Configuring NuttX

Apache NuttX is a very configurable operating system. Nearly all features can be configured in or out of the system. This makes it possible to compile a build tailored for your hardware and application. It also makes configuring the system complex at times.

There is a configuration system that can be used on the commandline or in a GUI. I’ve found the easiest way to configured Apache NuttX is to use the menuconfig system. This is used via a terminal program and allows quick access to all of Apache NuttX’s features via a system of menus.

The Apache NuttX configuration system uses Linux’s kconfig system adapted for use with Apache NuttX. Here’s info on Linux’s kconfig menuconfig system.

After you’ve configured your board (see Compiling NuttX), you can use the menuconfig system to change the configuration. Once you’ve configured, you can compile to make a build that has your configuration options selected.

1. Initialize Board Configuration

   Here we’ll use the simulator since that’s the simplest to explain. You can do this with any board and base configuration. Note here you should be supplying configure.sh the correct flag for your build environment:

   -l selects the Linux (l) host environment.
   -m selects the macOS (m) host environment.
   -c selects the Windows host and Cygwin (c) environment.
   -u selects the Windows host and Ubuntu under Windows 10 (u) environment.
   -g selects the Windows host and MinGW/MSYS environment.
   -n selects the Windows host and Windows native (n) environment.
   

   Select the simulator configuration for a Linux host:

   $ cd nuttx
   $ make distclean  # make a clean start, clearing out old configurations
   $ ./tools/configure.sh -l jupiter-nano:sdmmc-nsh-net-resolvconf
     Copy files
     Select CONFIG_HOST_LINUX=y
     Refreshing...
   

2. Make

   $ make clean; make
   

   Now you should have NuttX binaries– one suitable for loading via a JTAG hardware debugger (called nuttx) and one suitable for loading via the U-Boot bootloader (called nuttx.bin).

3. Installing

   If you are not using a JTAG debugger, you can take the Micro SD card, plug it into a reader connected to you computer, and copy it onto the card, replacing the already-existing nuttx.bin file. If you want to make your own new bootable disk, you need follow the instructions at Creating a Bootable NuttX SD Card From Scratch.

   If you are loading the nuttx.bin via a JTAG debugger, follow the instructions at any:debugging.

4. Menu Configuration

   NuttX has a lot of configuration options– initially it can seem like a bewildering array of them. This is not a full introduction to NuttX Configuration, for that see Configuring in the NuttX documentation. This is an introduction to using it.

   Normally, when you start NuttX, you see something that looks like this:

   NuttShell (NSH) NuttX-10.1.0
   nsh>
   

   We’re going to another line to this, a login message (Message of the Day, or MOTD). From your workstation commandline, do the following:

   $ make menuconfig
   

   Here’s what you should see:

   

   
   

5. Application Configuration

   The NSH MOTD setting is under Application Configuration > NSH Library.

   1. Use the up and down arrows to navigate to Application Configuration; hit <return> to select it. Now you’re in the Application Configuration menu.

   2. Use the arrows to go down to NSH Library and select that. Now navigate down to Message of the Day (MOTD) and use the spacebar to uncheck that setting (so that it has a blank space instead of a star in it).

   3. Now press the return key to enter the MOTD configuration.

   4. Use the arrows to move the selected line down to the item called MOTD String. Press enter, and enter the following text: Welcome to NuttX on the Jupiter Nano!. Press return to accept the entered text. You will return to the previous screen.

   5. Now let’s save. Use the right and left arrow keys to select the Exit menu item at the bottom of the screen. Press <return> to select it, Press <return> again, and again, finally pressing <return> in the Save Configuration dialog box that comes up.

6. Build NuttX with the New Configuration

   $ make clean; make
   

7. Run

   In the gdb window, type <Control-C> and load the new binary:

   (gdb) ^C
   Program received signal SIGTRAP, Trace/breakpoint trap.
   nx_start () at init/nx_start.c:838
   838            up_idle();
   (gdb) mon halt
   (gdb) load nuttx
   Loading section .text, size 0x46a29 lma 0x20008000
   Loading section .ARM.exidx, size 0x8 lma 0x2004ea2c
   Loading section .data, size 0x2e0 lma 0x2004ea34
   Start address 0x20008040, load size 290065
   Transfer rate: 76 KB/sec, 14503 bytes/write.
   (gdb) c
   Continuing.
   
   Breakpoint 1, nsh_main (argc=1, argv=0x20060068) at nsh_main.c:108
   108        sched_getparam(0, &param);
   (gdb) c
   Continuing.
   

   Now, in the NuttX (picocom) window, you should see:

   NuttShell (NSH) NuttX-10.1.0
   Welcome to NuttX on the Jupiter Nano!
   

   Success!

---

Next: Debugging NuttX