As a Maemo newb, I’m looking for a convenient and efficient method for building
various things for my N900. Building on the phone does work but it’s tedious and
painfully slow, so I’ve been looking for a cross compilation setup.

What is the preferred environment nowadays?

I’ve looked into Scratchbox which unfortunately, judging by the mailing list, is more
or less in a vegetative state. Also I’m currently investigating Buildbox but I’m still
trying to figure out how to get it to recognize my SVN checkout of that eglibc 2.6
which seems to be a fixed requirement. Before I waste more time, I’d appreciate
any pointers that might accelerate my path to a workable solution.

Look at my signature there should be a link to a distro iso with everything you could use...

Thanks for the pointer.

> Look at my signature there should be a link to a distro iso with everything you could use...

You mean setting up a VM with a different distro? I’ll give it a shot,
though I’d prefer to stay close to my current setup. Let’s see how
far it gets me.

Scratchbox is still usefull.
I use a setup from thp's instructions which still works smoothly.

thpmaemo.blogspot.dk/2012/09/howto-set-up-maemo-5-scratchbox-sdk-vm.html?m=1

I don't mean in any way whatsoever setting up a vm with another distro.
That was one of the things I tried at all cost to avoid if possible.
Though it could be done that way...set up inside a vm...
(though I for one haven't bothered...I have multiple copies set up on usb sticks and partitioned drives as well....

I don't think you fully understand php....

Read the topic of that thread on the distro iso in my signature for proper understanding.
Everything is concisely explained there..
I am not about to repeat that volume verbatim.
Please read it before confusing things further...

As far as Scratchbox goes...
Scratchbox is the only tool not set up for immediate use (due to it's size when set up ) inside the remixed distro...
though it too can be set up in it quite easily....

> I don't mean in any way whatsoever setting up a vm with another distro.
> That was one of the things I tried at all cost to avoid if possible.
> …
> Read the topic of that thread on the distro iso in my signature for proper understanding.
> Everything is concisely explained there..

In fact I had read that thread before posting here

When I got those ISOs downloaded they ended up containing
some bootable i386 system. How exactly do you assume one
would run that if not in a VM?

Anyways, the default boot option boots into X which isn’t very
convenient. My goal is to automate builds from an upstream so
I haven’t much use for a graphical system, I’m afraid.

BURN THEM TO USB .... BURN THEM TO DVD ...RUN THEM....USE THEM.... do have the ability for persistence.. to remember and keep your work.
JUST for starters...
that is just one method to implement these iso's...
they are LIVE rolling release distro's with everything meant for work on the nxx0 line packed in ready to 1 click use ...no set up (shy of scratchbox which is just too big to have ready to use inside a 4gb distro iso ...but once burned to say ...a usb flash drive..well the process is there inside as well to start the installation of scratch.)
The whole of it is just burn, run, play.
The intent here was to AVOID the overhead of VM's...
You don't have to run it in a VM...
unless that is your thing...
I don't use it in a vm ... not interested...
I have it installed on a couple of comps.
I have it installed on a whack of 32 gb and up.. flash drives...

Please do not confuse what it is or does....
If what you need is something completely different than a full nxx0 workshop with programs tailored for the device line inside ...pre-set up and ready to use..... then I wish you the best in making whatever it is ...happen...

Yes, thanks. I set it up over the weekend and indeed it
yields functioning binaries in a very convenient fashion.
I think I’ll go with that!

With the VM wrapping this proved a bit too much indirection
for me. I then followed the instructions on the wiki:
https://wiki.maemo.org/Documentation...l_Installation
which are fairly straightforward.