Other ports for the for the TI TMS320DM270 and for MIPS are in various states of progress

2.3 configs

The configs/ subdirectory contains configuration data for each board. These board-specific configurations plus the architecture-specific configurations in the arch/ subdirectory complete define a customized port of NuttX.

2.3.1 Subdirectory Structure

The configs directory contains board specific configuration files. Each board must provide a subdirectory <board-name> under configs/ with the following characteristics:

	|-- Make.defs
	|-- defconfig
	`-- setenv.sh
	<board-name>
	|-- include/
	|   `-- (board-specific header files)
	|-- src/
	|   |-- Makefile
	|   `-- (board-specific source files)
        |-- <config1-dir>
	|   |-- Make.defs
	|   |-- defconfig
	|   `-- setenv.sh
        |-- <config2-dir>
	|   |-- Make.defs
	|   |-- defconfig
	|   `-- setenv.sh
	`-- (other board-specific configuration sub-directories)/

2.3.2 Summary of Files

2.3.2.1 Board Specific Logic

2.3.2.2 Board Specific Configuration Sub-Directories

The configs/<board-name>/ sub-directory holds all of the files that are necessary to configure Nuttx for the particular board. A board may have various different configurations using the common source files. Each board configuration is described by three files: Make.defs, defconfig, and setenv.sh. Typically, each set of configuration files is retained in a separate configuration sub-directory (<config1-dir>, <config2-dir>, .. in the above diagram). The procedure for configuring NuttX is described below, This paragraph will describe the contents of these configuration files.

• Make.defs: This makefile fragment provides architecture and tool-specific build options. It will be included by all other makefiles in the build (once it is installed). This make fragment should define:
  • Tools: CC, LD, AR, NM, OBJCOPY, OBJDUMP
  • Tool options: CFLAGS, LDFLAGS
  • COMPILE, ASSEMBLE, ARCHIVE, CLEAN, and MKDEP macros

  When this makefile fragment runs, it will be passed TOPDIR which is the path to the root directory of the build. This makefile fragment may include ${TOPDIR}/.config to perform configuration specific settings. For example, the CFLAGS will most likely be different if CONFIG_DEBUG=y.

• defconfig: This is a configuration file similar to the Linux configuration file. In contains variable/value pairs like:
  • CONFIG_VARIABLE=value

  This configuration file will be used at build time:

  1. As a makefile fragment included in other makefiles, and
  2. to generate include/nuttx/config.h which is included by most C files in the system.
• setenv.sh: This is a script that you can include that will be installed at the toplevel of the directory structure and can be sourced to set any necessary environment variables.

2.3.3 Supported Boards

All of the specific boards supported by NuttX are identified below. These the the specific <board-name>'s that may be used to configure NuttX as described below.

• configs/sim: A user-mode port of NuttX to the x86 Linux platform is available. The purpose of this port is primarily to support OS feature developement. This port does not support interrupts or a real timer (and hence no round robin scheduler) Otherwise, it is complete.
• configs/c5471evm: This is a port to the Spectrum Digital C5471 evaluation board. The C5471 is a dual core processor from TI with an ARM7TDMI general purpose processor and a c54 SDP. NuttX runs on the ARM core and is built with with a GNU arm-elf toolchain* under Linux or Cygwin. This port is complete, verified, and included in the NuttX release.
• configs/mcu123-lpc214x: This port is for the NXP LPC2148 as provided on the mcu123.com lpc214x development board. This OS is also built with the arm-elf toolchain* under Linux or Cygwin. STATUS: This port is in progress and should be available in the nuttx-0.2.5 release.
• configs/ntosd-dm320: This port uses the Neuros OSD with a GNU arm-elf toolchain* under Linux or Cygwin. See Neuros Wiki for futher information. NuttX operates on the ARM9EJS of this dual core processor. STATUS: This port is code complete, verified, and included in the NuttX 0.2.1 release.
• configs/m68322evb: This is a work in progress for the venerable m68322evb board from Motorola.
• configs/pjrc-8051: 8051 Microcontroller. This port uses the PJRC 87C52 development system and the SDCC toolchain under Linux or Cygwin. This port is not quite ready for prime time.
• configs/z16f2800100zcog z16f Microncontroller. This port use the Zilog z16f2800100zcog development kit and the Zilog ZDS-II Windows command line tools. The development environment is Cygwin under WinXP.
• configs/z8encore000zco z8Encore! Microncontroller. This port use the Zilog z8encore000zco development kit, Z8F642 part, and the Zilog ZDS-II Windows command line tools. The development environment is Cygwin under WinXP.
• configs/z80sim: z80 Microcontroller. This port uses a Z80 instruction set simulator. That simulator can be found in the NuttX CVS here. This port also the SDCC toolchain under Linux or Cygwin(verfied with version 2.6.0).

