[meta-xilinx] ZC702 support in Xilinx meta-xilinx

[Elvis Dowson]

Hi Sipke,

On Apr 17, 2013, at 8:20 AM, Sipke Vriend <sipke.vriend at xilinx.com> wrote:

> Our goals are pretty modest
> * to ensure there is a good quality base layer supporting modern Xilinx 
> SoC architectures - Zynq and MicroBlaze.
> * to consolidate existing efforts into a single meta-xilinx layer, upon 
> which others can build more complex functionality if they need it
> * BSPs for the main customer-visible Zynq boards (ZC702, ZC706, ZedBoard)
> * A generic placeholder MicroBlaze BSP which users can customize manually 
> as required (drop in replacement DTS, CPU tune file etc)
> "

Zynq support is very easy to add to Yocto. Support for Zynq board definitions
using the SOC_FAMILY feature already exists in the meta-xilinx layer that
I maintain.

Wouldn't it be easier if you just pull the relevant patches supporting the Zynq
processor off the meta-xilinx layer, and then make your own modifications on
top of that, and I can correspondingly pull in those patches.

Wasnt' fragmentation the initial goal? At the moment, in its current state,
the meta-xilinx repository that I maintain is compatible with Philip's (i.e. he
can add bbappends to his recipes and base it off the meta-xilinx layer that
I've created), and the Xilinx Github layer (all the recent microblaze tune
definitions files that you've recently developed).

> Expanding on that (and to hopefully clarify our goal), as you can see from 
> the current variety of layers, there is significant variation in individual 
> requirements. This is currently achieved through 'parallel' repositories, 
> rather than layers. So arguably our main goal is to create a minimalistic base 
> architecture layer on top of which other layers can be modified or developed.
> 
> The extent of coverage in your current layer is well beyond our scope. Hence
> our goal that you (and others, hence Phil's question I presume) will be able 
> to layer (in the bitbake layer sense) off this new Xilinx meta layer. You will then
> be able to provide the extended features you require but that Xilinx is not 
> capable of supporting, as the coverage would be too large.

I intend to support and maintain for the boards that I currently have with me, which
is 
ML507
SP601
ZC702
VC709

which covered Virtex-5 FXT (PowerPC 440), Zynq-7020 (Dual ARM Cortex A9)
and MicroBlaze (Virtex-7 and Spartan-6).

The Zedboard, I don't plan on buying because that's a simplified version of the
ZC702.

Since you probably have access to all the Xilinx development boards, it would be
easier for you to immediately pull in the ZC702 and ZC706 patches and test it out
at your end. If you develop and test the Zedboard patches, I can pull it in any 
synchronize my repository.

The other alternative is for someone at Xilinx to be added as maintainer for the
current yocto meta-xilinx repository, in addition to Adrian Alonso and myself, so
that you can avoid the fragmentation issue once and for all!

Best regards,

Elvis Dowson