How to install Node.js 0.8 on ARM based SBC Fox Board G20

June 28, 2012

NOTE: This post refers to Node v0.8.x. For new v0.10.x please visit this.

In my previous post I’ve described how to install Node v.0.6.19 into your Fox Board G20. Now I will show how to install the “fresh” 0.8 release of Node. For the identical steps please visit this.

Step 1 to step 4

The same as this.
Step 5: download Node source code

To download Node source code simply use customized nvm:
```
debarm:~$ nvm download v0.8.0
```

Step 6: customize SConstruct file

After a while you have the Node source code and you must customize the v8 script:

debarm:~$ nano ~/nvm/src/node-v0.8.0/deps/v8/SConstruct

'gcc': {
    'all': {
      'CCFLAGS':      ['$DIALECTFLAGS', '$WARNINGFLAGS'],
      'CXXFLAGS':     ['-fno-rtti', '-fno-exceptions'],
    },
    'visibility:hidden': {
      # Use visibility=default to disable this.
      'CXXFLAGS':     ['-fvisibility=hidden']
    },

and modify as follow:

  'gcc': {
    'all': {
      'CCFLAGS':      ['$DIALECTFLAGS', '$WARNINGFLAGS', '-march=armv5tej', '-mthumb-interwork'],
      'CXXFLAGS':     ['-fno-rtti', '-fno-exceptions', '-march=armv5tej', '-mthumb-interwork'],
    },
    'visibility:hidden': {
      # Use visibility=default to disable this.
      'CXXFLAGS':     ['-fvisibility=hidden']
    },

and finally this:

      'armeabi:softfp' : {
        'CPPDEFINES' : ['USE_EABI_HARDFLOAT=0'],
        'vfp3:on': {
          'CPPDEFINES' : ['CAN_USE_VFP_INSTRUCTIONS']
        },
        'simulator:none': {
          'CCFLAGS':     ['-mfloat-abi=softfp'],
        }
      },

in this one:

      'armeabi:softfp' : {
        'CPPDEFINES' : ['USE_EABI_HARDFLOAT=0'],
        # 'vfp3:on': {
        #   'CPPDEFINES' : ['CAN_USE_VFP_INSTRUCTIONS']
        # },
        'simulator:none': {
          'CCFLAGS':     ['-mfloat-abi=soft'],
        }
      },

Step 7: customize common.gypi

By default the v8 installer recognize the Fox Board as an armv7, but isn’t right (see this).

Edit common.gypi:

debarm:~$ nano ~/nvm/src/node-v0.8.0/deps/v8/build/common.gypy

and change this:

{
  'variables': {
    'use_system_v8%': 0,
    'msvs_use_common_release': 0,
    'gcc_version%': 'unknown',
    'v8_compress_startup_data%': 'off',
    'v8_target_arch%': '<(target_arch)',

as follow:

{
  'variables': {
    'armv7%': 0,
    'arm_neon%': 0,
    'use_system_v8%': 0,
    'msvs_use_common_release': 0,
    'gcc_version%': 'unknown',
    'v8_compress_startup_data%': 'off',
    'v8_target_arch%': '<(target_arch)',

Step 8: customize macro-assembler-arm.cc

As workaround for "For thumb inter-working we require an architecture which supports blx" error message during v8 compilation, you must customize macro-assembler-arm.cc source code:

debarm:~$ nano ~/nvm/src/node-v0.8.0/deps/v8/src/arm/macro-assembler-arm.cc

from this:

// We do not support thumb inter-working with an arm architecture not supporting
// the blx instruction (below v5t).  If you know what CPU you are compiling for
// you can use -march=armv7 or similar.
#if defined(USE_THUMB_INTERWORK) && !defined(CAN_USE_THUMB_INSTRUCTIONS)
# error 'For thumb inter-working we require an architecture which supports blx'
#endif

to this:

// We do not support thumb inter-working with an arm architecture not supporting
// the blx instruction (below v5t).  If you know what CPU you are compiling for
// you can use -march=armv7 or similar.
// #if defined(USE_THUMB_INTERWORK) && !defined(CAN_USE_THUMB_INSTRUCTIONS)
// # error 'For thumb inter-working we require an architecture which supports blx';
// #endif

Step 9: install Node

Now use again nvm:
```
debarm:~$ nvm foxinstall v0.8.0
```
After a few hours (be patient!) you have compiled the latest Node version and you must use it:
```
debarm:~$ nvm use v0.8.0
```
Done! Now you can verify all:
```
debarm:~$ node -v
debarm:~$ npm -v
```
If all versions appear, you can install your desired Node packages using npm as you know:
```
debarm:~$ npm install express
```
You can also set the default Node version as follow:
```
debarm:~$ nvm alias default v0.8.0
```

Good programming with Node!

About Marcello Gesmundo

I'm the founder of Yoovant company. I'm an engineer and an artist: what could be better than combine the technologies with the arts?

2 Comment(s)

Rob Tweed July 1, 2012 at 13:50

Do you know whether these instructions would also apply for the Raspberry Pi?

Reply

Marcello Gesmundo July 1, 2012 at 15:15
Hi Rob,
I don’t have a Raspberry Pi to try (sorry), but for his processor, you can avoid step 7 and check your cpuinfo:
```
$ cat /proc/cpuinfo
```
and change step 6 accordingly. For example, if your cpu doesn’t have thumb feature and shows ARM11 as cpu architecture, you can use:
```
  'gcc': {
    'all': {
      'CCFLAGS':      ['$DIALECTFLAGS', '$WARNINGFLAGS', '-march=arm11', '-mno-thumb-interwork'],
      'CXXFLAGS':     ['-fno-rtti', '-fno-exceptions', '-march=arm11', '-mno-thumb-interwork'],
    },
    'visibility:hidden': {
      # Use visibility=default to disable this.
      'CXXFLAGS':     ['-fvisibility=hidden']
    },
```
If you have some difficulty please copy and paste here your cpuinfo result.
Marcello
Reply