How to install tar.gz package to Yocto by adding new layer? - yocto

Question

I new to Yocto so there are probably some mistakes and misunderstanding that I've had, I appreciate if you can help.
So, I want to add a new package (tar file) to my custom image.
I have followed steps and steps in manual and some online instructions. While running: "bitbake mylayer", the layer is built fine but I got this error while building the image, here is the log file:
DEBUG: Executing python function rootfs_deb_bad_recommendations
DEBUG: Python function rootfs_deb_bad_recommendations finished
DEBUG: Executing python function extend_recipe_sysroot
NOTE: Installed into sysroot: []
NOTE: Skipping as already exists in sysroot: ['depmodwrapper-cross', 'apt-native', 'dpkg-native', 'pseudo-native', 'update-rc.d-native', 'prelink-native', 'makedevs-native', 'ldconfig-native', 'opkg-util$
DEBUG: Python function extend_recipe_sysroot finished
DEBUG: Executing python function do_rootfs
NOTE: ###### Generate rootfs #######
NOTE: Installing the following packages: apt busybox copy-uefiimg-to-sda coreutils dpkg e2fsprogs-resize2fs libfontconfig1 libfreetype6 libglib-2.0-0 gptfdisk libjemalloc2 kernel-module-axi-dma-sensor ku$
ERROR: Unable to install packages.
Reading package lists...
Building dependency tree...
Reading state information...
Package mypackage is not available, but is referred to by another package.
This may mean that the package is missing, has been obsoleted, or
is only available from another source
E: Package 'mylayer' has no installation candidate
DEBUG: Python function do_rootfs finished
ERROR: Function failed: do_rootfs
And here is mylayer.bb:
SUMMARY = ""
LICENSE = "CLOSE"
FILESEXTRAPATHS_prepend := "${THISDIR}/files:"
SRC_URI += "file://mypackage.tar"
Also, I have included the package in conf/local.conf:
IMAGE_INSTALL_append += " mylayer"
So beside trying to figure out how to solve this problem, I also have some questions:
I have read some example of .bb, and they mentioned about LIC_FILES_CHKSUM. The mypackage.tar.gz is a package to install a platform for the device and I don't know much about the source code, so I don't know if it is necessary to include the license? Or how to know that this package need license to install?
In some answer I found online, there is one saying that I need to include PACKAGE_CLASSES ?= "package_deb" (they want to install the .deb file), so probably in my case I will need PACKAGE_CLASSES ?= "package.tar" right? I have tried to change variable, but it still not successful.
The mypackage.tar includes some deb files. If I could not install mypackage.tar, can I instead install these .deb files? Can I put it all in mylayer.bb?
Thank you in advanced, I have tried to study much documents as I could but I get so confused and there is huge amount of information to digest.

Answer 1

First, before answering your questions
Let me mention some best practices advice for you:
Rename the recipe to some significant name related to you compressed package.
Naming the recipe to mylayer confuses Yocto users, because there is the term layer also.
Regarding you recipe:
There is no need for FILESEXTRAPATHS because the recipe path is added automatically to Yocto paths.
FILESEXTRAPATHS it is required for .bbappend files.
You need to override the do_install task function, it does nothing by default.
do_install is the first essential task to make sure that your sources are included in the final image.
Beside that, when specifying a compressed source file into SRC_URI, yocto automatically decompresses it.
This is mentioned here.
So, here what your recipe should look like:
SUMMARY = ""
LICENSE = "CLOSED"
# Prevent Yocto from decompressing the file
SRC_URI = "file://mypackage.tar;unpack=0"
do_install(){
# Create the opt folder into the final image, ${D} is ${WORKDIR}/image
install -d ${D}/opt
# Copy the compressed file there; You can change permissions as you want
install -m 0755 ${WORKDIR}/mypackage.tar ${D}/opt
}
# Very important to specify what you installed in (do_install)
FILES_${PN} = "/opt/*"
Now, when you run IMAGE_INSTALL_append += " mylayer" your file will be installed.
Regarding your questions:
You mentioned that your compressed file contains .deb files, I assume that no license checksum is needed. Also, I understand that you may wanted to point to SRC_URI[md5sum] or other checksums for the full package. That is also not needed for local files, it is used to check for the integrity of online sources.
PACKAGE_CLASSES as mentioned here, is used by the system to know in what type the data should be packaged. By the data I mean the data that you installed with do_install. That data get packaged for according to your PACKAGE_CLASSES variable, for example, to deb file. And that is used, along side with all other recipes packages, to build the final rootfs.
Yes, if you are installing the tar file into the image and then unpack it to install all deb files, for example, with dpkg. You can use the bin_package class to do that, now the recipe must be changed for that reason:
Decompress the tar file and provide the deb files in the local files folder.
Add all deb files to SRC_URI
Inherit the bin_package class
Specify the files to be packaged.
Your recipe should look like this:
SUMMARY = ""
LICENSE = "CLOSED"
SRC_URI = "file://deb_file1.deb \
file://deb_file2.deb"
# No need to `do_install` , it is invoked by the (bin_package) class
FILES_${PN} = ""
Important:
About FILES_${PN}, you need to add all what the deb installed into the image folder
Example, if your deb file installs this:
/usr/bin/hello
/etc/hello.cfg
Specify them:
FILES_${PN} = "/usr/bin/*"
FILES_${PN} += "/etc/*"
Use * so if other deb files install files into the same folder as others it will include all.