subject:"Re\: \[U\-Boot\] mpc83xx U\-boot questions"

Hi Yuke,

 What I am doing is to try to load RTEMS

Ok, that info helps.

 It has a BSP for this board.

Thats good.

 All the tools I used are targeting powerpc and tailed
 for this board. 

and those tools came from where?

 But the final executable format is .exe. I am not sure if
 this format is good to download and run on the
 board using U-boot.  I just happen to know there is a
 mkimage utility from U-boot.

Given a file test.exe, type

file test.exe

and it'll tell you if its a PowerPC .elf format.

Before trying to get RTEMs running on the board,
see if your tools can build U-Boot, and build the
standard stand-alone application that exists in
the examples folder.

Here's some notes I wrote a while back for the
8349, which is in the same family as the 8313;

http://www.ovro.caltech.edu/~dwh/carma_board/powerpc_mpc8349e.pdf

Cheers,
Dave
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Re: [U-Boot] mpc83xx U-boot questions

Yuke Tian wrote:
Hi David,

Thank you for your kind response. What I am doing is to try to load the
RTEMS (a kind of open source real time operating system) image to the
board. It has a BSP for this board. All the tools I used are targeting
powerpc and tailed for this board. But the final executable format is
.exe. I am not sure if this format is good to download and run on the
board using U-boot. I just happen to know there is a mkimage utility
from U-boot.

1) You need to do a lot of reading: books - see below - and on-line
documentation such as http://www.denx.de/wiki/U-Boot/Documentation.
Also the RTEMS documentation
http://www.rtems.com/wiki/index.php/Quick_Start
http://www.rtems.com/onlinedocs.html
You have to have some fundamental knowledge before you can ask questions
that we can answer.

Note that you aren't the first to ask the question you started out with,
see the README file:
http://git.denx.de/?p=u-boot.git;a=blob;f=README;h=ccd839ca25828c2be9d2ac576259b443d0704792;hb=HEAD#l3859

2) Some (idiot) tools create non-Windows binary executables as .exe
files. This is nonstandard in terms of Windows executables and is
nonstandard in terms non-Windows executables. As a result, we cannot
say *anything* about your question WRT your gcc compiler producing a
.exe file.

If you list/dump/edit the .exe file, are the first three bytes the
characters ELF? If so, it isn't a Windows executable, but we still
don't know much about what it *is.* If it doesn't say ELF, it may be
a Windows executable and is useless for your purposes, or it may be a
raw binary file, but we still don't know much about what it *is.*

3) Your description of your toolset totally inadequate. Who made it?
Where did it come from? How do you know it is a cross-PPC compiler?
What version of gcc is it? What is your host? Windows? Windows+cygwin?
Linux? BSD? OSX? Solaris?

It sounds like you need to be asking questions of your toolset provider
(company if commercial), subscribe to the toolset's email list, and
RTEMS email lists.
http://www.rtems.com/wiki/index.php/RTEMSMailingLists

Good luck,
gvb

Thank you,

Yuke

David Hawkins wrote:
Hi Yuke,

I am new to U-boot. I have a mpc8313erdb board that already has U-boot
burned in flash. When the board reset, I get into U-boot (with U-boot
prompt =). My questions is: my gcc compiler produce a .exe file, can I
just tftp this file to an address and run it (go) ? Or I need to convert
it to some format (use mkimage) to run it ?

Does the load address and entry address matters ? Does anyone happen to
know what is the correct load address for this board ? One more
question, where do I get the mkimage for this board ?
New to U-Boot and embedded systems, eh?

If your gcc compiler is producing a .exe file, then
you sound like you are working on a Windows machine,
with say Cygwin. That particular version of gcc is
for the *Windows OS* and the *Intel architecture*.

The gcc compiler can be built for a specific processor
type and OS. The Denx ELDK has a prebuilt version of
gcc for the PowerPC on the MPC8313 that can be used
to build both U-boot, stand-alone, and Linux
applications. You would typically install the ELDK on
a Linux machine (eg. an Intel-based laptop/desktop).

