path: root/documentation/bsp-guide/bsp.xml

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<chapter id='bsp'>

        <title>Board Support Packages (BSP) - Developers Guide</title>

        <para>
            A Board Support Package (BSP) is a collection of information that
            defines how to support a particular hardware device, set of devices, or 
            hardware platform. 
            The BSP includes information about the hardware features 
            present on the device and kernel configuration information along with any 
            additional hardware drivers required.
            The BSP also lists any additional software 
            components required in addition to a generic Linux software stack for both 
            essential and optional platform features.
        </para>

        <para>
            This section (or document if you are reading the BSP Developer's Guide) defines
            a structure for these components
            so that BSPs follow a commonly understood layout.
            Providing a common form allows end-users to understand and become familiar 
            with the layout.  
            A common form also encourages standardization 
            of software support of hardware.
        </para>

        <para>
            The proposed format does have elements that are specific to the Poky and 
            OpenEmbedded build systems. 
            It is intended that this information can be 
            used by other systems besides Poky and OpenEmbedded and that it will be simple
            to extract information and convert it to other formats if required.
            Poky, through its standard layers mechanism, can directly accept The format 
            described as a layer.
            The BSP captures all 
            the hardware-specific details in one place in a standard format, which is 
            useful for any person wishing to use the hardware platform regardless of 
            the build system they are using.
        </para>

        <para>
            The BSP specification does not include a build system or other tools -
            it is concerned with the hardware-specific components only. 
            At the end 
            distribution point you can ship the BSP combined with a build system
            and other tools. 
            However, it is important to maintain the distinction that these
            are separate components that happen to be combined in certain end products.
        </para>

        <section id="bsp-filelayout">
            <title>Example Filesystem Layout</title>

            <para>
                The BSP consists of a file structure inside a base directory, meta-bsp in this example, 
                where "bsp" is a placeholder for the machine or platform name. 
                Examples of some files that it could contain are:
            </para>

            <para>
                <programlisting>
meta-bsp/                                
meta-bsp/binary/zImage
meta-bsp/binary/poky-image-minimal.directdisk
meta-bsp/conf/layer.conf 
meta-bsp/conf/machine/*.conf             
meta-bsp/conf/machine/include/tune-*.inc
meta-bsp/packages/bootloader/bootloader_0.1.bb
meta-bsp/packages/linux/linux-bsp-2.6.50/*.patch
meta-bsp/packages/linux/linux-bsp-2.6.50/defconfig-bsp
meta-bsp/packages/linux/linux-bsp_2.6.50.bb
meta-bsp/packages/modem/modem-driver_0.1.bb
meta-bsp/packages/modem/modem-daemon_0.1.bb
meta-bsp/packages/image-creator/image-creator-native_0.1.bb
meta-bsp/prebuilds/
                </programlisting>
            </para>

            <para>
                The following sections detail what these files and directories could contain.
            </para>

        </section>

        <section id="bsp-filelayout-binary">
            <title>Prebuilt User Binaries (meta-bsp/binary/*)</title>

            <para>
                This optional area contains useful prebuilt kernels and userspace filesystem 
                images appropriate to the target system. 
                Users could use these to get a system 
                running and quickly get started on development tasks. 
                The exact types of binaries
                present are highly hardware-dependent.
                However, a README file should be present 
                that explains how to use them with the target hardware. 
                If prebuilt binaries are 
                present, source code to meet licensing requirements must also be provided in 
                some form.
            </para>
       
        </section>

        <section id='bsp-filelayout-layer'>
            <title>Layer Configuration (meta-bsp/conf/layer.conf)</title>

            <para>
                This file identifies the structure as a Poky layer, identifies the  
                contents of the layer and contains information about how Poky should use 
                it. 
                Generally, a standard boilerplate file consisting of the following works.
            </para>

            <para>
               <programlisting>
# We have a conf directory, add to BBPATH
BBPATH := "${BBPATH}${LAYERDIR}"

