X-Git-Url: http://rtime.felk.cvut.cz/gitweb/novaboot.git/blobdiff_plain/79279f941c03bcf7fab2aba5f709309a6e9a0009..3a41ae93a5830466231b8c7bc42ce67065fff277:/README.md diff --git a/README.md b/README.md index 88081a9..65a0dd0 100644 --- a/README.md +++ b/README.md @@ -1,434 +1,43 @@ -# NAME +# Novaboot -novaboot - A tool for booting various operating systems on various hardware or in qemu +Novaboot is a tool that automates booting of operating systems on +target hardware (typically embedded boards) or in Qemu. Initially, it +was developed to boot [NOVA Microhypervisor](http://hypervisor.org/) +(hence the name), but nowadays is well suited for booting +[Linux](https://www.kernel.org/) (and perhaps other OSes) too. -# SYNOPSIS +## Instalation -__novaboot__ \[ options \] \[--\] script... +The simplest way to install novaboot is to install `perl` and its +packages `IO-Stty` and `Expect` and copy the +[novaboot](novaboot) script somewhere to your $PATH. -__./script__ \[ options \] +You can also install everything (including man pages) by: -__novaboot__ --help + make install -# DESCRIPTION +To install the optional server part (see below), run: -This program makes it easier to boot NOVA or other operating system -(OS) in different environments. It reads a so called novaboot script -and uses it either to boot the OS in an emulator (e.g. in qemu) or to -generate the configuration for a specific bootloader and optionally to -copy the necessary binaries and other needed files to proper -locations, perhaps on a remote server. In case the system is actually -booted, its serial output is redirected to standard output if that is -possible. - -A typical way of using novaboot is to make the novaboot script -executable and set its first line to _\#!/usr/bin/env novaboot_. Then, -booting a particular OS configuration becomes the same as executing a -local program - the novaboot script. - -With `novaboot` you can: - -1. Run an OS in Qemu. This is the default action when no other action is -specified by command line switches. Thus running `novaboot ./script` -(or `./script` as described above) will run Qemu and make it boot the -configuration specified in the _script_. -2. Create a bootloader configuration file (currently supported -bootloaders are GRUB, GRUB2 and Pulsar) and copy it with all other -files needed for booting to another, perhaps remote, location. - - ./script --server --iprelay - - This command copies files to a TFTP server specified in the - configuration file and uses TCP/IP-controlled relay to reset the test - box and receive its serial output. - -3. Run DHCP and TFTP server on developer's machine to PXE-boot NOVA from -it. E.g. - - ./script --dhcp-tftp - - When a PXE-bootable machine is connected via Ethernet to developer's - machine, it will boot the configuration described in _script_. - -4. Create bootable ISO images. E.g. - - novaboot --iso -- script1 script2 - - The created ISO image will have GRUB bootloader installed on it and - the boot menu will allow selecting between _script1_ and _script2_ - configurations. - -# PHASES AND OPTIONS - -Novaboot perform its work in several phases. Each phase can be -influenced by several options, certain phases can be skipped. The list -of phases with the corresponding options follows. - -## Command line processing phase - -- \-c, --config= - - Use a different configuration file than the default one (i.e. - `~/.novaboot`). - -- \--dump-config - - Dumps current configuration to stdout end exits. Useful as an initial - template for a configuration file. - -- \-h, --help - - Print short (__\-h__) or long (__\--help__) help. - -- \-I - - This is an alias (see `%custom_options` below) defined in the default - configuration. When used, it causes novaboot to use Michal's remotely - controllable test bed. - -- \-J - - This is an alias (see `%custom_options` below) defined in the default - configuration. When used, it causes novaboot to use another remotely - controllable test bed. - -## Script preprocessing phase - -This phases allows to modify the parsed novaboot script before it is -used in the later phases. - -- \-a, --append= - - Appends a string to the first "filename" line in the novaboot script. - This can be used to append parameters to the kernel's or root task's - command line. - -- \-b, --bender - - Use `bender` chainloader. Bender scans the PCI bus for PCI serial - ports and stores the information about them in the BIOS data area for - use by the kernel. - -- \--dump - - Prints the content of the novaboot script after removing comments and - evaluating all _\--scriptmod_ expressions. Exit after reading (and - dumping) the script. - -- \--scriptmod=_perl expression_ - - When novaboot script is read, _perl expression_ is executed for every - line (in $\_ variable). For example, `novaboot - --scriptmod=s/sigma0/omega6/g` replaces every occurrence of _sigma0_ - in the script with _omega6_. - - When this option is present, it overrides _$script\_modifier_ variable - from the configuration file, which has the same effect. If this option - is given multiple times all expressions are evaluated in the command - line order. - -- \--strip-rom - - Strip _rom://_ prefix from command lines and generated config files. - The _rom://_ prefix is used by NUL. For NRE, it has to be stripped. - -## File generation phase - -In this phase, files needed for booting are generated in a so called -_build directory_ (see TODO). In most cases configuration for a -bootloader is generated automatically by novaboot. It is also possible -to generate other files using _heredoc_ or _"<"_ syntax in novaboot -scripts. Finally, binaries can be generated in this phases by running -`scons` or `make`. - -- \--build-dir= - - Overrides the default build directory location. - - The default build directory location is determined as follows: - - If there is a configuration file, the value specified in the - _$builddir_ variable is used. Otherwise, if the current working - directory is inside git work tree and there is `build` directory at - the top of that tree, it is used. Otherwise, if directory - `~/nul/build` exists, it is used. Otherwise, it is the directory that - contains the first processed novaboot script. - -- \-g, --grub\[=_filename_\] - - Generates grub bootloader menu file. If the _filename_ is not - specified, `menu.lst` is used. The _filename_ is relative to the - build directory (see __\--build-dir__). - -- \--grub-prefix=_prefix_ - - Specifies _prefix_ that is put before every file in GRUB's `menu.lst`. - This overrides the value of _$server\_grub\_prefix_ from the - configuration file. - -- \--grub2\[=_filename_\] - - Generate GRUB2 menuentry in _filename_. If _filename_ is not - specified `grub.cfg` is used. The content of the menuentry can be - customized by _$grub2\_prolog_ and _$server\_grub\_prefix_ - configuration variables. - - In order to use the the generated menuentry on your development - machine that uses GRUB2, append the following snippet to - `/etc/grub.d/40\_custom` file and regenerate your grub configuration, - i.e. run update-grub on Debian/Ubuntu. - - if [ -f /path/to/nul/build/grub.cfg ]; then - source /path/to/nul/build/grub.cfg - fi - -- \--name=_string_ - - Use the name _string_ instead of the name of the novaboot script. - This name is used for things like a title of grub menu or for the - server directory where the boot files are copied to. - -- \--no-file-gen - - Do not generate files on the fly (i.e. "<" syntax) except for the - files generated via "< '--server=boot:/tftproot - \--serial=/dev/ttyUSB0'. - -# ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES - -Some options can be specified not only via config file or command line -but also through environment variables. Environment variables override -the values from configuration file and command line parameters -override the environment variables. - -- NOVABOOT\_CONFIG - - A name of default novaboot configuration file. - -- NOVABOOT\_BENDER - - Defining this variable has the same meaning as __\--bender__ option. +The setups are fully described in the [documentation](./README.pod), +but in short: Setup A is for power users, who can configure everything +themselves, whereas setup C is useful for students, who just want to +access the target device with as little configuration on their side as +possible. -- NOVABOOT\_IPRELAY +### Client side - The IP address (and optionally the port) of the IP relay. This - overrides $iprelay\_addr variable from the configuration file. +- novaboot [documentation](./README.pod) -# AUTHORS +### Server-side (optional, needed only by server administrators for setup C) -Michal Sojka +- [novaboot-shell](server/novaboot-shell.pod) +- [adduser-novaboot](server/adduser-novaboot.pod)