[ELDK] Just starting - ipkg errors

[Wolfgang Denk]

Dear Larry,

In message <25981659-3F50-4574-B4B2-B2082921F8F2 at usgs.gov> you wrote:
> 
> Is this package database removed by some step in the Yocto rootfs build?

Yes.

> Even though a target does not have a package manager installed, it seems
> to me to be quite useful to have the package database (as long as it is not
> large).  ...

That's the problem.  The package database has a substantial memory
footprint in the root file system, so for small, resource-optimized
configurations you don;t want to have it / cannot affort it.

>     ...  If this is under the control of DENX, may I suggest this be considered
> a request item for a future ELDK release?

Of course you may suggest it - but I see no reason to change the
current configurations.  If you have ample resources that allow for
such a big file system image, then just use one of the more full-blown
configurations - or roll your own meeting exactly your requirements.

> > The best way to do this is to build a new file system image customized
> > to your requirements.  that means starting from the source, creating
> > your own biuld target (by copying one of the existing ones - here say
> > core-image-basic.bb and modifying it according to your needs), and
> 
> I did not find any .bb files in the Qt SDK that I installed with the basic rootfs.

The .bb files are not part of the target root file system, but of the
build environment on the host.  Check out the ELDK source from the
git repo (see section 3. ELDK Building in the docs) and you will find
them.

> (Not because I plan to use it -- I am building a console-only system.  I just
> wanted to be sure I saw everything in a development SDK that you provide.)
> I assume I will find the .bb files you used and your Yocto build scripts in the
> git repository so that I can learn from them and modify them for my purposes?

Correct.

> FYI: The links on http://www.denx.de/wiki/view/DULG/ELDKAvailability to
> http://ftp.denx.de/pub/eldk/ and http://mira.sunsite.utk.edu/eldk/ and are no
> good.  And, most of the HTTP reachable sites are pretty stale.

Thanks for pointing out.  We will take care about this ASAP.

> If I am able to find the recipe you use to build the basic rootfs for armv5te,
> I will first try to replicate your steps.  I am hoping to only have to slightly

All thsi is documented in detail - see section 3. ELDK Building in the
docs.

> > Not quite.  A machine configuration describes the hardware you are
> > running on, i. e. for example the processor architecture etc., but
> > this is completely independent from the actual content of any root
> > file system image you may generate.  It will most probably make sense
> > that you define a custome machine matching your own hardware,
> 
> I am familiar with the change to use device trees now for ARM kernels.
> Luckily, the board I use is supported using the stock Linux kernel and
> description files for one of the development boards supported by the
> SoC manufacturer.  I do not have to worry about that.  (Good thing for
> me -- I am a systems programmer, not a hardware developer.)

Actually I was talking about a totally different thing - about the
MACHINE definition in the Yocto build system.


Best regards,

Wolfgang Denk

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