* A customized version of the buildroot is available to build these toolchains under Linux or Cygwin.

2.4 drivers

This directory holds architecture-independent device drivers.

2.5 examples

Example and test programs to build against.

2.6 fs

This directory contains the NuttX file system. This file system is described below.

2.7 include

This directory holds NuttX header files. Standard header files file retained in can be included in the normal fashion:

include <:stdio.h>
include <sys/types.h>
etc.

2.8 lib

This directory holds a collection of standard libc-like functions with custom interfaces into Nuttx.

2.9 mm

This is the NuttX memory manager.

2.10 net

This directory contains the implementation of the socket APIs. The subdirectory, uip contians the uIP port.

2.11 netutils

This directory contains most of the network applications contained under the uIP-1.0 apps directory. As the uIP apps/README says, these applications "are not all heavily tested."

2.12 sched

The files forming core of the NuttX RTOS reside here.

2.13 tools

This directory holds a collection of tools and scripts to simplify configuring and building NuttX.

2.14 Makefile

The top-level Makefile in the ${TOPDIR} directory contains all of the top-level control logic to build NuttX. Use of this Makefile to build NuttX is described below.

3.0 Configuring and Building

3.1 Configuring NuttX

Manual Configuration. Configuring NuttX requires only copying the board-specific configuration files into the top level directory which appears in the make files as the make variable, ${TOPDIR}. This could be done manually as follows:

• Copy configs/<board-name>/[<config-dir>/]Make.def to ${TOPDIR}/Make.defs,
• Copy configs/<board-name>/[<config-dir>/]setenv.sh to ${TOPDIR}/setenv.sh, and
• Copy configs/<board-name>/[<config-dir>/]defconfig to ${TOPDIR}/.config

Where <board-name> is the name of one of the sub-directories of the NuttX configs/ directory. This sub-directory name corresponds to one of the supported boards identified above. And <config-dir> is the optional, specific configuration directory for the board.

Automated Configuration. There is a script that automates these steps. The following steps will accomplish the same configuration:

  cd tools
  ./configure.sh <board-name>[/<config-dir>]

Additional Configuration Steps. The remainder of configuration steps will be performed by ${TOPDIR}/Makefile the first time the system is built as described below.

3.2 Building NuttX

Building NuttX. Once NuttX has been configured as described above, it may be built as follows:

cd ${TOPDIR}
source ./setenv.sh
make

The ${TOPDIR} directory holds:

• The top level Makefile that controls the NuttX build.

That directory also holds:

• The makefile fragment .config that describes the current configuration.
• The makefile fragment Make.defs that provides customized build targers, and
• The shell script setenv.sh that sets up the configuration environment for the build.

The setenv.sh contains Linux/Cygwin environmental settings that are needed for the build. The specific environmental definitions are unique for each board but should include, as a minimum, updates to the PATH variable to include the full path to the architecture-specific toolchain identified in Make.defs. The setenv.sh only needs to be source'ed at the beginning of a session. The system can be re-made subsequently by just typing make.

First Time Make. Additional configuration actions will be taken the first time that system is built. These additional steps include:

• Auto-generating the file include/nuttx/config. using the ${TOPDIR}/.config file.
• Creating a link to ${TOPDIR}/arch/<arch-name>/include at ${TOPDIR}/include/arch.
• Creating a link to ${TOPDIR}/configs/<board-name>/include at ${TOPDIR}/include/arch/board.
• Creating a link to ${TOPDIR}/configs/<board-name>/src at ${TOPDIR}/arch/<arch-name>/src/board
• Creating make dependencies.

4.0 Architecture APIs

The file include/nuttx/arch.h identifies by prototype all of the APIs that must be provided by the architecture specific logic. The internal OS APIs that architecture-specific logic must interface with also also identified in include/nuttx/arch.h or in other header files.

