Using Ubuntu for building

[lancej29]

I run Ubuntu (12.04) and I want to use it to create/manage kernels/RFS for my OpenRd/PogoPlug. I am completely new to Archlinux, but I have built embedded systems before using CLFS, TimeSys and others. I want to configure and build everything on the host PC (without changing the distro there) and simply boot and run the results on the embedded system.

I hope asking to use Ubuntu as the host/build is not offensive or blasphemous.

Here is what I have done so far. First, I created the bootable drive as described on the platform page and booted Archlinux on the OpenRd board.

Then, following distcc directions on this site, I built the cross toolchain (using crosstool-ng).

Next I used github (new to me) to download the linux-kirkwood kernel, which I was able to customize (to use a NFS RFS) and build. This was done using the "traditional build" method described. My system now boots with this kernel, but using the RFS provided from the platform page (but over NFS). All of this was very manual/tedious and it just didn't "feel right."

Finally, I used pacman on the OpenRd platform to add some packages.

The problem I am having is that I cannot find the all of the software for Ubuntu needed to follow the online instructions -- notably ABS and friends. Is there a tutorial or something about how this can be done? Is there a list of where to find all the tools for doing the Archlinux builds on Ubuntu?

[WarheadsSE]

I don't believe that they will all work on ubuntu, but I can tell you that you can distcc to an ubuntu box just fine.

I don't recommend this, but you *could use a qemu environment en-whole.

[lancej29]

I may have something that will work. I copy an archlinux root file system (maybe from archbang's live CD) and chroot to it when I want to build. I performed a quick experiment doing this on Ubuntu 10.04 and I was able to use pacman to choose and install several packages in the chroot environment. So, my next step is to try building the arm packages in this chroot environment.