GCC version not upgraded

[APokorny]

What is the purpose of this repository?
Is it supposed to provide a cross compiler that matches the gcc --version of the current raspbian image?
Will there be updates of any of the toolchains in the repository?

There is a growing number of projects that will no longer compile with gcc 4.8 and 4.9 support will see a similar fate. I am aware that there is an awkward C++ ABI change with gcc 5.0, but that step has to be made at some point.

[popcornmix]

I have been testing a newer gcc but unfortunately it failed testing.
I'm using crosstool-ng with this configuration
I can build kernel and /opt/vc/lib libraries fine, but kodi seg-faults on launch.

[carlonluca]

If you want I built a cross toolchain gcc 6.3.0 for Stretch that seems to work for me for the moment. I built Qt, ffmpeg, omxplayer etc... I also tried kodi but I get an illegal instruction. It is built for armv7-a. I also built one identical for Mac OS. I uploaded the binaries here.

[robiwano]

@carlonluca How did you build it ? Did you use crosstool-ng ?

[crapp]

@carlonluca please provide the build steps for your toolchain. I would like to build them myself

[carlonluca]

@robiwano no, crosstool-ng was giving me problems with the paths. I didn't investigate further.
@crapp there are many guides on the web, I think I followed something like this.

[MikeMitterer]

Developer support is incredible bad!
gcc 4.8, gcc 4.9 - Guys, 2018!!!!! We need a modern compiler. Don't waste your time with crap like Rasperry PI Desktop.
Building a cross-compiler, specially on Mac, is not something every developer should have to do on his/her own. Even ESP32 (Espressif) has a x-compiler for every major OS. Raspberry-Org makes good money with their devices - it should be possible to provide us with a cross-compiler for Mac, Windows + Linux.

[JamesH65]

Wow, how rude.

All internal development at RPT is done using either the Pi itself, or desktop Linux with the supplied cross compiler. We don't have any experience in house in Windows or Mac cross compiling.

So I would suggest either doing dev work on RPI itself (using the RPI desktop, which is not crap BTW), or installing a VM with Linux and use the supplied cross compiler. It is old, but it works.

I'm sure that at some point we will release a newer x-compiler for Linux, but it requires a lot of work and even more testing (see comment above), and we are busy right now.

[robiwano]

But the thing is, it doesn't, does it? Raspbian Stretch (f.i.) is built with the GCC6.3.0 toolchain vs. GCC4.9.3 which is the one available. As the ABI changed somewhere around GCC5 (?) linking to OS provided shared objects might lead into a world of hurt, and hard to debug errors.

That said, I for one do appreciate all the work you are doing at RPT, and I was able to find a x-toolchain to use on Ubuntu and also the one provided with VisualGDB, which works fine on Windows.

[JamesH65]

Sorry, I was assuming people were wanting to cross compile kernel building, not 'app' building. I use the cross compiler for kernel builds all the time. However, for Pi app builds I use the Pi itself. Generally fast enough for the stuff I do - and the guy who does the dev work on the desktop uses the Pi for all of that as well, so clearly its fine for some fairly heavy lifting.

[APokorny]

I think the solution here is to tell people to use the debian or ubuntu repositories for building applications and kernels i.e. use the cross compilation packages from stretch if your are a lucky linux user or have the resilience to run the linux subsystem for windows10. Or use a VM solution..

I only came across this repo because a user reported issues with running our binaries... which were built with a new compiler. He told me that here I would find the official ones..

[MikeMitterer]

@APokorny No - the solution is a cross-compiler for Windows and Mac! @JamesH65 I know that was rude - but as said: Raspberry Foundation made ~9M £ in 2015 (don't have the numbers for 2017), Expenses ~6.3M in 2015.
This whole thing is a business and not just a fun project.
Raspberry-Pi is 2 or 3 times more expensive than for example the Orange Pi.
For this price I expect things like a cross-compiler and not someone telling me that it's fast enough to develop on the Pi or that I should use Linux/Docker/VM...

[JamesH65]

For $35 you expect a cross compiler for Windows and Mac, two systems we don't support?

The RPF profits are pushed back straight in to education. There are limits to how much of the profits the trading arm can take of course. But TBH, the amount of profit made by the RPF is irrelevant to the decision on whether to spend a load of money building and supporting cross compilers for platforms we know nothing about. What more important is does that effort pay itself back? And the answer is, currently, no it doesn't. Lets say 1000 people want to work on a Mac, assuming profits per Pi of $3 (made up number), that's $3000 to build and support a cross compiler, ad infinitum. A completely inadequate amount of money for the effort involved. Now add the Windows version, perhaps 10000 people want to use the Windows cross compiler. We now have $30k to play with - STILL not enough. For example, we were just quoted $35k just to write a device driver for a USB wireless dongle. To do the cross compiler work, and SUPPORT it would be way more.

So, yes, we are running Raspberry Pi as a business!

I'd suggest using the Orange Pi cross compiler.

[WayneKeenan]

Microsoft makes a a hell of a lot more money and yet Visual Studio for Mac doesn't cross compile C/C++ apps for Windows, does that mean 'Developer support is incredible bad!' there too ?

The solution is to use a VM.