4.1 APIs Exported by Architecture-Specific Logic to NuttX

4.1.1 up_initialize()

Prototype: void up_initialize(void);

Description. up_initialize() will be called once during OS initialization after the basic OS services have been initialized. The architecture specific details of initializing the OS will be handled here. Such things as setting up interrupt service routines, starting the clock, and registering device drivers are some of the things that are different for each processor and hardware platform.

up_initialize() is called after the OS initialized but before the init process has been started and before the libraries have been initialized. OS services and driver services are available.

4.1.2 up_idle()

Prototype: void up_idle(void);

Description. up_idle() is the logic that will be executed when their is no other ready-to-run task. This is processor idle time and will continue until some interrupt occurs to cause a context switch from the idle task.

Processing in this state may be processor-specific. e.g., this is where power management operations might be performed.

4.1.3 up_initial_state()

Prototype: void up_initial_state(FAR _TCB *tcb);

Description. A new thread is being started and a new TCB has been created. This function is called to initialize the processor specific portions of the new TCB.

This function must setup the intial architecture registers and/or stack so that execution will begin at tcb->start on the next context switch.

4.1.4 up_create_stack()

Prototype: STATUS up_create_stack(FAR _TCB *tcb, size_t stack_size);

Description. Allocate a stack for a new thread and setup up stack-related information in the TCB.

The following TCB fields must be initialized:

• adj_stack_size: Stack size after adjustment for hardware, processor, etc. This value is retained only for debug purposes.
• stack_alloc_ptr: Pointer to allocated stack
• adj_stack_ptr: Adjusted stack_alloc_ptr for HW. The initial value of the stack pointer.

This API is NOT required if CONFIG_CUSTOM_STACK is defined.

Inputs:

4.1.5 up_use_stack()

Prototype: STATUS up_use_stack(FAR _TCB *tcb, FAR void *stack, size_t stack_size);

Description. Setup up stack-related information in the TCB using pre-allocated stack memory.

The following TCB fields must be initialized:

• adj_stack_size: Stack size after adjustment for hardware, processor, etc. This value is retained only for debug purposes.
• stack_alloc_ptr: Pointer to allocated stack
• adj_stack_ptr: Adjusted stack_alloc_ptr for HW. The initial value of the stack pointer.

This API is NOT required if CONFIG_CUSTOM_STACK is defined.

Inputs:

• tcb: The TCB of new task.
• stack_size: The allocated stack size.

4.1.6 up_release_stack()

Prototype: void up_release_stack(FAR _TCB *dtcb);

Description. A task has been stopped. Free all stack related resources retained int the defunct TCB.

This API is NOT required if CONFIG_CUSTOM_STACK is defined.

4.1.7 up_unblock_task()

Prototype: void up_unblock_task(FAR _TCB *tcb);

Description. A task is currently in an inactive task list but has been prepped to execute. Move the TCB to the ready-to-run list, restore its context, and start execution.

This function is called only from the NuttX scheduling logic. Interrupts will always be disabled when this function is called.

Inputs:

• tcb: Refers to the tcb to be unblocked. This tcb is in one of the waiting tasks lists. It must be moved to the ready-to-run list and, if it is the highest priority ready to run taks, executed.

4.1.8 up_block_task()

Prototype: void up_block_task(FAR _TCB *tcb, tstate_t task_state);

Description. The currently executing task at the head of the ready to run list must be stopped. Save its context and move it to the inactive list specified by task_state. This function is called only from the NuttX scheduling logic. Interrupts will always be disabled when this function is called.

Inputs:

• tcb: Refers to a task in the ready-to-run list (normally the task at the the head of the list). It most be stopped, its context saved and moved into one of the waiting task lists. It it was the task at the head of the ready-to-run list, then a context to the new ready to run task must be performed.
• task_state: Specifies which waiting task list should be hold the blocked task TCB.

4.1.9 up_release_pending()

Prototype: void up_release_pending(void);

Description. When tasks become ready-to-run but cannot run because pre-emption is disabled, they are placed into a pending task list. This function releases and makes ready-to-run all of the tasks that have collected in the pending task list. This can cause a context switch if a new task is placed at the head of the ready to run list.

This function is called only from the NuttX scheduling logic when pre-emption is re-enabled. Interrupts will always be disabled when this function is called.