You'll probably want to get yourself a copy of

Building Embedded Linux Systems, K. Yagmour, O'Reilly.

and read it to learn some of the basics of embedded
programming, and cross-platform development.

If you want to run an executable from U-Boot, then you'll
want to read the 'stand-alone applications' section of
the DULG.

http://www.denx.de/wiki/DULG/WebHome

But if what you really want is a Linux application, then
U-Boot will be used to boot Linux, and then your application
will run under Linux.

If you let us know exactly what you want your program to do,
we can suggest the path of least-resistance for you.

Cheers,
Dave

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Re: [U-Boot] mpc83xx U-boot questions

Hi Yuke,

 Sorry to ask the stupid question. I did study the RTEMS for a while and
 am sure the tool set are correct (from ftp://www.rtems.com), otherwise
 they will not build RTEMS.  All the tools and development are done in
 linux (RHLE5).  I just got this board using U-boot and not sure about
 it. David's manual help a lot. Thanks.

Its not that the questions are stupid, its that they lack
information sufficient to help you. For example,
the toolset ... readers of the list are busy, so expecting us
to follow links and try to interpret which toolset you have
installed is not going to happen. Its better to say,
I got the tool from this link ...' and it provided
powerpc-linux-gcc version XXX, etc., and then what you've
managed to succeed to do with the tools.

You say that the development is done with RHLE5, but
then that a .exe is created. That seems to be a conflicting
statement. Perhaps you could explain ... are you running
the RTEMs tools under Wine??

Anyway, a good suggestion is to install ELDK and rebuild
U-Boot and update it, even get Linux booted. It may not be
your main goal, but consider it educational :)

Cheers,
Dave
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Re: [U-Boot] mpc83xx U-boot questions

Yuke Tian wrote:
 Hi,
 
 Sorry to ask the stupid question. I did study the RTEMS for a while and
 am sure the tool set are correct (from ftp://www.rtems.com), otherwise
 they will not build RTEMS.  All the tools and development are done in
 linux (RHLE5).  I just got this board using U-boot and not sure about
 it. David's manual help a lot. Thanks.
 
 Yuke

I didn't call your question stupid, just clueless.  ;-)

It sounds like you are coming up to speed rapidly, including providing 
useful background information and asking smart questions.  You might add 
the following to your reading list:
   http://www.catb.org/esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

Best regards,
gvb
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Re: [U-Boot] mpc83xx U-boot questions

Thanks.

To be specific, I followed the steps to build RTEMS:
1) Download a set of toolsets (gcc-4.2.3, binutils-2.18, newlib-1.16 and
RTEMS specific patches) and build them or use the pre-built rpm toolset
for RHLE5.
2) Download the RTEMS (4.9.0 for the latest version) and use the toolset
to build RTEMS.
3) Compile a RTEMS application,  tailed for specific BSP.  That is where
I get .exe (it is ELF 32-bit MSB executable, PowerPC or cisco 4500,
version 1 (SYSV), statically linked, not stripped).  I just want to use
the vendor provided U-Boot to download the .exe and get it run. I didn't
expect to rebuilt U-Boot, but that might be educational :-)  

Yuke



Jerry Van Baren wrote:
 Yuke Tian wrote:
 Hi,

 Sorry to ask the stupid question. I did study the RTEMS for a while and
 am sure the tool set are correct (from ftp://www.rtems.com), otherwise
 they will not build RTEMS.  All the tools and development are done in
 linux (RHLE5).  I just got this board using U-boot and not sure about
 it. David's manual help a lot. Thanks.

 Yuke

 I didn't call your question stupid, just clueless.  ;-)

 It sounds like you are coming up to speed rapidly, including providing
 useful background information and asking smart questions.  You might
 add the following to your reading list:
   http://www.catb.org/esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

 Best regards,
 gvb


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Re: [U-Boot] mpc83xx U-boot questions

David Hawkins wrote:
 Hi Yuke,

[snip]

 You say that the development is done with RHLE5, but
 then that a .exe is created. That seems to be a conflicting
 statement. Perhaps you could explain ... are you running
 the RTEMs tools under Wine??

