Re: [ECOS] Dependency between eCos and RedBoot

[Ross Younger <ecos@impropriety.org.uk>]

Hi Lukas,

It would be true to say that you don't need to get RedBoot running as 
part of the porting process. However it is a simple interactive platform 
for confirming that you've got the basics running along with a serial 
port, a sort of "hello world", and it can be useful for manipulating flash.

You don't burn eCos alone into flash. The process is more like:
1. configure eCos
2. build eCos (libtarget.a)
3. write your application
4. compile your application and link it with ecos (output is usually an 
ELF file)
5. Run your application. This might mean burning it into flash, having 
RedBoot run it, or even loading it directly into RAM via JTAG or similar.

Section III of the eCos user guide walks you through this process. I 
particularly recommend chapter 13 which gives the compilation rune you 
will need to get that ELF file.

It's typical, during application development, to program RedBoot into 
flash on your board so that it runs on boot. (This can be fiddly.) You 
then have the ability to load and debug ELF files easily via serial or 
ethernet (depends on the board). When your application is finished you 
might keep RedBoot as a boot loader, or just switch to ROM startup and 
have your application boot directly.

Ross

-- 
Before posting, please read the FAQ: http://ecos.sourceware.org/fom/ecos
and search the list archive: http://ecos.sourceware.org/ml/ecos-discuss