@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+// -*- mode:doc; -*-
+// vim: set syntax=asciidoc:
+
+=== Infrastructure for packages using kconfig for configuration files
+
+A popular way for a software package to handle user-specified
+configuration is +kconfig+. Among others, it is used by the Linux
+kernel, Busybox, and Buildroot itself. The presence of a .config file
+and a +menuconfig+ target are two well-known symptoms of kconfig being
+used.
+
+Buildroot features an infrastructure for packages that use kconfig for
+configuration. This infrastructure provides the necessary make logic to
+expose the package +menuconfig+ target as +foo-menuconfig+ in Buildroot, and
+to handle the copying and copy-back of the configuration file in a
+correct way.
+
+As this infrastructure only handles the kconfig part, it should be used
+in combination with one of the other package infrastructures, like
++generic-package+, +autotools-package+, ...
+
+In order to use the +kconfig-package+ infrastructure for a Buildroot
+package, the minimally required lines in the .mk file are:
+
+------------------------------
+FOO_KCONFIG_FILE = reference-to-source-configuration-file
+
+$(eval $(kconfig-package))
+------------------------------
+
+This snippet will create following make targets:
+
+* +foo-menuconfig+, which calls the package's +menuconfig+ target
+
+* +foo-update-config+, which copies back the configuration to the source
+ configuration file.
+
+and will ensure that the source configuration file is copied to the build
+directory at the right moment.
+
+In addition to these minimally required lines, several optional variables can
+be set to suit the needs of the package under consideration:
+
+* +FOO_KCONFIG_EDITORS+: a space-separated list of kconfig editors to
+ support, for example 'menuconfig xconfig'. By default, 'menuconfig'.
+
+* +FOO_KCONFIG_OPT+: extra options to pass when calling the kconfig
+ ediftors. This may need to include '$(FOO_MAKE_OPT)', for example. By
+ default, empty.
+
+* +FOO_KCONFIG_FIXUP_CMDS+: a list of shell commands needed to fixup the
+ configuration file after copying it or running a kconfig editor. Such
+ commands may be needed to ensure a configuration consistent with other
+ configuration of Buildroot, for example. By default, empty.
@@ -25,6 +25,8 @@
include::adding-packages-virtual.txt[]
+include::adding-packages-kconfig.txt[]
+
include::adding-packages-hooks.txt[]
include::adding-packages-gettext.txt[]
This patch adds documentation for the new kconfig-package infrastructure to the manual. Note that due to the simplicity of the infrastructure, the documentation is not split in a 'tutorial' and a 'reference', like for the other infrastructures. Instead, the usage is described in one section. Signed-off-by: Thomas De Schampheleire <thomas.de.schampheleire@gmail.com> --- docs/manual/adding-packages-kconfig.txt | 54 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ docs/manual/adding-packages.txt | 2 ++ 2 files changed, 56 insertions(+), 0 deletions(-)