Build Qt5 for BeagleBone Black

luca · wrote on 17 Oct 2013, 13:34

Ok, it seems I used the wrong toochain.

Now I'm trying the gcc-linaro-arm-linux-gnueabi-2012.04-20120426_linux.tar.bz2 toolchain and it seems to compile.

luca · wrote on 24 Oct 2013, 08:31

Here again.

I compiled without error Qt5 qtbase source.

Now the problem is that I only can start applications in BBB using:
@
./myapp -platform linuxfb
@
But it seems I can't use mouse or keyboard.

Have someone compiled Qt5 for BBB without my problems?

Now I'm also trying to build Qt5 with EGL support but I actually can't.

jseeQt · wrote on 22 Nov 2013, 17:43

Which distribution do you use? Angstrom? Debian?
just check if you have the EGL, GLESv2 and OpenVG libraries installed on your BBB system, they won't be installed by default.

luca · wrote on 22 Nov 2013, 18:19

[quote author="jseeQt" date="1385142188"]Which distribution do you use? Angstrom? Debian?
just check if you have the EGL, GLESv2 and OpenVG libraries installed on your BBB system, they won't be installed by default.[/quote]

I'm using Angstrom.
Have you compiled Qt5 with EGL support ?

messi · wrote on 22 Nov 2013, 22:41

Hi Luca,

if you have time and enough HD space you could try yocto with meta-qt5:
Look here
http://gpupowered.org/node/20
and here
http://gpupowered.org/node/22

Cheers

jseeQt · wrote on 23 Nov 2013, 00:48

Hey Luca,

I don't know any prebuild packages with the OpenGL/EGL-libraries for BB(B).
You get these libraries if you compile the Sitara Graphics SDK on your own (see http://processors.wiki.ti.com/index.php/Graphics_SDK_Quick_installation_and_user_guide).
This provide you the EGL and the GLESv2 libraries.

You find the current version of the Graphics SDK at:
http://software-dl.ti.com/dsps/dsps_public_sw/sdo_sb/targetcontent/gfxsdk/latest/index_FDS.html

I tested it with Robert Nelson's Debian Wheezy Image:

Download the image and copy it to SD card, mount the rootfs on it
Download the cross-compiler
Download the kernel and compile it
Download Graphics SDK and compile it against kernel (instructions see first link)
If everything worked fine, boot up BB(B), and run the script /etc/init.d/335x-demo. It will install the modules and libraries. With this libraries, you will be able to compile OpenGL/EGL-stuff (maybe you should then pass the "-opengl es2" option to the Qt configure)

Maybe this steps also works for the Angstrom image...

If some guys are interested, maybe we could create a Debian-package to install the libraries with apitude, apt-get, etc. (like on Raspberry Pi the librasberrypi-dev)

john3909 · wrote on 12 Dec 2013, 18:47

I would be very much interested in Debian-package to install the libraries.

Regards,
John

vveliev · wrote on 5 Feb 2014, 11:02

+1
I would be interested in Debian-packages as well

Thank you

jseeQt · wrote on 6 Feb 2014, 14:05

I compiled the OpenGLES and EGL libraries against the 3.8 kernel.
Currently, the "out-of-the-box" wheezy-image from Robert Nelson also includes the 3.8 kernel, so you can test them really quickly. LINK:

https://rcn-ee.net/deb/rootfs/wheezy/debian-7.3-console-armhf-2014-01-24.tar.xz

My question: Do you like a debian package or tar.* archive?
(Have to say, I have no excperience with making a debian package...)

vveliev · wrote on 7 Feb 2014, 05:06

thanks a lot , for your time ,

i don't really mind any right now :)

Since i'm trying to figure out how everything works ...

luca · wrote on 10 Feb 2014, 09:35

Hi jseeQt,
I think a tar archive can be enough.

Thanks!

[quote author="jseeQt" date="1391695537"]I compiled the OpenGLES and EGL libraries against the 3.8 kernel.
Currently, the "out-of-the-box" wheezy-image from Robert Nelson also includes the 3.8 kernel, so you can test them really quickly. LINK:

https://rcn-ee.net/deb/rootfs/wheezy/debian-7.3-console-armhf-2014-01-24.tar.xz

My question: Do you like a debian package or tar.* archive?
(Have to say, I have no excperience with making a debian package...)[/quote]

luca · wrote on 10 Feb 2014, 14:34

jseeQt, why have you compiled a new kernel for you board ?
Is it impossible to use the kernel you already have in the BBB?

