Building

My Product on
Android Open Source Project

Android Builders Summit 2015

Rafael Coutinho - Software Engineer
Phi Innovations

1
 Agenda

● Motivation
● Build System Overview
● Simple Build
● Product Customization Structure
● Create My Own Products
● Summary
● Q&A

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 Motivation

● At work we design hardware, customize the operating

system, develop high level applications
● SoCs based on
● Freescale (iMX53, iMX6)
● Texas Instruments (Beaglebones)
● AllWinner (A20)
● FriendlyARM (Tiny210)
● Android basic porting are provided by these vendors
● However usually not in a standard way

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 Motivation

● Not in a standard way tricks we have found

● Shell scripts to define the Android variables during build.
● Shell scripts copied to the build that are executed on the init.rc and
then set the actual Android environment variables/configurations.
● Manually executed commands during build (like for compiling HALs)
● Provide a pre built tar file with the root file system to be copied over
the final build
● Hard time figuring out why our customizations do not go
thru the build in each provided AOSP porting

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 Motivation

● Looking for AOSP build process documentation we

have found it is scarce and what is available is old or
cached versions
● build/core/build-system.html - Starts with “Status: Draft (as of May 18, 2006)”
● KAndroid website with cached old version of the Android build
● Embedded Android book from Karim Yaghmour
● Free electrons training
● Some ABS previous presentations
● Usually deep and complete but also complex

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 Motivation

● Describe how to customize an AOSP for a target

product using the standard AOSP build mechanisms

● Making easier to extend/develop ported AOSPs on

customized boards

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 Android Build System

Build systems are software tools designed to automate the

process of program compilation.
Google defined a GNU/Make based build system for
Android
● Replacing Makefile files with Android.mk
● New imported modules must have it’s Makefiles “translated”
● No tool like menuconfig available by default

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Android Build System Architecture

Originals at: www.opersys.com/training/embedded-android

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 Simple build

Execute the build once (to be fearless)

Build combo aosp_arm-eng
Simple build for development targeting emulator

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 Simple build

$ source build/envsetup.sh
$ lunch
You're building on Linux
Lunch menu... pick a combo:
1. aosp_arm-eng
2. aosp_arm64-eng
3. aosp_mips-eng
Which would you like? [aosp_arm-eng]
$ make -j16

Wait…
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 Simple build… envsetup

envsetup.sh
This script is for setting up the build environment on the
current shell
● adding macros
● type hmm to list all macros created
● godir - move to the directory containing a file
● m, mm, mmm - macros to start a build with different args
● cgrep - alias to execute grep on c/c++ files
● jgrep - alias to execute grep on java files

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 Simple build… lunch

lunch
● It lists all the combos available in the current
environment to be built
● By following all vendor/* and device/* folders looking for the
vendorsetup.sh files.
● vendorsetup.sh files actually executes the add_lunch_combo with
parameters

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 Simple build… combos

● A build combo are combination of a product to build and

the variant to use.
● product (TARGET_PRODUCT)
● A product defines how the final Android image is, selecting it’s services, initialization,
applications to install etc. For example aosp - for emulators.
● build variant (TARGET_BUILD_VARIANT) select the purpose of this
build. The options are:
● user: Includes modules tagged user, usually used for final release.
● userdebug: Includes modules tagged user or debug. Usually for platform testing.
● eng: Includes modules tagged user, debug or eng. Usually for development phase.

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 Simple build… env variables

lunch sets env variables used by the build.

