[U-Boot] Using U-boot command to write NAND flash

[Wolfgang Denk]

Dear Lyn.Tran at L-3com.com,

In message <615935CE76907149AFEC6599C969D4D5356B31 at XCGTXH01.corp.eos.l-3com.com> you wrote:
> 
> U-Boot is a Boot Loader, its primary purpose is to load some operating
> system. Can we use the U-Boot to load our small application before
> loading the operating system (Linux)? Our small application will read a
> FPGA bit file from the NAND flash and configure the FPGA.

You could do that - but it raises the question why you would need a
separate application to do that - U-Boot itself contains code to boot
FPGAs. Why are you not using U-Boots capabilities?

> U-Boot includes a basic interactive command interpreter, support for
> download over Ethernet and the capability to program the flash. Can we
> update the FPGA bit file (by programming NAND flash using U-boot
> command)?  If yes, then which flash file system that U-boot uses to
> program the flash? and does that flasf file system take care of wear
> leveling in the NAND flash?

You can use U-Boot to write JFFS2 and UBIFS images, but both of these
are read-only, i. e. you cannot write a single file into an  existing
file  system. Normally you would create a separate partition for such
data if you need to update it in U-Boot context.  UBI  provides  some
flexible options for such tasks.

Best regards,

Wolfgang Denk

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