GBA + FPC = Possiblility???

**WILL** · 27-02-2005, 01:32 AM

Oh ok. Us both being in win32 might help.

My hints are from FPK himself.

So I'm only really sure of what I have done up until now. Next is to figure out how to include the binutils(assembler and linker tools) from the GNUARM.org site's win32(cygwin) package and the crt0.s(ARM assembly code for the GameBoy Advance's bootup sequence) file so that it can be all done with the ppcarm.exe executible.

I assume that we can just stick it in a folder under source\compiler\gba\ and reference to it from there? Then the required binutils package can be stuck in the bin folder? But what are the exact files that we need?

When you go here: http://www.gnuarm.org/

And download from the Files page the Cygwin installer here: http://www.gnuarm.org/bu-2.15_gcc-3....2.0_gi-6.1.exe

Install it and when done you'll have the following folders that contain possible sets of the tools we want:

%GNUARM%\bin and %GNUARM%\arm-elf\bin

Which of these folders contain the files we need for the GBA compiling under win32 and what exact files are they?

Keeping in mind we are not trying to make Linux executables here, but those for GBA, we only need the proper tools for doing this under win32(to mirror those that are available already for the arm/linux port of FPC).

**Legolas** · 27-02-2005, 04:16 AM

I think we should use the binutils in %GNUARM%\bin, that is the cross-binutils' directory. Maybe those binutils are prefixed with some prefixes like gnu-arm-ld.exe. But I'm not sure that the tools of gnuarm.org are useful for a gba compiler... :?:

Maybe we can try to use binutils from http://www.devkit.tk/, or try to build it from scratch (that's not so difficult)

**WILL** · 27-02-2005, 06:13 AM

You know what? I think this link here solves all our questions.

as is the Assembler
ld is the Linker

The best part is that the GNU Bintools already support ARM[size=9px](and THUMB)[/size] amoung a ton of other processor platforms[size=9px](including MIPS)[/size]. So it's best to go with the trend as FPC already uses it for it's compiling in the arm/linux platform. We just need to include the win32 versions for the rest of us Dozers.

[size=9px]A Mac OS X version too maybe?[/size]

Now how do we get FPC to use these the way we need it to?

**Almindor** · 27-02-2005, 09:22 AM

Just a tought here, but perhaps you guys should set up a CVS or atleast FTP repository for you FPC - GBA modified files so you can work together and see progress without this forums overhead.

Anonymous · 27-02-2005, 12:36 PM

Originally Posted by Almindor

Just a tought here, but perhaps you guys should set up a CVS or atleast FTP repository for you FPC - GBA modified files so you can work together and see progress without this forums overhead.

Almindor: don't. Simply zip etc.
All that overhead of side projects only keeps time away of actual work.

How to create crt0.s; two possibilities:

- compile from source, but with -S (prefered)
- objdump an existing one.

Best is to do the first, and then crossref that with the objdump to find stuff like ELF identifiers, sections etc.

Anonymous · 27-02-2005, 12:37 PM

Best is to do the first, and then crossref that with the objdump to find stuff like ELF identifiers, sections etc.

And if problems occur, objdump a minimal statically compiled C program.

(don't use hello world, but something like return 2+2 or so. You don't want a huge printf implementation in your asm source)

**Legolas** · 27-02-2005, 01:13 PM

I have found some interesting infos here: we can use -FDC:\somedir to pass binutils directory to fpc compiler. Another way is is to pass CROSSBINDIR=C:\xbinutilsdir to make, with BINUTILSPREFIX=some-prefix- if our binutils have a prefix.

At this point it can be useful to do a sort of planning. As a starting point we should use the same tools:

[1] Cross Binutils binaries from http://www.gnuarm.org or sources?
[2] FPC binaries 1.9.6 or 1.9.8?
[3] FPC sources 1.9.6 or 1.9.8?

Regarding [1]: binaries for the sake of simplicity, sources for a better gba "targeting"...
[2] and [3]: :?: :?: :?:

**Gadget** · 04-03-2005, 12:06 PM

Tell you what would rock...

Pocket PC Dev Kit for FreePascal =D

**WILL** · 04-03-2005, 09:04 PM

You know... I think I can feel for the FPC Team on this one so with that I say "

"

Seriously though, ideas and suggestions like these belong in their own thread. It's rather inappropriate to just pop in a 'Hey, lets do this instead!' esp. after seeing that people have spent a great deal of time and effort in getting something to work and still seeking assistance and feedback on that work in question. And personally a bit annoying. I don't mind the idea, but it belongs in it's own thread so it can be discussed on it's own not in the middle of a conversation thats already starting to get heavily involved in code and other intricate things.