[U-Boot-Users] Diagnostic Tools in U-Boot

[Jon Loeliger]

Wolfgang et al,

I have a few board-specific tools that help with some
board diagnostics and manufacturing processes.  These
tools are currently built in the "examples" directory,
but are highly board-specific.  (EEPROM programming,
memory checking, Serial Number stamping, etc.)

Currently, the examples directory has board-specific
binaries that it builds, but it does so based on the
the ARCH variable, like this:

    ifeq ($(ARCH),arm)
    LOAD_ADDR = 0xc100000
    endif

    ifeq ($(ARCH),mips)
    LOAD_ADDR = 0x80200000 -T mips.lds
    endif

    ifeq ($(ARCH),nios)
    LOAD_ADDR = 0x00800000 -L $(gcclibdir)/m32 -T nios.lds
    endif

and:

    # The following example is 8260 specific...
    ifeq ($(CPU),mpc8260)
    SREC   += mem_to_mem_idma2intr.srec
    BIN    += mem_to_mem_idma2intr.bin mem_to_mem_idma2intr
    endif

    # Utility for resetting i82559 EEPROM
    ifeq ($(BOARD),oxc)
    SREC   += eepro100_eeprom.srec
    BIN    += eepro100_eeprom.bin eepro100_eeprom
    endif

It's sort of a rats nest all thrown together in one directory
where you just happen to build the parts that apply to your
board/ARCH.

I would like to propose a new scheme that fits in with
your design goals.  I see two fundamental ways that we
might improve on this layout.

1) Make the examples directory be a sub-directory structure
   that allows a board-specific break-down beneath it.

2) Make a "diagnostics" (or "tools") sub-directory beneath
   each board directory if it can build tools in the style
   of the current "examples" directory.

Personally, I think 2) would be a cleaner distribution,
though I am curious to know if you have any thoughts in
this area too.

Thanks,
jdl