How to integrate an external software package

Applicable for STM32MP13x lines, STM32MP15x lines

1 Article purpose[edit]

This article provides guidelines to install a software package containing binaries (e.g. tools) not present by default in the OpenSTLinux distribution.
This installation can be done either by using a Yocto recipe in the scope of a STM32MPU Embedded Software Distribution Package or either by cloning an existing tarball or repo git in the scope of a STM32MPU Embedded Software Developer Package.

2 Using the STM32MPU Embedded Software Developer Package[edit]

Following basic steps to be done :

  • Downloading application source code via git clone (tarball or repo git)
  • Compiling the application (very often with basic make command)
- Please ensure SDK environment for compiling Linux application setup is ready
- Refer to <Linux kernel installation directory>/README.HOW_TO.txt helper file to know how to compile (the latest version of this helper file is also available in GitHub: README.HOW_TO.txt ).
  • Installing the application (very often with basic make install command)
- Refer to application README file to know how to install
  • Deploying the application on board

Check where the generated binaries/libraries have been installed and push them onto the board.

 scp -r <application_install_folder>/* root@<board ip address>:/<dest_path>

3 Using the STM32MPU Embedded Software Distribution Package[edit]

Following steps to be done:

  • Identifying the recipe building and installing the application/package you need
- More often search this recipe either in layer openembedded-core/meta/ either in layers meta-openembedded/meta-*/
- If no existing recipe, you have to create and copy it in your own customer layer: refer to "Writing a New Recipe"[1] and How to create your own distribution
- Check if the layer containing the recipe is currently in use and so can be compiled, if not you have this error :
 bitbake <recipe name>
ERROR: Nothing PROVIDES '<recipe name>. Close matches:
  • Checking if the layer containing the recipe is currently in use

The command to show the layers currently in your build:

 bitbake-layers show-layers

It outputs a list of the layers currently in use, and their priorities. If a package exists in two or more layers, it will be built from the layer with the higher priority.


If the recipe is not contained in the list of layers, you must add the layer containing this recipe inside the bbalyers.conf.sample of the distro you have selected.

For instance for distro openstlinux, bblayers file is located here :

 * meta-st/meta-st-openstlinux/conf/template/bblayers.conf.sample

So for instance, to add meta-qt5 layer, just copy/paste this line in bblayers file :

 * ADDONSLAYERS += "${@'${OEROOT}/meta-qt5' if os.path.isfile('${OEROOT}/meta-qt5/conf/layer.conf') else ''}"
  • Installing the package for the targetted image, for instance :
 echo 'IMAGE_INSTALL_append += "<recipe name>"' >> meta-st/meta-st-openstlinux/recipes-st/images/st-image-weston.bbappend
  • Rebuilding the image:
 bitbake st-image-weston

4 References[edit]