Hi David,
Thank you for your kind response. What I am doing is to try to load the RTEMS (a kind of open source real time operating system) image to the board. It has a BSP for this board. All the tools I used are targeting powerpc and tailed for this board. But the final executable format is .exe. I am not sure if this format is good to download and run on the board using U-boot. I just happen to know there is a mkimage utility from U-boot.
Thank you,
Yuke
David Hawkins wrote:
Hi Yuke,
I am new to U-boot. I have a mpc8313erdb board that already has U-boot burned in flash. When the board reset, I get into U-boot (with U-boot prompt =>). My questions is: my gcc compiler produce a .exe file, can I just tftp this file to an address and run it (go) ? Or I need to convert it to some format (use mkimage) to run it ?
Does the load address and entry address matters ? Does anyone happen to know what is the correct load address for this board ? One more question, where do I get the mkimage for this board ?
New to U-Boot and embedded systems, eh?
If your gcc compiler is producing a .exe file, then you sound like you are working on a Windows machine, with say Cygwin. That particular version of gcc is for the *Windows OS* and the *Intel architecture*.
The gcc compiler can be built for a specific processor type and OS. The Denx ELDK has a prebuilt version of gcc for the PowerPC on the MPC8313 that can be used to build both U-boot, stand-alone, and Linux applications. You would typically install the ELDK on a Linux machine (eg. an Intel-based laptop/desktop).
You'll probably want to get yourself a copy of
"Building Embedded Linux Systems", K. Yagmour, O'Reilly.
and read it to learn some of the basics of embedded programming, and cross-platform development.
If you want to run an executable from U-Boot, then you'll want to read the 'stand-alone applications' section of the DULG.
http://www.denx.de/wiki/DULG/WebHome
But if what you really want is a Linux application, then U-Boot will be used to boot Linux, and then your application will run under Linux.
If you let us know exactly what you want your program to do, we can suggest the path of least-resistance for you.
Cheers, Dave