PATH $ANDROID_JAVA_TOOLCHAIN:$PATH:$ANDROID_BUILD_PATHS

ANDROID_EABI_TOOLCHAIN aosp-root/prebuilt/linux-x86/toolchain/arm-
eabi-4.4.3/bin

ANDROID_TOOLCHAIN $ANDROID_EABI_TOOLCHAIN

ANDROID_BUILD_TOP aosp-root

ANDROID_PRODUCT_OUT aosp-root/out/target/product/generic (has an alias OUT)

TARGET_BUILD_VARIANT eng,user,userdebug

TARGET_BUILD_TYPE debug or release

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 Simple build… output

The build output is generated in the folder defined by

● ANDROID_PRODUCT_OUT usually aosp/out
The output is composed by modules built for the host
system and target ones
● The system image is created in target folder under a
directory named with the target product name
● aosp/out/target/product/aosp/

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 Simple build… images

The following files (among others) are created:

● ramdisk.img
● Contains the root file system of Android, including
● init.* configuration files
● default.prop containing the read only properties of this AOSP build
● /system mounting point
● system.img
● Contains the components generated by the AOSP build, including
● framework, applications, daemons

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 Simple build… images

● userdata.img
● Partition to hold the user data. Usually empty after the build
● recovery.img, ramdisk-recovery.img
● basic image partition used to recover user data or even the actual
system if anything goes wrong.

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 Simple build… emulator

● Open emulator for testing

● Build has set up PATH var to point to an
emulator executable.
emulator -show-kernel -shell
● Model number
● Build number

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 Product customization structure

● The aosp-root/device folder

contains the customizations
● Building procedures and extensions for the
targeted “Android based product” of this
build.
● Devices are grouped by vendor
● Each device have one or more
products and boards.

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 Product customization structure

Product main makefiles:

● AndroidProducts.mk
● full_<product_name>.mk
● Android.mk
● AndroidBoard.mk
● BoardConfig.mk
● device_<board_name>.mk

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 Android product makefile

● AndroidProducts.mk list the products of this vendor

setting the PRODUCT_MAKEFILES build variable
● For instance the device/generic/qemu/AndroidProducts.mk

As reference check build/target/product/AndroidProducts.mk

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 Android product makefile

● A product makefile (full_<product_name>.mk) contains

the product properties (name, version etc) and extras like
modules/programs or prebuilt files to be included in the
build.
● It could include/inherit from other predefined mk files
from build/target/product/
● It must define its boards makefile
● device_<board_name>.mk
As reference check build/target/product/
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 Android product makefile

● Product properties
● PRODUCT_NAME := aosp_arm
● This is the name that will appear in the lunch combo option. This must match this
product folder under devices folder.
● PRODUCT_DEVICE := generic
● This must match the device’s sub directory. TARGET_DEVICE derives from this
variable.
● PRODUCT_MODEL := AOSP on ARM Emulator
● The end-user-visible name for the end product.

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 Android product makefile

● Product files to copy

PRODUCT_COPY_FILES := \ device/sample/etc/apns-conf_br.xml:
system/etc/apns-conf.xml \ device/ti/panda/media_codecs.xml:
system/etc/media_codecs.xml \ device/ti/panda/init.rc:root/init.rc

● Forces the copy of those files on the final build

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 Android product makefile

● Modules to be included
PRODUCT_PACKAGES += \
my_own_service_module \
CustomGallery \
lib4mywifi
● Defines which modules, besides any inherited (due to the ‘+’ before
the equals), we want to include on the build.
● It could include libs/apps that are only defined under
device/<my_company>/<my_product>.

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 Android product makefile

● Overriding frameworks/packages config/layout files

PRODUCT_PACKAGE_OVERLAYS :=
device/<my_company>/<my_product>/overlay
● Defines a directory that will override the AOSP sources.
● Avoid changing the frameworks folder directly
● The sub folders must have the same AOSP root structure.
device/<my_company>/<my_product>/overlay/frameworks/base/c
ore/res/res/values/config.xml

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 Android product makefile

● Common overlayed files

frameworks/base/core/res/res/values/config.xml
● config_supportAutoRotation
● Enables auto rotation support
● config_longPressOnPowerBehavior
● defines if pressing power button show a global actions menu, only power off or do
nothing.
● config_shortPressOnPowerBehavior
● Similar to above but with other options
● “Documented” here: https://github.
com/android/platform_frameworks_base/blob/master/core/res/res/values/config.xml

