SDK/Docs/1.2/Using a MeeGo runtime with QEMU

Revision as of 09:49, 20 May 2011

QEMU is a component of the MeeGo SDK. It can run handset or netbook images under an emulator, so you can test your applications on a MeeGo operating system, even if you don't have a MeeGo device.

The best way to use a MeeGo OS image with QEMU start it from inside Qt Creator.

However, this page covers an alternative approach: starting a runtime from the command line. This can be useful to verify that a runtime is working correctly (for example, if it doesn't work from Qt Creator); and also useful for general testing of runtimes.

Prerequisites

If you haven't already installed the SDK, see:

• Installing the SDK on Linux or Installing the SDK on Windows

You will need to install at least one target with a runtime as part of this. Most MeeGo targets include a runtime: a virtual machine image to run under QEMU. See these instructions for installation details.

For QEMU, it is also important that you check your graphics capability. See this page about graphics acceleration for details. Please read this page carefully and follow the instructions on it if you are having issues starting runtimes under QEMU.

Using a runtime from the command line

To start an installed runtime, use the mad command to boot the image inside QEMU.

You can get a list of installed runtimes with:

$ mad list runtimes
meego-tablet-ia32-qemu-1.2.0.0.0.20110516.6-runtime        (installed)
meego-netbook-ia32-qemu-1.2.0.0.0.20110516.6-runtime       (installed)
...

(You may get different output depending on which runtimes you installed.)

The installed runtimes are available to run. To run one, do:

$ sudo mad remote -r <runtime name> poweron -fg

The -fg flag puts the process into the foreground, which is useful for debugging.

For example, to start the tablet runtime above, do:

$ sudo mad remote -r meego-tablet-ia32-qemu-1.2.0.0.0.20110516.6-runtime poweron -fg

Here's what the tablet image looks like (this is the Home zone):

And the IA32 netbook runtime:

$ sudo mad remote -r meego-netbook-ia32-qemu-1.2.0.0.0.20110516.6-runtime poweron -fg

Here's what the netbook image looks like (this is Myzone):

You can now use this running image as a deployment target for Qt Creator, or log into it manually over SSH (see below).

When you've finished, use the power off icon in the emulator to switch it off (if available); or from the command line, do:

$ sudo mad remote -r <netbook runtime name> poweroff

Using a runtime without graphics

If you are having issues with running QEMU, you can try running the image without graphics to help isolate the problem. To do this, set QEMU_NOGRAPHIC=yes in the environment before running the emulator. For example:

$ QEMU_NOGRAPHIC=yes mad remote -r <handset runtime name> poweron

If you are then able to ssh into the running image, you can be fairly certain that your issues are graphics-related, rather than anything to do with the image itself.

SSH into QEMU Image

Any time MeeGo is running in QEMU, you can use SSH to connect to the image from a command-line terminal on the host system.

When the SDK starts QEMU, it sets up a redirect from port 6666 on the host to the SSH port (port 22) on the guest (MeeGo on QEMU). So you can log into the running QEMU image with:

$ ssh meego@127.0.0.1 -p 6666

Two user accounts are available:

1. User: meego, password: meego
2. User: root, password: meego

Configuring access to an emulated device in Qt Creator

To configure access to an emulated device:

1. Open Tools > Options > Projects > MeeGo Device Configurations.
2. In the dialog box, create a new Device Configuration by clicking on Add.
3. Give the new device configuration a name in the Configuration Name text field, then configure it as follows:
   • Device type: choose MeeGo emulator
   • Authentication type: choose Password
   • Host name: localhost
   • SSH Port: 6666

     Note that the emulator is setup with a redirect from port 6666 on localhost to the SSH port (22) of the emulated device.

   • Free Ports: 13219,14168 (the default)

     Note: These ports are used to connect debuggers to the QEMU image. If these ports are not free, you can select alternatives.

   • Connection Timeout: 30
   • User Name: root
   • Password: meego
4. Click Apply.
5. To test the settings, ensure that the emulated device is running, then click Test.

   If successful, you'll see a dialog box with the message "Device configuration okay".

   If the message "Could not connect to host" is displayed, check your setting selections and make sure that the network is connected.

6. Click Close and 'OK.