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diff --git a/docs/busybox.net/FAQ.html b/docs/busybox.net/FAQ.html index 07c1fd4e9..6bc144df6 100644 --- a/docs/busybox.net/FAQ.html +++ b/docs/busybox.net/FAQ.html @@ -8,16 +8,17 @@ have additions to this FAQ document, we would love to add them, <h2>General questions</h2> <ol> -<li><a href="#getting_started">How can I get started using BusyBox?</a> -<li><a href="#build_system">How do I build a BusyBox-based system?</a> -<li><a href="#kernel">Which Linux kernel versions are supported?</a> -<li><a href="#arch">Which architectures does BusyBox run on?</a> -<li><a href="#libc">Which C libraries are supported?</a> -<li><a href="#commercial">Can I include BusyBox as part of the software on my device?</a> -<li><a href="#external">Where can I find other small utilities since busybox does not include the features I want?</a></li> -<li><a href="#demanding">I demand that you to add <favorite feature> right now! How come you don't answer all my questions on the mailing list instantly? I demand that you help me with all of my problems <em>Right Now</em>!</a> -<li><a href="#helpme">I need help with BusyBox! What should I do?</a> -<li><a href="#contracts">I need you to add <favorite feature>! Are the BusyBox developers willing to be paid in order to fix bugs or add in <favorite feature>? Are you willing to provide support contracts?</a> +<li><a href="#getting_started">How can I get started using BusyBox?</a></li> +<li><a href="#configure">How do I configure busybox?</a></li> +<li><a href="#build_system">How do I build a BusyBox-based system?</a></li> +<li><a href="#kernel">Which Linux kernel versions are supported?</a></li> +<li><a href="#arch">Which architectures does BusyBox run on?</a></li> +<li><a href="#libc">Which C libraries are supported?</a></li> +<li><a href="#commercial">Can I include BusyBox as part of the software on my device?</a></li> +<li><a href="#external">Where can I find other small utilities since busybox does not include the features I want?</a></li></li> +<li><a href="#demanding">I demand that you to add <favorite feature> right now! How come you don't answer all my questions on the mailing list instantly? I demand that you help me with all of my problems <em>Right Now</em>!</a></li> +<li><a href="#helpme">I need help with BusyBox! What should I do?</a></li> +<li><a href="#contracts">I need you to add <favorite feature>! Are the BusyBox developers willing to be paid in order to fix bugs or add in <favorite feature>? Are you willing to provide support contracts?</a></li> </ol> <h2>Troubleshooting</h2> @@ -61,10 +62,10 @@ have additions to this FAQ document, we would love to add them, <p> <h2><a name="getting_started">How can I get started using BusyBox?</a></h2> <p> If you just want to try out busybox without installing it, download the - tarball, extract it, run "make allyesconfig", and then run "make". + tarball, extract it, run "make defconfig", and then run "make". </p> <p> - This will create a busybox binary with all features enabled. To try + This will create a busybox binary with almost all features enabled. To try out a busybox applet, type "./busybox [appletname] [options]", for example "./busybox ls -l" or "./busybox cat LICENSE". Type "./busybox" to see a command list, and "busybox appletname --help" to see a brief @@ -90,6 +91,57 @@ have additions to this FAQ document, we would love to add them, standalone shell is dependent on the existence of /proc/self/exe, so before using it in a chroot environment you must mount /proc.) </p> + +<hr /> +<p> +<h2><a name="configure">How do I configure busybox?</a></h2> +<p> Busybox is configured similarly to the linux kernel. Create a default + configuration and then run "make menuconfig" to modify it. The end + result is a .config file that tells the busybox build process what features + to include. So instead of "./configure; make; make install" the equivalent + busybox build would be "make defconfig; make; make install". +</p> + +<p> Busybox configured with all features enabled is a little under a megabyte + dynamically linked on x86. To create a smaller busybox, configure it with + fewer features. Individual busybox applets cost anywhere from a few + hundred bytes to tens of kilobytes. Disable unneeded applets to save, + space, using menuconfig. +</p> + +<p>The most important busybox configurators are:</p> + +<ul> +<li><p>make <b>defconfig</b> - Create the maximum "sane" configuration. This +enables almost all features, minus things like debugging options and features +that require changes to the rest of the system to work (such as selinux or +devfs device names). Use this if you want to start from a full-featured +busybox and remove features until it's small enough.</p></li> +<li><p>make <b>allnoconfig</b> - Disable everything. This creates a tiny version +of busybox that doesn't do anything. Start here if you know exactly what +you want and would like to select only those features.</p></li> +<li><p>make <b>menuconfig</b> - Interactively modify a .config file through a +multi-level menu interface. Use this after one of the previous two.</p></li> +</ul> + +<p>Some other configuration options are:</p> +<ul> +<li><p>make <b>oldconfig</b> - Update an old .config file for a newer version +of busybox.</p></li> +<li><p>make <b>allyesconfig</b> - Select absolutely everything. This creates +a statically linked version of busybox full of debug code, with dependencies on +selinux, using devfs names... This makes sure everything compiles. Whether +or not the result would do anything useful is an open question.</p></li> +<li><p>make <b>allbareconfig</b> - Select all applets but disable all sub-features +within each applet. More build coverage testing.</p></li> +<li><p>make <b>randconfig</b> - Create a random configuration for test purposes.</p></li> +</ul> + +<p> Menuconfig modifies your .config file through an interactive menu where you can enable or disable + busybox features, and get help about each feature. + + + <p> To build a smaller busybox binary, run "make menuconfig" and disable the features you don't need. (Or run "make allnoconfig" and then use |