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My Experience with Android on Wandboard

 
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Hi,
This is my first 'Blog around the Campfire' post. So i write about my experience of Android with Wandboard.
I like Electronics (as i work in Embedded company so it may be that's why...) & Java programming Language(Though i know little bit other languages also).
I always try to find out any process/thing how it works. For complete given task i always try to use simplest way so i can explain easiest way what i done.
One fine day i start working on Android, first i thought as programmer, i have to learn & use programming techniques & tricks which i used for program similar i used for pretending as Java Developer.
I follows/studied lots of forums/websites/blogs/e-books etc for that, but suddenly i got info that i have to work on Android OS with some Electronics board.
So first time i seen any OS source code seriously. Worrying about which board i should use, this work is for Electronics people why should i learn etc thoughts coming my mind but before i got answer of it, i got Wandboard.

First thing i done is Asked Question on Coderanch.
By this forum answer i take first step towards Kernel.

I am learning lots of new things with help of Wandboard.
1. Electronics
Datasheets, Application notes, Errata, schematics etc which i learned very seriously only after wandboard study. This electronic study helps me when i

learn GPIO, attaching LCD,touch panel with wandboard, understanding how SD card works in internal / external memory, how networking tools like WiFi /Bluetooth

modules works. In OS level names is very complicatedly handled example on Wandboard GPIO pin shown with some name like JP4-8 & in OS it looks like GPIO191
so finding how JP4-8 become 191 it explore me Processors documentation given by freescale.

2. Kernel
I just known that kernel is core of Linux, but when i start it like ocean which has no ends but full of hidden treasures.
I learn how kernel build with help of very few commands with very accurately prepared build environment.
For preparing build environment there is lots of things learn by me related to Linux like which OS should i use, which architecture should i use, how much primary or secondary memory is required, which source is helpful Full or compact etc. After solving those i can manage to build Android for Wandboard by only one word 'make'.

3. Device Drivers
When i face challenge of use LCD which i never seen or handled with Wandboard, that time i learn how actually Device driver works, how can we modified as
Device Driver programmers done.

4. Boot-loader
how exactly boot-loader works is learn by me when i face challenge that set boot environment for LCD panel. When porting OS on SD card or building OS i
learn where exactly bootlader presents in source & in SD card after porting.

5. Shell scripts
In Android OS there is lots of shell scripts use for building lots of things. I learn very first script which use for partitioning SD card which has some
miss calculation & it solution present on forum but not approved by Admin or wandboard peoples.

6. Board bring-up activity
This activity done lots of time by Electronics people but in Android OS with wandboard i done it first time. In this activity i port OS images which generated by building source, on SD card. By ADB or kernel logs i can learn about what happened in kernel & dalvik when board is running.

7. Gapps
When board works fine with compiled or per-compiled image, it contains native & basics apps but its not sufficient when i need to explore more things like i tried use benchmarking Wandboard with various apps available on Google play. We can install directly apk by transferring it by some other device but at some time Google apps is needed for install or run particular app. It available on internet but not on source code given by Wandboard.

This list is increasing but i stop here to counting & writing about topics which i learned or learning. But one thing is i learn each time i go deeper, i got more knowledge & more challenges.
 
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Congrats, Mandar! That's seriously impressive work!
I for one love playing with these small single board computers and hooking them up to different sensors and devices.
If you were to write all your steps in more detail (assuming your company has no problem with you doing so) - either here or in your own blog or somewhere else - you'll find a very interested reader in me
 
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