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 Android product makefile

● Common overlayed files

frameworks/base/core/res/res/drawable-
nodpi/default_wallpaper.jpg
● Replaces the default wallpaper with no Wallpaper service
customization

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 Android product inheritance

● Inherit to reuse
$(call inherit-product, $(SRC_TARGET_DIR)/product/full_base.mk)

● Inheriting from full_base.mk would define most of the needed base

configurations.
● full_base inherits from
● AllAudio.mk
● Importing some audios for the system
● locales_full.mk
● Get lists of supported languages
● generic_no_telephony.mk
● Includes apps like Calendar, Music, Settings
● Besides includes wpa_supplicant

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 Android product inheritance

● Makefile inheritance
● In order to have the minimal configuration you need
embedded.mk

base.mk

core_minimal.mk
telephony.mk & aosp_base.mk
core.mk
full_base_telephony.mk
generic_no_telephony.mk

full_base.mk

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 Android product inheritance

● Other important make files

● emulator.mk
● Creates the emulator tools for this build.
● Must be included in the MKs in order to get it created.
● telephony.mk
● Includes Dialer and MMS apps
● Include the rild (radio interface layer daemon)

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 Android.mk

If there is any module is defined under

devices/<my_company>/<my_product>
folder to be built, an Android.mk file is needed to call
recursively the build on the sub folders.

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 AndroidBoard.mk

“Binds” the Android to the Board

● Defines the kernel build to use
● device/lge/mako/AndroidBoard.mk

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 BoardConfig.mk

Configures the board (hardware) related parameters

Usually in the same product folder, but could be separated:
device/<my_company>/<my_board>/
Defined by the PRODUCT_DEVICE
● Boot args for loading kernel
● Target CPU, CPU variant
● Partitions sizes
● Build compilation flags

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 BoardConfig.mk

Simple BoardConfig.mk

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 device.mk

● A device makefile (device_<board_name>.mk) contains

the board properties
● Same variables used by the product makefile but now
more attached to the board
● May define this boards overlays
● DEVICE_PACKAGE_OVERLAYS
● It may include any board specific makefiles

As reference check build/target/board/

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 Android product makefile

full_<product>.mk

device_<board>.mk

AndroidBoard.mk

AndroidProducts.mk BoardConfig.mk

Android.mk vendorsetup.sh

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 Creating my own product

● Organization “BossaNova” wants to create an Android

product called “Girl Of Ipanema” that runs on the “Tom
Jobim” board.
● This product basically allows a customer to have a customized
Android that has info about Girl Of Ipanema song.
● Create the organization folder under device folder
● Create the device folder where the product and board
files are located
● Customize it
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 Creating my own product
Folders/files structure
● Create bossanova organization folder
● Under bossanova
● Create board mk files
● device_tomjobim.mk (build/target/board/generic/device.mk)
● BoardConfig.mk (build/target/board/generic/BoardConfig.mk)
● AndroidProducts.mk
● full_girlofipanema.mk
● Create script to include this product combo into the lunch menu
● vendorsetup.sh

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 Creating my own product
Folders/files content
● AndroidProducts.mk
PRODUCT_MAKEFILES := $(LOCAL_DIR)/full_girlofipanema.mk

● device_tomjobim.mk
Includes Emulator’s make file
include $(SRC_TARGET_DIR)/product/emulator.mk
Define this devices overlay directory (Just wallpaper replacement)
DEVICE_PACKAGE_OVERLAYS := device/bossanova/tomjobim/boardoverlays

frameworks/base/core/res/res/drawable-nodpi/default_wallpaper.jpg

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 Creating my own product
Folders/files content
● BoardConfig.mk
● Pretty much the emulator’s one
● Reducing the size of userdata partition to 256M
BOARD_USERDATAIMAGE_PARTITION_SIZE := 268435456
● vendorsetup.sh
● Added our combos

