Difference between revisions of "Armadeus 3"

Revision as of 00:33, 4 December 2008

This page will help you to use the upcoming Armadeus software release 3.

Introduction

Armeadeus 3 adds many new features, including the following:

• Some architectural changes to support more many hardware targets
• New versions of U-Boot 1.3.4, Linux kernel 2.6.27, GCC 4.2.1, Busybox 1.12.1 and also a recent version of Buildroot
• New naming convention of files
• New Flash partion mapping on the target
• TBC

How-to obtain the Armeadeus 3

For the time being, The third generation of Armadeus is only available on the Subversion repository: https://armadeus.svn.sourceforge.net/svnroot/armadeus/trunk

You can checkout the new version of armadeus or update your working version of armadeus. We suggest to checkout a new version of Armadeus because of the new naming convention of files.

• Checkout the new version:

$ svn co https://armadeus.svn.sourceforge.net/svnroot/armadeus/trunk armadeus3

this commmand will download the latest version of Armadeus.

Remarks: Do not use spaces in the directory name !

• Update your working version of armadeus:

$ svn update

• How-to obtain the legacy Armadeus 2: I am not ready to upgrade my target

$ svn co https://armadeus.svn.sourceforge.net/svnroot/armadeus/trunk@914 armadeus2

How-to configure and build Armadeus

• After changing to the directory Armadeus you have to configure Armadeus software for the APF9328 target. Yes the new board apf27 is coming soon. ;-)

$ cd armadeus/
$ make apf9328_defconfig

This configuration option is the first difference with the previous releases of Armadeus. This configuration has to be done only once after a checkout or after an update from an older version Armadeus. This command launch the regular Buildroot configuration menu:

• Configure Armadeus

In Target options ---> Armadeus Device Support menu, you can check and change the quantity of RAM available on your Armadeus board (apf9328). (Default values 16MB are just fine with all APF9328 boards).

In Target filesystem options --> for each type of filesystems to build you have the option to copy the binary file to secondary location like your tftp server folder (for exemple /tftpboot).

In Target filesystem options --> You will find U-Boot options at the end of this menu including the option to copy U-Boot to a secondary location like /tftpboot

In Kernel --> Destination for linux kernel binaries --> You will find fine options to copy linux to a secondary location like /tftpboot

• Exit the configuration tool and save your configuration

• Launch build and take a cup of coffee for the next hour

$ make

The toolchain is built automatically. During this procedure, several files are downloaded from Internet. Please wait for a while.... it takes at least one hour for the first run!

• Enjoy the result

The generated binary files can be found in the new subdirectory buildroot/binaries/apf9328/:

• apf9328-u-boot.brec (BRecord image that can be used with the bootstrap, if U-Boot is not installed or not working, see BootLoader page)
• apf9328-u-boot.bin (U-Boot image file to be used with U-Boot itself, see updating U-Boot)
• apf9328-linux.bin (Linux image to use with U-Boot, see InstallLinux)
• apf9328-rootfs.arm.jffs2 (FileSystem/RootFS image to use with U-Boot, see RootFS flashing)
• apf9328-rootfs.arm.tar (for an NFS/MMC RootFS, see RootNFS? & Booting from a MMC/SD)

Please note the new naming convention of binary files and directories

The toolchain and project files share a new nameing convention too:

• buildroot/build_armv4t (contains all non configurable user-space tools)
• buildroot/project_build_armv4t/apf9328 (contains all configurable user-space tools: target filesystem, linux, busybox and u-boot...)
• buildroot/toolchain_build_armv4t (cross compilation toolchain)

More information is available in the buildroot documentation

How-to upgrade the apf9328 target

How-to develop with Armadeus