Yocto on i.MX8 Dev Board

Dec 3, 2019

Table of Content

0. Building System OS

Ubuntu 16.04.6 LTS

1. Update build Environment

1.1 For Ubuntu18.04

$ sudo apt-get install gawk wget git diffstat unzip texinfo gcc-multilib build-essential chrpath socat libsdl1.2-dev libncurses5-dev flex bison libssl-dev

//Essentials: Packages needed to build an image on a headless system:
$ sudo apt-get install gawk wget git-core diffstat unzip texinfo gcc-multilib build-essential chrpath socat cpio python python3 python3-pip python3-pexpect xz-utils debianutils iputils-ping python3-git python3-jinja2 libegl1-mesa libsdl1.2-dev pylint3 xterm git-lfs

$ sudo apt-get install gawk wget git-core diffstat unzip texinfo gcc-multilib build-essential chrpath socat libsdl1.2-dev

//Below if for build yocto documents
//Documentation: Packages needed if you are going to build out the Yocto Project documentation manuals:
$ sudo apt-get install make xsltproc docbook-utils fop dblatex xmlto

$ sudo apt-get install libsdl1.2-dev xterm sed cvs subversion coreutils texi2html python-pysqlite2 help2man make gcc g++ desktop-file-utils libgl1-mesa-dev libglu1-mesa-dev mercurial autoconf automake groff curl lzop asciidoc u-boot-tools

1.2 For Ubuntu 20.04

$ sudo apt-get install gawk wget git diffstat unzip texinfo gcc-multilib build-essential chrpath socat libsdl1.2-dev libncurses5-dev

//Essentials: Packages needed to build an image on a headless system:
$ sudo apt-get install gawk wget git diffstat unzip texinfo gcc-multilib build-essential chrpath socat cpio python python3 python3-pip python3-pexpect xz-utils debianutils iputils-ping python3-git python3-jinja2 libegl1-mesa libsdl1.2-dev pylint xterm

2. Install repo

$ mkdir ~/bin
$ curl https://storage.googleapis.com/git-repo-downloads/repo > ~/bin/repo

// Please using tsinghua as mirror if you can not access googleapis and add REPO_URL to you .bashrc file
$ curl https://mirrors.tuna.tsinghua.edu.cn/git/git-repo  > ~/bin/repo

$ export REPO_URL='https://mirrors.tuna.tsinghua.edu.cn/git/git-repo/'

$ chmod a+x ~/bin/repo

## Add the following line to the .bashrc file to ensure that the ~/bin folder is in your PATH variable
export PATH=~/bin:$PATH

3. Configure git

$ git config --global user.name "Your Name"
$ git config --global user.email you@example.com

4. Init repo manifest & build

4.1 Init & Build

Here using branch: imx-linux-sumo and manifext: imx-4.14.78-1.0.0_ga.xml as example

$ mkdir imx-yocto-bsp
$ cd imx-yocto-bsp

//Initialize repo manifest
$ repo init -u https://source.codeaurora.org/external/imx/imx-manifest -b imx-linux-sumo -m imx-4.14.78-1.0.0_ga.xml
$ repo sync -j4

//change branch & manifest
$ repo init -u https://source.codeaurora.org/external/imx/imx-manifest -b imx-linux-sumo -m imx-4.14.98-2.0.0_ga.xml

//change branch & manifest
$ repo init -u https://source.codeaurora.org/external/imx/imx-manifest -b imx-linux-sumo -m imx-4.14.98-2.3.1.xml

//imx-4.14.98-2.3.0.xml: Create release manifest for i.MX 8QXP C0 GA && i.MX 8MN Post GA release [YOCIMX-4182]
//https://source.codeaurora.org/external/imx/imx-manifest/commit/?h=imx-linux-sumo&id=b97a289a76401a0c6849f2f4749a99b1e49f1c28

