Can mcuboot be built separately for each project like an app？

[llly]

Due to project requirements, I have made significant modifications to MCUBOOT, but currently all projects use the same MCUBOOT file. Is it possible to have MCUBOOT configure different projects like app?

[Edvin]

Hello,

It is possible to build and program the MCUBOOT bootloader separately, but I am not sure I understood why you would want to do it. It does require you to build the applications for the correct address, and you need to sign the application with the DFU keys manually.

Building the MCUBOOT directly in the sample is a bit easier, and if you change NCS version, you can just build it as you did before (using the same keys), and you will still be able to update to the new application via DFU.

Perhaps you can share some more details on why you want to build the bootloader as a standalone build?

Best regards,

Edvin

[llly]

Hi Edvin

Based on the current project requirements, I have made multiple modifications to mcuboot, and these modifications are basically only applicable to this project. Once other projects are needed, all these changes must be cancelled, which is too troublesome.

Would it be difficult to build mcuboot separately for different projects? Or can we add a dedicated mcuboot folder for this project that has special requirements for mcuboot, so that other regular projects can use the default unmodified mcuboot together?

If it doesn't work, I'll try adding conditional compilation to each modified area to minimize the number of operations when switching to mcuboot.

[Edvin]

Hello,

It depends on what you are changing. Did you make changes to the actual source files? Or the board files and configuration files?

The last two it is possible to change only for the application that you are working on, through .conf and .overlay files. If you are changing anything in the source files (.c and .h files), then this is probably a bit trickier to keep it separated unless you have two instances of the SDK on your computer. 

What sort of changes did you do to the bootloader?

BR,
Edvin

[llly]

I have modified several source files, such as bootutil_public.c, pm_sysflash.h, I think installing two NCSs may be the most convenient way?

[Edvin]

might be, if you still need an unmodified bootloader, that is. 

Unless you think it is possible to do the changes that you have done through some configurations. I am still not sure exactly what you did, so it is difficult to say.

Best regards,

Edvin

[llly]

Okay, thank you very much for your reply. Maybe my situation is not very common, let me see later what method is more suitable. 

Thanks again