Hi,

I have created a arm-wince cross compiler installer for lazarus-win32: ftp://ftp.hu.freepascal.org/pub/lazarus/cross/Lazarus-0.9.21-fpc-2.1.1-20070103-cross-arm-wince-win32.exe

Nokao tried to use it, but he is getting errors:
http://aycu23.webshots.com/image/7382/2004535844182527357_rs.jpg (using fpc r5797) and
http://www.lazarus.freepascal.org/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewtopic&t=3255 (using fpc from 30-12-2006)

Is svn head useable for arm-wince? Or does it need further testing, because I can imagine the changes in revision 5714 are far reaching.

Do I need to pass (or not pass) special command line parameters (I pass "-CX -gl" for compiling the fpc rtl and fcl units)?. What can be the cause for these crashes?

Vincent

From: "Vincent Snijders"

I dont see any problems with arm-wince and svn head. Compiled apps works fine. Debugging works also.

Do I need to pass (or not pass) special command line parameters (I pass "-CX -gl" for compiling the fpc rtl and fcl units)?. What can be the cause for these crashes?

-CX is obsolete for targets with internal linker (all Windows targets). It is ignored. -gl makes sense for final executable only. -g is enough for compiling units.

Yury Sidorov.

From: "Vincent Snijders"

Vincent, I downloaded your cross installer and found that you included wrong binutils. You included version 2.13.2.1, but supported version is 2.15.94. Get it here: ftp://ftp.freepascal.org/pub/fpc/contrib/cross/arm-wince-binutils.zip

I think GDB for arm-wince should be included to cross installer: ftp://ftp.freepascal.org/pub/fpc/contrib/cross/gdb-6.4-win32-arm-wince.zip

P.S. Can someone delete unsupported ftp://ftp.freepascal.org/pub/fpc/contrib/cross/binutils-2.13.2.1-win32-arm-wince.zip from FTP?

Yury Sidorov.

From: "Yury Sidorov"

I forgot to mention: recompile all units with correct binutils.

Yury Sidorov.

P.S. Can someone delete unsupported ftp://ftp.freepascal.org/pub/fpc/contrib/cross/binutils-2.13.2.1-win32-arm-wince.zip from FTP?

Done.

Right... cause i just tryed to overwrite that binutils and recompile but i had no success.

I'm Nokao, the one that's trying to make a software with Lazarus that connect to a mysql database.

The graphical interface is working, now i'm asking for help to Vincent (that's really helping me a lot) to have a lazarus that is able to compile both for wince and win32 platform.

Next step will be to try the lnet libs (SQLdb should not work due to mysql dll missing for wince platform).

I'll wait for him to make another win32 installer with the correct libs in it.

Thank you

From: "Marco van de Voort"

Thanks!

Yury.

Yuri, thanks for looking into this problem. I simply didn't update them since the last time I compiled the wince interface for lazarus (early last year, IIRC).

I will update the binutils and try to create a new version tonight or tomorrow.

I think GDB for arm-wince should be included to cross installer: ftp://ftp.freepascal.org/pub/fpc/contrib/cross/gdb-6.4-win32-arm-wince.zip

I will do this in the future.

Vincent

Vincent build again the installer and this time it works correctly: ftp://ftp.hu.freepascal.org/pub/lazarus/cross/Lazarus-0.9.21-fpc-2.1.1-20070103-cross-arm-wince-win32.exe

Tomorrow We (or if he want, I) 'll provide to change the lazarus guide... cause now it's really easyer to cross-compile from win32 to winCe platform with it. (just download and install the lazarus daily snapshot and the criss-cross installer).

Thanks to this installer i'll be able to compile both for wince and win32 with the same lazarus installations, now i'll do some networking testing using LNET and (maybe) SQLdb.

I know that i'm doing the pioneer in that kind of use of Lazarus in pocket pcs, so i'll provide tecnical information and debugging output of everything will happen.

In the meantime, i'll be able to go ahead with my work cause i can compile for win32 and use my software on it if inside wince it don't works as expected.

Thanks to Yury and everyone helped me,
hoping that .net will burn,
Nokao

I have created a arm-wince cross compiler installer for lazarus-win32: ftp://ftp.hu.freepascal.org/pub/lazarus/cross/Lazarus-0.9.21-fpc-2.1.1-20070103-cross-arm-wince-win32.exe

In what way is the arm-wince cross compiler related to the arm-Linux cross compiler (the one I some day would like to use) ?

Are the differences just the libraries or is the compiler itself involved ?

-Michael

The compiler is the same, but the linker and assembler (which could be viewed as part of the compiler) are different.

Also I noted that the arm-linux compiler doesn't use the binary writer, but ar. This makes the building of the units very slow (5-10 times as long).

Of course the compiled units have a different format too.

Let me know, if you want to try this out, then I can try to build an installer for cross-arm-linux.

