what are the prerequisites to learn embedded linux...

i have a electronics and communication background..

i know to program 8051,8085,8056.. in assembly..

but i want to learn how to program arm 7(32 bit).. using an RTOS..
recently .. i gust downloaded some free RTOS like

1)ecos
2)RTlinux
3)freeRTOS
4)PARTIKLE
5)and many more..
dont know what to do after that..

i am currently learning linux from http://www.linux.org/lessons/

I can give you first some names:
-GCC with gas - can all, arm, mips ...
-NASM -I use it only for x86, but it is a very good assembler
-linux -kernel.org
-just search the web

It's all for free so most times you are on your own.

Some tips:
- Search the manufactures and look for your favorite chip design and specialize yourself for it.
- linux is only interesting for user interfaces, for RT systems you can simple program your own system the best in assembler.
- Main tools are the chip's datasheet and GCC.

O'Reilly has some interesting looking titles in embedded systems, so I'd advise that you look at one or more of those in a good bookshop and see if anything appeals.


That's not the only argument for Linux. If Linux, or whatever OS, has drivers for the peripherals that you need, you can spend more time writing your app and less time writing interfaces to hardware.
If there is a real time requirement that is either hard or fast, that does make life more difficult and may be an argument against using any OS. Only you can tell from you max tolerable latency or delta latency, depending on what is acceptable to your app.

Also look at the manufacturer's website to see what tools and support they provide. Sometimes it is worth choosing the device on the basis of the support for either the chip manufacturer or the board manufacturer.

thanks for the help all ..

i am thinking of getting this book ..."Programming Embedded Systems With C and Gnu Development Tools 2nd Edition"..

hope it helps me..


any ways .. how about using keil... would it not solve all the problem..


(currently i just made a controller for BLDC..) it requires real time processing.. i did it with assembly.. now i will try with embedded c..

thanks again..

Hi i am back again after learning some things....
Well i think these are the things i have currently learnt:

1) Linux command basics from the web i have mentioned before.
2) shell scripting.. only the things i require .. from TLDP.

well i also learnt that there are things available but all scattered and not in order.

There are many more to learn, like:
gcc
make
using patches
cross compilers
gdb
linux devices or drivers
programming microcontoller.. like 8051,pic,arm in c
linux porting
.
.

Now i want to know in what order i should start learning.I have found some web sites where i can learn most of the things.
Can some one tell me the order(like first this and later that kind of order), may be also some things missing above.
please this will help me . I don't know where to start.
In case you are wondering what i am trying to do, i am trying to learn embedded linux.

thanks in advance