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Altera_Forum's avatar
Altera_Forum
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14 years ago

Device tree support

Hi,

I'm new to Linux/Altera but I know well Linux on another FPGA manufacturer (I will not give its name here, I don't want to be banned :D ).

I don't know if community is active here or in alterawiki, so I try to post in both places.

I have some issues with device tree support in the latest nios2-linux-20100621.tar.

I explain it in the discussion page of the alterawiki :

The page : alterawiki.com/wiki/Devicetree

Then click on discussion tab

Thank you for your help

---------------------------

PS : I can't put full links here so here is my post on devicetree discussion :

Hi,

I wish to use device tree for kernel compilation. I use the latest version of nios2-linux : nios2-linux-20100621.tar that I update using ./update script

This page says : 


 NiosII board configuration --->
(X) Generic devicetree based NiosII system
Processor type and features -->
 Devicetree support
(full_path_to_your_dts) Devicetree source file
But in my nios2-linux version there is no menu called "Processor type and features"

I have just : 

 
 Linux/NiosII Configuration --->
   
 MMU support
       NiosII board configuration --->
       NiosII specific compiler options --->
   
 Devicetree support
   
 Catch alignment trap 
       Kernel executes from (RAM)  --->
But no place to put the Devicetree source file.

Does device-tree is not supported in this version ? Do I need to take an older version ? Or maybe I do something wrong to have no "Processor type and features" configuration page...

Best regards

5 Replies

  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
    Icon for Honored Contributor rankHonored Contributor
    14 years ago

    I have been using the "test-nios2" branch from the nos2-linux-20100621.tar

    after the ./checkout

    cd to /nios2-linux/linux-2.6

    git checkout test-nios2

    cd to /nios2-linux/uClinux-dist

    git checkout test-nios2

    make menuconfig should show:

    Vendors/Product Selection --->

    ---Select the vendor you wish to target

    Vendor (Altera) --->

    --- Select the Product you wish to target

    Altera Products (nios2) --->

    You should first use defaults for kernel:

    --- Kernel is linux-2.6.x

    Libc Version (None) --->

    [*] Default all settings (lose changes)

    [ ] Customize Kernel Settings

    [ ] Customize Application/Library Settings

    [ ] Update Default Vendor Settings

    save then

    make Vendors_HWSelect SYSPTF= nameofyour.ptf use full path

    then

    make
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    14 years ago

    Thank you jkealty, but first I would like to use device-tree. Next this method is for the nommu version of the microblaze and I wish to use the MMU. Finally it does not work 

    
make: ***No rule to make target « Vendors_HWSelect ».
    I thing it is better for me to use device-tree since, as they say on alterawiki :

    --- Quote Start ---

    Nios2 linux will migrate to device tree, which will replace the hwselect of nommu or sopc_create_header_files of mmu.

    --- Quote End ---

  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    14 years ago

    Ok well I auto-answer.

    In fact the most important page on alterawiki (read it all carefully) is wiki/Linux_for_the_Nios_II_Processor.

    The trick is in this part :

    --- Quote Start ---

    Kernel development is currently taking place in the "unstable-nios2mmu" branch. It is stable despite the name. So to build a current (2.6.38 as of this writing), you need to switch to that branch for the kernel. Inside the "linux-2.6" folder, issue a "git checkout unstable-nios2mmu" command to switch your head to that branch.

    --- Quote End ---

    So to have device-tree support you need to switch the kernel to the branch unstable-nios2mmu

    Hope it will help someone
  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
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    14 years ago

    I really can not understand all these developers/companies. You have no idea how long it takes to figure out everything, solve all encountered errors within the massive amount of documents and posts on the internet. Is it really that hard to make one document which you can walk through without facing errors in their deliverables etc..

  • Altera_Forum's avatar
    Altera_Forum
    Icon for Honored Contributor rankHonored Contributor
    14 years ago

    --- Quote Start ---

    I really can not understand all these developers/companies. You have no idea how long it takes to figure out everything, solve all encountered errors within the massive amount of documents and posts on the internet. Is it really that hard to make one document which you can walk through without facing errors in their deliverables etc..

    --- Quote End ---

    Feel free to do this yourself. The wiki is open for anyone to edit.

    We're all working on nios2-linux on this in our spare time and to the best of my knowledge there is no funding from Altera or any other company for it.