Linux/MX7D/SABRE/pinout/peripheral acces .. where to start?

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Linux/MX7D/SABRE/pinout/peripheral acces .. where to start?

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demoniacmilk
Contributor IV

Hello!

In order to test custom hardware I'd like to quickly access the mx7s peripherals under linux.


Unfortunately, I got almost no experience in using Linux on embedded devices.

I compiled a Linux Kernel for another platform once and then toggled a GPIO. That's pretty much all I did.

Thinking about teting peripherals on the MX7 puts me in a kind of frustrated and helpless state.

Currently I am reading a lot of documentation, but that just makes me feel more helpless.

Ive read about device trees used for hardware description separated from the kernel. This sounds like something I'd need sooner or later so I thought this could be a path to follow: get a BSP, try compiling a linux kernel, try to toggle a GPIO. Then check out the sabres default device tree that should be located somewhere. Afterwards I could try to adjust the pinout.

I cannot find a BSP.

I dont know how to access peripherals under linux.
I dont know how to change the pinout of the processor.
I dont know how to tell Linux about the processors pinout-changes

I dont know where to find ressources that help me with all of the above although ive spent several hours searching the web.

  • Where may I find a BSP for the MX7D sabre? Ive downloaded mutliple files but none of them seem to contain any sources, just binaries.
  • Is there any tutorial you know of that could help me understand how to access hardware peripherals from user space?
  • May i export my pin setup using the Pins tool? May i import the pin setup of the sabre board to the tool to adjust it?
  • How may I transfer my pinout to a device tree? How do i get the device tree to b loaded at startup?

This is a lot of questions, I know.

I dont even know if the answers to these questions will help me.
Im just completely lost.

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1 Solution
623 Views
art
NXP Employee
NXP Employee

Q. Where may I find a BSP for the MX7D sabre?

A. The documentation packages and some pre-compiled binaries of various versions of the Linux BSPs for the i.MX6/7 series processors can be found here:

http://www.nxp.com/products/software-and-tools/software-development-tools/i.mx-software-and-tools/i....

The source code itself is located on the public GIT site:

http://git.freescale.com/git/

Please refer to the i.MX Yocto Project User's Guide document, included in the documentation package, for the information on how to download and install the source code.

Q. Is there any tutorial you know of that could help me understand how to access hardware peripherals from user space?

A. The Linux BSPs include the drivers for all of the i.MX SoC peripherals. A set of peripheral unit tests is also provided. For more information, refer to the i.MX Linux Reference Manual and i.MX Linux User's Guide documents, also included in the documentation package.

Q. May i export my pin setup using the Pins tool?

A. Yes. Refer to the Help tutorial of the Pins Tool software.

Q. May i import the pin setup of the sabre board to the tool to adjust it?

A. Yes. The sample i.MX7D SABRE board pins setup is included in the Pins Tool v.3.0.

Q. How may I transfer my pinout to a device tree?

A. Some general information about Device Tree concept and operation can be found here:

http://events.linuxfoundation.org/sites/events/files/slides/petazzoni-device-tree-dummies.pdf

http://xillybus.com/tutorials/device-tree-zynq-1

http://elinux.org/Device_Tree_Usage

Some additional and device-specific information can be found in the Documentation/devicetree and Documentation/devicetree/bindings directories in the Linux kernel source tree (of course, after you download and unwrap it, refer to the i.MX Yocto Project User's Guide document, see above). Also, refer to the Help tutorial of the Pins Tool software for the information on how to export the .dts pins configuration.

Q. How do i get the device tree to b loaded at startup?

A. Refer to the i.MX Linux User's Guide document (see above) for the information on how to properly configure the boot media, in particular, on how to create and properly locate the .dtb blob.


Have a great day,
Artur

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Note: If this post answers your question, please click the Correct Answer button. Thank you!
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624 Views
art
NXP Employee
NXP Employee

Q. Where may I find a BSP for the MX7D sabre?

A. The documentation packages and some pre-compiled binaries of various versions of the Linux BSPs for the i.MX6/7 series processors can be found here:

http://www.nxp.com/products/software-and-tools/software-development-tools/i.mx-software-and-tools/i....

The source code itself is located on the public GIT site:

http://git.freescale.com/git/

Please refer to the i.MX Yocto Project User's Guide document, included in the documentation package, for the information on how to download and install the source code.

Q. Is there any tutorial you know of that could help me understand how to access hardware peripherals from user space?

A. The Linux BSPs include the drivers for all of the i.MX SoC peripherals. A set of peripheral unit tests is also provided. For more information, refer to the i.MX Linux Reference Manual and i.MX Linux User's Guide documents, also included in the documentation package.

Q. May i export my pin setup using the Pins tool?

A. Yes. Refer to the Help tutorial of the Pins Tool software.

Q. May i import the pin setup of the sabre board to the tool to adjust it?

A. Yes. The sample i.MX7D SABRE board pins setup is included in the Pins Tool v.3.0.

Q. How may I transfer my pinout to a device tree?

A. Some general information about Device Tree concept and operation can be found here:

http://events.linuxfoundation.org/sites/events/files/slides/petazzoni-device-tree-dummies.pdf

http://xillybus.com/tutorials/device-tree-zynq-1

http://elinux.org/Device_Tree_Usage

Some additional and device-specific information can be found in the Documentation/devicetree and Documentation/devicetree/bindings directories in the Linux kernel source tree (of course, after you download and unwrap it, refer to the i.MX Yocto Project User's Guide document, see above). Also, refer to the Help tutorial of the Pins Tool software for the information on how to export the .dts pins configuration.

Q. How do i get the device tree to b loaded at startup?

A. Refer to the i.MX Linux User's Guide document (see above) for the information on how to properly configure the boot media, in particular, on how to create and properly locate the .dtb blob.


Have a great day,
Artur

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: If this post answers your question, please click the Correct Answer button. Thank you!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

623 Views
demoniacmilk
Contributor IV

Plenty of ressources to look at.
thanks a lot. should help me not to get lost that much!

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