1. Download and Install Dependencies

Building the firmware locally requires these dependencies ot be installed:

  1. GCC for ARM Cortex processors
  2. Make
  3. Device Firmware Upgrade Utilities
  4. Zatig (for windows users only)
  5. Git

1. GCC for ARM Cortex processors

The Core/Photon uses an ARM Cortex M3 CPU based microcontroller. All of the code is built around the GNU GCC toolchain offered and maintained by ARM.

The build requires version 4.9.3 20150529 or newer of ARM GCC and will print an error message if the version is older than this.

Linux and Windows: - Download and install version 4.9.x from: https://launchpad.net/gcc-arm-embedded

OS X users can install the toolchain with Homebrew: - brew tap PX4/homebrew-px4 - brew update - brew install gcc-arm-none-eabi-49 - arm-none-eabi-gcc --version (should now say v4.9.x)

If you are upgrading an existing installation you will have to unlink and link your symblinks: - brew update - brew install gcc-arm-none-eabi-49 (when you run this, it will tell you the following commands) - brew unlink gcc-arm-none-eabi-48 (example) - brew link --overwrite gcc-arm-none-eabi-49 (example) - arm-none-eabi-gcc --version (should now say v4.9.x)

2. Make

In order to turn your source code into binaries, you will need a tool called make. Windows users need to explicitly install make on their machines. Make sure you can use it from the terminal window.

Download and install the latest version from: http://gnuwin32.sourceforge.net/packages/make.htm

3. Device Firmware Upgrade Utilities

Install dfu-util 0.8. Mac users can install dfu-util with Homebrew brew install dfu-util or Macports, Linux users may find it in their package manager, and everyone can get it from http://dfu-util.gnumonks.org/index.html

4. Zatig

In order for the device to show up on the dfu list, you need to replace the USB driver with a utility called Zadig. Here is a tutorial on using it. This is only required for Windows users.

5. Git

Download and install Git: http://git-scm.com/

6. Command line tools

  • crc32
  • available in MinGW on Windows
  • available by default on OS X
  • linux users, please check with your package manager