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https://github.com/xshellinc/iotit

Flashing Tool for SBCs
https://github.com/xshellinc/iotit

beaglebone edison golang iot raspberrypi

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Flashing Tool for SBCs

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# IoTit Flashing tool



**IoTit** (written in Golang) is an open source command-line utility for flashing (initializing) IoT devices.



The easiest way to get `IoTit` is to go to the [Releases](https://github.com/xshellinc/iotit/releases) tab in this repository and download a precompiled binary that matches your OS and architecture.



If you are not sure about your computer details, take a look at this [article](https://www.chiefarchitect.com/support/article/KB-01230/determining-if-your-computer-is-32-bit-or-64-bit.html)



For other intallation methods see the installation section below.



`IoTit` contains a VirtualBox wrapper [go-virtualbox](https://github.com/riobard/go-virtualbox), so it can only run on an OS that allows installation of VirtualBox.



## SUPPORTED DEVICES



* [BeagleBone](http://beagleboard.org/bone)

* [Intel Edison](https://software.intel.com/en-us/iot/hardware/edison)

* [NanoPi NEO](http://nanopi.io/nanopi-neo.html)

* [Raspberry Pi](https://www.raspberrypi.org/)

* [Toradex Colibri iMX6](https://www.toradex.com/computer-on-modules/colibri-arm-family/nxp-freescale-imx6)

* [ASUS Tinker Board](https://www.asus.com/uk/Single-Board-Computer/Tinker-Board/)

* [ESP-32](http://esp32.net/)

* [ESP-8266](http://esp8266.net/)



### REQUIREMENTS

golang >= 1.8



virtualbox >= 5.0



### INSTALLATION



#### OSX HOMEBREW

On macOS you can install `IoTit` from homebrew:



```

brew tap xshellinc/iotit && brew install iotit

```



*Note:* `IoTit` requires [VM VirtualBox](http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/server-storage/virtualbox/downloads/index.html) and [Extension Pack](http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/server-storage/virtualbox/downloads/index.html#extpack) to be installed on your machine.



#### WINDOWS



**NOTE Windows build is still experimental and you may experience problems flashing on windows 7**



**At this point we officaily do not support 32 bit windows (all versions)**



You will need to install [git-for-windows](https://git-for-windows.github.io/)



Upon installing, you will need to add both git and Unix tools to the system PATH [example screenshot](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/xshellinc/iotit/master/static/img/git-win.png)



Windows PowerShell or CMD should be run as `Administrator` for `IoTit` to be able to write on external drives.



**When flashing `Intel® Edison` make sure to provide external power supply.**

Flashing `Intel® Edison` under Windows will render it's usb-ethernet adapter unusable under macOS and vice versa [source](https://communities.intel.com/message/430384).



#### USB-to-Serial drivers



- Espressif ESP8266 Lolin/NodeMCU [CH340](https://wiki.wemos.cc/downloads) [[for macOS 10.12 take it here](https://github.com/adrianmihalko/ch340g-ch34g-ch34x-mac-os-x-driver)]

- Espressif ESP32 [CP210x](https://www.silabs.com/products/development-tools/software/usb-to-uart-bridge-vcp-drivers)



#### Building from source



If you want to build binaries yourself, then follow the regular recommendations for [go build](https://golang.org/pkg/go/build/)



*Note:* Install all requirements before trying to build it on your local workstation:



```

go get ./...

```



*Note:* Although it is not required we recommend to install `ssh-copy-id` for flashing edison.



#### DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT



To build and run with debug log use:



```

./build.sh && ./iotit

```



### COMMANDS



To see available commands launch `iotit help`



```

NAME:

   iotit - Flashing Tool for IoT devices used by Isaax Cloud



USAGE:

   iotit [global options] command [command options] [arguments...]



COMMANDS:

     flash, f       Flash image to the device

     install, i     Install to global app environment

     uninstall, rm  Uninstall iotit

     update, u      Self-update

     log, l         Show log file location

     help, h        Shows a list of commands or help for one command



GLOBAL OPTIONS:

   --help, -h     show help

   --version, -v  print the version

```



For example here are the flash command flags:

```

$ iotit flash --help

NAME:

   iotit flash - Flash image to the device



USAGE:

   iotit flash [command options] [device image]



OPTIONS:

   --quiet, --unattended, -q  Suppress questions and assume default answers

   --disk value, -d value     External disk or usb device

   --port value, -p value     Serial port for connected device. If set to 'auto' first port will be used.

