FRDM-IMX8MPLUS Software Release Introduction

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This article will give a brief introduction of FRDM-IMX8MPLUS software release, including Yocto BSP release and Debian release.

FRDM-IMX Yocto BSP Release

i.MX FRDM Development software release contains prebuilt images, documentation, and i.MX FRDM Yocto layer for FRDM-IMX boards. It also includes support for Matter. 

Based on i.MX SW 2024 Q3 BSP release

• Linux kernel: 6.6.36_2.1.0
• u-boot: 2024.04

i.MX FRDM Yocto layer source: https://github.com/nxp-imx-support/meta-imx-frdm

For more details, please check i.MX FRDM Software User Guide.

FRDM-IMX8MPLUS accessories and corresponding dtb:

• 7-inch Waveshare LCD: imx8mp-frdm-waveshare.dtb
• DY1212W-4856 LVDS: imx8mp-frdm-boe-wxga-lvds0-panel.dtb imx8mp-frdm-boe-wxga-lvds1-panel.dtb
• RPI-CAM-MIPI MIPI CSI: imx8mp-frdm-ap1302.dtb imx8mp-frdm-dual-ap1302.dtb
• IMX-OS08A20 MIPI CSI: imx8mp-frdm-os08a20.dtb imx8mp-frdm-dual-os08a20.dtb
• 8MIC-RPI-MX8: imx8mp-frdm-8mic.dtb
• 2EL M.2 Module: imx8mp-frdm-iw612-otbr.dtb

Build FRDM-IMX8MPLUS Yocto image:

• Download i.MX SW 2024 Q3 release:

$ repo init -u https://github.com/nxp-imx/imx-manifest -b imx-linux-scarthgap -m imx-6.6.36-2.1.0.xml

$ repo sync

• Integrate meta-imx-frdm layer into Yocto code base:

$ cd ${MY_YOCTO}/sources

$ git clone https://github.com/nxp-imx-support/meta-imx-frdm.git

• Yocto project setup:

$ cd ${MY_YOCTO}

$ MACHINE=imx8mpfrdm DISTRO=fsl-imx-xwayland source sources/meta-imx-frdm/tools/imx-frdm-setup.sh -b frdm-imx8mp

• Build images:

$ bitbake imx-image-full

• Flash SD card image using dd:

$ zstdcat imx-image-full-imx8mpfrdm.rootfs.wic.zst | sudo dd of=/dev/sdx bs=1M && sync

• Or use uuu to burn image to SD card:

$ uuu -b sd_all imx-image-full-imx8mpfrdm.rootfs.wic.zst

FRDM-IMX8MPLUS Matter Support

Based on i.MX Matter 2024 Q3

To include Matter support, please follow below steps to include Matter layer into Yocto build.

• Download i.MX SW 2024 Q3 BSP Release:

$ repo init -u https://github.com/nxp-imx/imx-manifest -b imx-linux-scarthgap -m imx-6.6.36-2.1.0.xml

$ repo sync

• Download i.MX Matter Yocto layer:

$ cd ${MY_YOCTO}/sources/meta-nxp-connectivity
$ git remote update
$ git checkout imx_matter_2024_q3

• Integrate meta-imx-frdm layer into Yocto code base:

$ cd ${MY_YOCTO}/sources
$ git clone https://github.com/nxp-imx-support/meta-imx-frdm.git

• Yocto Project Setup:

$ cd ${MY_YOCTO}
$ MACHINE=imx8mpfrdm-matter DISTRO=fsl-imx-xwayland source sources/meta-imx-frdm/tools/imx-frdm-matter-setup.sh bld-xwayland-imx8mpfrdm

• Build images:

$ bitbake imx-image-multimedia

FRDM-IMX8MPLUS Debian Release

FRDM-IMX8MPLUS has support on Debian 12 OS. i.MX Debian Linux SDK distribution is a combination of NXP-provided kernel and boot loaders with a Debian distro user-space image, which includes:

• Debian-based rootfs
  
  1. Debian Base (basic packages)
  2. Debian Server (more packages without GUI Desktop)
  3. Debian Desktop (with GNOME GUI Desktop)
• Linux kernel
• BSP components
• various applications (graphics, multimedia, networking, connectivity, security, and AI/ML)

For more details of NXP Debian Linux SDK Distribution, please check NXP Debian Linux SDK User Guide.

Quick Start with Debian:

To create an SD card with Debian for FRDM-IMX8MPLUS, please follow below steps.

• Download flex-installer on the Linux host

$ wget http://www.nxp.com/lgfiles/sdk/lsdk2412/flex-installer
$ chmod +x flex-installer
$ sudo mv flex-installer /usr/bin

• Plug the SD card into the Linux host and install the images as below

# format SD card
$ flex-installer -i pf -d /dev/sdx
# automatically download and install images into SD card
$ flex-installer -i auto -d /dev/mmcblk1 -m imx8mpfrdm

• Plug the SD card into FRDM-IMX8MPLUS board and install the extra packages as below

 1. Setup Ethernet network interface by DHCP or setting it manually

$ dhclient -i end0

2. Set correct system time, for example

$ date -s "22 Nov 2024 09:00:00"

3. Install extra packages for GNOME GUI Desktop version

$ debian-post-install-pkg desktop

4. Or install extra packages for Server version without GUI Desktop

$ debian-post-install-pkg server

5. After finishing the installation, run the reboot command to boot up the Debian Desktop/Server system

Building Debian Images with Flexbuild:

To build Debian image with Flexbuild for FRDM-IMX8MPLUS, please follow below steps.

• Set up the build environment

$ git clone https://github.com/nxp/flexbuild
$ cd flexbuild && source setup.env
#Continue to run commands below in case you need to build in Docker due to lack of Ubuntu 22.04 or Debian 12 host
$ bld docker
$ source setup.env

• Build image with Flexbuild

$ bld -m imx8mpfrdm

• Flexbuild usage:

To build individual part of the image, please check below command list for Flexbuild usage.

$ bld uboot -m imx8mpfrdm (compile u-boot image for imx8mpfrdm)
$ bld linux (compile linux kernel for all arm64 i.MX machines)
$ bld bsp -m imx8mpfrdm (generate BSP firmware)
$ bld boot (generate boot partition tarball including kernel, dtb, modules, distro bootscript for iMX machines)
$ bld multimedia (build multimedia components for i.MX platforms)
$ bld rfs -r debian:server (generate Debian server rootfs)
$ bld apps -r debian:server (compile apps against runtime dependencies of Debian server RootFS)
$ bld merge-apps -r debian:server (merge iMX-specific apps into target Debian server RootFS)
$ bld packrfs -r debian:server (pack and compress target debian server rootfs)

Related Documentation

• i.MX FRDM Software User Guide
• i.MX Debian Linux SDK User Guide

• More information about i.MX productions can be found at(http://www.nxp.com/imxlinux)

• i.MX Yocto Project User’s Guide​
• i.MX Linux User’s Guide​
• i.MX Linux Reference Manual​
• i.MX Porting Guide
• Debian documents at http://www.nxp.com/nxpdebian