Cross Compiler: Installation Instructions

Cross-Compiler ARM Toolchains Setup Guide

Note::bulb: These instructions are exclusively for GCC Cross Compiler version 9.2.0 but will work with any compiler version available with this project.

 

A. Prerequisites:

• Update your environment:

  sudo apt update && sudo apt dist-upgrade

• Install Important Packages:

  sudo apt-get install build-essential gawk gcc g++ gfortran git texinfo bison libncurses-dev

 

B. Download Binary:

You can easily visit downloading page and find suitable cross-binaries for your Machine. Click Link given below:

 

C. Extracting and Linking Binary:

👉 Temporary Installation: Use these binaries directly (Recommended)

This repository now provides Free-Standing Cross-Compiler Toolchains that gives a common setup for everyone, the same standardized headers with no hardcoded paths, therefore the same solutions for everyone.

• Extraction: Extract using tar terminal command as follows:

  tar xf <filename e.g cross-gcc-9.2.0-pi_2-3.tar.gz>

• Linking:

  PATH=/<extracted folder-name e.g cross-pi-gcc-9.2.0-1>/bin:$PATH
  LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/<extracted folder-name e.g cross-pi-gcc-9.2.0-1>/lib:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH

 

👉 Permanent Installation:

• Extraction: Extract using tar terminal command as follows:

  tar xf <filename e.g cross-gcc-9.2.0-pi_2-3.tar.gz>

• Configuring: Move extracted folder to any location (for e.g. /opt) by using following command:

  sudo mv <extracted folder-name e.g cross-pi-gcc-9.2.0-1> /opt

• Linking: Properly link Path/Environment Variables permanently with either of the following given methods:

  • Appending variables to your .profile: (Recommended)

     echo 'export PATH=/opt/<extracted folder-name e.g cross-pi-gcc-9.2.0-1>/bin:$PATH' >> .profile  
     echo 'export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/opt/<extracted folder-name e.g cross-pi-gcc-9.2.0-1>/lib:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH' >> .profile
     source .profile

  • Appending variables to your .bashrc: ⚠️ Some Linux users reported some trouble with configuring path variables at .profile that doesn't seem to work for them. If you encounter a similar problem, try setting/configure by adding paths to your .bashrc file instead of as follows:

     echo 'export PATH=/opt/<extracted folder-name e.g cross-pi-gcc-9.2.0-1>/bin:$PATH' >> .bashrc
     echo 'export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/opt/<extracted folder-name e.g cross-pi-gcc-9.2.0-1>/lib:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH' >> .bashrc
     source .bashrc

 

D. Bonus:

• Extra flag required while using custom SYSROOT Folder during build:

  While using a seperate custom SYSROOT Folder for your builds (for example in case of QT builds), kindly add -no-gcc-sysroot flag to your configure command to avoid undesired errors and failures.

• Extra step to use Cross-Compiler Binaries with CMAKE:

  Enable CMAKES's implicit directory feature by injecting the following lines into toolchain file: (Refer Issue:#3)

  unset(CMAKE_C_IMPLICIT_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES)
  unset(CMAKE_CXX_IMPLICIT_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES)