Cross compilation NetBSD on GNU/Linux

karamba

Hi Community,

I'd like to cross-compile NetBSD based on https://www.netbsd.org/docs/guide/en/chap-build.html instructions, but I encountered some issues.

It looks like ftp server doesn't have required resources
$ ftp -i ftp://ftp.NetBSD.org/pub/NetBSD/NetBSD-10.1/source/sets/
ftp: Name or service not known

Ultimately I could download required files from http server.

After starting compilation I got an error related to texinfo. After checking external/gpl2/texinfo/dist/ChangeLog I found a last entry 2004-12-3 !.

What is the status of cross-compilation? Is it maintain ?
Someone has an experience in cross-compilation on GNU/Linux?

Cheers

Jay

karamba did you try cvs ?
https://www.netbsd.org/docs/guide/en/chap-fetch.html#chap-fetch-cvs-netbsd-stable

rvp

karamba What is the status of cross-compilation? Is it maintain ?
Someone has an experience in cross-compilation on GNU/Linux?

Both ftp and a tools compile worked fine for me just now on Debian 13:

root@debian:~# uname -a
Linux debian 6.12.41+deb13-amd64 #1 SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Debian 6.12.41-1 (2025-08-12) x86_64 GNU/Linux
root@debian:~# apt install ftp gcc g++ zlib1g-dev
root@debian:~# gcc --version
gcc (Debian 14.2.0-19) 14.2.0
Copyright (C) 2024 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
This is free software; see the source for copying conditions.  There is NO
warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
root@debian:~#

rvp@debian:~/NetBSD-10.1/usr/src$ ./build.sh -j6 -N1 -M/tmp/obj -T/tmp/tools -m amd64 -U tools
[...]
===> build.sh ended:      Thu Aug 21 06:43:57 UTC 2025
===> Summary of results:
         build.sh command:    ./build.sh -j6 -N1 -M/tmp/obj -T/tmp/tools -m amd64 -U tools
         build.sh started:    Thu Aug 21 06:34:41 UTC 2025
         NetBSD version:      10.1
         MACHINE:             amd64
         MACHINE_ARCH:        x86_64
         Build platform:      Linux 6.12.41+deb13-amd64 x86_64
         HOST_SH:             /usr/bin/sh
         No $TOOLDIR/bin/nbmake, needs building.
         Bootstrapping nbmake
         MAKECONF file:       /etc/mk.conf (File not found)
         TOOLDIR path:        /tmp/tools
         DESTDIR path:        /tmp/obj/home/rvp/NetBSD-10.1/usr/src/destdir.amd64
         RELEASEDIR path:     /tmp/obj/home/rvp/NetBSD-10.1/usr/src/releasedir
         Created /tmp/tools/bin/nbmake
         Updated makewrapper: /tmp/tools/bin/nbmake-amd64
         Tools built to /tmp/tools
         build.sh ended:      Thu Aug 21 06:43:57 UTC 2025
===> .
rvp@debian:~/NetBSD-10.1/usr/src$

What version of GCC do you have. If it's 15.x, then you may need to pass it ~~-std=c99 or~~ -std=gnu99 as described here.

karamba

Jay did you try cvs ?

Yes, I did. The same effect.

Jay

Also check this old but useful video https://youtu.be/fx2rodSmBUM

karamba

rvp
I've read the post yesterday you mentioned. After passing c99 flag to gcc I got a lot of different compilation errors. I will try to use your version compiler (14.2.0) or I will try to skip compiling the tools and then cross compile the os.

rvp

karamba After passing c99 flag to gcc I got a lot of different compilation errors.

Update.

Fedora Server 42, GCC-15.2.0:

[rvp@localhost src]$ HOST_CFLAGS=-std=gnu17 HOST_CPPFLAGS=-std=gnu17 ./build.sh -j6 -N1 -M/tmp/obj -T/tmp/tools -m amd64 -U tools
[...]
===> Tools built to /tmp/tools
===> build.sh ended:      Fri Aug 22 11:29:55 UTC 2025
===> Summary of results:
         build.sh command:    ./build.sh -j6 -N1 -M/tmp/obj -T/tmp/tools -m amd64 -U tools
         build.sh started:    Fri Aug 22 11:19:13 UTC 2025
         NetBSD version:      10.1
         MACHINE:             amd64
         MACHINE_ARCH:        x86_64
         Build platform:      Linux 6.14.0-63.fc42.x86_64 x86_64
         HOST_SH:             /usr/bin/sh
         No $TOOLDIR/bin/nbmake, needs building.
         Bootstrapping nbmake
         MAKECONF file:       /etc/mk.conf (File not found)
         TOOLDIR path:        /tmp/tools
         DESTDIR path:        /tmp/obj/mnt/tmp/NetBSD-10.1/usr/src/destdir.amd64
         RELEASEDIR path:     /tmp/obj/mnt/tmp/NetBSD-10.1/usr/src/releasedir
         Created /tmp/tools/bin/nbmake
         Updated makewrapper: /tmp/tools/bin/nbmake-amd64
         Tools built to /tmp/tools
         build.sh ended:      Fri Aug 22 11:29:55 UTC 2025
===> .
[rvp@localhost src]$