//To download the 4.14.98-2.3.0 i.MX 8QXP C0 GA && i.MX 8MN Post GA release
$ repo init -u https://source.codeaurora.org/external/imx/imx-manifest  -b imx-linux-sumo -m imx-4.14.98-2.3.0.xml

sumo-4.14.98-2.3.0

//Build configurations
$ DISTRO=fsl-imx-wayland MACHINE=imx8qxpmek source fsl-setup-release.sh -b build-wayland

or

$ DISTRO=fsl-imx-xwayland MACHINE=imx8qxpmek source fsl-setup-release.sh -b build-xwayland

//For QXP C0 MEK board
$ DISTRO=fsl-imx-wayland MACHINE=imx8qxpc0mek source fsl-setup-release.sh -b build-wayland

or

$ DISTRO=fsl-imx-xwayland MACHINE=imx8qxpc0mek source fsl-setup-release.sh -b build-xwayland

//Enter build dir with env after firt congifurations
$ source setup-environment build-wayland/

//Local configuration tuning
A Yocto Project build can take considerable build resources both in time and disk usage, especially when building in multiple build directories. There are methods to optimize this, for example, use a shared sstate cache (caches the state of the build) and downloads directory (holds the downloaded packages). These can be set to be at any location in the local.conf file by adding statements such as these:

DL_DIR="/opt/yocto/downloads"
SSTATE_DIR="/opt/yocto/sstate-cache"

BB_NUMBER_THREADS = "16"
PARALLEL_MAKE = "-j 16"

INHERIT += "rm_work"

RM_WORK_EXCLUDE += "u-boot-imx"
RM_WORK_EXCLUDE += "linux-imx"
RM_WORK_EXCLUDE += "wayland-ivi-extension"

#check connectivity using google
CONNECTIVITY_CHECK_URIS = "https://www.google.com/"

#skip connectivity checks
CONNECTIVITY_CHECK_URIS = ""

#remove a package
PACKAGECONFIG_remove = "opencv"
PACKAGECONFIG_remove = "gdb"
PACKAGECONFIG_remove = "qemu"
PACKAGECONFIG_remove = "qemu-native"
DISTRO_FEATURES_remove = "webengine"

// Building an imange
# A small image that only allows a device to boot
$ bitbake core-image-minimal

//build for mfgtool initramfs
$ bitbake fsl-image-mfgtool-initramfs

//Builds an i.MX image with a GUI without any Qt content
$ bitbake fsl-image-validation-imx

//Build SDK
$ bitbake fsl-image-validation-imx -c populate_sdk

# Build open source Qt5 image
$ bitbake fsl-image-qt5-validation-imx

//build SDK
$ bitbake fsl-image-qt5-validation-imx -c populate_sdk

//list core-image-base all task 
$ bitbake -c listtasks core-image-base

// download all source only 
$ bitbake -c fetchall core-image-base

//Install SDK
build-wayland/tmp/deploy/sdk$ ./fsl-imx-wayland-glibc-x86_64-fsl-image-qt5-validation-imx-aarch64-toolchain-4.14-sumo.sh

//Using sdk
$ source /opt/fsl-imx-wayland/4.14-sumo/environment-setup-aarch64-poky-linux

=========================================================================================
//imx-4.14.98-2.3.1.xml + fsl-imx-wayland distro for imx8qxpc0mek board SDK
$ repo init -u https://source.codeaurora.org/external/imx/imx-manifest  -b imx-linux-sumo -m imx-4.14.98-2.3.1.xml
$ DISTRO=fsl-imx-wayland MACHINE=imx8qxpc0mek source fsl-setup-release.sh -b build-wayland
//Build SDK
$ bitbake fsl-image-validation-imx -c populate_sdk

=========================================================================================
//imx-4.14.98-2.3.2.xml + fsl-imx-xwayland distro for imx8qxpc0mek board SDK
$ repo init -u https://source.codeaurora.org/external/imx/imx-manifest  -b imx-linux-sumo -m imx-4.14.98-2.3.2.xml
$ DISTRO=fsl-imx-xwayland MACHINE=imx8qxpc0mek source fsl-setup-release.sh -b build-xwayland
//Build SDK
$ bitbake fsl-image-validation-imx -c populate_sdk
$ bitbake fsl-gui -c populate_sdk