# We have a recipes directory containing .bb and .bbappend files, add to BBFILES
BBFILES := "${BBFILES} ${LAYERDIR}/recipes/*/*.bb \ ${LAYERDIR}/recipes/*/*.bbappend"

BBFILE_COLLECTIONS += "bsp"
BBFILE_PATTERN_bsp := "^${LAYERDIR}/"
BBFILE_PRIORITY_bsp = "5"
                </programlisting>
            </para>

            <para>
                This file simply makes bitbake aware of the recipes and conf directories and is required 
                for recognition of the BSP by Poky.
            </para>

        </section>

        <section id="bsp-filelayout-machine">
            <title>Hardware Configuration Options (meta-bsp/conf/machine/*.conf)</title>

            <para>
                The machine files bind together all the information contained elsewhere
                in the BSP into a format that Poky/OpenEmbedded can understand. 
                If the BSP supports multiple machines, multiple machine configuration files
                can be present. 
                These filenames correspond to the values to which users have set the MACHINE variable.
            </para>

            <para>
                These files define things such as what kernel package to use
                (PREFERRED_PROVIDER of virtual/kernel), what hardware drivers to
                include in different types of images, any special software components
                that are needed, any bootloader information, and also any special image
                format requirements.
            </para>

            <para>
                At least one machine file is required for a Poky BSP layer.
                However, you can supply more than one file.
            </para>

        </section>

        <section id="bsp-filelayout-tune">
            <title>Hardware Optimization Options (meta-bsp/conf/machine/include/tune-*.inc)</title>

            <para>
                These are shared hardware "tuning" definitions and are commonly used to
                pass specific optimization flags to the compiler. 
                An example is tune-atom.inc:
            </para>
            <para>
               <programlisting>
BASE_PACKAGE_ARCH = "core2"
TARGET_CC_ARCH = "-m32 -march=core2 -msse3 -mtune=generic -mfpmath=sse"
               </programlisting>
            </para>
            <para>
                This example defines a new package architecture called "core2" and uses the
                specified optimization flags, which are carefully chosen to give best
                performance on atom processors.
            </para>
            <para>
                The tune file would be included by the machine definition and can be
                contained in the BSP or referenced from one of the standard core set of
                files included with Poky itself.
            </para>
            <para>
                Both the base package architecuture file and the tune file are optional for a Poky BSP layer.
            </para>
        </section>

        <section id='bsp-filelayout-kernel'>
            <title>Linux Kernel Configuration (meta-bsp/packages/linux/*)</title>

            <para>
                These files make up the definition of a kernel to use with this
                hardware. 
                In this case, it is a complete self-contained kernel with its own
                configuration and patches.
                However, kernels can be shared between many machines as well.
                Following is an example:
               <programlisting>
meta-bsp/packages/linux/linux-bsp_2.6.50.bb
               </programlisting>
                This example file is the core kernel recipe that details from where to get the kernel
                source.
                All standard source code locations are supported so this could 
                be a release tarball, some git repository, or source included in
                the directory within the BSP itself.
            </para>
            <para>
                The file then contains information about what patches to apply and how to configure and build them.
                It can reuse the main Poky kernel build class, so the definitions here can remain very simple.   
            </para>
            <para>
               <programlisting>
linux-bsp-2.6.50/*.patch
               </programlisting>
            </para>
            <para>
                The above example file contains patches you can apply against the base kernel, from wherever
                they may have been obtained.
            </para>
            <para>
               <programlisting>
meta-bsp/packages/linux/linux-bsp-2.6.50/defconfig-bsp
               </programlisting>
            </para>
            <para>
                Finally, this last example file contains kernel configuration information.
            </para>
            <para>
                Examples of kernel recipes are available in Poky itself. 
                These files are optional since a kernel from Poky could be selected, although it
                would be unusual not to have a kernel configuration.
            </para>
        </section>

        <section id='bsp-filelayout-packages'>
            <title>Other Software (meta-bsp/packages/*)</title>