Thanks

jseeQt · wrote on 11 Feb 2014, 10:33

I did not compiled the kernel again.
But the SGX driver (which give us the GLESv2 and EGL libraries) have to be build against kernel sources...so I checked-out the (current) standard 3.8 kernel and compiled the SGX driver.
So: If you compilethe SGX driver against the 3.2 or 3.12 kernel, you cannot use them with a 3.8 kernel.

luca · wrote on 11 Feb 2014, 13:18

Thanks jseeQt,
I have in my BBB the 3.8.13-bone30 Kernel (i'm using ubuntu-saucy-13.10-armhf-3.8.13-bone30.img.xz from armhf.com).
Can you please tell me where to find the 3.8.13-bone30 kernel source?

Another question, in "this link":http://www.elinux.org/Beagleboard:BeagleBoneBlack#Known_Issues they tell:
@2) SGX support is not currently provided i the 3.8 kernel.@
why can you use it building with 3.8 kernel?

Thanks

[quote author="jseeQt" date="1392114832"]I did not compiled the kernel again.
But the SGX driver (which give us the GLESv2 and EGL libraries) have to be build against kernel sources...so I checked-out the (current) standard 3.8 kernel and compiled the SGX driver.
So: If you compilethe SGX driver against the 3.2 or 3.12 kernel, you cannot use them with a 3.8 kernel.[/quote]

jseeQt · wrote on 11 Feb 2014, 13:57

Ok, I managed it to run with 3.2, I currently working to compile it for 3.8, but that's now wasted time...
I check it with the 3.2 kernel again...I will post updates here!

luca · wrote on 11 Feb 2014, 16:10

Ok, thanks!

[quote author="jseeQt" date="1392127023"]Ok, I managed it to run with 3.2, I currently working to compile it for 3.8, but that's now wasted time...
I check it with the 3.2 kernel again...I will post updates here![/quote]

vveliev · wrote on 12 Feb 2014, 14:02

[quote author="jseeQt" date="1392127023"]Ok, I managed it to run with 3.2, I currently working to compile it for 3.8, but that's now wasted time...
I check it with the 3.2 kernel again...I will post updates here![/quote]

Hey thanks for your help , I'm having a bit of difficulty to figure out correct steps for compiling SGX right now.

but talking about kernel 3.8 it seems to me that it been fixed. Based on discussions from:
1 "Here":https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/beagleboard/qQTC7C8g0I8
2 and here "here":http://e2e.ti.com/support/arm/sitara_arm/f/791/p/298596/1087282.aspx#1087282

and i assume that we need "this version (bone40.1) ":https://github.com/RobertCNelson/linux-dev/tree/am33x-v3.8 of kernel where patches have been applied

XelaG · wrote on 17 Feb 2014, 13:23

@Luca: Did you manage to compile Qt5 for beaglebone black running angstrom distribution ?

luca · wrote on 19 Feb 2014, 08:57

[quote author="XelaG" date="1392643385"]@Luca: Did you manage to compile Qt5 for beaglebone black running angstrom distribution ?[/quote]

Hi,
yes, I built Qt 5 for BBB but I didn't use angstrom, I used "this":http://www.armhf.com/index.php/boards/beaglebone-black/#saucy .

XelaG · wrote on 19 Feb 2014, 10:58

[quote author="Luca" date="1392800239"]
Hi,
yes, I built Qt 5 for BBB but I didn't use angstrom, I used "this":http://www.armhf.com/index.php/boards/beaglebone-black/#saucy .
[/quote]

Hello,

I've found this tutorial "Bare metal Qt5":http://armsdr.blogspot.fr/2014/01/bare-metal-qt-52-on-beaglebone-black.html.
I guess you didn't not compile Qt5 with OpenGL ES (SGX driver) support, cause it is not yet support by the kernel for am335x but it might be supported soon. am I right ?

I do need OpenGL ES support cause I want to use QML in my app.
Coul you describe the steps you followed to (cross-)compile Qt5 with BBB ?