Gentoo Archives: gentoo-embedded

From: Peter Stuge <peter@×××××.se>
To: gentoo-embedded@l.g.o
Subject: Re: [gentoo-embedded] [embedded] first step in programming geode target
Date: Mon, 06 Apr 2009 02:21:24
Message-Id: 20090406022121.16569.qmail@stuge.se
In Reply to: [gentoo-embedded] [embedded] first step in programming geode target by esa
1 Dear Eric,
2
3 esa wrote:
4 > It's my first step to program a embedded system.
5
6 Fantastic! Welcome to the world of embedded Linux.
7
8 I have a customer who was in a situation almost identical to yours.
9
10 I would like to try to break down your questions a little, I think it
11 can help. Also I would like to say that if you do not have a strong
12 UNIX/Linux background you are facing a very large project.
13
14 You are basically going to start from scratch, learning hundreds if
15 not thousands of details about a new computer operating system, and
16 one or several new programming languages. Then you're going to
17 re-implement your application on top of all those new things.
18
19 It is relevant to know what your application does to make any
20 accurate estimates, but even without knowing any of that I can say
21 that you're in for a development and learning effort several years
22 long, and that the technical outcome in the end can be very much
23 state of the art.
24
25 The outcome can also be a problem filled pile of mistakes. In
26 particular, I feel strongly that trying to "cheat" the process of
27 learning a new system through the use of RAD (Rapid Application
28 Development) tools when producing software for an embedded system
29 creates more problems than it solves. It is even worse if said RAD
30 tools aren't open source. The problem is that there are so many
31 things you suddenly give up control of. Completely.
32
33 Because you look toward graphical interfaces I guess that you have a
34 GUI software in your system. My advice is to never use anything
35 "fatter" than GTK+ in the system. GTK+ can already be considered too
36 heavyweight but it does have decent performance. There are other GUI
37 toolkits (different widget AKA control libraries) which your app can
38 use, which are even lighter and faster.
39
40
41 > - Do I install the GNOME, X Windows or KDE for using CODE::block ??
42 > What is the best ?
43
44 I have no idea what CODE::block is, and this mailing list is about
45 embedded gentoo so it is probably not the best place to find that
46 advice.
47
48 Per Google I found http://www.codeblocks.org/ which is Code::Blocks,
49 AKA CodeBlocks.
50
51
52 > - For my target, I use uclibc. Must I install code block under my
53 > CHOST (where I install uclibc ). Or maybee it is not necessary.
54
55 CodeBlocks is an IDE, a development environment. You do not need and
56 should never have the development environment on your target system.
57 GNOME or KDE on your development system does not matter. You can have
58 both. CodeBlocks uses wxWindows which is a widget abstraction
59 library, it doesn't have any widgets itself but can use GTK+.
60 You will need X, and should also understand it, on both development
61 and target system if you want to use any kind of GUI.
62
63
64 > - In this case, must I configure CODE::block to use uclibc ?
65
66 uclibc is a C library implementation so it should really just be a
67 drop-in replacement for GNU libc, without need for any configuration.
68
69
70 > -Is it something important to configure in MAKE.CONF ?
71
72 Impossible for us to answer. You have to learn about everything that
73 can be done in make.conf yourself, and find the correct settings
74 which matter in your system, and decide what their values should be -
75 or explain your system to someone else who is able to offer you
76 professional assistance.
77
78
79 > - my target is a Industrial PC with a GEODE processor.
80
81 I am also involved in coreboot, a BIOS replacement which runs well on
82 many Geode boards, and can have Linux running in less than a second
83 after power on. I would suggest looking into the possibility of
84 leveraging coreboot on your target board to gain even more control of
85 your end product.
86
87
88 > Is it a document, where I can find what I can use and how to
89 > configure ?
90
91 I don't think so. Not that I know of at least. There is a lot of
92 great documentation for Gentoo which is recommended reading, but I
93 don't know of comprehensive documentation, much less a single
94 document, that covers all the areas that are relevant for your
95 project. If you ask me, you have to get or buy the experience.
96
97
98 > Thanks again for your help.
99
100 You're welcome! Please don't feel discouraged, there are many places
101 (this mailing list, and others) where you are very welcome to ask for
102 help, but please also remember that it is always easiest to give good
103 answers to concrete questions.
104
105
106 Best regards
107
108 //Peter

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