[ptxdist] Mono with ptxdist for ARMv7 Cortex A8-AM335x

[ptxdist] Mono with ptxdist for ARMv7 Cortex A8-AM335x

[Bruno, Daniel]

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Hi all,

we are using a phyCore-AM335x with an ARMv7 Cortex A8 processor on it.
We are using the build-tool ptxdist in the version 2012-03.0:

* BSP: using ptxdist-2012.03.0
* platform: using kernel from ti AM335x PSP 04.06.00.06
* platform: using u-boot/MLO from ti AM335x PSP 04.06.00.06

We already created and run successfully the first images / customized root file systems for the target.

At the moment we want to use/evaluate Mono. For Mono there is already a rule-file available which we also used to build it in our image/RFS. (here a link to the used rule-file: https://github.com/ringlej/ptxdist/blob/master/rules/mono.make)

In the first step we did not changed the configure-options. We also have seen the following workaround in the rule-file:

            # looks like we have to install this, otherwhise not even helloworld.cs does work
            @$(call install_copy, mono, 0, 0, 0755, \
                        $(MONO_DIR)/mcs/class/lib/monolite/mscorlib.dll, \
                        /usr/lib/mono/1.0/mscorlib.dll)

This one obviously looks like it is needed to run programs which have the target framework ".NET1.1" (not tested yet).
But we want to use programs which have at least the target framework 2.0 (or higher) - so we tried to run a simple "hello world" compiled with the target framework ".NET2.0" with the following result:

root@target:~/testing_mono/simple_hello_world/bin/Release mono simple_hello_world.exe
The assembly mscorlib.dll was not found or could not be loaded.
It should have been installed in the `/usr/lib/mono/2.0/mscorlib.dll' directory.

So we had a new try by creating the mentioned directory "2.0" and coping the "mscorlib.dll" into this folder - this leads to the following result:

root@ target:~/testing_mono/simple_hello_world/bin/Release mono simple_hello_world.exe
Hello World!

So the simple "hello world" now is running on the target but since we also wanted to use some more "complex" programs which also uses some more (".NET") Library's we had another try with such a program - and we run in a lot of exceptions. The exceptions thrown are depending on the functions in the code we are using (using StringBuilder, Regex, Dictonary and so on) -
The exception thrown by the example-program looks like the following (source and binary's of the example-programs are attached):

root@target:~/testing_mono/testing_mono/bin/Release mono testing_mono.exe
Unhandled Exception: System.TypeLoadException: A type load exception has occurred.

We guess that the corresponding Mono(/.NET)-Libraries are missing/not in the image for the target. So we tried to edit the Mono-Rule-File or better spoken we edited the configure-options in the rule-file (e.g. added "-with-profile4=yes) but we did not had success yet.


So the questions now is - is there a "newer" Rule-file for Mono? Perhaps one which also includes the profiles4.
Or did we missed something while creating the image with Mono for the target?

Best regards,
Daniel Bruno

________________________________
Magnetic Autocontrol GmbH
(HRB Freiburg 670-426)
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Deutschland/Germany
Internet: http://www.ac-magnetic.com
Geschaeftsfuehrer /
Thomas Braunwalder

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Re: [ptxdist] Mono with ptxdist for ARMv7 Cortex A8-AM335x

[Michael Olbrich]

Hi,

On Fri, Nov 15, 2013 at 02:21:14PM +0100, Bruno, Daniel wrote:
> we are using a phyCore-AM335x with an ARMv7 Cortex A8 processor on it.
> We are using the build-tool ptxdist in the version 2012-03.0:
> 
> * BSP: using ptxdist-2012.03.0
> * platform: using kernel from ti AM335x PSP 04.06.00.06
> * platform: using u-boot/MLO from ti AM335x PSP 04.06.00.06
> 
> We already created and run successfully the first images / customized root file systems for the target.
> 
> At the moment we want to use/evaluate Mono. For Mono there is already a
> rule-file available which we also used to build it in our image/RFS. (here a
> link to the used rule-file:
> https://github.com/ringlej/ptxdist/blob/master/rules/mono.make)
[...]
> So the questions now is - is there a "newer" Rule-file for Mono? Perhaps
> one which also includes the profiles4.
> Or did we missed something while creating the image with Mono for the target?

The mono packages in PTXdist is really old and has not been tested in a
long time, as far as I know. If you're serious about using it, then I
recommend you start with updating it to the latest version.

Michael

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Re: [ptxdist] Mono with ptxdist for ARMv7 Cortex A8-AM335x

[Dirk Schnitzler]

 >The mono packages in PTXdist is really old and has not been tested in 
a long time,
 >as far as I know. If you're serious about using it, then I recommend 
you start with
 >updating it to the latest version. Michael

I know, this is some kind of OT here, but
I would be interested in your opionion about using mono for application 
logic / api
development. I think it can help when you have a small team of 
developers with
c#/.NET experience and time to market really counts. Stuff like dbus, 
json parsers,
http/soap servers, etc, can be done really fast and 'safe'.

Can someone provide pointers ro resources other than the 'usual 
Microsoft patent
/ promise issues' and 'why mono is not good for linux/fos'?
More specific technical pros/cons would be really welcome.

Kind regards,
Dirk.

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