i.MX 8M Nano - Enable .NET Core on Yocto Linux

[shai_b]

Hello team,

I have customers how are trying to Enable .NET Core on Yocto Linux.

.NET core it's a runtime for C# programs, mainly works on Debian Distribute, please refer to Install .NET Core and Linux Distributions | Microsoft Docs.

Can you please guide me out how to install .NET core on i.MX 8M Nano?

BTW, I've found this github with meta-layer of .net core (but it's not fully released yet)

GitHub - pauldotknopf/meta-dotnet: .NET Core meta layer for Yocto. 

Thanks in advance

Kind regards,

Shai

[cedric_starke]

Hello together,

as far as I understood shai_b correct he is satisfied with the Windows IoT solution, but a real good answer for Linux still missing.

I tried to get dotnet core stand-alone application running with imx-linx-sumo (4.14.98) and imx-linux-zeus (5.4.24) without success. In the dotnet github project is a interesting HowTo but it ends in hanging applications.

yanming2013mo posted a link for manual installation, but this is just for ubuntu, not for any arm system.

I think it should be possible to get any dotnet core application running with the YOCTO Linux without adding the dotnet framework or debian to the YOCTO build itself. Just the correct libraries are needed. But till today I didn't found the correct configuration for YOCTO.

My last changes to the local.conf looks like this:

CORE_IMAGE_EXTRA_INSTALL += "libunwind icu libcurl openssl libgssapi-krb5"
PACKAGECONFIG_pn-curl = "zlib ipv6 ssl"
CORE_IMAGE_EXTRA_INSTALL += "curl"
IMAGE_ROOTFS_EXTRA_SPACE_append += "+ 1000000"

Any more ideas?

Kind Regards

[shai_b]

yanming2013mo,

Thank you so much for your inputs, Its good to know Windows 10 IOT is royalty-free.

I'll try your suggestion next week.

Thanks a lot.

KR,

Shai 

[gusarambula]

Hello Shai,

We don’t have documents that cover .NET enablement in our boards. There is some information on the Yocto Project documentation, but it’s a bit old:

https://wiki.yoctoproject.org/wiki/Building_and_running_embedded_Linux_.NET_applications_from_first_...

That link is based in Jethro (2.0) and the latest BSP releases from NXP are based on Zeus (3.0) so while the main principles remain, there is most likely some tweaking to be done.

My apologies for the inconvenience.

Regards,

[shai_b]

Hi gusarambula‌,

Thank you for answering, I just wondering if NXP supports/be able to run Debian GNU on top of i.MX8M nano or there is a Debian meta-layer on top of Yocto?

Please advise back, Thanks.

Kind Regards,

Shai

[gusarambula]

Hello Shai, 

NXP's BSP do not support Debian on the i.MX8M Nano, but there are a couple of community documents that may help.

The Yocto Project itself does have a debian layer (link below) although I haven't seen it tested on the i.MX8M family and it has support only for the Warrior Yocto release. If you want to try adding it to your Yocto environment I would recommend using the Warrior based BSP (L4.19.35_1.1.0) to avoid compatibility issues.

GitHub - meta-debian/meta-debian: Meta-layer for Poky to build embedded Linux exvironments by Debian... 

I hope this helps. 

Regards,

[shai_b]

Hi gusarambula‌

If I understanding you correctly, once adding meta-debain when we complied with the Yocto (v2.7) image this will able me to install .deb packages into the Yocto?

Another question (if you familiar), can I install windows IoT into #iMX8nano and be able to run/Install .NET Core on top of it?

@Windows 10 IoT Core for i.MX Applications Processors | NXP 

Does Windows IoT has required a royalty fee in commercial uses?

Thank you very much for you great support.

Kind regards,

shai.b@telsys.co.il 

[yanming2013mo]

Hi shai.b@telsys.co.il‌,

Please let me try to answer your questions.

1. You can install the .NET Core manually in the Linux of the i.MX, please refer here:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/core/install/linux-ubuntu#manual-install

2. Windows 10 IoT Core already supports the i.MX8MNANO, please refer here:
https://www.nxp.com/design/software/embedded-software/i-mx-software/windows-10-iot-core-for-i-mx-app...

3. Windows 10 IoT Core is royalty-free, please refer here:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/iot-core/windows-iot#differences-between-windows-10-iot-cor...

4. Windows 10 IoT Core already supports the .NET Core in the box and the UWP app is support, please refer here:
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/iot-core/develop-your-app/buildingappsforiotcore

5. There are lots of the NXP devices that are recommended by Microsoft, but you should refer to the NXP for the latest information.
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/iot-core/learn-about-hardware/iotnxp

https://www.nxp.com/design/software/embedded-software/i-mx-software/windows-10-iot-core-for-i-mx-app...

[gusarambula]

Hello Shai,

I’m not sure about the level of implementation of the meta-debian layer, I would recommend that you double check which features it enables. I would expect to include the .deb package manager, but I’m not certain.

As of the Windows IoT features, I would recommend double checking with Microsoft about the available licenses and their limitations. It is my understanding that Windows 10 IoT does support .NET Core. (called IoT if I’m not mistaken).

I hope this helps!

Regards,