Embedded Linux QA with Wind River Test Management 4.0

Wind River has just announced the release of Winder River Test Management 4.0, a test suite specialized in testing embedded devices and allowing the test teams to optimize the testing effort by focusing resources on high-risk areas and deliver a high-quality embedded software solution on time. New Features and Enhancements New preconfigured test suite generators: The following new test suite generation methods are available: Create a test suite based on coverage and execution time: Selects test case instances that will generate the maximum coverage given a fixed time constraint . Create a test suite based on execution results: Selects test case instances that have run with specific final status values. Create a test suite based on requirements: Selects test case instances that are associated with specific requirement records to ensure that all requirements have a test associated with them and are thoroughly tested. Create a test suite based on defect […]

Bootloader to OS with Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI)

Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) is a specification detailing an interface that helps hand off control of the system for the pre-boot environment (i.e.: after the system is powered on, but before the operating system starts) to an operating system, such as Windows or Linux. UEFI aims to provides a clean interface between operating systems and platform firmware at boot time, and supports an architecture-independent mechanism for initializing add-in cards. UEFI will overtime replace vendor-specific BIOS. It also allows for fast boot and support for large hard drives (> 2.2 TB). There are several documents fully defining the UEFI Specification, API and testing requirements: The UEFI Specification (version 2.3.1) describes an interface between the operating system (OS) and the platform firmware. It describes the requirements for the following components, services and protocols: Boot Manager Protocols – Compression Algorithm Specification EFI System Table Protocols – ACPI Protocols GUID Partition Table (GPT) […]

ArmSoM CM5 - Raspberry Pi CM4 alternative with Rockchip RK3576 SoC

Installing Ubuntu 10.04 LTS in Acer Aspire One D255E

Since I’d like to try Xibo Python Linux client, I’ve decided to install Ubuntu 10.04 LTS in my netbook Acer Aspire One D255. The bad news is that it did not go so smoothly, the good news is that since the wired & wireless network and SD card did not work I can blog the solution about it. Installing Ubuntu 10.04 from a USB thumb drive. First, I went to Ubuntu Download page, change the version to Ubuntu 10.04 LTS – Long Term Support and downloaded the ISO file (ubuntu-10.04.3-desktop-i386.iso). Then I downloaded the Universal USB Installer (For Windows XP) to install the ISO in my USB thumb drive. Finally, I inserted the USB thumb drive in my netbook and performed the default installation, except for partitioning, where I used the 3rd partition in my hard disk and an extra swap partition to install Ubuntu. After installation, everything seems to […]

Xibo Digital Signage Version 1.3.0 Released

Xibo has just announced the release of Xibo 1.3.0 (codename: “Faye”). Bear in mind that this is a development release and is not supposed to be used in production environments. The next stable release will be version 1.4.0 and The current stable version is 1.2.2. If you would still like to evaluate Xibo 1.3.0, you may download it at https://launchpad.net/xibo/1.3/1.3.0 New features in Xibo 1.3.0: Permissions Overhaul: The most significant change in 1.3.0 is the permissions system in the server interface. This update introduces individual and group permissions for: Layouts Library Media Regions Region Media Assignment It is also now possible to assign permissions to “Everyone” on all of the above items. Media Manager Homepage: A simple user interface for managing layout/media assignments that the user has access to. This “homepage” can be assigned on a user by user basis. Customer Counter: The Python client has been enhanced to support […]

Install Git for Windows XP, Windows 7

I’ve used TortoiseCVS and TortoiseSVN under Windows XP. However, nowadays many project are using Git instead. Luckily, there is also TortoiseGIT for that matter. You’ll need to install 2 components: TortoiseGit – Port of TortoiseSVN to TortoiseGIT MSysGit – Git for Windows MSysGit already has a graphical interface, so you would also be able to clone repositories, commit change, etc.. with MSysGit alone. The only reason to install TortoiseGit is if you are used to TortoiseCVS/TortoiseSVN and want to keep the same look and feel. I use the following version for installation on Windows XP: TortoiseGit 1.7.2.0 32-bit Git 1.7.4 First, I installed TortoiseGit with the default parameters (TortoisePlink SSH Client) . Finally, I installed Git by deselecting unnecessary components as shown below. We do not need Quick Launch or Desktop icons as we’ll use TortoiseGit instead. I’ve also disabled Windows Explorer Integration or you’d have two Git options in […]

How to Write and Submit a Linux Kernel Patch

Greg Kroah-Hartman has a very good tutorial about writing and submitting a patch to the Linux kernel. The video is over 1 year old but this is still relevant. The materials for this tutorial are available via git: git clone git://github.com/gregkh/kernel-tutorial.git Alternatively, you can also download a copy of the presentation slides. The actual presentation is divided into 6 parts: git basics (git branch, git clone…) Kernel coding style (Details can be found in Documentation/CodingStyle) Fixing a file (with scripts/checkpatch.pl scripts) Generating a patch (with git -diff) Email the patch (with scripts/get_maintainer.pl and git send-email) Q&A If you want to skip the git basics and kernel coding style parts (although I don’t recommend it), fast forward to 13:33. All patches by in the linux kernel are checked by at least 2 persons. Before submitting a patch, you’ll have to make sure of the following (Checklist): Kernel builds with patch applied […]

Rockchip RK3568/RK3588 and Intel x86 SBCs

What is GENIVI ? A Software Standard for the Automotive Industry

I’ve recently read in the news that a few operating systems had achieved GENIVI compliance. So let’s see what Wikipedia says about the GENIVI Alliance: The GENIVI Alliance was founded on March 2, 2009 by BMW Group, Delphi, GM, Intel, Magneti-Marelli, PSA Peugeot Citroen, Visteon, and Wind River Systems with the goal of establishing a globally competitive, Linux-based operating system, middleware and platform for the automotive in-vehicle infotainment industry. Since then, the alliance has expanded to more than 100 members who are working together to deliver an open and globally consistent software platform based on Linux for use by the whole car industry. So the clear goal here is to have some set of software specifications and standards (Currently GENEVI 1.0)  in the automotive industry in order to speed time to market and reduce the cost of developing Infotainment applications. GENIVI comes from a concatenation of Geneva and IVI (In-Vehicle […]

Energy Harvesting Development Kit by Microchip Technology

The XLP 16-bit Energy Harvesting Development Kit is a  development platform for realizing energy harvesting applications powered by Microchip nanoWatt XLP PIC MCUs which are suited for  low power applications with sleep currents down to 20nA, active mode currents down to 50uA/MHz, code execution efficiency, and multiple wake-up sources. The power for the kit is supplied by Cymbet’s EVAL-08 Solar Energy Harvester which features a solar panel suitable for use with indoor or outdoor light. The XLP kit enables rapid prototyping of low power applications such as RF sensors, temperature/environmental sensors, utility meters, remote controls, security sensors and more. For software development and programming, the kit includes the PICkit 3 programmer/debugger for use with the Microchip’s free MPLAB™ Integrated Development Environment. Microchip also provides XLP 16-bit Energy Harvesting RF Demo Code  in C language  (The file is a Windows Executable, but it’s just an executable compressed file so it can […]

Boardcon Rockchip and Allwinner SoM and SBC products