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I believe this is the first time we have the GRiSP2 system in the updates :)
Official project updates
- Handle another way key-value stores were being mocked pre-v0.13.0.
- Fix default boardid_path in mix.exs
This update replaces Nerves.Runtime.target/0 with Nerves.Runtime.mix_target/0. It is not believed that the former function was used much, but if you do use it, note the return value change in mix_target/0.
- Changes
- Support customizable key-value store backends so that it’s possible to store firmware and board metadata outside of U-Boot environment blocks. See the :kv_backend configuration option.
- Support changing the firmware revert script path (see :revert_fw_path)
- Decide host vs. target differences at compile time to avoid target-only or host-only logic and dependencies existing unnecessarily at run-time.
Potentially breaking changes
Elixir 1.11 or later is now required
Move the core mix tooling to :nerves
This is part of a bigger reorganization and adjustment to the bootstrap tooling in order to reduce it’s footprint. However, these changes have been tested and are considered backwards compatible and most should not see any impact from it. If you were using Nerves.Bootstrap.Aliases module directly, you may notice adjusted aliases listed.
Enhancements
Add GRiSP2 to officially supported Nerves devices
Improve message when unknown target is selected
Add --no-nerves-pack to nerves.new options doc
New project generator updates
- Remove system_registry option from generator
- toolshed 0.2.26
- shoehorn 0.9.1
- nerves_runtime 0.12.0
- ring_logger 0.8.5
New features
- NervesSSH.Options now supports a :name key to use when starting the SSH daemon. This allows a user to run multiple SSH daemons on the same device without name conflicts (thanks @SteffenDE)
- NervesSSH.Options now supports a :name key to use when starting the SSH daemon. This allows a user to run multiple SSH daemons on the same device without name conflicts (thanks @SteffenDE)
Fixed
- The SSH daemon could fail to start if the system/user directories were bad or if the file system was not ready/mounted to support writing to disk. In those cases, NervesSSH now attempts to write to tmpfs at /tmp/nerves_ssh/<original path> to help prevent the daemon from crashing
- Changes
- No longer automatically start log tailers. Users must add NervesLogging.KmsgTailer and NervesLogging.SyslogTailer to their supervision trees. This simplifies the logic for whether to start the loggers or not. Very few users will need to do anything. It will be handled by Nerves.Runtime.
- Bug fix
- Fix missing space in CFLAGS and CXXFLAGS. It would sometimes cause compiler warnings.
Fixes
- Fix sysroot setting when building C/C++ code in Elixir and Erlang libraries. This fixes an issue found with RISC-V, Musl C, and aggressive warnings as error settings.
- Fix sysroot setting when building C/C++ code in Elixir and Erlang libraries. This fixes an issue found with RISC-V, Musl C, and aggressive warnings as error settings.
Updates
- Support enabling the vector instruction extension on RISC-V processors.
Systems updated
These system updates are based on the updated nerves_system_br updates from v1.19.1 through to v1.20.2 that was covered in a previous newsletter and v1.20.3 above. Check the nerves_system_br changelog if you want more detail.
- nerves_system_rpi0, v1.20.0
- nerves_system_rpi, v1.20.0
- nerves_system_rpi2, v1.20.0
- nerves_system_rpi3, v1.20.0
- nerves_system_rpi3a, v1.20.0
- nerves_system_rpi4, v1.20.0
- nerves_system_grisp2, v0.4.0
- nerves_system_osd32mp1, v0.11.0
- nerves_system_bbb, v2.15.0
- nerves_system_vultr, v0.17.0
- nerves_system_x86_64, v1.20.0
General notes
This release updates to Buildroot 2022.05, Linux 5.15.44 (from Linux 5.10) and uses GCC 11.3 (from GCC 10.3). The Linux kernel upgrade could introduce a regression, so please verify hardware-specific functionality in your firmware.
Updated dependencies
Raspberry Pi notes
If you have cloned a pi system repository for a custom system, please make sure that you have CONFIG_NOP_USB_XCEIV=y in your Linux kernel configuration.
Fix for BBB
This release reverts the upgrade to Linux 5.15.44. The Linux kernel is now at 5.10.120. This fixes an issue where the numbering of /dev/gpiochipN changed. All code that identified GPIOs by number broke (pretty much everything using Circuits.GPIO).
Community updates
Nerves Meetup - Workflows for Elixir Nerves with Jason Johnson
For this upcoming (virtual) Nerves Meetup on the 29th of July you'll get some great stuff from Jason. There is already a related blog post.
Unicorn HAT library for Elixir
The very same Jason Johnson has release a library for using the Unicorn HAT Mini with Elixir. He shares the details in this Twitter thread.
Supporting the Nerves project
We want to encourage everyone to contribute in whatever way works for them. Here are some ways we currently recommend:
- Write or port a new hardware library and include it in the Elixir Circuits collection.
- Give money to the project via Open Collective.
- Get in touch about taking over maintenance duties for some libraries, we might be able to provide you hardware.
- Apply for an EEF stipend on something Nerves-related and build it. We can help if you have questions about this.
- Send corrections or improvements for documentation wherever it fails to help you.
- Write about Nerves, give talks about Nerves. Make videos about Nerves. It is all good.
Finally, if you have questions about the newsletter or want to suggest something you can simply respond to this email it will go directly to me, Lars, who edits this thing. Let me know what you think.
- Lars, Underjord.io
