Document how guest firmware is handled in qemu today.

Reviewed-by: Laszlo Ersek <lersek@redhat.com>
Signed-off-by: Gerd Hoffmann <kraxel@redhat.com>
---
 docs/firmware.txt | 49 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 1 file changed, 49 insertions(+)
 create mode 100644 docs/firmware.txt

diff --git a/docs/firmware.txt b/docs/firmware.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e242413344
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/firmware.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+
+prebuilt firmware in qemu
+=========================
+
+The process of building firmware isn't as easy as building qemu
+itself, for example because you must have cross compilers installed
+when building firmware for other architectures.  So qemu ships
+prebuilt firmware binaries for convenience reasons.
+
+
+directories
+-----------
+
+pc-bios/
+    Firmware binaries.
+    Also other files like keymaps and logos which are copied to
+    $prefix/share/qemu by "make install".
+
+pc-bios/optionrom/
+    Firmware sources, part of the qemu project.
+
+roms/
+    Firmware sources, third-party projects, as git submodules.
+
+
+third-party git repos
+---------------------
+
+For third party firmware sources it is recommended to have a git
+mirror on git.qemu.org.  In case the firmware license is GPL the git
+mirror is mandatory for GPL compilance reasons:  We ship binaries, so
+we must provide sources too.
+
+
+building the firmware
+---------------------
+
+Firmware builds should be done using rules in roms/Makefile.  That
+serves as documentation how the firmware is built, and it also makes
+firmware updates easier for the maintainer.
+
+"make -C roms" prints a list of firmware build targets.
+"make -C roms $target" kicks a build.
+
+
+notes for specific firmwares
+----------------------------
+
+ipxe: see https://wiki.qemu.org/IpxeDownstreamForQemu
-- 
2.9.3

On Fri, Sep 01, 2017 at 12:53:31PM +0200, Gerd Hoffmann wrote:
> Document how guest firmware is handled in qemu today.
> 
> Reviewed-by: Laszlo Ersek <lersek@redhat.com>
> Signed-off-by: Gerd Hoffmann <kraxel@redhat.com>

Is this document still valid?  Should we apply this for QEMU 3.0?

> ---
>  docs/firmware.txt | 49 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>  1 file changed, 49 insertions(+)
>  create mode 100644 docs/firmware.txt
> 
> diff --git a/docs/firmware.txt b/docs/firmware.txt
> new file mode 100644
> index 0000000000..e242413344
> --- /dev/null
> +++ b/docs/firmware.txt
> @@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
> +
> +prebuilt firmware in qemu
> +=========================
> +
> +The process of building firmware isn't as easy as building qemu
> +itself, for example because you must have cross compilers installed
> +when building firmware for other architectures.  So qemu ships
> +prebuilt firmware binaries for convenience reasons.
> +
> +
> +directories
> +-----------
> +
> +pc-bios/
> +    Firmware binaries.
> +    Also other files like keymaps and logos which are copied to
> +    $prefix/share/qemu by "make install".
> +
> +pc-bios/optionrom/
> +    Firmware sources, part of the qemu project.
> +
> +roms/
> +    Firmware sources, third-party projects, as git submodules.
> +
> +
> +third-party git repos
> +---------------------
> +
> +For third party firmware sources it is recommended to have a git
> +mirror on git.qemu.org.  In case the firmware license is GPL the git
> +mirror is mandatory for GPL compilance reasons:  We ship binaries, so
> +we must provide sources too.
> +
> +
> +building the firmware
> +---------------------
> +
> +Firmware builds should be done using rules in roms/Makefile.  That
> +serves as documentation how the firmware is built, and it also makes
> +firmware updates easier for the maintainer.
> +
> +"make -C roms" prints a list of firmware build targets.
> +"make -C roms $target" kicks a build.
> +
> +
> +notes for specific firmwares
> +----------------------------
> +
> +ipxe: see https://wiki.qemu.org/IpxeDownstreamForQemu
> -- 
> 2.9.3
> 
> 

-- 
Eduardo

On Wed, Jul 04, 2018 at 05:44:07PM -0300, Eduardo Habkost wrote:
> On Fri, Sep 01, 2017 at 12:53:31PM +0200, Gerd Hoffmann wrote:
> > Document how guest firmware is handled in qemu today.
> > 
> > Reviewed-by: Laszlo Ersek <lersek@redhat.com>
> > Signed-off-by: Gerd Hoffmann <kraxel@redhat.com>
> 
> Is this document still valid?  Should we apply this for QEMU 3.0?

I think so.

The effort to move the firmware to a separate repo is stalled due to
ENOTIME, and surely will not happen for 3.0.  So it makes sense to just
merge the text as-is.

cheers,
  Gerd