=========================================================================================
//imx-4.14.98-2.3.2.xml + fsl-imx-wayland distro for imx8qxpc0mek board SDK
$ repo init -u https://source.codeaurora.org/external/imx/imx-manifest  -b imx-linux-sumo -m imx-4.14.98-2.3.2.xml
$ DISTRO=fsl-imx-wayland MACHINE=imx8qxpc0mek source fsl-setup-release.sh -b build-wayland-4.14
//Build SDK
$ bitbake fsl-image-validation-imx -c populate_sdk
$ bitbake fsl-gui -c populate_sdk

//
$ bitbake fsl-image-multimedia
$ bitbake fsl-image-multimedia -c populate_sdk

=========================================================================================
//imx-5.4.3-2.0.0.xml + fsl-imx-wayland distro for imx8qxpmek board SDK
$ repo init -u https://source.codeaurora.org/external/imx/imx-manifest -b imx-linux-zeus -m imx-5.4.3-2.0.0.xml

$ DISTRO=fsl-imx-wayland MACHINE=imx8qxpc0mek source imx-setup-release.sh -b build-wayland-5.4

//Build SDK
$ bitbake fsl-image-validation-imx -c populate_sdk

=========================================================================================
//imx-5.4.24-2.1.0.xml + fsl-imx-wayland distro for imx8qxpc0mek board SDK
$ repo init -u https://source.codeaurora.org/external/imx/imx-manifest -b imx-linux-zeus -m imx-5.4.24-2.1.0.xml

$ DISTRO=fsl-imx-wayland MACHINE=imx8qxpc0mek source imx-setup-release.sh -b build-wayland-5.4

//Enter build dir with env after firt congifurations
$ source setup-environment build-wayland-5.4

// build a small image that only allows a device to boot
$ bitbake core-image-minimal

//Build SDK
$ bitbake fsl-image-validation-imx -c populate_sdk

//Build multimedia SDK
$ bitbake core-image-minimal
$ bitbake fsl-image-multimedia
$ bitbake fsl-image-multimedia -c populate_sdk

=========================================================================================
//imx-5.4.3-2.0.0_genivi.xml + fsl-imx-wayland distro for imx8qxpc0mek board SDK
$ repo init -u https://source.codeaurora.org/external/imx/imx-manifest -b imx-linux-zeus -m imx-5.4.3-2.0.0_genivi.xml

$ DISTRO=fsl-imx-wayland MACHINE=imx8qxpc0mek source imx-setup-release.sh -b build-wayland-5.4

//Enter build dir with env after firt congifurations
$ source setup-environment build-wayland-5.4

// build meta-ivi-image
$ bitbake meta-ivi-image

4.2 Change branch & manifest

//change branch & manifest
$ repo init -u https://source.codeaurora.org/external/imx/imx-manifest -b imx-linux-sumo -m imx-4.14.98-2.0.0_ga.xml

$ repo init -u https://source.codeaurora.org/external/imx/imx-manifest -b imx-linux-sumo -m imx-4.14.98-2.2.0.xml

$ repo init -u https://source.codeaurora.org/external/imx/imx-manifest
-b imx-linux-warrior -m imx-4.19.35-1.1.0.xml

//Sync repo
$ repo sync -j4

//Configure & Build same as 4.1
......