Vincent

In order to make that installer Vincent needed to compile the compiler itself, so probably the compiler is involved in that installer ;)

I think that with linux the compilation have more sense, i just pushed in the "precompiled-installer" direction for win32 cause i think that Windows is equal everywere you go and don't have a lot of different distributions.

I don't know wich distributions fpc devels use, reading that mailing list i saw often "debian". If that's true, maybe some apt-build script would be a good choice for that task...

I hope i helped you in some way ;)

Hi Vincent,

While I was positive that it should be possible / viable to do cross compiled Free Pascal projects for ARM targets in Linux (and wince), I am very astonished that someone tries to use Lazarus for that purpose. Is the goal to use the Lazarus LCL libraries and create a "visual" project on an ARM target ? Is it intended / likely that this is possible for wince (e.g. PDAs) and Linux (PDAs and embedded projects without display using remote X).

As I mainly am interested in embedded stuff, I might like to get involved in that project, if the remote X feature can be supported.

-Michael

I am not sure if we understand each other completely, so let me write my (personal) view on these things.

FPC is a great compiler, which also can target several OS-es on the arm processor (linux, wince, gba and lately nintendo ds). I want Lazarus to be the best developement evironment for FPC (and still a lot has to be done). The FPC compiler can cross compiler to these arm target, native compilation on the arm is technically possible, but not very well tested, because of the memory requirements needed and a PDA doesn't have a nice screen for editing ;-).

You can use Lazarus to cross compile the application you have written in the Lazarus editor.

For everything written about, nothing is said about the type of applications, whether GUI with the LCL, GUI without the LCL or console or no visible display at all. Lazarus is source editor (with highlighing, codetools and help) and fpc is the compiler.

Now for at least arm-wince it is possible create LCL applications. For more details about that look at http://wiki.lazarus.freepascal.org/Windows_CE_Interface.

I don't know the status of gtk1 on linux PDA, but if it works, then it may be possible to use LCL applications on linux PDA's too.

Since I am primarily a windows user, I don't know what you mean by 'remote X feature' exactly. I am confident that the fpc compiler can be adapted for embedded arm-linux, Lazarus can be used to interface with the compiler to compile application for it.

Vincent

It is similar to compile:
ftp://ftp.hu.freepascal.org/pub/lazarus/cross/Lazarus-0.9.21-fpc-2.1.1-20070104-cross-arm-linux-win32.exe

Vincent

Great !

What about cross compiling from Linux to ARM-Linux (or even from Windows to Arm Linux). Or cross PC OSes etc ?

Thanks,

-Michael

Op Thu, 4 Jan 2007, schreef Michael Schnell:

There is a 2.0.4 release to do this?

Daniël

Those can be build with a few commands if someone needs them, get and install cross arm binutils, do
make clean all install OS_TARGET=linux CPU_TARGET=arm

Let me know, if you want to try this out, then I can try to build an installer for cross-arm-linux. Vincent

Great !
As you might have noticed I'm planning to do a major embedded Project on Arm Linux (porting a lot of Delphi stuff), but it's not yet decided if/when it is going to be started.

-Michael

I suppose my favorite would be cross-compiling from PC-Linux top ARM-Linux.

-Michael

I don't do those. But follow the advice from Florian.

Vincent

I hope i helped you in some way ;)

Of course ! :-) :-) :-)

-Michael

ftp://ftp.hu.freepascal.org/pub/lazarus/cross/Lazarus-0.9.21-fpc-2.1.1-20070104-cross-arm-linux-win32.exe

What difference does the ".hu" make (seemingly none)

-Michael

> ftp://ftp.hu.freepascal.org/pub/lazarus/cross/Lazarus-0.9.21-fpc-2.1.1-20070104-cross-arm-linux-win32.exe > What difference does the ".hu" make (seemingly none)

ftp.hu.freepascal.org = ftpmaster.freepascal.org
ftp.freepascal.org = running DNS round robin between different servers

So using ftp.hu.freepascal.org ensures you get the latest one if mirroring went wrong. For releases this doesn't hurt but snapshots could be 1-2 days behind when using a mirror.

Op Thu, 4 Jan 2007, schreef Vincent Snijders:

No, download 2.0.4. Don't use 2.1 if you don't have to.

Daniël

I even don't think \pub\lazarus gets mirrored. So if you get another ftp server than ftp.hu , you won't see the \pub\

I am not sure if we understand each other completely, so let me write my (personal) view on these things.

:-) see below...

FPC is a great compiler, which also can target several OS-es on the arm processor (linux, wince, gba and lately nintendo ds).

Sounds great !

I want Lazarus to be the best developement evironment for FPC (and still a lot has to be done).

As I and my colleagues need to do productive professional work for our employer, I do this research to find out if it's possible / viable to use FPC (with or without Lazarus - unfortunately the possible alternative "cross-FPC" project, that integrates FPC into the Delphi IDE, seems to be stalled at the moment) to port our large embedded Delphi-application to PC-Linux and (partly) to ARM-Linux.

The FPC compiler can cross compiler to these arm target, native compilation on the arm is technically possible, but not very well tested, because of the memory requirements needed and a PDA doesn't have a nice screen for editing ;-).