The RTEMS quickstart example uses an .exe extension, so it looks like 
Yuke's toolset is braindamaged.
   http://www.rtems.com/wiki/index.php/Quick_Start
Example:
   bash-3.1$ sparc-rtems4.9-gdb `find . -name ticker.exe`
(bleah!)

The RTEMS example is running on a simulator via gdb, which is a far cry 
from running on real hardware, booting either on bare metal (very big 
ouch) or using u-boot to start it (much less ouch - I would start by 
running your RTEMS build as a u-boot application - that gets you 
things like fairly painless serial support).

Note to Yuke: this will be a learning experience for you - please keep 
us informed so we can learn vicariously with you.  I'm not aware of 
anybody using u-boot to boot RTEMS, so you may have some useful stuff 
when you get to the end of your journey.  We will help as much as we can...

 Anyway, a good suggestion is to install ELDK and rebuild
 U-Boot and update it, even get Linux booted. It may not be
 your main goal, but consider it educational :)

Note to Yuke: you should also have a JTAG debugger to recover from 
failed u-boot reprogramming if you rebuild and reflash u-boot.  You may 
want to use a JTAG debugger even if you *don't* reflash u-boot.

Note that the Abatron BDI3000 supports gdb remote target.
   http://www.abatron.ch/products/bdi-family/bdi3000.html
   http://www.abatron.ch/products/debugger-support/gnu-support.html
I think most of the competitors do too now, but I don't know. 
Definitely ask about their linux (as the host) and gdb (remote target 
over ethernet) support before you buy.

USB-attached JTAG debuggers tend to be Windows-only.  Bleah!  On a 
positive note, I have a whole collection of single-board computers 
(curiously labeled USB TAP ;-) with a MPC866, usb, and JTAG interface. 
  If only I had the time to port u-boot to them and make them useful... :-D

 Cheers,
 Dave

Best regards,
gvb
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Re: [U-Boot] mpc83xx U-boot questions

Jerry Van Baren wrote:
 David Hawkins wrote:
 Hi Yuke,

 [snip]

 You say that the development is done with RHLE5, but
 then that a .exe is created. That seems to be a conflicting
 statement. Perhaps you could explain ... are you running
 the RTEMs tools under Wine??

 The RTEMS quickstart example uses an .exe extension, so it looks
 like Yuke's toolset is braindamaged.
   http://www.rtems.com/wiki/index.php/Quick_Start
 Example:
   bash-3.1$ sparc-rtems4.9-gdb `find . -name ticker.exe`
 (bleah!)

 The RTEMS example is running on a simulator via gdb, which is a far
 cry from running on real hardware, booting either on bare metal (very
 big ouch) or using u-boot to start it (much less ouch - I would start
 by running your RTEMS build as a u-boot application - that gets you
 things like fairly painless serial support).

 Note to Yuke: this will be a learning experience for you - please keep
 us informed so we can learn vicariously with you.  I'm not aware of
 anybody using u-boot to boot RTEMS, so you may have some useful stuff
 when you get to the end of your journey.  We will help as much as we
 can...

Thanks. It is true that RTEMS provide .exe for gdb simulation. But we do
have BSP package and to build application for real board, like this
mpc8313 board. I might need to figure out how to make better use of
U-boot. But right now, I just want to use it to load image and get it
run. The vendor already installed U-boot.  I thought U-boot is just a
bootloader. Never think  about build RTEMS as u-boot application. It
seems I misunderstood a lot. :-(
 Anyway, a good suggestion is to install ELDK and rebuild
 U-Boot and update it, even get Linux booted. It may not be
 your main goal, but consider it educational :)

 Note to Yuke: you should also have a JTAG debugger to recover from
 failed u-boot reprogramming if you rebuild and reflash u-boot.  You
 may want to use a JTAG debugger even if you *don't* reflash u-boot.

