Embedded Linux Primer: A Practical, Real-World Approach
By Christopher Hallinan
...............................................
Publisher: Prentice Hall
Pub Date: September 18, 2006
Print ISBN-10: 0-13-167984-8
Print ISBN-13: 978-0-13-167984-9
Pages: 576
Table of Contents | Index
Comprehensive Real-World Guidance for Every Embedded Developer and Engineer
This book brings together indispensable knowledge for building efficient, high-value, Linux-based
embedded products: information that has never been assembled in one place before. Drawing on
years of experience as an embedded Linux consultant and field application engineer, Christopher
Hallinan offers solutions for the specific technical issues you're most likely to face, demonstrates
how to build an effective embedded Linux environment, and shows how to use it as productively as
possible.
Hallinan begins by touring a typical Linux-based embedded system, introducing key concepts and
components, and calling attention to differences between Linux and traditional embedded
environments. Writing from the embedded developer's viewpoint, he thoroughly addresses issues
ranging from kernel building and initialization to bootloaders, device drivers to file systems.
Hallinan thoroughly covers the increasingly popular BusyBox utilities; presents a step-by-step
walkthrough of porting Linux to custom boards; and introduces real-time configuration via
CONFIG_RT--one of today's most exciting developments in embedded Linux. You'll find especially
detailed coverage of using development tools to analyze and debug embedded systems--including
the art of kernel debugging.
Compare leading embedded Linux processors
Understand the details of the Linux kernel initialization process
Learn about the special role of bootloaders in embedded Linux systems, with specific emphasis
on U-Boot
Use embedded Linux file systems, including JFFS2--with detailed guidelines for building Flash-
resident file system images
Understand the Memory Technology Devices subsystem for flash (and other) memory devices
Master gdb, KGDB, and hardware JTAG debugging
Learn many tips and techniques for debugging within the Linux kernel
Embedded Linux Primer: A Practical, Real-World Approach
By Christopher Hallinan
...............................................
Publisher: Prentice Hall
Pub Date: September 18, 2006
Print ISBN-10: 0-13-167984-8
Print ISBN-13: 978-0-13-167984-9
Pages: 576
Table of Contents | Index
Comprehensive Real-World Guidance for Every Embedded Developer and Engineer
This book brings together indispensable knowledge for building efficient, high-value, Linux-based
embedded products: information that has never been assembled in one place before. Drawing on
years of experience as an embedded Linux consultant and field application engineer, Christopher
Hallinan offers solutions for the specific technical issues you're most likely to face, demonstrates
how to build an effective embedded Linux environment, and shows how to use it as productively as
possible.
Hallinan begins by touring a typical Linux-based embedded system, introducing key concepts and
components, and calling attention to differences between Linux and traditional embedded
environments. Writing from the embedded developer's viewpoint, he thoroughly addresses issues
ranging from kernel building and initialization to bootloaders, device drivers to file systems.
Hallinan thoroughly covers the increasingly popular BusyBox utilities; presents a step-by-step
walkthrough of porting Linux to custom boards; and introduces real-time configuration via
CONFIG_RT--one of today's most exciting developments in embedded Linux. You'll find especially
detailed coverage of using development tools to analyze and debug embedded systems--including
the art of kernel debugging.
Compare leading embedded Linux processors
Understand the details of the Linux kernel initialization process
Learn about the special role of bootloaders in embedded Linux systems, with specific emphasis
on U-Boot
Use embedded Linux file systems, including JFFS2--with detailed guidelines for building Flash-
resident file system images
Understand the Memory Technology Devices subsystem for flash (and other) memory devices
Master gdb, KGDB, and hardware JTAG debugging
Learn many tips and techniques for debugging within the Linux kernel
Maximize your productivity in cross-development environments
Prepare your entire development environment, including TFTP, DHCP, and NFS target servers
Configure, build, and initialize BusyBox to support your unique requirements
About the Author
Christopher Hallinan, field applications engineer at MontaVista software, has worked for more than
20 years in assignments ranging from engineering and engineering management to marketing and
business development. He spent four years as an independent development consultant in the
embedded Linux marketplace. His work has appeared in magazines, including Telecommunications
Magazine, Fiber Optics Magazine, and Aviation Digest.
Embedded Linux Primer: A Practical, Real-World Approach
By Christopher Hallinan
...............................................
Publisher: Prentice Hall
Pub Date: September 18, 2006
Print ISBN-10: 0-13-167984-8
Print ISBN-13: 978-0-13-167984-9
Pages: 576
Table of Contents | Index
Copyright
Prentice Hall Open Source Software Development Series
Foreword
Preface
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Chapter 1. Introduction
Section 1.1. Why Linux?
Section 1.2. Embedded Linux Today
Section 1.3. Open Source and the GPL
Section 1.4. Standards and Relevant Bodies
Section 1.5. Chapter Summary
Chapter 2. Your First Embedded Experience
Section 2.1. Embedded or Not?
Section 2.2. Anatomy of an Embedded System
Section 2.3. Storage Considerations
Section 2.4. Embedded Linux Distributions
Section 2.5. Chapter Summary
Chapter 3. Processor Basics
Section 3.1. Stand-alone Processors
Section 3.2. Integrated Processors: Systems on Chip
Section 3.3. Hardware Platforms
Section 3.4. Chapter Summary
Chapter 4. The Linux KernelA Different Perspective
Section 4.1. Background
Section 4.2. Linux Kernel Construction
Section 4.3. Kernel Build System
Section 4.4. Obtaining a Linux Kernel
Section 4.5. Chapter Summary
Chapter 5. Kernel Initialization
Section 5.1. Composite Kernel Image: Piggy and Friends
Section 5.2. Initialization Flow of Control
Section 5.3. Kernel Command Line Processing
Section 5.4. Subsystem Initialization
Section 5.5. The init Thread
Section 5.6. Chapter Summary
Chapter 6. System Initialization
Section 6.1. Root File System
Section 6.2. Kernel's Last Boot Steps
Section 6.3. The Init Process
Section 6.4. Initial RAM Disk
Section 6.5. Using initramfs
Section 6.6. Shutdown
Section 6.7. Chapter Summary
Chapter 7. Bootloaders
Section 7.1. Role of a Bootloader
Section 7.2. Bootloader Challenges
Section 7.3. A Universal Bootloader: Das U-Boot
Section 7.4. Porting U-Boot
Section 7.5. Other Bootloaders
Section 7.6. Chapter Summary
Chapter 8. Device Driver Basics
Section 8.1. Device Driver Concepts
Section 8.2. Module Utilities
Section 8.3. Driver Methods
Section 8.4. Bringing It All Together
Section 8.5. Device Drivers and the GPL
Section 8.6. Chapter Summary
Chapter 9. File Systems
Section 9.1. Linux File System Concepts
Section 9.2. ext2
Section 9.3. ext3
Section 9.4. ReiserFS
Section 9.5. JFFS2
Section 9.6. cramfs
Section 9.7. Network File System
Section 9.8. Pseudo File Systems
Section 9.9. Other File Systems
Section 9.10. Building a Simple File System
Section 9.11. Chapter Summary
Chapter 10. MTD Subsystem
Section 10.1. Enabling MTD Services
Section 10.2. MTD Basics
Section 10.3. MTD Partitions
Section 10.4. MTD Utilities
Section 10.5. Chapter Summary
Chapter 11. BusyBox
Section 11.1. Introduction to BusyBox
