iPAQ Linux Overview

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iPAQ Linux Overview

• September 13, 2001
• Jamey Hicks
• jamey.hicks_at_compaq.com

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Outline

• Handhelds.org
• iPAQ Linux Distributions
• Mercury Project (BackPAQ)
• iPAQ Linux Nitty Gritty

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Handhelds.org and iPAQ Linux
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Open Handhelds Project

• Program for stimulating development of innovative
  new applications on handhelds (e.g., iPAQ H3600)
• Derived from OpenItsy Initiative
• Joel Bartlett, Bill Hamburgen (WRL)
• Website (www.handhelds.org)
• Hosts source code, binaries, discussion groups
• Free technical support
• Seed hardware for key developers
• Community 500 entries on email list, active IRC
• Timeline
• April 2000 Began Linux port to iPAQ H3600
• June 2000 Posted first release of Linux for
  H3600 on www.handhelds.org

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Linux Capabilities

• Linux 2.4.7 (this week)
• Complete GUI flexibility
• Filesystems
• JFFS2 compressed journaling flash filesystem
• Networking
• WLAN, WWAN
• IPSEC and other VPN
• IPv6, Mobile IP
• Java 2 Micro and Standard Editions
• Not just a zippy PDA, but a pocket workstation

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iPAQ Linux Distributions

• Original handhelds.org distribution
• characterized by cramfs, twm, motley apps
• Familiar Linux (familiar.handhelds.org)
• jffs2 root, python scripting, ipkg, ion wm
• Intimate Linux (intimate.handhelds.org)
• ARM Debian on iPAQ with disk, boot via WinCE or
  Familiar
• QPE (www.trolltech.com)
• PocketLinux (www.pocketlinux.com)
• kernel from handhelds.org, kaffe jvm, xml app
  defn

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Linux on the iPAQ Familiar distribution

• Python scripting
• JFFS2 root
• X Window System
• Gnome toolkit
• Full screen handwriting input
• Anti-aliased fonts
• Landscape or Portrait mode
• Full networking
• Distributed as ipkgs

Dbutter_at_wireless.net
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QPE Qt Pocket Environment

• Uses Familiar as base
• without X
• distributed as ipkgs
• very polished look
• PDA-oriented

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Intimate Linux

• Marked by close acquaintance, association, or
  familiarity. See Synonyms at familiar.
• Full blown linux on the Compaq iPAQ!
• Native development
• Stunts bochs x86 emulator

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PocketLinux

• XML application framework
• Implemented in Java
• Runtime kaffe JVM
• Linux OS underneath
• Full support for theming
• Do not follow the 1.0 installation instructions
  they can be hazardous to ipaqs email jamey for
  revised instructions if youre interested in this.

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Java 2 Standard Edition

• Full JDK 1.2.2 and JDK1.3 ported by CRL and
  Blackdown.org
• available from www.blackdown.org
• ftp//ftp.tux.org/pub/java/JDK-1.3.1/arm/rc1/
• Requires NFS, microdrive, CF card, or lots of
  pruning to install
• Ken Steele and I will make it available as ipkgs

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CRL Mercury Project
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CRLs Mercury Project

• A research project to extend the boundaries of
  pervasive wireless computing
• Hardware
• A handheld research platform
• Software
• Networking, middleware and applications
• Based on Linux OS and Applications
• Exploring the future of handheld computing

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Mercury Hardware

• Pushing the envelope of integration
• BackPAQ prototyping platform
• Extension pack with VGA CMOS camera, 32MB Flash,
  FPGA, external expansion connector, 2 PC Card
  slots, accelerometer, audio codec and headset
  connector
• WLAN and WWAN via PC Cards
• Last known bug fixed, boards in rework

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iPAQ H3600/BackPAQ
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iPAQ H3600/BackPAQ
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The Nitty Gritty Linux Details
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iPAQ Linux Resources

• Handhelds.org website (www.handhelds.org)
• Handhelds wiki (www.handhelds.org/z/wiki)
• Includes search interface
• World writable please use and contribute
• Chat (IRC on irc.openprojects.net)
• handhelds.org mostly ipaq linux discussion
• familiar Familiar distribution discussion
• ipaq lightly populated, installation support
• Email (www.handhelds.org/email_lists.html)
• ipaq_at_handhelds.org, linux_at_handhelds.org,
  familiar_at_handhelds.org, bootldr_at_handhelds.org

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Developing for ARM Linux

• Standard Linux APIs
• Adjust for storage space (32MB)
• Adjust for screen size (320x240 12-bit color)
• Adjust for lack of keyboard
• Input methods xkbd, xstroke, serial cable,
  remote input via X, ssh

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iPKG Software Packages

• iPKG (Carl Worth)
• Structure derived from Debian packages
• Reduced overhead
• No dependence on ar
• Single /bin/sh script to implement ipkg
• http//www.handhelds.org/z/wiki/iPKG
• Usage
• ipkg update download list of avail packages
• ipkg install foo (re)install package foo, its
  deps
• Ipkg upgrade foo upgrade to latest version of foo

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iPKG and Debian

• Easy to convert one to the other
• ipkg-deb-unbuild foo.deb
• remove docs, etc.
• edit DEBIAN/control
• ipkg-build
• Finding ARM Linux .deb files
• http//www.debian.org/distrib/packages
• Search the Contents of the Latest Release