4.1.10 up_reprioritize_rtr()

Prototype: void up_reprioritize_rtr(FAR _TCB *tcb, ubyte priority);

Description. Called when the priority of a running or ready-to-run task changes and the reprioritization will cause a context switch. Two cases:

1. The priority of the currently running task drops and the next task in the ready to run list has priority.
2. An idle, ready to run task's priority has been raised above the the priority of the current, running task and it now has the priority.

This function is called only from the NuttX scheduling logic. Interrupts will always be disabled when this function is called.

Inputs:

• tcb: The TCB of the task that has been reprioritized
• priority: The new task priority

4.1.11 _exit()

Prototype: void _exit(int status) noreturn_function;

Description. This function causes the currently executing task to cease to exist. This is a special case of task_delete().

Unlike other UP APIs, this function may be called directly from user programs in various states. The implementation of this function should diable interrupts before performing scheduling operations.

4.1.12 up_assert()

Prototype:
void up_assert(FAR const ubyte *filename, int linenum);
void up_assert_code(FAR const ubyte *filename, int linenum, int error_code);

Description. Assertions may be handled in an architecture-specific way.

4.1.13 up_schedule_sigaction()

Prototype: void up_schedule_sigaction(FAR _TCB *tcb, sig_deliver_t sigdeliver);

Description. This function is called by the OS when one or more signal handling actions have been queued for execution. The architecture specific code must configure things so that the 'igdeliver' callback is executed on the thread specified by 'tcb' as soon as possible.

This function may be called from interrupt handling logic.

This operation should not cause the task to be unblocked nor should it cause any immediate execution of sigdeliver. Typically, a few cases need to be considered:

1. This function may be called from an interrupt handler During interrupt processing, all xcptcontext structures should be valid for all tasks. That structure should be modified to invoke sigdeliver() either on return from (this) interrupt or on some subsequent context switch to the recipient task.
2. If not in an interrupt handler and the tcb is NOT the currently executing task, then again just modify the saved xcptcontext structure for the recipient task so it will invoke sigdeliver when that task is later resumed.
3. If not in an interrupt handler and the tcb IS the currently executing task -- just call the signal handler now.

This API is NOT required if CONFIG_DISABLE_SIGNALS is defined.

4.1.14 up_allocate_heap()

Prototype: void up_allocate_heap(FAR void **heap_start, size_t *heap_size);

Description. The heap may be statically allocated by defining CONFIG_HEAP_BASE and CONFIG_HEAP_SIZE. If these are not defined, then this function will be called to dynamically set aside the heap region.

This API is NOT required if CONFIG_HEAP_BASE is defined.

4.1.15 up_interrupt_context()

Prototype: boolean up_interrupt_context(void)

Description. Return TRUE is we are currently executing in the interrupt handler context.

4.1.16 up_disable_irq()

Prototype: void up_disable_irq(int irq);

Description. Disable the IRQ specified by 'irq'

4.1.17 up_enable_irq()

Prototype: void up_enable_irq(int irq);

Description. Enable the IRQ specified by 'irq'

4.1.18 up_putc()

Prototype: int up_putc(int ch);

Description. This is a debug interface exported by the architecture-specific logic. Output one character on the console

This API is NOT required if CONFIG_HEAP_BASE is defined.

4.2 APIs Exported by NuttX to Architecture-Specific Logic

These are standard interfaces that are exported by the OS for use by the architecture specific logic.

4.2.1 os_start()

To be provided

4.2.2 OS List Management APIs

To be provided

4.2.3 sched_process_timer()

Prototype: void sched_process_timer(void);

Description. This function handles system timer events. The timer interrupt logic itself is implemented in the architecture specific code, but must call the following OS function periodically -- the calling interval must be MSEC_PER_TICK.

4.2.4 irq_dispatch()

Prototype: void irq_dispatch(int irq, FAR void *context);

Description. This function must be called from the achitecture- specific logic in order to dispaly an interrupt to the appropriate, registered handling logic.

5.0 NuttX File System

Overview. NuttX includes an optional, scalable file system. This file-system may be omitted altogther; NuttX does not depend on the presence of any file system.

