NRF91 - VM Image or Docker Container

[emh203]

The toolchain setup of the NRF91 is extremely complicated.   Is the a VM Image or Docker container that has everything pre-configured?   I am trying to setup up a linux VM now but would appreciate a much simpler setup.

[Keith Brafford]

I'm working on a docker container for the nRF52.  Is the nRF91 more complicated than that?

I have the compiler layer for an older version of the compiler already working, if you want to build your own based off of it:

https://cloud.docker.com/u/kbrafford/repository/docker/kbrafford/arm-gcc

My goal is to have the layers done so that I can pair the Nordic SDK version with the same version of the compiler that they validate with, even though they sometimes use compiler builds with useful features that are known not to work and are therefore un-recommended.

$ docker run -t kbrafford/arm-gcc arm-none-eabi-gcc --version

arm-none-eabi-gcc (GNU Tools for ARM Embedded Processors 6-2017-q2-update) 6.3.1 20170620 (release) [ARM/embedded-6-branch revision 249437]
Copyright (C) 2016 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
This is free software; see the source for copying conditions.  There is NO
warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.

[Martin Lesund]

Hi emh203, 
The easiest way to install the toolchain and get the nRF Connect SDK is to use the "Getting started Assistant" app in the "nRF Connect for Desktop".

There is a step by step guide as well as the possibility to verify that each step has been done successfully.

This is also described in the "Introduction to nRF Connect SDK"

We are working on a simpler approach, but for now, that is the recommended way of doing it.

[emh203]

Ok, thanks.      Just as some feedback,  the process can be extremely difficult on the Windows platform as some of the dependency management is hard to work out.  (I spent several hours trying to figure out why simple things like pip3 would not work).  

Doing the process under Linux did go faster and I did eventually get the build environment working in a virtual machine. 

I did use the guides.    The number of dependencies for NRF9160 is quite large and there is a high probability that are conflicts on an existing system.       This is why I suggest supplying a VM or Docker image ready to go.

[emh203]

Keith:

nRF91 is much more complicated.     The build process is similar to the Linux Kernel.   Device tree overlays, kconfig, etc.         There are a lot of dependencies to get setup to simply getting a firmware to build.       

[Keith Brafford]

Thanks for the explanation.  I think I am going to stick with my approach for a container for my nRF52 projects (docker with tools for the armgcc approach), and keep my eye on your endeavor when it's time to add an IDE on top of it.