Linux

Here are the installation commands for a few Linux distributions.

REQUIRED packages
  • Ubuntu 16.04 or newer / Debian Jessie or newer
$ sudo apt-get install \
  gcc-arm-none-eabi \
  gdb-arm-none-eabi \
  minicom \
  openocd
  • Fedora 23 or newer
$ sudo dnf install \
  arm-none-eabi-gcc-cs \
  arm-none-eabi-gdb \
  minicom \
  openocd
  • Arch Linux
$ sudo pacman -S \
  arm-none-eabi-gcc \
  arm-none-eabi-gdb \
  minicom \
  openocd
  • Other distros

For distros that don't have packages for ARM's pre-built toolchain, download the "Linux 64-bit" file and put its bin directory on your path. Here's one way to do it:

$ mkdir -p ~/local && cd ~/local
$ tar xjf /path/to/downloaded/file/gcc-arm-none-eabi-7-2017-q4-major-linux.tar.bz2.tbz

Then, use your editor of choice to append to your PATH in the appropriate shell init file (e.g. ~/.zshrc or ~/.bashrc):

PATH=$PATH:$HOME/local/gcc-arm-none-eabi-7-2017-q4-major/bin

udev rules

These rules let you use USB devices like the F3 and the Serial module without root privilege, i.e. sudo.

Create this file in /etc/udev/rules.d with the contents shown below.

$ cat /etc/udev/rules.d/99-openocd.rules

# microbit - CMSIS-DAP
ATTRS{idVendor}=="0d28", ATTRS{idProduct}=="0204", GROUP="uucp"

Then reload the udev rules with:

$ sudo udevadm control --reload-rules

If you had any board plugged to your laptop, unplug them and then plug them in again.

Finally, check if you are in the uucp group.

$ groups $(id -nu)
(..) uucp (..)
$ #  ^^^^

($(id -nu) returns your user name.)

If uucp appears in the output. You are all set! Go to the next section. Otherwise, keep reading:

  • Add yourself to the uucp group.
$ sudo usermod -a -G uucp $(id -u -n)
  • Check again the output of groups. uucp should be there this time!
$ groups $(id -nu)
(..) uucp (..)
$ #  ^^^^

You'll have to re-log for these changes to take effect. You have two options:

You can reboot or log out from your current session and then log in; this will close all the programs you have open right now.

The other option is to use the command below:

$ su - $(id -nu)

to re-log only in the current shell and get access to uucp devices only on that shell. Other shells won't have access to uucp devices unless you manually re-log on them with the same su command.

Now, go to the next section.