moblin project

Architecture Overview

Submitted by: Imad Sousou on 09/16/08 (7 comments)

Moblin's architecture is designed to support multiple platforms, such as Netbooks and Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs), and various embedded usage models, such as In-Vehicle Infotainment (IVI) systems. Most of the software stack is a platform and usage model-independent layer we call “Moblin Foundations,” that provides one uniform way to develop applications for such usage models. Below the Moblin Foundations layer are the Linux Kernel and device drivers specific to the platform. On top of the Moblin Foundations layer are the specific applications, user interfaces, and user interaction models for the target device.

We will be updating this page with greater detail soon.

Moblin is a Linux-based software platform. If you have an Ubuntu (Gutsy 7.10 or Hardy 8.04) or Fedora 9.0 system, building an image for your Netbook is straightforward. Following the steps below will teach you how to use Moblin Image Creator and create images for your Netbook. Images can then be placed on a USB pen drive and booted on your Netbook. Live USB images allow you to run the Moblin software platform without modifying your device.

Moblin Image Creator

Started by: prajwal on 08/05/08

Type: 

• Development Tools

Tags: 

• command line
 
• environment
 
• feature set
 
• fset
 
• project
 
• root
 
• target

Moblin Image Creator (MIC) is a tool aimed at making life easier for the mobile and embedded developer. The tool is designed to be extremely flexible with platform-specific knowledge isolated to a platform definition. Initial focus is on Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs), as well as a new class of devices, known as Netbooks and Nettops.

There are three fundamental features that Moblin Image Creator provides:

• creating a platform-specific build-environment, or "project"
• creating a platform-specific target file-system
• providing user selectable "feature sets" (or fsets) to install bundles of packages that provide some high-level functionality

For more details on projects, targets, fsets, and images, click here.

In addition, there are many other smaller features to simplify your work, such as:

• the choice of a fully functional graphical user interface (GUI) or a purely command line interface
• wrappers for chrooting into a buildroot or target file-system (such as, bind mounting important system directories and copying over network configuration files)
• wrappers for opening Xephyr/KVM windows for testing target file-systems
• utilities for creating live USB images of target file-systems, for easy testing of multiple target file-systems

Understanding Projects, Platforms, Targets, and Images

Submitted by: prajwal on 08/05/08 (0 comments)

Project: Moblin Image Creator

Before using Image Creator it is important to understand the relationship between projects, targets, functional sets, and images.

This diagram shows the relationship between projects, targets, and images.

Project
A project is a platform-specific build-environment with one or more targets. When you create a project, Image Creator creates a full Linux filesystem in the directory you specify. Chrooting into this directory creates an isolated environment where you can develop software for your device. The environment includes apt tools, so you can install packages of the tools you need. The project directory includes one or more targets which are located in the /targets directory.

Platform
The platform is your target device. You select a platform when you create a project. This determines the kernel, system configuration, and device drivers that are made available as part of the targets you create within a project.

Target
The target is a platform-specific Linux filesystem, created in the /targets directory of your project. You create an image from a target. One or more targets can exist for each project. Like projects, you can also chroot into this environment to configure it or copy applications from your project before making an image.

Function/Feature Set (fset)
A functional (or feature) set is a group of packages representing some functional area that Image Creator can install on the target. An fset can have dependencies on other fsets. If you select to install an fset that depends on another fset, the prerequisite fset will automatically be selected and installed on the target first.

Image
An image is a large file created from a target. You can specify its name. An image can then be copied to a device using a USB pen drive, CD, or NAND.

Further information
For information on how to use Image Creator to create an image for your mobile device seeCreating an image for your Netbook

Moblin is an open source project focused on developing software for Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs) and other new categories of devices such as netbooks and nettops.^[1] Intel launched the Moblin.org site in July 2007 and significantly updated the site in April 2008 with the launch of the Intel Atom processor family at the Intel Developer Forum in Shanghai. The Intel Atom processor family is focused on MIDs, nettops and other market segments where low power consumption and low cost are key considerations. The Moblin.org website hosts a variety of tools for developers including a software development kit, source code for all of the major components of the Moblin platform, documentation and sample code.

Contents [hide] 1 Major components 2 Participants 3 See also 4 References 5 External links

[edit] Major components

Moblin provides components which are essential for a mobile Linux operating system.

• Moblin Image Creator (MIC): allows developers to create a custom Linux file system for a device. Using MIC, a platform developer can choose which components from Moblin they want on their device, build the target file system, copy all the necessary files to a USB pen drive and load it onto the target.
• Kernel: platform-specific kernel patches and device drivers for building a kernel.
• UI Framework: screen interface and its underlying GTK-based framework, which uses the Hildon application framework.
• Power Management Policy: extending and enhancing existing Linux power management capabilities
• Browser: the Moblin browser is full-featured web browser based on Mozilla technologies with a finger-driven UI and MID UI integration. The Moblin browser supports key plug-ins like Adobe Flash.
• Multimedia: audio and video playback and photo viewing including Helix or GStreamer multimedia frameworks.
• Linux Connection Manager: Internet connections that can be extended through plug-ins to support various wired or wireless technologies.

[edit] Participants

Intel sponsors the Moblin project and several vendors are working on Linux distributions that are Moblin compliant. Pixrt SRL is creating a version of RXART Linux known as Rxart mobility and Iblog edition Canonical is creating a version of Ubuntu Linux known as Ubuntu Mobile and Embedded Edition and Red Flag is creating a distribution known as MIDINUX.^{[citation needed]}

With the release of the first Moblin-based MIDs in the middle of 2008, the focus of the Moblin project is expanding beyond development of the core stack to encouraging porting and development of new applications for Moblin. Intel is sponsoring a series of developer contests, starting with one focused on developers in India, to help jumpstart the Moblin application ecosystem. Some ideas for cool applications for Moblin can be found here.