TargetBFS

TargetZFS™ Read-Only Compressed File System

Overview

TargetZFS serves dynamically decompressed read-only files from a static image. Images are created using a PC Tool that compresses all files and subdirectories in a selected directory. The resulting binary is linked with your application or loaded as a file from another file system. Ideal for installing web pages on the target, it fits any application using read-only files that would benefit from compression, such as font and image files.

Features

  • Full read-only subset of the POSIX and Standard C file system API. Files are dynamically decompressed as they are read, in a manner that is transparent to the application. The original directory structure is maintained and is navigated by standard methods, using cd() and path names.

  • Intuitive Windows tool, xZlib™, for creating a compressed image of any PC directory. Includes both GUI and command line interface versions. User control over compression level and block size used for compression. Performs lossless compression using the zlib library.

  • Executable code can be stored in a TargetZFS file, then decompressed and loaded into RAM for execution.

  • Reduces data transmission time for files that are transferred over a network.

  • Supports multiple concurrent TargetZFS volumes.

  • Performs garbage collection to ensure minimal use of RAM.

  • Optional volume-level encryption. If used, all data on compressed image is encrypted.

  • Shipped with a sample application that can be used as the starting point for your application.

  • The best way to determine TargetZFS’s memory footprint (and performance) is to measure it on your target board using your development environment. Blunk supports source code evaluations for that purpose. For estimation, a measurement of TargetZFS memory footprint for the ARM Cortex-A9 is shown below.

    Footprint Code RAM
    TargetZFS 71KB 18KB

    These results do not include the size of the compressed image, which is either linked as a static array or read from a file.

  • Developed using TargetOS™-Lite, Blunk’s free RTOS. Easily ported to other RTOSes or used in polled mode, without a kernel.

  • Source code is 100% Standard C and has been tested using PC-lint and multiple Standard C compilers, including GCC.

  • Royalty-free license. Includes complete source code, sample applications, sample drivers, user’s manual, and one year of technical support. Electronic delivery via customer-specific web portal.

The TargetZFS PC tool (shown below) can create a compressed image of any PC directory. Files formerly on the PC become available to the embedded application via TargetZFS’ standard file system API and are transparently decompressed as they are read.


 

 

TargetTCP