genpi64-overlay

Gentoo overlay (ebuild repository) for the Raspberry Pi 3 Model B and B+, and Raspberry Pi 4 Model B. Used by GenPi64 image.

NB: this repository has been renamed, from rpi3-overlay to genpi64-overlay, to reflect its applicability to the new Pi4.

List of ebuilds

The overlay provides the following ebuilds:

Metapackage ebuilds

No Longer Used!

Instead of a meta package, select the profile and sets you want.

• dev-embedded/rpi-64bit-meta

  • This is the main gentoo-on-rpi-64bit metapackage - its version matches that of the image release. It replaces the prior gentoo-on-rpi3-64bit metapackage. The features it pulls in (via other ebuilds) can be customized via the following USE flags (edit via /etc/portage/package.use/rpi-64bit-meta):

    USE flag	Default?	Effect
    boot-fw	Yes	Pull in the /boot firmware, configs and bootloader.
    kernel-bin	Yes	Pull in the bcm{2711,rpi3}-kernel<-bis>-bin binary kernel package.
    weekly-genup	Yes	Pull in cron.weekly script, to run genup automatically.
    innercore	Yes	Pull in essential system packages for image (RPi initscripts etc.)
    core	Yes	Pull in main packages for image (clang etc.). Requires innercore.
    xfce	Yes	Pull in packages for baseline Xfce4 system. Requires core.
    pitop	No	Pull in Pi-Top packages (NB most users won't want this). Requires xfce.
    apps	No	Pull in baseline desktop apps (libreoffice etc). Requires xfce.

Ebuilds related to the gentoo-on-rpi-64bit image

Note that for historical reasons, many of these ebuilds may contain rpi3- in the name, but yet still be applicable on the RPi4.

• app-accessibility/onboard upstream
• Provides a flexible onscreen keyboard. Included primarily for use with the official 7" RPi touchscreen. Adapted with thanks from original ebuild, here.

• app-portage/weekly-genup

  • Installs a simple cron.weekly script, to automate genup, and another, to run 'fixups' (small scripts to correct issues that may e.g. prevent correct genup operation, effect upstream file hierarchy migrations etc.).

• net-misc/rpi3-ethfix

  • Effects some simple Ethernet workarounds (using ethtool) for the RPi3B+. It has no effect on the RPi3B or RPi4B.

• net-wireless/rpi3-bluetooth upstream

  • Provides a startup service and udev rule for the RPi3/4's integrated Bluetooth transceiver. Adapted from the pi-bluetooth package from ArchLinux.

• net-wireless/rpi3-wifi-regdom Provides a simple service to set the WiFi regulatory domain; the value set may be modified by editing the file /etc/conf.d/rpi3-wifi-regdom.

• sys-apps/pyconfig_gen upstream

  • Provides a simple, PyQt5 dialog-based app, to allow the /boot/config.txt file to be edited in a structured manner, together with some support services (to revert the new config automatically, unless ratified upon reboot).

• sys-apps/rpi-gpio

  • Sets up a udev rule to allow GPIO access (on the RPi3/4) for members of the gpio group. On installation, all current members of wheel are automatically made members of gpio. Now installed for all users of the rpi-64bit-meta package (with innercore USE).

• sys-apps/rpi-i2c

  • Like rpi3-i2cdev (see below), sets up a udev rule to allow I2C access (on the RPi3/4) for members of the i2c group, and ensures that the i2c_dev module is modprobed. On installation, all current members of wheel are automatically made members of i2c (to allow for straightforward transition from rpi3-spidev). Now installed for all users of the rpi-64bit-meta package (with innercore USE).

• sys-apps/rpi-onetime-startup

  • Provides a startup service which (having first disabled itself from running again) executes, as root, the script /boot/startup.sh, if present. This script can be used to e.g., set up initial WiFi networking on a headless system, thereby allowing an ssh connection to be established. The provided template /boot/startup.sh script contains several (commented out) examples of NetworkManager configuration.

• sys-apps/rpi-serial

  • Provides a udev rule to create appropriate serial port device aliases at /dev/serial0 and/or /dev/serial1 (using code borrowed from Raspbian).

• sys-apps/rpi-spi

  • Like rpi3-spidev (see below), sets up a udev rule to allow SPI access (on the RPi3/4) for members of the spi group. On installation, all current members of wheel are automatically made members of spi (to allow for straightforward transition from rpi3-spidev). Now installed for all users of the rpi-64bit-meta package (with innercore USE).

