2.1.3. Using BitBake and the Build Directory

A final way of making the cross-toolchain available is to use BitBake to generate the toolchain within an existing Build Directory. This method does not install the toolchain into the default /opt directory. As with the previous method, if you need to install the target sysroot, you must do that separately as well.

Follow these steps to generate the toolchain into the Build Directory:

  1. Set up the Build Environment: Source the OpenEmbedded build environment setup script (i.e. oe-init-build-env or oe-init-build-env-memres) located in the Source Directory.

  2. Check your Local Configuration File: At this point, you should be sure that the MACHINE variable in the local.conf file found in the conf directory of the Build Directory is set for the target architecture. Comments within the local.conf file list the values you can use for the MACHINE variable.

    Note

    You can populate the Build Directory with the cross-toolchains for more than a single architecture. You just need to edit the MACHINE variable in the local.conf file and re-run the BitBake command.
  3. Generate the Cross-Toolchain: Run bitbake meta-ide-support to complete the cross-toolchain generation. Once the BitBake command finishes, the cross-toolchain is generated and populated within the Build Directory. You will notice environment setup files for the cross-toolchain that contain the string "environment-setup" in the Build Directory's tmp folder.

    Be aware that when you use this method to install the toolchain, you still need to separately extract and install the sysroot filesystem. For information on how to do this, see the "Extracting the Root Filesystem" section.