i.MX python upgrade

[FranciscoCarril]

As you know ltib comes with an old python version 2.4.

Updating the ltib spec file so it uses a newer version is the best option.  This could take some time to happen.

Meanwhile you can upgrade to a newer version 2.6 with these instructions.

Download    python2.6.6-arm-cross-build.tar.gz - Google Drive

1. The script may run successfully on host system:

  Ubuntu 10.04 LTS (I run it in a virtual machine) with following tools set installed (PATH need to be set):

• GCC cross building tool
• Perl (which needed by openssl building)
• Python on HOST (to run some tool scripts on HOST)

2. Decompress the attachment and enter the decompressed directory

$ tar -zxf python2.6.6-arm-cross-build.tar.gz

$ cd python2.6.6-arm-cross-build

3. Run the building script

$ ./cross_build_python2.6.6.sh

• arm_ext and build_prefix/_install directory will be generated. Directory arm_ext contains all third party libraries needed by python extended module. build_prefix/_install contains python built results. All the extended libraries are static linked.
• If the script file is not excutable, a chmod command may be needed before run it:

$ chmod 755 cross_build_python2.6.6.sh

4. Package the building rusults

$  python make_dist.py

• Three packages will be generated.
• python-2.6.6-arm.tar.gz : All building rusults be packed directly.
• python-2.6.6.min-arm.tar.gz: A 'install' package to be installed on target system. This package contains all built python libraries, some of them may be deleted if not useful by specific use case.
• test-python-2.6.6-arm.tar.gz: The python test libraries to test python installation on target system.

5. Install and test on target system

• copy python-2.6.6.min-arm.tar.gz on your target system.
• decompress the package

$ tar -zxf python-2.6.6.min-arm.tar.gz

• A 'usr' will be generated by decompressing, python excutable in usr/bin and python libraries in usr/lib.

• c. set some environment variables

$ export PYTHONHOME=/mnt/disk/usr

$ export PATH=$PATH:/mnt/disk/usr/bin

• then you can run comand 'python' in current shell to enter python command line. You can make the variables set on system boot in a producting system.

• remove installed test package:

$ rm -rf /mnt/disk/usr/lib/python2.6/site-packages/test

• (the test package cost so much disk space)