Cross-Compilation Environment Setup Issue for Jetson Orin Nano

Issue Overview

Users attempting to set up a cross-compilation environment for the Nvidia Jetson Orin Nano Dev board are encountering difficulties when following the official JetPack Cross Compilation container instructions. The primary issue revolves around Docker’s handling of image names containing forward slashes ("/") and potential environment variable configuration problems. This issue is impacting users’ ability to properly launch the cross-compilation container, hindering their development workflow and learning experience with the Jetson platform.

Possible Causes

1. Docker Image Naming Convention:
   The official image name nvcr.io/nvidia/jetpack-linux-aarch64-crosscompile-x86:${SW_VERSION} contains forward slashes, which may cause issues with certain Docker configurations or versions.

2. Environment Variable Configuration:
   The ${WORKSPACE} environment variable, which should contain the workspace location on the Jetson device, may not be properly set or may be empty, leading to errors when attempting to mount volumes.

3. Docker Version Incompatibility:
   Older or incompatible versions of Docker might not properly handle image names with the specified format.

4. User Permissions:
   Insufficient permissions for the user running the Docker commands could prevent proper execution of the container.

Troubleshooting Steps, Solutions & Fixes

1. Using Docker Image ID

If you’re experiencing issues with the image name containing forward slashes:

1. List available Docker images:

   docker images
   

2. Locate the image ID for the Jetson cross-compilation container.

3. Use the image ID instead of the full name when running the container:

   docker run -it --privileged --net=host -v /dev/bus/usb:/dev/bus/usb -v ${WORKSPACE}:/workspace <image_id>
   

2. Verifying and Setting the WORKSPACE Variable

To address the "empty section between colons" error:

1. Check if the WORKSPACE variable is set:

   echo $WORKSPACE
   

2. If it’s empty or not set, define it with the appropriate path:

   export WORKSPACE=/path/to/your/jetson/workspace
   

3. Verify the variable is set correctly:

   echo $WORKSPACE
   

4. Try running the Docker command again with the properly set WORKSPACE variable.

3. Updating Docker

Ensure you’re using the latest version of Docker:

1. Check your current Docker version:

   docker --version
   

2. Update Docker if necessary, following the official Docker documentation for your operating system.

4. Verifying User Permissions

Make sure your user has the necessary permissions to run Docker commands:

1. Add your user to the Docker group:

   sudo usermod -aG docker $USER
   

2. Log out and log back in for the changes to take effect.

5. Alternative Docker Run Command

If issues persist, try using the --volume flag instead of -v:

docker run -it --privileged --net=host --volume /dev/bus/usb:/dev/bus/usb --volume "${WORKSPACE}":/workspace nvcr.io/nvidia/jetpack-linux-aarch64-crosscompile-x86:${SW_VERSION}

6. Verifying SW_VERSION Variable

Ensure the SW_VERSION variable is correctly set:

1. Check the current value:

   echo $SW_VERSION
   

2. If it’s not set or incorrect, set it to the appropriate JetPack version:

   export SW_VERSION=<your_jetpack_version>
   

7. Contacting Nvidia Support

If none of the above solutions resolve the issue:

1. Gather system information:

   uname -a
   docker --version
   nvidia-smi
   

2. Document the exact steps you’ve taken and any error messages received.

3. Contact Nvidia Developer Support through their official channels, providing all the collected information for a more tailored solution.