4.3 Generate manifest

//To generate a manifest from what is currently checked out:
$ repo manifest -r -o manifest.xml

5. Rebuild one package

If one package build failed, you can clean and then rebuild it as below instruction:

  • Remove temp:

    $ bitbake -c clean gstreamer

  • To remove temp and sstate cache

    $ bitbake -c cleansstate gstreamer

  • To remove download as well, and lets begin build starting from do_fetch and all

    $ bitbake -c cleanall gstreamer

  • Once you are done with either of these clean, which ever suits you, you can simple give build command for the specified:

    $ bitbake gstreamer

  • //rebuild u-boot-imx

  bitbake -c clean u-boot-imx
  
  bitbake -c compile -f u-boot-imx
  
  bitbake -f u-boot-imx
  • How are you choosing which kernel is built? 
    How are you choosing which kernel is built?
  
Also, just because you rebuild some component, e.g. the kernel, bitbake
won't rebuild other things you might have previously built that depends
on that component.  If, as in your case, you have an image that depends
on the component, you'll need to explicitly rebuild that image.
  
Hopefully this sequence will help you understand the process:
   % bitbake core-image-minimal
builds all of the component pieces for the resulting image (root file
system), including the kernel, etc.
   % ... make some change, e.g. choose a different kernel
   % bitbake core-image-minimal
will [re]build any components which need to be updated.  One key thing
to understand is that the version of components are expected to increase
so if you first force the 2.6.35 kernel to be built, then build a 3.14.19
version, if you rebuild the 2.6.35 version, the core-image-minimal WILL
NOT be rebuilt automatically.  The only way to get back to the older
kernel will be to forceably remove all traces of the new kernel and
then force a rebuild of the image.  For example:
   % bitbake linux-fslc -c cleansstate
   % bitbake core-image-minimal -c cleansstate
   ... change preference for linux-imx
   % bitbake core-image-minimal
This sequence will let you rebuild the older kernel and then build
the root file system (.sdcard) image.

6. Build out of yocto

6.1 Build u-boot

$ source /opt/fsl-imx-wayland/4.14-sumo/environment-setup-aarch64-poky-linux

6.2 Build kernel

$ source /opt/fsl-imx-wayland/4.14-sumo/environment-setup-aarch64-poky-linux
$ make defconfig						//for 4.x or older version

$ source /opt/fsl-imx-wayland/5.4-zeus/environment-setup-aarch64-poky-linux
$ make imx_v8_defconfig					//for 5.x or newer version

$ LDFLAGS="" CC="$CC" make dtbs -j8			//make dtbs
$ LDFLAGS="" CC="$CC" make Image -j8		//make Image
$ LDFLAGS="" CC="$CC" make dtbs Image -j8	//make dtbs & Image

6.3 Build HMI Framework

6.4 Build Application

7. Flashing an SD card image

$ bunzip2 -dk -f <image_name>.sdcard.bz2 
$ sudo dd if=<image name>.sdcard of=/dev/sdx bs=1M conv=fsync
$ sudo dd if=./fsl-image-qt5-validation-imx-imx8qxpmek.sdcard of=/dev/sdx bs=1M conv=fsync
$ sudo dd if=./imx-image-full-imx8qxpmek.sdcard of=/dev/sdx bs=1M conv=fsync

#######
To identify the device node assigned to the SD/MMC card, carry out the following command on host:

$ cat /proc/partitions 
major minor  #blocks  name
   8     0   78125000 sda
   8     1   75095811 sda1
   8     2          1 sda2
   8     5    3028221 sda5
   8    32  488386584 sdc
   8    33  488386552 sdc1
   8    16    3921920 sdb
   8    18    3905535 sdb1
In this example, the device node assigned is /dev/sdb (a block is 1024 Bytes).

10. FAQ

  • Error: Could not find vk_validation_error_messages.h

    Reference https://community.nxp.com/thread/496054

    It seems ubuntu18.04 has this issue, now we switch to ubuntu16.04.6 version.

  • Meson version is 0.44.1 but project requires >=0.45

    Modify tmp/work/aarch64-poky-linux/vkmark/1.0-r0/git/meson.build as below:

    --- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ project(
     'cpp',
     default_options : ['cpp_std=c++14'],
     version : '2017.08',
-    meson_version: '>=0.45'
+    meson_version: '>=0.41'
     )

99. Reference URL