Embedded Linux

Using Pee Wee Linux

Presented by

Randy Torgerson
Ascendco Scientific, Inc
for
Linux System Administrators
June 3, 2002

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 Who is Ascendco Scientific, Inc?
We are engineering consultants that design hardware and software for
embedded systems products. Our expertise is in x86, PowerPC,
ColdFire, ARM, and microcontroller systems running Linux, VxWorks, or
custom software.

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Embedded Linux
 What is an Embedded System?
 An Embedded System is any computer system
or computing device that performs a dedicated
function or is designed for use with a specific
embedded software application
 Examples: ATM, Microwave, Tivo
 May or may not have an operating system
 Designed to run specific tasks
 Generally has just enough resources for the
tasks that are to be run

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Embedded Linux
 Definitions
 RTOS - Real Time Operating System
 Deterministic - The ability to respond to an event
within a specific amount of time
 Preemptible - The ability to have a process
interrupted by a higher priority process
 Task Scheduler - The part of the kernel that
determines what other processes will run and
when

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Embedded Linux
 RTOS
 Hard Real Time
 Deterministic
 Missed events can have catastrophic results
 Soft Real Time
 Not deterministic
 Can tolerate missed events
 Real Fast
 High throughput
 Linux is not Real Time . . . yet

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Embedded Linux
 Linux is not Real Time
 Kernel is not preemptible
 Task scheduling is not priority based
 RTLinux and RTAI runs Linux as a process
under a proprietary real time kernel
 Hardhat Linux uses the preemptible Kernel
 Preemptible Kernel maybe integrated into Kernel
release 2.6

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Embedded Linux
 Embedded Linux Toolkits
 Pee Wee Linux
 HardHat Linux from Monta Vista
 BlueCat Linux from Lynux Works
 The Embedded Debian Project
 Embedded DevKit from Red Hat
 Linux Router Project

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Home Automation Project
 Objectives
 Lighting Controller using X-10 powerline
interface
 AC Energy Monitoring using custom energy
monitoring board
 Security Camera
 Web Interface for remote access and control
 Learn Embedded Linux

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Home Automation Project
 Why LxSA and Embedded Linux
 Most problems have been with configuring the
development station and not on the client
 With Embedded Linux you will get a good
understanding of the internals of Linux
 Working on the small Linux system allows for in-
depth understanding of the boot process and file
system

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Home Automation Project
 Development System
 Dell 866 MHz Pentium III with 128MB
 Redhat Linux 7.1 with KDE desktop
 USB CompactFlash Adapter - Allows for quick
update of target file system

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 Home Automation Project
 ABIA Tech FB2310 All-In-One
PC/104 single board
computer. 386SX, 40MHz,
4MB RAM
 64MB CompactFlash Disk on
a IDE to CompactFlash
adapter board
 Two Serial Ports, Parallel Port
 10baseT Ethernet
 Sockets for 1.5MB Flash
 Video is provided by an
Orchid Prodesigner IIS ISA
card and a PC/104 to ISA
Adapter

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Home Automation Project
 Target Software
 PeeWee Linux with Kernel 2.2.17
 The web server is thttp
 The current image is 3.9MB and will be reduced
as unneeded tools are removed
 The Kernel will also be compiled to run in place
and put in the 1.5MB Flash sockets

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Home Automation Project
 Problems
 gcc 2.96 with Redhat 7.1 cannot compile the 2.2
kernel, must use kgcc
 Must use the compatibility libraries:
compat-glibc, compat-egcs, compat-libs,
compat-libstdc and run script before compiling
 Path on development system get corrupted
during boot and prevents proper compiles
 PATH=/usr/kerberos/bin:/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/X11R6/bin:/usr/local/bi
n:/home/randy/bin _=/usr/bin/env

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Pee Wee Linux
 Based on Redhat 6.2
 Kernel 2.2.17-13
 Can run on Redhat 7.1 or other systems with
a little work.
 Actively maintained and has an email group
 i386, i486, Pentium I, II, and III targets only.
 Uses Ncurses character interface.

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Pee Wee Linux
 Development Process
 Write down what you want to accomplish
 Select the Embedded Linux Tool kit that fits your
needs
 Install the tool kit on your development system
 Proof the build process with a minimal project
 Down load to the target and test
 Add features and test

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Pee Wee Linux
 Project Development Process
 Create custom kernel package
 Configure custom file system
 Extract the file system for project
 Configure target hardware
 Load file system onto target
 Test features on target

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Pee Wee Linux
System Menu

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Pee Wee Linux
 Project Creation
 Start with one of the examples
 Use pre-compiled or custom kernel
 Custom Kernel
 Run Menuconfig and select the options as necessary
 Get the Linux Kernel HOWTO
 Compile the kernel
 Create the custom kernel package

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Pee Wee Linux
Configure Files Menu

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Pee Wee Linux
 Packages
 Select the packages to build into the system
 Kernel or custom kernel
 Networking
 Shells
 System Administration
 X Windows
 System files

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Pee Wee Linux
Configuring Project File System

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Pee Wee Linux
 Extract the file system for the target
 Can include custom files
 Custom files have preference over default files
for the same target location and file name

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Pee Wee Linux
Results from Extract File System for Project

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Pee Wee Linux
 Extract the file system to target
 Can be a hard disk or CompactFlash
 For small systems can be floppy disk
 CompactFlash is the easiest to use
 Easy to experiment to find what works best

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Pee Wee Linux
Configure Target Hardware

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Embedded Linux
 What have I learned
 4MB RAM is barely enough memory for Linux
with networking
 8 or 16 MB RAM would allow for the less
efficient, memory wise, 2.4 kernel
 Network boot would speed up development but
CompactFlash is very easy to set up and use
 All the tool kits have some rough edges

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Embedded Linux Resources
 Embedded Linux by John
Lombardo
 New Riders Publishing
 Good introduction to
Embedded Linux, doesn't
make a lot of assumptions
 Projects are too simplistic

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Embedded Linux Resources
 Embedded Linux:
Hardware, Software, and
Interfacing by Craig
Hollabaugh
 Assumes you know what
you are doing
 Many gross errors that
makes all material suspect

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Embedded Linux Resources
 Practical Linux
Programming: Device
Drivers, Embedded
systems, and the Internet
by Ashfaq A. Khan
 Includes CD-ROM and
runs under Redhat 7.1 or
higher

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Embedded Linux Resources
 Embedded Linux Journal
 Interesting articles
 Will no longer be published
as a standalone magazine.
Will be a section in Linux
Journal
 Articles are available at
embedded.linuxjournal.com

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Embedded Linux Resources
 Web sites
 linuxdevices.com
 embedded.linuxjournal.com
 google.com/linux
 embedded.adis.on.ca for Pee Wee Linux

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