Hi. I have had some experience building cross-gcc compilers, and the gist of it is using the autotools "configure" program. Now, before you go any further, I need to confirm that you app is running arm-linux right? (Not CE). If so, then you will be booting an arm linux kernel and will be using the ELF binary file format. If you are trying to build for WinCE then we can't help you here.
The key to making it all work, then, is your cross-compiling binutils which will give you a cross-linker. This is always the first step in making a cross-gcc setup. I won't tell you its easy, because it just isn't, there are a lot of things that can go wrong and you need to have compatible sources for a lot of different packages.
Here is a guide by Jeff Bailey for building an X86->Hurd cross compiler. The steps for arm will be similar except your target will be something like "arm4vl-unknown-linux-gnu" and you won't need MIG, gnumach, or Hurd.
http://www.freesoftware.fsf.org/thug/cross.html
The secret to success is the configure command line. Typically you will use something like:
$ ./configure --host=i386-pc-linux-gnu --target=arm4vl-unknown-linux-gnu
When you "$make install" the cross compiler files will be put into /usr/lib/gcc-lib/arm4vl-linux and gcc will know to look there for headers, binaries, libs, etc.
You mention flash format, I hope you aren't writing a bootloader or something because for that I have no idea what format to recommend, and you might have to write the first hunk of it in raw machine language. That is out of my area of expertise, although Ralph might be able to give you some tips.
Michael D. Crawford wrote: > I'm thinking of maybe using gcc to compile the code for this embedded > ARM device I'm working with. > > I expect to be getting a netwinder soon from one of the list members > here, and so wouldn't even have to cross-compile. But what I would need > to do is make an executable that's in the format for uploading to a > flash rom. > > I have a windows-based development system the vendor supplied me with, > it includes a flash upload utility. I'm not sure what it wants for its > format, maybe just a file of raw code, but I'm sure the vendor would > tell me if I asked (it might already be in the doc I have). > > I know some people use gcc set up as a cross-compiler for various kinds > of embedded work. My question is how to link the code into the right > executable format. Does anyone here know where I can find information > about that? > > I know the GNU ld can be customized with some manner of script, so maybe > I can do it with the standard ld. Or maybe there is a special GNU > linker for embedded work. > > There is a small quantity of assembly code involved but it's short > enough that it wouldn't be hard to hand-translate it into gas' idea of > assembly syntax. > > Thanks for any tips you can give me, > > Mike
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