documented in the linux source tree.  For PowerPC processors:
   linux/Documentation/powerpc

<http://git.denx.de/?p=linux-2.6-
denx.git;a=tree;f=Documentation/powerpc;h=01939ab891de2b352c4e9185d1f6bc667436bfb3;hb=HEAD>

> thanks for help,
> 
> luigi

Best regards,
gvb



-- 
Luigi 'Comio' Mantellini

R&D - Software
Industrie Dial Face S.p.A.
Via Canzo, 4
20068 Peschiera Borromeo (MI), Italy
Tel.:  +39 02 5167 2813
Fax:   +39 02 5167 2459
Email: luigi.mantellini at idf-hit.com