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Toplevel Menu Maintenance

• Debian menu support (menu-tiny ipkg)
• Each package adds descriptions to /usr/lib/menu
• Update-menu generates menus by running the
  scripts in /etc/menu-methods
• Documentation http//www.handhelds.org/nelson/me
  nu/
• ?package(emacs20)\
• needs"x11"\
• section"Apps/Editors"\
• title"Emacs 20"\
• command"/usr/bin/emacs20"

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Compiling for ARM Linux

• Cross compilation
• E.g., x86 linux host - ARM linux target
• Faster than native compilation
• Often requires Makefile modification
• Cross-toolchain
• ftp//ftp.handhelds.org/pub/linux/arm/toolchain/ar
  m-linux-toolchain-current.tar.gz
• Unpack in root directory
• Add /skiff/local/bin to PATH
• Prepend arm-linux- to gcc, g, ld, strip, nm,
  ranlib, ar
• Generally make CCarm-linux-gcc all
• To watch out for
• Segv from ld usually indicates attempt to link
  x86 object file into arm binary
• Capture of headers from /usr/include and libs
  from /usr/lib

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Native Compilation

• No Makefile issues, but slower
• Use Debian on iPAQ, netwinder, skiff, shark
• Skiff Cluster
• 6 skiffs, 2 sharks, 2 ipaqs
• skiff1-6.handhelds.org, reefshark, tigershark,
  ipaq1, ipaq2
• rlogin -l guest, no password
• Use ftp, scp, etc. from the machines to transfer
  files to them
• Create a directory in /home2/guest/
• maintained by Gita Sukthankar, George France

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iPAQ Linux Kernel Source

• E.g., 2.4.7 (Linus Torvalds)
• http//www.us.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v2.4/lin
  ux-2.4.7.tar.gz
• ARM Linux Port (Russell M. King)
• E.g. 2.4.7-rmk3
• ftp//ftp.arm.linux.org.uk/pub/armlinux/source/ker
  nel-patches/v2.4/patch-2.4.7-rmk3.gz
• SA1100 Port (Nicolas Pitre)
• E.g. 2.4.7-rmk3-np1
• ftp//ftp.arm.linux.org.uk/pub/armlinux/people/nic
  o/diff-2.4.7-rmk3-np1.gz
• Handhelds Kernel (Jamey Hicks)
• E.g., 2.4.7-rmk3-np1-hh4
• Cvs.handhelds.org or ftp.handhelds.org

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Building the Kernel from Scratch

• Getting the Kernel
• export CVSROOTpserveranoncvs_at_cvs.handhelds.org
  /cvs
• cvs login
• Password anoncvs
• cvs z9 checkout linux/kernel
• Configuring the Kernel
• cd linux/kernel
• cp arch/arm/def-configs/h3600-devfs .config
• make oldconfig
• Building the kernel
• make zImage modules
• arch/arm/boot/zImage the built kernel
• make INSTALL_MOD_PATH/tmp/ modules_install
• /tmp/lib/modules/ will contain
  the modules

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Extension Modules and Interfaces

• Sleeve hotplug support
• Module h3600-sleeve
• /proc/bus/sleeve/device - vendorid, deviceid,
  name
• /sbin/hotplug executed for attach/detach events
• PCMCIA/CF Sleeve support
• Modules sa1100_cs, h3600_generic_sleeve
• /etc/init.d/pcmcia starts and stops pcmcia
  system
• should be running if sleeve will be used
• Flash
• Shows up as MTD device (Memory Technology Device,
  typically flash)
• cat /proc/mtd to see which one
• Can mount jffs2 filesystem on it
• /dev/mtdblock/3, given Familiar 0.5 partitioning
  of flash in ipaq

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BackPAQ Modules and Interfaces

• FPGA (camera, accel, audio)
• Module h3600_backpaq_fpga, h3600-sleeve
• status cat /proc/backpaq/fpga
• programming cat foo.bin /dev/backpaq/fpga
• Camera 640x480x8 CMOS imager
• Video4Linux interface /dev/v4l/video0
• Required modules
• h3600_backpaq_camera
• h3600_backpaq_fpga
• Required ipkgs backpaq-firmware-6abc, hotplug
• hotplug normally programs FPGA on BackPAQ attach
  or unsuspend

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BackPAQ Modules and Interfaces

• Accelerometer
• /dev/backpaq/accel?
• Required modules
• h3600_backpaq_accel
• h3600_backpaq_fpga
• Required ipkgs backpaq-firmware-6abc, hotplug
• hotplug normally programs FPGA on BackPAQ attach
  or unsuspend
• Audio
• /dev/sound/????
• Required modules You could contribute by writing
  this module!!
• Required ipkgs backpaq-firmware-6abc, hotplug
• hotplug normally programs FPGA on BackPAQ attach
  or unsuspend

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Mercury and Open Handhelds Team

• CRL
• Jamey Hicks
• Jim Gettys
• Andy Christian
• Brian Avery
• Steve Ayer
• Ben Kuris
• Don Denning
• Gita Sukthankar
• Frank Bomba
• Dave Panariti
• Neil Reynolds
• SRC
• Tom Lawler

• WRL
• Debby Wallach
• Compaq Handhelds
• Ken Nicholas
• George Bold
• Open Source Community
• Carl Worth, Alexander Guy, Ken Causey, Edward
  Muller, George France, David Neuer, Jim Conner
• many others
• RMK, NP, AC, Linus ...

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References

• Mercury
• http//crl.research.compaq.com/projects/mercury/
• Handhelds.org
• Mercurys Linux and application base
• Http//www.handhelds.org/
• Familiar Linux Distribution
• http//familiar.handhelds.org/