```



### VIRTUALBOX

During installation user can choose `default` virtualbox specs



Alternatively user can create their own vbox spec by choosing `Create new virtual machine`.

This will create a spec file with a name of virtualbox and specs such as memory, cpu, vram etc,

which is applied to `iotit-box`



To delete a custom virtual box preset, go to the iotit folder on your machine on macOS it is at`/Users/{user}/.iotit`. Open the file iotit-vbox.json in a text editor and delete the entry of the preset you want to remove. Entries are in the following form:



```

{

  "name": "test_vbox",

  "uuid": "c1fd7bca-4532-4796-b862-7c16be2d07f4",

  "template": "iotit-box",

  "device": "raspberry-pi",

  "description": "it is a test vbox",

  "option": {

    "cpu": 1,

    "memory": 512,

    "usb": {

      "vc": false,

      "type": {

        "2.0": false,

        "3.0": false

      }

    }

  },

  "SSH": {

    "SSH": {

      "User": "root",

      "Server": "localhost",

      "Key": "",

      "Port": "2222",

      "Password": ""

    },

    "Sudo": false,

    "SudoPass": ""

  }

}

```



### INTERNALS

`$HOME/.iotit` - a directory containing iotit related files



`$HOME/.iotit/mapping.json` - a file containing different device types and urls of images to be downloaded



`$HOME/.iotit/virtualbox/{version}/iotit-box.zip` - a packed virtual box image



`$HOME/.iotit/images/{device}/{image_pack}` - packed images grouped by device names



`IoTit` uses x64 virtualbox in order to flash and configure devices,

because it allows to work with linux partitions and reduces installation requirements

across different OSes



Currently 4 workflows are supported:



#### 1 Edison:

- copy installation files into virtualbox

- run flashall.sh - to reflash edison

- run edison_configure - to configure



#### 2 SD:

- copy installation files into virtualbox

- mount the image partition into loop via `losetup` and `mount`

- write configuration files into the image

- write image into sd-card via `dd` or `diskutil` on macos



#### 3 ESP-32/8266:

- upload firmware and bootloader binaries over serial connection

- configure module parameters using serial connection



#### 4 Toradex Colibri

- copy installation files into virtualbox

- run update.sh and create img files

- copy image files to SD card

- connect to colibri module via serial

- run update to flash linux to internal eMMC



VirtualBox uses alpine virtualbox image with additional software installed

```

bash

libusb-dev

xz

util-linux

dfu-util

```

and for Toradex:

```

dosfstools

parted

sudo

e2fsprogs-extra

coreutils

libattr

zip

```



Edison device is additionally mapped to the usb ports

```

Intel Edison [0310]

Intel USB download gadget [9999]

```



### CUSTOM BOARDS FLASHING:

Provide image url or path to flash it on SD card.



### STRUCTURE OF `mapping.json`:



#### Example:

```

"Devices":

	[

	  {

	    "Name":"device_name_or_category",

        "Alias":"short_name",

	    "Sub":[

	      {

	        "Name":"device_name_or_sub_category",

            "Alias":"short_name"

	        "Sub":[],

	        "Images:[]

	      }

	    ],

	    "Images":[

	      {

	        "Url":"url",

            "Title":"url_title",

            "Alias":"short_name"

	      }

	    ]

	  }

	]

```



If you do not specify any images for sub categeory it will choose whatever you have specified in the global image section. If you have more than one image in any image section you will be presented with a list when flashing.



#### Structure:

```

DeviceMapping struct {

    Name      string

	Alias     string

    Sub       []DeviceMapping

    []Images  struct {

        Url    url

        Title  string

    }

}

```



#### Algorithm:

has a tree like structure -

devices are listed using `Name` field, then devices are listed within `Sub` array and etc.



If a `Sub` device doesn't have any image, then parent's images are used instead.