In very short

If you need to compile something for raspberry just run this:

path/to/clang --target=arm-linux-gnueabihf --sysroot=/some/path/arm-linux-gnueabihf/sysroot my-happy-program.c  -fuse-ld=lld

In command above “arm-linux-gnueabihf” – is my target triple.

If you don’t like LLVM or just need GCC, read Yuzhou Cheng’s article . Or lookup in nets something like “cross compilation for raspberry”. This may help. Below we describe how to do it with LLVM.

Disclaimer

We assume that reader knows how to deal with command line. If not, don’t worry, it’s ok, not to know some things in our life. Feel free and just ask questions in comments.

Let’s start

Root FS

Of course you still need rootfs. And also you perhaps need gcc binutils, but perhaps you would like to use ones provided by llvm infrastructure. But. You don’t have to build it, just get it, e.f. from Linux package. But actually I’m looking for solution how to make it enough just to mount my raspberry rootfs.

How to get LLVM

At current moment there are precompiled binaries for Mac OS (go to “Pre-Built Binaries” paragraph):

http://releases.llvm.org/download.html

Or for version 7.0.0 you may run this in terminal:

$ wget http://releases.llvm.org/7.0.0/clang+llvm-7.0.0-x86_64-apple-darwin.tar.xz

Compiling LLVM from sources

Don’t worry this is a bit different from building gcc. Difference is in statistics fact, that it usually successful and you can really drink cup of coffee.

Prerequirements

Below are few brew commands which adds all dependencies we need.

$ brew install swig
$ brew install cmake

Get sources

Get LLVM, Clang, LLD and LLDB sources, once again same link:

http://releases.llvm.org/download.html

Or for 7.0.0:
LLVM
Clang
LLD
LLDB

1. Extract LLVM sources.

2. Extract LLD into llvm/tools/lld

3. Extract LLDB into llvm/tools/lldb

4. Most tricky part: lldb needs to be code signed. This article describes how to to that. Actually you should find it in your lldb sources dir, in lldb/docs/code-signing.txt.

5. Create some binary dir, let say “llvm.darwin-x86_64”, and cd into it.

6. Compile

cmake -G "Unix Makefiles" -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release <path to llvm sources>

make -j<num-parallel jobs, for me it is 8>

7. Test it.

make -j8 check

8. Use it!

Post scriptum

Optionally you may use legacy binutils. In this case install them with brew:

$ brew install arm-linux-gnueabihf-binutils

But I prefer just to use single solution.

CMake Toolchain

Below is my cmake toolchain file, which uses clang (built from sources). Hope it will be useful for you.

toolchain.cmake

SET(CMAKE_SYSTEM_VERSION 1)
set(CMAKE_SYSTEM_NAME Linux)
set(CMAKE_SYSTEM_PROCESSOR arm)

# Custom toolchain-specific definitions for your project
set(PLATFORM_ARM "1")
set(PLATFORM_COMPILE_DEFS "COMPILE_GLES")

# There we go!
# Below, we specify toolchain itself!

SET(TARGET_TRIPLE arm-linux-gnueabihf)

# Specify your target rootfs mount point on your compiler host machine
SET(TARGET_ROOTFS /Volumes/rootfs-${TARGET_TRIPLE})

# Specify clang paths
SET(LLVM_DIR /Users/stepan/projects/shared/toolchains/llvm-7.0.darwin-release-x86_64/install)
SET(CLANG ${LLVM_DIR}/bin/clang)
SET(CLANGXX ${LLVM_DIR}/bin/clang++)

# Specify compiler (which is clang)
SET(CMAKE_C_COMPILER   ${CLANG})
SET(CMAKE_CXX_COMPILER ${CLANGXX})

# Specify binutils

SET (CMAKE_AR      "${LLVM_DIR}/bin/llvm-ar" CACHE FILEPATH "Archiver")
SET (CMAKE_LINKER  "${LLVM_DIR}/bin/llvm-ld" CACHE FILEPATH "Linker")
SET (CMAKE_NM      "${LLVM_DIR}/bin/llvm-nm" CACHE FILEPATH "NM")
SET (CMAKE_OBJDUMP "${LLVM_DIR}/bin/llvm-objdump" CACHE FILEPATH "Objdump")
SET (CMAKE_RANLIB  "${LLVM_DIR}/bin/llvm-ranlib" CACHE FILEPATH "ranlib")

# You may use legacy binutils though.
#SET(BINUTILS /usr/local/Cellar/arm-linux-gnueabihf-binutils/2.31.1)
#SET (CMAKE_AR      "${BINUTILS}/bin/${TARGET_TRIPLE}-ar" CACHE FILEPATH "Archiver")
#SET (CMAKE_LINKER  "${BINUTILS}/bin/${TARGET_TRIPLE}-ld" CACHE FILEPATH "Linker")
#SET (CMAKE_NM      "${BINUTILS}/bin/${TARGET_TRIPLE}-nm" CACHE FILEPATH "NM")
#SET (CMAKE_OBJDUMP "${BINUTILS}/bin/${TARGET_TRIPLE}-objdump" CACHE FILEPATH "Objdump")
#SET (CMAKE_RANLIB  "${BINUTILS}/bin/${TARGET_TRIPLE}-ranlib" CACHE FILEPATH "ranlib")

# Specify sysroot (almost same as rootfs)
SET(CMAKE_SYSROOT ${TARGET_ROOTFS})
SET(CMAKE_FIND_ROOT_PATH ${TARGET_ROOTFS})

# Specify lookup methods for cmake
set(CMAKE_FIND_ROOT_PATH_MODE_PROGRAM NEVER)
set(CMAKE_FIND_ROOT_PATH_MODE_LIBRARY ONLY)
set(CMAKE_FIND_ROOT_PATH_MODE_INCLUDE ONLY)

# Sometimes you also need this:
# set(CMAKE_FIND_ROOT_PATH_MODE_PACKAGE ONLY)

# Specify raspberry triple
set(CROSS_FLAGS "--target=${TARGET_TRIPLE}")

# Specify other raspberry related flags
set(RASP_FLAGS "-D__STDC_CONSTANT_MACROS -D__STDC_LIMIT_MACROS")

# Gather and distribute flags specified at prev steps.
set(CMAKE_C_FLAGS "${CMAKE_C_FLAGS} ${CROSS_FLAGS} ${RASP_FLAGS}")
set(CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS "${CMAKE_CXX_FLAGS} ${CROSS_FLAGS} ${RASP_FLAGS}")

# Use clang linker. Why?
# Well, you may install custom arm-linux-gnueabihf binutils,
# but then, you also need to recompile clang, with customized triple;
# otherwise clang will try to use host 'ld' for linking,
# so... use clang linker.
set(CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS ${CMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS} -fuse-ld=lld)

Sometimes you need to run “cmake” twice, for first compilation gives you this:

error: invalid linker name in argument '-fuse-ld=lld;-fuse-ld=lld'

I have no idea why that happens. Rerunning cmake really helps.

Ok, that’s it.

Message me if you feel lonely dude, I’m still on it, it will try to help!