Toolchains?

BeagleBoy · 07-10-2016, 02:34 PM

I'm totally new to Kindle development, but fairly experienced with embedded software (it's my daytime job). Since the KV can be (easily) unlocked, now, I'd like to start building/porting.

What build environments are people using for development? Besides CodeSourcery's arm toolchain, what are people linking against? Or, do you just extract the Kindle's filesystem, and link againt it?

My search skills have been failing me. Perhaps not enough coffee this morning.

-Jim

knc1 · 07-10-2016, 02:48 PM

Right you are, coffee failure.

On index page, blue bar, prefix filter drop down box, select: Tools
Then click: Show Threads

Plus there is a lot written in the wiki and other places -
Start in the "Where do I start" sticky thread with the link to the 'tools' wiki index.

Specific to the KV?
It has only been jail broken less than a week, and it has been a busy week.

I am sure someone will give you better details when they have time.

BeagleBoy · 07-10-2016, 03:48 PM

I've actually already looked at the wiki, and scanned many threads. I'll followup with two more specific questions:

1. What toolchain are you using? CodeSourcery? Buildroot? Buildroot with CodeSourcery? Something else?

2. For dependencies (GTK, for example), are you building your own copies, and linking them (statically?), or are you linking against a pre-built set from somewhere?

Thanks, Jim

eschwartz · 07-10-2016, 03:57 PM

I know NiLuJe has documented his toolchain in his "Snapshots" thread.

It uses crosstool-ng IIRC.

As a general rule of thumb, space and memory is at a premium, so try if possible to link against whatever the Kindle has onboard. Just take a peek at /usr/lib/ and grab what you need with USBNetwork.

BeagleBoy · 07-10-2016, 04:16 PM

Cool, thanks!

NiLuJe · 07-10-2016, 10:27 PM

Yeah, I'm building custom TCs with ct-ng.

There are full configs in my snapshot thread (in the appropriately named x-tc tarball), and ct-ng samples in my ct-ng tree (which contains a bunch of patches & tweaks needed to make our life of building god-awfully old stuff easier). (You'll want the PW2 TC if you only want to target the KV. K5 otherwise. Wouldn't recommend the K3 unless you really need it and know what you're doing, since it's not an exact match).

Never really played with GUI stuff, but the trend at the time was indeed trying to match the god-awfully old stuff that's on the rootfs.

That started getting on my nerves real fast for CLI stuff, though, so I'm currently either using static libraries for stuff that I don't reuse, or shipping dynamic libraries for the rest, with the appropriate rpath tweaks.

See the full build-script for the effect this has had on my sanity ;D.

07-10-2016, 02:34 PM	#1
BeagleBoy Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2016 Device: Kindle Voyage	Toolchains? I'm totally new to Kindle development, but fairly experienced with embedded software (it's my daytime job). Since the KV can be (easily) unlocked, now, I'd like to start building/porting. What build environments are people using for development? Besides CodeSourcery's arm toolchain, what are people linking against? Or, do you just extract the Kindle's filesystem, and link againt it? My search skills have been failing me. Perhaps not enough coffee this morning. -Jim

07-10-2016, 03:57 PM	#4
eschwartz Ex-Helpdesk Junkie Posts: 19,422 Karma: 85397180 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: The Beaten Path, USA, Roundworld, This Side of Infinity Device: Kindle Touch fw5.3.7 (Wifi only)	I know NiLuJe has documented his toolchain in his "Snapshots" thread. It uses crosstool-ng IIRC. As a general rule of thumb, space and memory is at a premium, so try if possible to link against whatever the Kindle has onboard. Just take a peek at /usr/lib/ and grab what you need with USBNetwork. Last edited by eschwartz; 07-10-2016 at 04:00 PM.

07-10-2016, 02:48 PM	#2
knc1 Going Viral Posts: 17,212 Karma: 18210809 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Central Texas Device: No K1, PW2, KV, KOA	Right you are, coffee failure. On index page, blue bar, prefix filter drop down box, select: Tools Then click: Show Threads Plus there is a lot written in the wiki and other places - Start in the "Where do I start" sticky thread with the link to the 'tools' wiki index. Specific to the KV? It has only been jail broken less than a week, and it has been a busy week. I am sure someone will give you better details when they have time.

07-10-2016, 03:48 PM	#3
BeagleBoy Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2016 Device: Kindle Voyage	I've actually already looked at the wiki, and scanned many threads. I'll followup with two more specific questions: 1. What toolchain are you using? CodeSourcery? Buildroot? Buildroot with CodeSourcery? Something else? 2. For dependencies (GTK, for example), are you building your own copies, and linking them (statically?), or are you linking against a pre-built set from somewhere? Thanks, Jim

07-10-2016, 04:16 PM	#5
BeagleBoy Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2016 Device: Kindle Voyage	Cool, thanks!

07-10-2016, 10:27 PM	#6
NiLuJe BLAM! Posts: 13,477 Karma: 26012494 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Paris, France Device: Kindle 2i, 3g, 4, 5w, PW, PW2, PW5; Kobo H2O, Forma, Elipsa, Sage, C2E	Yeah, I'm building custom TCs with ct-ng. There are full configs in my snapshot thread (in the appropriately named x-tc tarball), and ct-ng samples in my ct-ng tree (which contains a bunch of patches & tweaks needed to make our life of building god-awfully old stuff easier). (You'll want the PW2 TC if you only want to target the KV. K5 otherwise. Wouldn't recommend the K3 unless you really need it and know what you're doing, since it's not an exact match). Never really played with GUI stuff, but the trend at the time was indeed trying to match the god-awfully old stuff that's on the rootfs. That started getting on my nerves real fast for CLI stuff, though, so I'm currently either using static libraries for stuff that I don't reuse, or shipping dynamic libraries for the rest, with the appropriate rpath tweaks. See the full build-script for the effect this has had on my sanity ;D.

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