From 3f0e80ac4c7d2cea41ff102a3c6ca1a99ae3908a Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Paul Kocialkowski Date: Fri, 23 Dec 2016 15:58:09 +0100 Subject: Introduce README Signed-off-by: Paul Kocialkowski --- README | 141 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 141 insertions(+) create mode 100644 README (limited to 'README') diff --git a/README b/README new file mode 100644 index 00000000..e5388ceb --- /dev/null +++ b/README @@ -0,0 +1,141 @@ +Paper Build System +================== + +Entry Point +----------- + +The entry point for using the paper build system is the main script in the root +directory, named after the build system (paper, libreboot, etc). +Running the main script with no argument will show its general usage. + +Configuration +------------- + +The paper build system can be configured with a script named after the build +system (paper, libreboot, etc) with a ".conf" suffix. It is automatically loaded +by the build system when running the main script. + +It contains environment variables assigned to the desired values. The list of +environment variables is shown in the main script's general usage. + +Project and Tool Targets +------------------------ + +The build system works around the concepts of projects and tools, that define +specific components that can be used to produce either: +* sources +* systems +* images +* tools + +Various actions are available for each project and tool targets, many of which +are shown in the main script's general usage. Each project and tool may provide +a usage action that allows to see the specific usage for it. Actions are +executed recursively when no targets are specified. + +Each project and tool target has its own directory (either in projects or tools) +that contain a script named after the target and possible a helper script, named +after the script with a "-helper" suffix. The helper script is automatically +included by the build system. Functions in helper scripts are usually prefixed +with the name of the target. + +Meta-Targets +------------ + +Meta targets are project and tool targets that apply the requested action to +individual targets, allowing to execute an action to many targets at once. +For instance, a meta-target named after the build system with a "-all" suffix +would call other meta-targets, prefixed with "-images", "-tools", etc that would +then perform the requested action to all underlying targets. + +Projects Actions +---------------- + +Various generic actions allow preparing projects through a series of steps: +* downloading, extracting or updating the project's sources +* building the project to a build directory +* installing the project to an install directory +* releasing the project to a release directory +* cleaning the build, install and release directories + +Actions can be checked by a specific project-specific function to determine +whether it is necessary to run them again to follow the steps. An environment +variable can force actions to be executed, by specifying a space-separated list +of projects: PROJECTS_FORCE. + +Projects Configuration and Patches +---------------------------------- + +Configuration for each project is stored in each project's own directory. +Targets for each project are defined with a "targets" file in each directory +of the "configs" directory. Targets are read recursively, following +sub-directory names for project targets. + +Each project's configuration directory can be used to hold target-specific +information and configuration. + +An "install" file in each sub-directory indicated which files to grab from the +build files and where to install them in the install directory. + +Projects Sources +---------------- + +Each project can either download specific sources or use another project's +sources, possibly providing its own revision and patches. + +Sources are downloaded with the "download" action or can be extracted from +released sources (after placing the sources in the sources directory) with the +"extract" action. + +Projects may also keep their sources in a "sources" directory in their +project-specific directory. + +Projects Build +-------------- + +Each project is built to a build directory, named after the project, with the +list of targets separated by a "-" symbol. + +An environment variable allows controlling the number of tasks to run at the +same time: TASKS. + +Projects Install +---------------- + +Projects are installed from "install" files in the project directory, that +copies the selected built files to the install directory, named after the +project, with the list of targets separated by a "-" symbol. These install files +are read recursively, following sub-directory names for project targets. + +Additional files to install can be specified in the "install" directory and +described in an "install" file. These install files are read recursively, +following sub-directory names for project targets. + +Projects Release +---------------- + +Projects are released to a release directory, named after the project, with the +list of targets separated by a "-" symbol. Each project's install files are +packed into a tarball to the corresponding release directory. A checksum and a +GPG detached signature (if the RELEASE_KEY environment variable is set) are also +generated. + +Tarballs are generated reproducibly, from a list of files stored in the +".tarfiles" file. They may also contain the ".epoch", git ".revision" and +".version" files. + +Tools Actions +------------- + +Tools are used for maintaining the build system, for performing routine tasks +that can be automated. They may have specific actions and not implement any of +the generic actions. + +An environment variable can force actions to be executed, by specifying a +space-separated list of tasks: TASKS_FORCE. + +Tools Sources +------------- + +Tools may keep their sources in a "sources" directory in their tool-specific +directory. These sources may be updated with the "update" action. -- cgit v1.2.3-70-g09d2