 Note that the Abatron BDI3000 supports gdb remote target.
   http://www.abatron.ch/products/bdi-family/bdi3000.html
   http://www.abatron.ch/products/debugger-support/gnu-support.html
 I think most of the competitors do too now, but I don't know.
 Definitely ask about their linux (as the host) and gdb (remote target
 over ethernet) support before you buy.

 USB-attached JTAG debuggers tend to be Windows-only.  Bleah!  On a
 positive note, I have a whole collection of single-board computers
 (curiously labeled USB TAP ;-) with a MPC866, usb, and JTAG
 interface.  If only I had the time to port u-boot to them and make
 them useful... :-D

 Cheers,
 Dave

 Best regards,
 gvb


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Re: [U-Boot] mpc83xx U-boot questions

Yuke Tian wrote:
 Thanks.
 
 To be specific, I followed the steps to build RTEMS:
 1) Download a set of toolsets (gcc-4.2.3, binutils-2.18, newlib-1.16 and
 RTEMS specific patches) and build them or use the pre-built rpm toolset
 for RHLE5.

OK.

 2) Download the RTEMS (4.9.0 for the latest version) and use the toolset
 to build RTEMS.

OK for RTEMS, it may be some work getting it to compile u-boot or linux. 
  Or maybe not.  Around here, ELDK dominates because it is easy to build 
u-boot and linux with it (thanks, Wolfgang!).  If you get serious about 
rebuilding u-boot or linux, I would strongly urge you to use ELDK to 
build the first one before trying to get RTEMS' toolset to work.  Rule 
#1 of engineering: change only ONE variable at a time!

 3) Compile a RTEMS application,  tailed for specific BSP.  That is where
 I get .exe (it is ELF 32-bit MSB executable, PowerPC or cisco 4500,
 version 1 (SYSV), statically linked, not stripped).

That's good.

 I just want to use the vendor provided U-Boot to download the .exe
 and get it run.

I don't know anything about RTEMS and its BSP.  It may want to be burned 
into flash, replacing u-boot.  In that case, open your wallet and buy a 
JTAG debugger (e.g. BDI-3000).



If you want to use u-boot to load  go, you need to figure out where the 
.exe is loaded in memory and make sure it is in RAM, not by the start of 
RAM (interrupt vectors) or end of RAM (u-boot).  You probably will need 
to change the load location (Makefile or linker script *.lds).

You will need to figure out where RTEMS wants to live.  It may want to 
live at the start of RAM so it can take over the interrupt vectors.  You 
will need to figure out how to get it where it needs to be, if you 
cannot load it directly there.  You may be able to learn from how u-boot 
boots a vxWorks image?  That is the closest match that I can think of to 
how RTEMS will work.

You will also have to figure out how to make RTEMS support your board's 
I/O (serial first, ethernet second).

All of the above should be addressed more or less successfully by the 
BSP.  Whether your RTEMS+BSP plays well (or at all) with u-boot, I don't 
have a clue.  Since we (I) don't know much about RTEMS and the BSP you 
have, we (I) cannot say much specific.

 I didn't expect to rebuilt U-Boot, but that might be educational :-)  

It could be expensive too, if you don't have a JTAG debugger to recover 
from oopses. :-/

 Yuke

BTW, please bottom/inline post.
   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posting_style#Bottom-posting

Best regards,
gvb

 Jerry Van Baren wrote:
 Yuke Tian wrote:
 Hi,

 Sorry to ask the stupid question. I did study the RTEMS for a while and
 am sure the tool set are correct (from ftp://www.rtems.com), otherwise
 they will not build RTEMS.  All the tools and development are done in
 linux (RHLE5).  I just got this board using U-boot and not sure about
 it. David's manual help a lot. Thanks.

