2. Quick start guide

This document will guide you from importing the virtual machine to build an customized Linux distribution you will generate with OpenEmbedded/Yocto system.

2.1. Install

The development environment is provided as a virtual disk (to be used by a VirtualBox virtual machine) which you can download from this page:

Important

Compute the MD5SUM value of the zip file you downloaded and compare it to the golden one you find in the download page.

Uncompress the file, and you will get a .vdi file that is our virtual disk image. The environment contains the SDK for all the boards provided by Architech, i.MX6 SoloX SabreSD included.

2.1.1. Download VirtualBox

_images/vdi_virtualbox_logo.png

For being able to use it, you first need to install VirtualBox (version 4.2.10 or higher). You can get VirtualBox installer from here:

https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads

Download the version that suits your host operating system. You need to download and install the Extension Pack as well.

Important

Make sure that the extension pack has the same version of VirtualBox.

Install the software with all the default options.

2.1.2. Create a new Virtual Machine

  1. Run VirtualBox
_images/vdi_open_virtualbox.png
  1. Click on New button
_images/vdi_new_virtual_machine.png
  1. Select the name of the virtual machine and the operating system type
_images/vdi_virtual_machine_name.png
  1. Select the amount of memory you want to give to your new virtual machine
_images/vdi_virtual_machine_memory.png
  1. Make the virtual machine use Architech’s virtual disk by pointing to the downloaded file. Than click on Create.
_images/vdi_hard_drive.png

2.1.3. Setup the network

We need to setup a port forwarding rule to let you (later) use the virtual machine as a local repository of packages.

Note

The virtual machine must be off

  1. Select Architech’s virtual machine from the list of virtual machines
_images/vdi_machine_listed.png
  1. Click on Settings
_images/vdi_click_settings.png
  1. Select Network
_images/vdi_network.png
  1. Expand Advanced of Adapter 1
_images/vdi_network_nat_advanced.png
  1. Click on Port Forwarding
_images/vdi_network_nat_port_forwarding.png
  1. Add a new rule
_images/vdi_network_nat_port_forwarding_rule_add.png
  1. Configure the rule
_images/vdi_network_nat_port_forwarding_rule_added.png
  1. Click on Ok

2.1.4. Customize the number of processors

Building an entire system from the ground up is a business that can take up to several hours. To improve the performances of the overall build process, you can, if your computer has enough resources, assign more than one processor to the virtual machine.

Note

The virtual machine must be off

  1. Select Architech’s virtual machine from the list of virtual machines
_images/vdi_machine_listed.png
  1. Click on Settings
_images/vdi_click_settings.png
  1. Select System
  2. Select Processor
  3. Assign the number of processors you wish to assign to the virtual machine
_images/vdi_change_number_of_processors.png

2.1.5. Create a shared folder

A shared folder is way for host and guest operating systems to exchange files by means of the file system. You need to choose a directory on your host operating system to share with the guest operating system.

Note

The virtual machine must be off

  1. Select Architech’s virtual machine from the list of virtual machines
_images/vdi_machine_listed.png
  1. Click on Settings
_images/vdi_click_settings.png
  1. Select Shared Folders
  2. Add a new shared folder
_images/vdi_add_shared_folder.png
  1. Choose a directory to share on your host machine. Make sure Auto-mount is selected.
_images/vdi_new_shared_folder.png

Once the virtual machine has been booted, the shared folder will be mounted under /media/ directory inside the virtual machine.

2.1.6. Install VBox Additions

The VBox addictions add functionalities to the virtual machine such as better graphic driver and more. It is already installed in the SDK but is important re-install it to configuring correctly the virtual machine with your operating system.

  1. Starts the virtual machine
_images/vbStart.png

2. Click on the virtual box menu to the voice Devices and select Insert Guest Additions CD Images.... A message box will appear at the start of the installation, click on run button

_images/messagebox_vboxadditions.jpg
  1. To proceed are required admin privileges, so insert the password architech when asked
_images/messagebox_sudo.jpg
  1. Then a terminal will show the installation progress. When finished, press Enter key
_images/terminal_vboxadditions.jpg
  1. Before to use the SDK, it is required reboot the virtual machine

2.2. Build

Important

A working internet connection, several GB of free disk space and several hours are required by the build process

  1. Select Architech’s virtual machine from the list of virtual machines inside Virtual Box application
_images/vdi_machine_listed.png
  1. Click on the icon Start button in the toolbar and wait until the virtual machine is ready
_images/vbStart.png
  1. Double click on Architech SDK icon you have on the virtual machine desktop.
_images/splash0.jpg
  1. The first screen gives you two choices: ArchiTech and 3rd Party. Choose ArchiTech.
_images/splash1.jpg
  1. Select i.MX6 SoloX SabreSD as board you want develop on.
_images/splashscreen_board_selection.jpg
  1. A new screen opens up from where you can perform a set of actions. Click on Run bitbake to obtain a terminal ready to start to build an image.
_images/splash3.jpg
  1. Build core-image-minimal-dev image by means of the following command:
  Host    select
bitbake core-image-minimal-dev

At the end of the build process, the image will be saved inside directory:

  Host    select
/home/architech/architech_sdk/architech/imx6sxsabresd/yocto/build/tmp/deploy/images/imx6sxsabresd
  1. Setup sysroot directory on your host machine:
  Host    select
sudo tar -xzf /home/architech/architech_sdk/architech/imx6sxsabresd/yocto/build/tmp/deploy/images/imx6sxsabresd/core-image-minimal-dev-imx6sxsabresd.tar.gz -C /home/architech/architech_sdk/architech/imx6sxsabresd/sysroot/

Note

sudo password is: “architech

2.3. Deploy

Warning

The following instruction will make you overwrite your SD card content, it will be lost forever! If you have important data on it, make sure you do a backup of your data on the SD card before catching up with the next steps.

An SD card image provides the full system to boot with U-Boot and kernel. To flash an SD card image, run the following command:

  Host    select
sudo dd if=core-image-minimal-imx6sxsabresd-dev.sdcard of=/dev/sd<partition> bs=1M

Important

sudo password is architech

Make sure everything has been written on the SD card:

  Host    select
sync

and unmount the SD card from your system.