            <para>
                This section describes other pieces of software that the hardware might need for best
                operation. 
                This section shows examples of the kinds of things that you could encounter.  
                The examples are standard <filename>.bb</filename> file recipes in the 
                usual Poky format.  
                You can include the source directly by referring to it in the source control system or 
                the released tarballs of external software projects.
                You only need to provide these types of files if the platform requires them.
            </para>
            <para>
                The following file is a bootloader recipe that can be used to generate a new
                bootloader binary. 
                Sometimes these files are included in the final image format and are needed to re-flash hardware.
            </para>
            <para>
               <programlisting>
meta-bsp/packages/bootloader/bootloader_0.1.bb
               </programlisting>
            </para>
            <para>
                These next two files are examples of a hardware driver and a hardware daemon that might need
                to be included in images to make the hardware useful. 
                Although the example uses "modem" there may be other components needed, such as firmware.
            </para>
            <para>
               <programlisting>
meta-bsp/packages/modem/modem-driver_0.1.bb
meta-bsp/packages/modem/modem-daemon_0.1.bb
               </programlisting>
            </para>
            <para>
                Sometimes the device needs an image in a very specific format so that the update
                mechanism can accept and re-flash it. 
                Recipes to build the tools needed to do this can be included with the BSP.
                Following is an example.
            </para>
            <para>
               <programlisting>
meta-bsp/packages/image-creator/image-creator-native_0.1.bb
               </programlisting>
            </para>
        </section>

        <section id='bs-filelayout-bbappend'>
            <title>Append BSP-Specific Information to Existing Recipes</title>
            <para>
                Suppose you have a recipe such as 'pointercal' that requires machine-specific information.
                At the same time, you have your new BSP code nicely partitioned into a layer through which  
                you would also like to specify any machine-specific information associated with your new machine. 
                Before the <filename>.bbappend</filename> extension was introduced, you would have to copy the whole
                pointercal recipe and files into your layer and then add the single file for your machine.
            </para>
            <para>
                With the <filename>.bbappend</filename> extension, however, your work becomes much easier.
                This extension allows you to easily merge BSP-specific information with the original recipe.
                Whenever bitbake finds any <filename>.bbappend</filename> files they will be
                included after bitbake loads the associated <filename>.bb</filename> but before any finalize 
                or anonymous methods run.
                This allows the BSP layer to do whatever it might want to do to customize the original recipe.
            </para>
            <para>
                If your recipe needs to reference extra files it can use the FILESEXTRAPATH variable
                to specify their location. 
                The example below shows extra files contained in a folder called ${PN} (the package name).
            </para>
            <programlisting>
FILESEXTRAPATHS := "${THISDIR}/${PN}"
            </programlisting>
            <para>
            This technique allows the BSP to add machine-specific configuration files to the layer directory, 
            which will be picked up by bitbake. 
            For an example see <filename>meta-emenlow/packages/formfactor</filename>.
            </para>
        </section>

        <section id="bsp-filelayout-prebuilds">
            <title>Prebuild Data (meta-bsp/prebuilds/*)</title>
            <para>
                This location can contain precompiled representations of the source code 
                contained elsewhere in the BSP layer. 
                Assuming a compatible configuration is used, Poky can process and use these optional precompiled 
                representations to provide much faster build times.
            </para>
        </section>

        <section id='bsp-click-through-licensing'>
            <title>BSP 'Click-Through' Licensing Procedure</title>

            <note><para> This section describes how
		click-through licensing is expected to work.
                Currently, this functionality is not yet implemented.
            </para></note>

            <para>
	      In some cases, a BSP contains separately licensed IP
	      (Intellectual Property) for a component that imposes
	      upon the user a requirement to accept the terms of a
	      'click-through' license.  
              Once the license is accepted the
	      Poky build system can then build and include the
	      corresponding component in the final BSP image.  
              Some affected components might be essential to the normal
	      functioning of the system and have no 'free' replacement
	      (i.e. the resulting system would be non-functional
	      without them).
              On the other hand, other components might be simply
	      'good-to-have' or purely elective, or if essential
	      nonetheless have a 'free' (possibly less-capable)
	      version that could be used as a in the BSP recipe.
            </para>

