[oe] howto? Build something but not deploy in root image

[Justin Patrin]

On 7/4/07, Tom Walsh <tom at openhardware.net> wrote:
> I know, this has come up before.  Reading through some of the old
> messages I see this discussed, but, I do not see any solution(s) mentioned?
>
> I have several parts to this project that must be built during the
> bitbake process (bootstrap-image), but are not part of the target
> filesystem image.  The total system parts are:
>
> * bootloader - ARM - resides in Flash.
> * kernel - ARM - resides in Flash.
> * target rootfs image - ARM - resides on MMC card.
> * Flash Utility - native (x86) - runs on host computer.
>
> The concept for the system is that the bootloader starts the RAM and
> other hardware up.  It then copies the kernel image into RAM and
> launches it.  The kernel is configured to look for its root filesystem
> on the MMC card.  Essentially, I boot the kernel from Flash, but the
> kernel boots from the MMC card.
>
> The only thing that I need in the root filesystem (tmp/rootfs/) is the
> packages I named from the local conf files.  The kernel does need to be
> there, it soaks up space uselessly.
>
> As to the bootloader, it comes in two sections (files), these are
> programmed by the Flash Utility into the target system.  The bootloader
> is not needed in the root filesystem.
>
> The problem is not getting these things built, but preventing them from
> being installed in the tmp/rootfs/ filesystem or tarball.  They should
> only go into tmp/deploy/image/, which  I currently have them going
> into...  However, the bitbake system assumes that anything that is
> packaged, must be deployed into the root filesystem!?

This isn't quite true. Bitbake installs whatever packages are in the
RDEPENDS of the image. I think what you would do it make sure that
your bootloader, etc are in the DEPENDS but not the RDEPENDS.

>
> How do you build a bootloader that resides in Flash and doesn't get
> stuck into the filesystem image?  The same would hold true for the
> native (linux PC) app which flashes the target memory.
>

-- 
Justin Patrin