Add host packages in br2-external tree?

Hello Buildroot members,

We are using a br2-external tree (with BR2_EXTERNAL) to store some target packages/applications and some special files to generate our file system image.

A co-worker and I have searched through the Buildroot manual extensively, and have not found a way to add host packages to a br2-external tree. There are example on adding target packages through external.mk and Config.in (with package/pkg1/Config.in, etc.), but no examples on how to add special tools that we want to build and install for the host.

It seems like the only mentions of Config.in.host imply that host packages can only be added within the Buildroot tree itself, rather than via a br2-external tree.

Can host packages be added to a br2-external tree? If so, could you provide a brief example?

Many thanks,

Scott
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Scott,

All that buildroot does to build the host packages menu is to include package/Config.in.host in the top level Config.in file.

https://git.busybox.net/buildroot/tree/Config.in?id=196e3d2b3393ff477f9162a2fbb0c7df8557faf5#n875

This logic can be applied your br2-external tree. See below.

In your br2-external/Config.in you can either define a menu for host packages in there or include your own br2-external/package/Config.in.host. If you go the route of br2-external/package/Config.in.host then you will need to source all the packages in your br2-external that have their own Config.in.host.

To select a package in the menuconfig, they will appear under "External Options > Host" or whatever you name you Config.in.host menu title.

Thanks,
-Ryan