Status of the Xtensa Port: Difference between revisions

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== Xtensa Support in OpenSource Software ==
== Xtensa Support in Open Source Software ==


Applications are mostly written processor-independent and don't require
Unlike applications that are mostly written architecture-independent,
modifications to support a new processor architectur. Development tools that
development tools and operating systems must be ported to a new processor architecture.
generate architecture specific code, however, must be ported to the new
Support for the Xtensa architecture has already been integrated to most Open Source software.  
architecture. Support for the Xtensa architecture has already been integrated
More information can be found below.
to most OpenSource development tools. More information can be found in the
following sections.


== Conventions ==


Patches for tools and applications to support additional features or for
== Back-porting ==
bug-fixes are located under the in http://www.linux-xtensa.org/pub/patches.  
 
Although development continues in the Open Source repositories ('top of trunk'), it is sometimes
desirable to support additional features or to provide bug-fixes for older versions. These changes
are provided as patches and are located under http://www.linux-xtensa.org/pub/patches.  
 
The patches follow the following naming convention:
The patches follow the following naming convention:


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in order of the incremental patch number.
in order of the incremental patch number.


== Development Tools ==


=== Compiler and Binutils ===
== Status ==


The GNU compiler (GCC) and binutils (assembler, linker, etc.) are maintained in the OpenSource source and can be downloaded from the respective locations. Support for Native Posix Thread Library (NTPL) and Thread Local Storage (TLS), however, hasn't been submitted to the latest versions.
=== Compiler (GCC) and various binary utilities (binutils) ===


=== Debugger ===
The GNU compiler (GCC) and binutils (assembler, linker, etc.) are maintained in OpenSource and can be downloaded from the respective locations. Support for the Native Posix Thread Library (NTPL), however, hasn't been submitted yet.


== C-Libraries ==
=== Debugger (GDB) ===


=== GLIBC and uClibc ===
Generic support for Xtensa has been integrated in GDB v6.7 but lacks support for Linux.


== Operating System ==
=== C-Libraries GLIBC and uClibc ===


=== Linux ===
Support for Xtensa has been included in uClibc as of December'07 and will be included in the next release (0.9.30).
Because GLIBC requires support for NPTL, a patch has not been released yet.
 
=== Linux kernel ===


Support for Xtensa has been integrated into the Linux kernel in 2.6.13. For the latest version, see also [[Internet_Resources]]
Support for Xtensa has been integrated into the Linux kernel in 2.6.13. For the latest version, see also [[Internet_Resources]]
== Applications ==
All applications should just compile and run on Xtensa unless they require specific processor features.

Revision as of 03:01, 6 January 2008

Xtensa Support in Open Source Software

Unlike applications that are mostly written architecture-independent, development tools and operating systems must be ported to a new processor architecture. Support for the Xtensa architecture has already been integrated to most Open Source software. More information can be found below.


Back-porting

Although development continues in the Open Source repositories ('top of trunk'), it is sometimes desirable to support additional features or to provide bug-fixes for older versions. These changes are provided as patches and are located under http://www.linux-xtensa.org/pub/patches.

The patches follow the following naming convention:

name-version-pseqno-descriptive-text.patch

  • name: the name of the tool or application,
  • version: the version number,
  • seqno: a sequential patch number,
  • descriptive-text': short description of the patch.

For example: gcc-4.1.1-p3-add-tls-support-for-xtensa.patch. The name describes a patch for the compiler gcc version 4.1.1. It is the third patch of a series of patches and needs to be applied after p1 and p2 have been applied. The description reveals that this patch adds TLS (Thread Local Storage) support for the Xtensa architecture.

The patches for a particular package and version must be applied sequentially in order of the incremental patch number.


Status

Compiler (GCC) and various binary utilities (binutils)

The GNU compiler (GCC) and binutils (assembler, linker, etc.) are maintained in OpenSource and can be downloaded from the respective locations. Support for the Native Posix Thread Library (NTPL), however, hasn't been submitted yet.

Debugger (GDB)

Generic support for Xtensa has been integrated in GDB v6.7 but lacks support for Linux.

C-Libraries GLIBC and uClibc

Support for Xtensa has been included in uClibc as of December'07 and will be included in the next release (0.9.30). Because GLIBC requires support for NPTL, a patch has not been released yet.

Linux kernel

Support for Xtensa has been integrated into the Linux kernel in 2.6.13. For the latest version, see also Internet_Resources

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