Developing and Deploying devices

[Martin Gysel]

Am 12.04.2016 um 11:53 schrieb Robert Helling:
> Hi,
> 
> I have been thinking a bit more about setting up a small device
> (C.H.I.P. or similar) to do the dive computer read out and communication
> with the mobile device.
> 
> One thing I am worried about is how to collaboratively develop for such
> a target. It is quite likely that we have to modify system files and
> settings (like startup, maybe configure BT or networking, instilling
> packages etc). How can we put that in version control? Do everything
> with a script and version control that script? For configuration files,
> one could have those in a directory under git and then have a small
> script that writes them in the appropriate places (and sets permissions
> etc). But maybe people have better ideas. Am I reinventing a packaging
> system?

'make install' could copy over all needed system files (which hopefully
are only whole files to add, nothing to patch...)
alternatively if using a debian based image, a dpkg (containing all
needed files) could be created and then installed.

> The other thing is deployment. Initially, that’s simple, we provide disk
> images. But then, what is the upgrade path? Connect to wifi and do git
> pull? apt-get upgrade/update? Get a new disk image? That needs to be
> thought about as well for devices like this.

I think it depends on the used base. if it's a debian based system (and
I would start with such a system), then providing a apt-get urls seems
to be the easiest solution. if using a leaner base (e.g. to reduce
startup time as much as possible) then flashing a whole image and/or
replace changed files (using a script or so) may be the best way.

/martin