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RE: Request for comments - Redboot load command writing directly to flash
- From: Øyvind Harboe <oyvind dot harboe at zylin dot com>
- To: <ecos-patches at sources dot redhat dot com>
- Date: Mon, 14 Jul 2003 09:30:37 +0200
- Subject: RE: Request for comments - Redboot load command writing directly to flash
Forwarding some comments I've received:
- By adding the "write directly to flash" capability to the "load"
command,
there is a lot of implied generality in the command line arguments that
isn't there, e.g. there is no elf/srec support, deflate not
supported(?),
etc.
- The intended audience for this command are mainly
technical personell in the field and possibly endusers. The current
raft of options that must be given to "load" to write an
application to flash is a source of confusion.
- There is no check in Redboot that the data written to flash is
in any way relevant to the device. This is a source of confusion.
Possible solution:
- Add a new command to Redboot, e.g. "upgrade". The intended audience
is technical personell in the field and endusers.
- The typical usage would be to download firmware file from the
internet,
enter the "upgrade" command and upload via seriall port and ymodem.
- There should be some sort of check that the right sort of firmware
is being uploaded, e.g. a globally unique identifier that must match
in the firmware file and Redboot.
- Although the "upgrade" command has no command line options, it should
be configureable compiletime(e.g. to use TCP/IP).
- Possibly a configurable desktop firmware upgrade application that
guides the user through the process.
Øyvind