Yocto: Difference between CORE_IMAGE_EXTRA_INSTALL and IMAGE_INSTALL

Question

Recently, I tried to include open source package (iperf3) to target image via Yocto build. (Updating local.conf for IMAGE_INSTALL += "iperf3", as the project already corresponding recipe). But the final image did not include in root file system.

I tried the same by adding to package group recipe in <DistroMetaLayer>/recipe-core/packagegroups/RDEPENDS_packagegroup* and was able to include it successfully.

Can someone provide me explanation for the behavior.

Labret

Answer 1

When you write IMAGE_INSTALL += "iperf3" in your local.conf, that will immediately add iperf3 to IMAGE_INSTALL. If your image adds the base rootfs by doing IMAGE_INSTALL ?= "....", then that default value will never be added, as IMAGE_INSTALL already have a value.

If you want to modify IMAGE_INSTALL from local.conf (and a lot other variables), you should always do that with a delayed append / prepend. I.e.

IMAGE_INSTALL_append = " iperf3"

Note the leading space.

Enjambement

Thanks..it worked for me..Does IMAGE_INSTALL += " iperf3" is not same as IMAGE_INSTALL_append = " iperf3" , even with leading space to both of them – Labret