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 Creating my own product
Folders/files content
● full_girlofipanema.mk
Define products info (model, name, device…)
Setting this product overlay defining the launchers wallpaper
PRODUCT_PACKAGE_OVERLAYS := device/bossanova/tomjobim/goi_overlays
Customized config.xml overlay
config_toastDefaultGravity=top|center_horizontal

Set the languages to be included in the build

PRODUCT_LOCALES := en_US pt_BR

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 Creating my own product build

Build Girl of Ipanema’s Android for Tom Jobim board

$ source build/envsetup.sh
$ lunch
You're building on Linux
Lunch menu... pick a combo:
[..]
22. full_girlofipanema-userdebug
23. full_girlofipanema-user
24. full_girlofipanema-eng
Which would you like? [aosp_arm-eng] 22
make -j16

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Emulator

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 Create a second product

● Organization “BossaNova” wants to create another

Android product called “One Note Samba” that runs on
the “Tom Jobim” board.
● This product comes with a default prebuilt app to play
One Note Samba song repeatedly
● This is not a phone but a tablet
● Target market will be Brazil (so default language is
portuguese)
● Change the custom boot animation
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 Creating my own product
Folders/files structure
● Under bossanova
● Create product mk files
● full_onenotesamba.mk

● Update the following files

● AndroidProducts.mk
● vendorsetup.sh

● Create the custom app folder

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 Creating my own product
Folders/files content
● AndroidProducts.mk
PRODUCT_MAKEFILES := \
$(LOCAL_DIR)/full_girlofipanema.mk \
$(LOCAL_DIR)/full_onenotesamba.mk

● vendorsetup.sh
Added our combos
add_lunch_combo full_onenotesamba-userdebug
add_lunch_combo full_onenotesamba-user
add_lunch_combo full_onenotesamba-eng

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 Creating my own product
Folders/files content
● full_onenotesamba.mk
Add a new package to be included into the build, set the overlay folder and
the tablet characteristic
PRODUCT_PACKAGES += OneNoteSambaPlayer
PRODUCT_PACKAGE_OVERLAYS := device/bossanova/tomjobim/ons_overlays
PRODUCT_CHARACTERISTICS := tablet
PRODUCT_COPY_FILES += device/bossanova/tomjobim/bootanimation.zip:
system/media/bootanimation.zip

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 Creating my own product
Folders/files content
● full_onenotesamba.mk
Customized config.xml overlay (setting toast to be in the center)
config_toastDefaultGravity=center_vertical|center_horizontal

Set portuguese to be the default language

PRODUCT_LOCALES := pt_BR en_US

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 Adding a prebuilt app

Create a directory under tomjobim directory

devices/bossanova/tomjobim/OneNoteSambaApp

Copy the pre built apk file into it

Create the Android.mk for describing how to build it

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 Adding a prebuilt app

Android.mk
LOCAL_PATH := $(call my-dir)
include $(CLEAR_VARS)
# Module name should match apk name to be installed.
LOCAL_MODULE := OneNoteSambaPlayer
LOCAL_SRC_FILES := $(LOCAL_MODULE).apk
LOCAL_MODULE_CLASS := APPS
LOCAL_MODULE_SUFFIX := $(COMMON_ANDROID_PACKAGE_SUFFIX)
LOCAL_CERTIFICATE := PRESIGNED
include $(BUILD_PREBUILT)

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 Summary

● AOSP build system has standards mechanisms to allow

customizations
● Following them is important to allow others to expand
and customize your device
● However its documentation is mostly by reading the
code

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 References

Embedded Android, Karim J. Yaghmour - www.opersys.

com/training/embedded-android
Free electrons training - free-electrons.com/training/android
Jelly Bean Device Porting Walk through, Benjamin Zores, ABS 2013 -
speakerdeck.com/gxben/jelly-bean-device-porting-walkthrough
Zip File with Device Folder - phiinnovations.com/files/bossanova.zip
Phi Innovations - www.phiinnovations.com

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 Q&A*

● Now
● Later
● rafael.coutinho@phiinnovations.com
● @rafaelcoutinho

* possibly there will be an answer

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