[U-Boot-Users] FW: [PATCH][ARM] Rationalize ARM compiler options

[Ulf Samuelsson]

> In message <9a3001c872b7$dc147910$0402a8c0 at atmel.com> you wrote:
>> 
>> >> If so I'll put -msoft-float in all arm config.mk files.
>> 
>> Please DON'T!
>> This *forces* you to compile U-Boot with a compiler suite which is
>> configured to generate soft-float.
> 
> I think this is not correct. Even if your compiler is not configured
> to generate soft-float by default, asking it to do so should cause no
> harm.

In this case, reality and the map differs.
NWFPE toolchains built by cross-tool, buildroot, and www.gnuarm.com
not sure abnout the last) all bombs when they reach the "-msoft-float"

> 
>> If you happen to use a compiler which does not support soft-float,
>> I.E: uses NWFPE, then the build will fail.
> 
> Even if it's configured for NWFPE as default setting, it should still
> be able to generate soft-float. 

It doesn't.
If you think so, show me an ARM toolset which behaves in this way.

> And in the end, it should make no differece at all as we don't use FP
> in U-Boot.
> 

Without "-msoft-float", both the softfloat and NWFPE toolchains
will complete the build since floating point is not used..
With "-msoft-float", NWFPE based toolchains for ARM appears to abort.

If it doesn't make any difference, and U-Boot does not use floating point
then it make sense to remove all  "-msoft-float" for ARM Makefiles.'

It is so easy to replace all fixed parameters with symbolic Makefile variable
which can be modified by your make command

$ make "MYPARS=-msoft-float" uboot

With sensible defaults which can be overriddern, this would solve the problem, 
without having to locally *patch* the source.
When you are building several u-boots for different ARM chips
from the same source you really do not want to patch the source.

> 
> Best regards,
> 
> Wolfgang Denk
> 


Best Regards
Ulf Samuelsson                ulf at atmel.com
Atmel Nordic AB
Mail:  Box 2033, 174 02 Sundbyberg, Sweden
Visit:  Kavallerivägen 24, 174 58 Sundbyberg, Sweden
Phone +46 (8) 441 54 22     Fax +46 (8) 441 54 29
GSM    +46 (706) 22 44 57