Cross Compiling GCC Stumbling Block

[tnchan]

Our goal is to be able to compile source codes for the Parallella card (we are using E16G3). Would forum members advise if we are on the right track or point us to the right track?

• When it was realised that the current Epiphany SDK (esdk.5.13.09.10_linux_armv7l.tgz) did not include the Eclipse IDE coded to run on ARM platform, it was decided to implement the older x86 version (esdk.5.13.07.10_linux_x86_64_armv7l.tgz) on an x86 machine running Ubuntu 64bit version 14.04. This was chosen as the desktop environment (LXDE) was similar to that shipped with the Parallella card (E16G3). A number of stumbling blocks have been encountered along the way with the current efforts on x86. Initial testing has been from the command line rather than the IDE GUI. One of the first was the realization that it might have been better to use the 32bit version of 14.04, to accommodate the 32bit binaries supplied by Codesourcery.

• Eventually a solution was found with the installation of the following packages which allowed the GCC to be seen and run: libc6-i386 (2.19-0ubuntu6) and libc6-armhf-cross (2.19-0ubuntu2cross1.104)

• From that point on, it has been a matter of solving problems arising from differences between our environment and that under which the examples provided with the version 5.13.07.10 esdk were originally tested. Referring to the interrupt-demo example: current unsolved problems relate to the “include and library paths” and the fact that the ARM GCC is not correctly resolving the added “include and library search paths” in its command line:
${GNU_PATH}gcc int-test.c -o int-test.elf -I ${EINCS} -L ${ELIBS} -le-hal

Our goal is to be able to compile source codes for the Parallella card. Would forum members advise if we are on the right track or point us to the right track? Thanks a lot.

[jeremybennett]

Hi tnchan,

It seems to me that you are taking a valid approach, and that your issues relate to officially distributed ARM tool chains.

Have you had any problems building the Epiphany tool chain itself. I should be able to help there.

Jeremy

[tnchan]

Thanks Jeremy. When we progress to exercising the Epiphany tool chain, we will be most grateful to take you up on your kind offer of help if we hit any blocks.

Are you aware of any issues related to officially distributed ARM tool chains, and would this Parallella Forum be the best place to seek help on ARM tool chains as far as Parellella hardware is concerned?

[jeremybennett]

[tnchan]

Thanks Jeremy. I hope other members have encountered the stumbling block described in this thread and have resolved the block. As you implied correctly, we stumbled not because of Parallella but because of ARM. However, we stumbled because ARM is in our way for Parallella. We will be patient.