Pseudo Root File System. Or, a simple in-memory, psuedo file system can be enabled. This simple file system can be enabled setting the CONFIG_NFILE_DESCRIPTORS option to a non-zero value (see Appendix A). This is an in-memory file system because it does not require any storage medium or block driver support. Rather, file system contents are generated on-the-fly as referenced via standard file system operations (open, close, read, write, etc.). In this sense, the file system is psuedo file system (in the same sense that the Linux /proc file system is also referred to as a psuedo file system).

Any user supplied data or logic can be accessed via the psuedo-file system. Built in support is provided for character and block drivers in the /dev psuedo file system directory.

Mounted File Systems The simple in-memory file system can be extended my mounting block devices that provide access to true file systems backed up via some mass storage device. NuttX supports the standard mount() command that allows a block driver to be bound to a mountpoint within the psuedo file system and to a a file system. At present, NuttX supports only the VFAT file system.

Comparison to Linux From a programming perspective, the NuttX file system appears very similar to a Linux file system. However, there is a fundamental difference: The NuttX root file system is a psuedo file system and true file systems may be mounted in the psuedo file system. In the typical Linux installation by comparison, the Linux root file system is a true file system and psuedo file systems may be mounted in the true, root file system. The approach selected by NuttX is intended to support greater scalability from the very tiny platform to the moderate platform.

Appendix A: NuttX Configuration Settings

The following variables are recognized by the build (you may also include architecture-specific settings).

Architecture selection

The following configuration itemes select the architecture, chip, and board configuration for the build.

• CONFIG_ARCH: Identifies the arch subdirectory
• CONFIG_ARCH_name: For use in C code
• CONFIG_ARCH_CHIP: Identifies the arch/*/chip subdirectory
• CONFIG_ARCH_CHIP_name: For use in C code
• CONFIG_ARCH_BOARD: Identifies the configs subdirectory and hence, the board that supports the particular chip or SoC.
• CONFIG_ARCH_BOARD_name: For use in C code
• CONFIG_ENDIAN_BIG: Define if big endian (default is little endian).

Some architectures require a description of the the RAM configuration:

• CONFIG_DRAM_SIZE: Describes the installed DRAM.
• CONFIG_DRAM_START: The start address of DRAM (physical)
• CONFIG_DRAM_VSTART: The startaddress of DRAM (virtual)

General build options:

• CONFIG_RRLOAD_BINARY: Make the rrload binary format used with BSPs from ridgerun.com.
• CONFIG_HAVE_LIBM: Toolchain supports libm.a

General OS setup

• CONFIG_EXAMPLE: identifies the subdirectory in examples that will be used in the build.
• CONFIG_DEBUG: enables built-in debug options
• CONFIG_DEBUG_VERBOSE: enables verbose debug output
• CONFIG_DEBUG_SCHED: enable OS debug output (disabled by default)
• CONFIG_DEBUG_MM: enable memory management debug output (disabld by default)
• CONFIG_DEBUG_NET: enable network debug output (disabled by default)
• CONFIG_DEBUG_FS: enable file system debug output (disabled by default)
• CONFIG_DEBUG_LIB: enable C library debug output (disabled by default)
• CONFIG_HAVE_LOWPUTC: architecture supports low-level, boot time console output
• CONFIG_MM_REGIONS: If the architecture includes multiple regions of memory to allocate from, this specifies the number of memory regions that the memory manager must handle and enables the API mm_addregion(start, end);
• CONFIG_TICKS_PER_MSEC: The default system timer is 100Hz or TICKS_PER_MSEC=10. This setting may be defined to inform NuttX that the processor hardware is providing system timer interrupts at some interrupt interval other than 10 msec.
• CONFIG_RR_INTERVAL: The round robin timeslice will be set this number of milliseconds; Round robin scheduling can be disabled by setting this value to zero.
• CONFIG_SCHED_INSTRUMENTATION: enables instrumentation in scheduler to monitor system performance
• CONFIG_TASK_NAME_SIZE: Spcifies that maximum size of a task name to save in the TCB. Useful if scheduler instrumentation is selected. Set to zero to disable.
• CONFIG_START_YEAR, CONFIG_START_MONTH, CONFIG_START_DAY - Used to initialize the internal time logic.
• CONFIG_JULIAN_TIME: Enables Julian time conversions
• CONFIG_DEV_CONSOLE: Set if architecture-specific logic provides /dev/console. Enables stdout, stderr, stdin.