Not necessary for me (and supposedly not really necessary at all).

You can use Lazarus to cross compile the application you have written in the Lazarus editor.

Great ! Supposedly a good way would be to edit and (as much as possible) test with Lazarus on PC before cross-compiling.

For me (speaking to my colleagues, that are used to do Delphi) "Lazarus" is the IDE (including the editor, FPC and the debugger) and the LCL :-) . (Similar as Delphi does include the VCL, as it comes with it and that is what you pay for :-) :-) ).

Now for at least arm-wince it is possible create LCL applications. For more details about that look at http://wiki.lazarus.freepascal.org/Windows_CE_Interface.

Great !

I don't know the status of gtk1 on linux PDA, but if it works, then it may be possible to use LCL applications on linux PDA's too.

I don't know either, but Trolltech offers a "portable" version of the QT-library (not for free :-( ) and there are lots of GUI-Applications for Linux PDAs (and even cellphones) done in C (see http://www.linuxdevices.com) . Thus a set of usable widgets should be available somehow.

Since I am primarily a windows user, I don't know what you mean by 'remote X feature' exactly.

In Linux (and other Unixes), the widgets (and other graphical primitives) use a well defined data stream to an "X-Server" as an interface to the graphic hardware, mouse and keyboard. A Linux Desktop installation (or a PDA) uses a local X-Server but this is just a special case. With standard Linux you can easily use an X-Server via TCP/IP. The Linux PC I use as a file server, does not have a monitor at all and sits somewhere in a dark corner. I (in the moment mostly) use a Windows PC to work on. If I want to access the Linux box, I start "Xming", which is a free X-server that runs on a Windows PC. I just start it and I get a standard graphical Linux (Gnome) login screen just as I would sit at a monitor directly connected to the Linux box. (Linux of course can deal with many remote X sessions at the same time.) This should be possible with a "headless" ARM Linux box, too, saving a lot of memory, as the (quite huge) X-server and graphic hardware driver does not need to run on the device itself. Of course this way no graphic hardware, mouse and keyboard is necessary in the Linux box.

I am confident that the fpc compiler can be adapted for embedded arm-linux, Lazarus can be used to interface with the compiler to compile application for it.

For a start that would be sufficient for my use, but on the long run using remote X could be advantageous for configuring the embedded device.

Thanks for all informations provided....
-Michael

Those can be build with a few commands if someone needs them, get and install cross arm binutils, do make clean all install OS_TARGET=linux CPU_TARGET=arm

Great !

I did not yet look at the Wiki, but I feel that instructions how to build and use the cross compilers are necessary.

-Michael

Op Thu, 4 Jan 2007, schreef Michael Schnell:

http://www.stack.nl/~marcov/buildfaq.pdf

Daniël

For crosscompiling to *nix platforms also see

http://www.stack.nl/~marcov/crossnotes.txt

When doing cross projects remote debugging always comes into mind.

Can Lazarus do remote debugging at all ?

Is same possible / planned to be possible with ARM Linux targets ?

-Michael

See
http://www.freepascal.org/cgi-bin/viewcvs.cgi/trunk/docs/RemoteDebugging.txt?root=lazarus&view=markup

Note its date. So it might need to be updated or it might still work.

Vincent

That does not help much ;-)

-Michael

I guess not much help is needed. Just open the Debugger Options and select "GNU debugger through SSH (gdb)", would be my first guess. Never done this though.

Vincent

Great (sorry for my being cynical :-[ ) !

So I gather that you are convinced that it does work as well PC->PC as PC-ARM (Linux and windows).

I'm sure I'm going to test this once the project is started.

I suppose some kind of debug Kernel is needed on the remote site. Supposedly this is part of the GNU tools distribution. So I need same on the remote site (where I don't have the complete GNU compiler and debugger stuff otherwise. As I will need to do C stuff for the target, as well, I suppose I will have this (and the TCP/IP debugging connection
- be it SSH or native), anyway.

-Michael

Convinced about the cross compiling, optimistic about remote debugging possibilities .

I'm sure I'm going to test this once the project is started.

Looking forward to the test results.

Vincent

I would rather test this method :
http://sources.redhat.com/gdb/current/onlinedocs/gdb_18.html#SEC163

instead of searching for ssh method.

Regards
Boguslaw

That doesn't work when debugging from with lazarus, since you cannot specify the target.

When debugging through ssh, you only need ssh access to your target and be able to run gdb on your target. That all

Marc

At least Windows XP -> WinCE works, see
http://www.freepascal.org/wiki/index.php/WinCE_port

I had a similar stuff working for a cross text mode IDE linked with the m68k PDA using the emulator from Palm, but this was with version 1.0.X....
a looong time ago.

Pierre

So SSH opens a (bash) session that starts gdbserver with the appropriate parameters ?

-Michael

no, it doesn't use gdbserver or remote executes gdb through ssh, so the debugger sees just a gdb.

Marc