• sys-apps/rpi-video

  • Provides a udev rule to allow members of the video group access to /dev/rpivid* and /dev/argon* devices (using code borrowed from Raspbian).

• sys-apps/rpi3-i2cdev

  • Provides an OpenRC service and udev rule for I2C access on the RPi3/4. Ensures that the i2c-dev module is modprobed, and that the /dev/i2c-[0-9] devices are read/write for all members of the wheel group, not just root. Originally installed by the pitop USE flag on rpi-64bit-meta, it has since been superseded by rpi-i2c, above.

• sys-apps/rpi3-init-scripts

  • Provides a few simple init scripts for the gentoo-on-rpi-64bit image (to autoexpand the root partition on first boot, inhibit XVideo, setup cache usage appropriate for a low-memory environment etc.).

• sys-apps/rpi3-ondemand-cpufreq

  • Provides the rpi3-ondemand OpenRC sysinit service, to switch the RPi3 and RPi4 from its (bcmrpi3_defconfig and bcm2711_defconfig) default powersave CPU frequency governor, to ondemand, for better performance.

• sys-apps/rpi3-spidev

  • Provides a udev rule for SPI access on the RPi3; ensures that the /dev/spidevN.M devices are read/write for all members of the wheel group, not just root. Originally installed by the pitop USE flag on rpi-64bit-meta, it has since been superseded by rpi-spi, above.

• sys-firmware/bcm4340a1-firmware upstream

  • Provides firmware (/etc/firmware/BCM43430A1.hcd) for the RPi's integrated Bluetooth transceiver. Adapted from the pi-bluetooth package from ArchLinux. Required by net-wireless/rpi3-bluetooth package (see above).

• sys-firmware/brcm43430-firmware upstream

  • Provides a configuration file (brcmfmac43430-sdio.txt) that is required for the RPi3/4's integrated WiFi (the main firmware is provided already, by sys-kernel/linux-firmware). Now also provides the equivalent file brcmfmac43455-sdio.txt, for use with the RPi3 B+ / RPi 4 B's dual-band WiFi WiFi chip set (Cypress CYW43455), plus the matching brcmfmac43430-sdio.clm_blob, and, when the 43455-fix USE flag is set, also provides a more modern copy of the uploadable file /lib/firmware/brcm/brcmfmac43455-sdio.bin (in preference to the older version shipped with sys-kernel/linux-firmware; see below).

• x11-misc/rpi3-safecompositor

  • Provides an eponymous OpenRC service to off display compositing, on the RPi3 only, if a high pixel clock is detected (> 1.2175MHz, currently). This is because certain applications, for example LibreOffice v6 Draw and Impress, can cause the whole system to lock-up when used with compositing on under such conditions. As of v1.4.0 of the image / v1.0.1 of the ebuild, also turns of compositing when 'true' kms mode (vc4-kms-v3d) is in use.

• x11-misc/twofing upstream

  • Provides the twofing daemon, which converts touchscreen gestures into mouse and keyboard events. Included primarily for use with the offical 7" RPi (1,2,3) touchscreen (not sure if this is yet compatible with the RPi4?).

• xfce-extra/xfce4-battery-plugin upstream

  • A modified version of the standard xfce4-battery-plugin gas gauge. It is patched with code from rricharz to query the status of the Pi-Top's battery over I2C; this code is activated by building rpi-64bit-meta with the pitop USE flag (NB - only for use on Pi-Top systems).

• xfce-extra/xfce4-cpugraph-plugin upstream

  • Provides a version of this plugin that periodically completely redraws, as the original is subject to occasional display corruption.

• xfce-extra/xfce4-fixups-rpi3

  • Effects some useful new-user fixups for Xfce4 on the RPi3 and RPi4 (forcing compositing to sync to the vertical blank etc.). Installs an /etc/xdg/autostart/xfce4-fixups-rpi3.desktop entry.

• xfce-extra/xfce4-keycuts-pitop

  • Installs some simple keyboard shortcuts for the Pi-Top (an RPi3-based DIY laptop). Only installed on the image when the pitop USE flag is set on rpi-64bit-meta.

• xfce-extra/xfce4-noblank

  • Provides an /etc/xdg/autostart script to prevent the xscreensaver blanking the screen, even when it is notionally 'off'.

Other directories of interest

The following, non-ebuild directories may also be of interest:

• metadata/news

  • This simply contains some GLEP 42-compliant news items, specific to users of this overlay (and/or the bootable image).

• profiles/...

  • This specifies the custom profile used by the bootable image, which contains a number of custom USE-flag assignments, package masks, keyword overrides and so forth. For more details, please see the notes here.