            <para>
	      For cases where you can substitute something and still maintain functionality, the Poky website will make
	      available a 'de-featured' BSP completely free of
	      the encumbered IP.
              In that case you can use the substitution directly and without
	      any further licensing requirements.  
              If present, this
	      fully 'de-featured' BSP will be named meta-bsp (i.e. the
	      normal default naming convention).  
              If available, this is the simplest the most preferred option.
              This, of course, assumes the resulting functionality meets requirements.
            </para>

            <para>
	      If however, a non-encumbered version is unavailable or
	      the 'free' version would provide unsuitable
	      functionality or quality, an encumbered version can be
	      used.  
              Encumbered versions of a BSP are given names of
	      the form meta-bsp-nonfree.
            </para>

            <para>  
              Several methods exist within the Poky build system to satisfy the licensing
	      requirements for an encumbered BSP.
              The following list describes them in preferential order:
            </para>

	    <orderedlist>
              <listitem>

		<para>
		  Get a license key (or keys) for the encumbered BSP
		  by visiting 
                  <ulink url='https://pokylinux.org/bsp-keys.html'>https://pokylinux.org/bsp-keys.html</ulink>
		  and give the name of the BSP and your e-mail address in the web form.
		</para>

		<programlisting>
		  [screenshot of dialog box]
		</programlisting>

		<para>
		  After agreeing to any applicable license terms, the
		  BSP key(s) will be immediately sent to the address
		  you gave and you can use them by specifying BSPKEY_&lt;keydomain&gt;
		  environment variables when building the image:
		</para>

		<programlisting>
		  $ BSPKEY_&lt;keydomain&gt;=&lt;key&gt; bitbake poky-image-sato
		</programlisting>

		<para>
		  These steps allow the encumbered image to be built
		  with no change at all to the normal build process.
		</para>

		<para>
		  Equivalently and probably more conveniently, a line
		  for each key can instead be put into the user's
		  <filename>local.conf</filename> file.
		</para>

		<para>
		  The &lt;keydomain&gt; component of the
		  BSPKEY_&lt;keydomain&gt; is required because there
		  might be multiple licenses in effect for a given BSP.
                  In such cases, a given &lt;keydomain&gt; corresponds to
		  a particular license.  In order for an encumbered
		  BSP that encompasses multiple key domains to be built
		  successfully, a &lt;keydomain&gt; entry for each
		  applicable license must be present in <filename>local.conf</filename> or
		  supplied on the command-line.
		</para>
              </listitem>
              <listitem>
		<para>
		  Do nothing - build as you normally would.
                  When a license is needed the build will stop and prompt you with instructions.
                  Follow the license prompts that originate from the
		  encumbered BSP.  
                  These prompts usually take the form of instructions
		  needed to manually fetch the encumbered package(s)
		  and md5 sums into the required directory (e.g. the poky/build/downloads)
                  Once the manual package fetch has been
		  completed, restart the build to continue where
		  it left off.
                  During the build the prompt will not appear again since you have satisfied the 
                  requirement.
		</para>
              </listitem>
              <listitem>
		<para>
		  Get a full-featured BSP recipe rather than a key, by
		  visiting
		  <ulink url='https://pokylinux.org/bsps.html'>https://pokylinux.org/bsps.html</ulink>.
		  Accepting the license agreement(s) presented will
		  subsequently allow you to download a tarball
		  containing a full-featured BSP that is legally cleared for
		  your use by the just-given license agreement(s).
		  This method will also allow the encumbered image to
		  be built with no change at all to the normal build
		  process.
		</para>
              </listitem>
	    </orderedlist>
	    <para>
	      Note that the third method is also the only option available
	      when downloading pre-compiled images generated from
	      non-free BSPs.  
              Those images are likewise available at
	      <ulink url='https://pokylinux.org/bsps.html'>https://pokylinux.org/bsps.html</ulink>.
            </para>
        </section>

</chapter>