 Yuke
 I didn't call your question stupid, just clueless.  ;-)

 It sounds like you are coming up to speed rapidly, including providing
 useful background information and asking smart questions.  You might
 add the following to your reading list:
   http://www.catb.org/esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

 Best regards,
 gvb

 

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Re: [U-Boot] mpc83xx U-boot questions

David Hawkins wrote:
 Hi Yuke,

 To be specific, I followed the steps to build RTEMS:
 1) Download a set of toolsets (gcc-4.2.3, binutils-2.18, newlib-1.16 and
 RTEMS specific patches) and build them or use the pre-built rpm toolset
 for RHLE5.
 2) Download the RTEMS (4.9.0 for the latest version) and use the toolset
 to build RTEMS.
 3) Compile a RTEMS application,  tailed for specific BSP.  That is where
 I get .exe (it is ELF 32-bit MSB executable, PowerPC or cisco 4500,
 version 1 (SYSV), statically linked, not stripped).  I just want to use
 the vendor provided U-Boot to download the .exe and get it run. I didn't
 expect to rebuilt U-Boot, but that might be educational :-)  

 Great, that is useful background information in which
 to pose your questions.

 It sounds like the Makefile puts a .exe extension on
 the ELF file, and that can safely be ignored.

 Does the RTEMs BSP for the MPC8313 board have a README
 that tells you how to boot RTEMs? The ELF file is
 not what will be executed by U-Boot. powerpc-linux-objcopy
 would most likely be used to convert the ELF into a binary
 image.  mkimage might be run on that image to add a header.
 However, I've only used U-Boot with standalone apps and
 Linux, so someone else would have to comment.
 (VxWorks/RTEMs users - any help here?)

 It does however sound like you have a reasonable tools
 setup, and the step you are looking for is

  'what is necessary to convert the ELF file to a U-Boot
   compatible format, and then what U-Boot command is needed
   to execute it?'

That is exactly what I want now (I need to pick up U-boot later :-) ). I
will try powerpc-linux-objcopy and let you know.

Thank you and sorry again for the unclear statement.

 Hopefully someone can help answer that. Please go and re-review
 the U-Boot README file too, there's a chance that there are
 some useful comments in there - now that you know what you
 are looking for.

 If someone on the RTEMs list answers your question, please
 post the results back to this list so that the solution
 is available in the archive.

 Cheers,
 Dave



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Re: [U-Boot] mpc83xx U-boot questions

Hi Yuke,

 That is exactly what I want now (I need to pick up
 U-boot later :-) ). I will try powerpc-linux-objcopy
 and let you know.

Well, powerpc-linux-object copy will give you a binary
blob, but thats useless to you unless you know how to
use/load the blob.

I'm a little confused as to why you say you have
a BSP, and none of this is explained in the BSP.

Where did this BSP come from? Got a link?

Cheers,
Dave
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Re: [U-Boot] mpc83xx U-boot questions

Hi David,

After email some people in RTEMS community, I got the solutions:

--- To prepare the U-boot image for RTEMS application (with os built in
for RTMES) in host pc (RHEL5)
powerpc-rtems4.9-objcopy -O binary test.ext test.bin   (the
powerpc-rtems4.9-objcopy is provided from rtems toolset)
gzip -9 test.bin
mkimage -A ppc -O rtems -T kernel -C gzip -a 100 -e 1 -n RTEMS
Test -d test.bin test.img  (I am still looking for mkimage software)

--To load through U-boot (pre-installed by board vendor)
setenv ethact TSEC1  (this board has 6 ethernet port, choose one)
setenv ipaddr 123.345.123.1 (board ip)
setenv serverip 123.345.123.2 (tftp server ip)
tftp 100 test.img  (load image to this RAM address)
bootm  (then run)

This is the recommended step to boot the board into RTEMS through U-boot.

I guess to get mkimage for this board, I need to rebuilt U-boot anyway.
Or this mkimage is a standard utility from U-boot ?

Thanks for the discussion.

Yuke

David Hawkins wrote:
 Hi Yuke,

 That is exactly what I want now (I need to pick up
 U-boot later :-) ). I will try powerpc-linux-objcopy
 and let you know.

 Well, powerpc-linux-object copy will give you a binary
 blob, but thats useless to you unless you know how to
 use/load the blob.

 I'm a little confused as to why you say you have
 a BSP, and none of this is explained in the BSP.

 Where did this BSP come from? Got a link?

 Cheers,
 Dave


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Re: [U-Boot] mpc83xx U-boot questions