PROCESSOR-SDK-AM64X: Removing and Adding Packages in Processor SDK Linux for AM64X

Hi Jeevan,

The SDK Linux filesystem is compiled using Yocto. I am routing your query to our Yocto expert for comments.

JEEVAN Chandra said:

"How can I remove specific packages and their dependencies in a minimal build for the Processor SDK Linux for AM64X according to my requirements?

Best is to start with a smaller image tatget, and add to it, piece by piece, like the tisdk-base-image. Also, try tounderstand and leverage the Yocto dependency graph feature (there's some online resources available to provide guidance, please do a quick Internet search).

JEEVAN Chandra said:

Additionally, how can I add packages if the Install: Append method is not working?"

There's many ways of adding packages to a build; one common and simple method is by extending conf/local.conf as shown below (note the use of space, it is not optional!)

IMAGE_INSTALL:append = " package_1 package_2 ..."

If you have a specific issue, please provide steps to re-create and I will have a look.

Regards, Andreas

How can I remove specific packages like git,  gcc, etc .., along with their dependencies, in a minimal build for the Processor SDK Linux for AM64X to reduce storage usage?

I have done this method but some packages are not working, I am trying to add packages, but the IMAGE_INSTALL:append = " package_1 package_2 ..." method is not working for some packages.

JEEVAN Chandra said:

How can I remove specific packages like git,  gcc, etc .., along with their dependencies, in a minimal build for the Processor SDK Linux for AM64X to reduce storage usage?

Have you looked and used the dependency graph feature? This should give you a good starting point. Note that some packages get included by way of package groups (packagegroup-*.bb) so you may need to update/modify those package groups to remove the packages from there, either through updating  conf/local.conf, or by amending (*.bbappend) the package group. And some packages are not included directly, but through runtime dependencies (like RDEPENDS).

Also besides the dependency graph, recursively searching for package name references (using `grep -r`) or package file names themselves  (using `find . -iname <...>`) through Yocto's `sources/` directory will provide a detailed understanding of the hierarchies, but this is a bit of an advanced activity.

JEEVAN Chandra said:

I have done this method but some packages are not working, I am trying to add packages, but the IMAGE_INSTALL:append = " package_1 package_2 ..." method is not working for some packages.

You'll need to provide one specific example so I can have a look.

Also, in case you have flexibility as to which distro you use, I'd recommend you looking into our official Buildroot SDK offering. It is much simpler to use and configure, with a menu-driven configuration system, where you can very easily add/remove packages to tailor your generated distribution.

Regards, Andreas

Thank you Andreas Dannenberg, However, could you please guide how to build a minimal image for Processor SDK Linux for am64xx-evm that allows me to remove unnecessary packages and dependencies? How can I create a build specifically for am64xx-evm? Typically, the minimal target build is between 70 and 120 GB; however, how can I create a build that is less than 5 GB so that I can push into GIT?, what should i change in local.conf or any files with commands.

JEEVAN Chandra said:

However, could you please guide how to build a minimal image for Processor SDK Linux for am64xx-evm that allows me to remove unnecessary packages and dependencies?

Start with one of the smaller images we have. If tisdk-base-image is too big, go with the tisdk-tiny-image. Add things you need, it's usually easier. Also this should only really be used for prototyping. For a production image one would usually create their own distribution layer, and not use our Arago reference distribution, which is targeted/intented to provide a comprehensive and easy to use device experience while maintaining good-enough performance.

JEEVAN Chandra said:

Typically, the minimal target build is between 70 and 120 GB; however, how can I create a build that is less than 5 GB so that I can push into GIT?, what should i change in local.conf or any files with commands.

Perhaps I misunderstand what you are trying to do here but you are not suggesting here archiving the entire build/ folder into Git, do you?

Regards, Andreas