ZipIt Developer Tutorial

Let's collaborate on creating this tutorial here.

What I'd like to see is a really basic tutorial on how to develop a C program for the ZipIt.

Assume the developer is a newbie to Linux embedded development.

Lesson One: Setup development PC with Linux
Start with pointers or instructions on installing a basic Linux system suitable for developing C programs for the ZipIt on a spare PC. (one suggestion is to install Ubuntu Linux. http://www.ubuntu.com is The official Ubuntu website)

Lesson Two: Setup NFS server
It seems like an NFS server should be configured so the ZipIt can access disk here. How do you do that on this Linux spare PC? -See Steps 2 & 3 on OpenZipItLinuxInstall See Also: how to setup NFS on a Win XP machine ZipIt/WinxpNFS

Lesson Three: Configure development environment.
How do you set up the development environment? Step by step.


 * Everything you need to know is out there on the Internet. ...it's just finding it that's the issue The DULG is a wonderful resource for learning all about embedded Linux, U-Boot, how to set up a development host and lots more.

The author even hosts a pre-compiled tool chain for ARM, MIPS and PowerPC. See: http://www.denx.de/twiki/bin/view/DULG/Manual

Lesson Four: Build your first program
Step-by Step instructions on compiling a "Hello World" program for the Zipit. How to cross-compile a program for Zipit on a PC Linux system: ZipIt Compile

Lesson Five: Test your program on the ZipIt.
Instructions on how to get it onto the ZipIt so that it can be run. Here are the commands you enter on your Zipit to mount an NFS disk and run an executable off that disk:

mkdir /mnt/net1 mount -t nfs -o nolock -o tcp -o intr server_ip_address:/mnt/zipit /mnt/net1

cd to directory housing your executable. Run you executable by typing this:

./your_executable_here

Lesson Six: Flash your program on to your zipit.
How do you burn your new program onto the ZipIt's flash? -See "Modifying The OpenZipIt Ramdisk Image" section at OpenZipIt.