COMPILE.md

Compiling/Installing

Debian-based Linux

You can use @ryanfortner's apt repository to install precompiled box64 debs, updated every 24 hours.

sudo wget https://ryanfortner.github.io/box64-debs/box64.list -O /etc/apt/sources.list.d/box64.list
wget -O- https://ryanfortner.github.io/box64-debs/KEY.gpg | gpg --dearmor | sudo tee /usr/share/keyrings/box64-debs-archive-keyring.gpg 
sudo apt update && sudo apt install box64 -y

Alternatively, you can generate your own package using the instructions below.

for RK3399

Using a 64bit OS:

git clone https://github.com/ptitSeb/box64
cd box64
mkdir build; cd build; cmake .. -DRK3399=1 -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=RelWithDebInfo
make -j4
sudo make install

If it's the first install, you also need:

sudo systemctl restart systemd-binfmt

for PI4

Warning, you need a 64bit OS:

git clone https://github.com/ptitSeb/box64
cd box64
mkdir build; cd build; cmake .. -DRPI4ARM64=1 -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=RelWithDebInfo
make -j4
sudo make install

If it's the first install, you also need:

sudo systemctl restart systemd-binfmt

for TEGRA X1

Using a 64bit OS:

git clone https://github.com/ptitSeb/box64
cd box64
mkdir build; cd build; cmake .. -DTEGRAX1=1 -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=RelWithDebInfo
make -j4
sudo make install

If it's the first install, you also need:

sudo systemctl restart systemd-binfmt

for Snapdragon 845

Using a 64bit OS:

git clone https://github.com/ptitSeb/box64
cd box64
mkdir build; cd build; cmake .. -DSD845=1 -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=RelWithDebInfo
make -j4
sudo make install

If it's the first install, you also need:

sudo systemctl restart systemd-binfmt

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for Phytium

Using a 64bit OS:

git clone https://github.com/ptitSeb/box64
cd box64
mkdir build; cd build; cmake .. -DPHYTIUM=1 -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=RelWithDebInfo
make -j4
sudo make install

If it's the first install, you also need:

sudo systemctl restart systemd-binfmt

for M1

Only test on Asahi for now, using the default "16K page" kernel

git clone https://github.com/ptitSeb/box64
cd box64
mkdir build; cd build; cmake .. -DM1=1 -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=RelWithDebInfo
make -j4
sudo make install

If it's the first install, you also need:

sudo systemctl restart systemd-binfmt

for Other ARM64 Linux platforms

mkdir build; cd build; cmake .. -DARM_DYNAREC=ON -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=RelWithDebInfo; make -j$(nproc)

for LoongArch

Using a 64bit OS:

git clone https://github.com/ptitSeb/box64
cd box64
mkdir build; cd build; cmake .. -DLARCH64=1 -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=RelWithDebInfo
make -j4
sudo make install

If it's the first install, you also need:

sudo systemctl restart systemd-binfmt

for RISC-V

Using a 64bit OS:

git clone https://github.com/ptitSeb/box64
cd box64
mkdir build; cd build; cmake .. -DRV64=1 -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=RelWithDebInfo
make -j`nproc`
sudo make install

If it's the first install, you also need:

sudo systemctl restart systemd-binfmt

for PowerPC 64 LE

Using a 64bit OS:

git clone https://github.com/ptitSeb/box64
cd box64
mkdir build; cd build; cmake .. -DPPC64LE=1 -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=RelWithDebInfo
make -j4
sudo make install

If it's the first install, you also need:

sudo systemctl restart systemd-binfmt

for LX2160A

Using a 64bit OS:

git clone https://github.com/ptitSeb/box64
cd box64
mkdir build; cd build; cmake .. -DLX2160A=1 -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=RelWithDebInfo
make -j$(nproc)
sudo make install

If it's the first install, you also need:

sudo systemctl restart systemd-binfmt

for x86_64 Linux

mkdir build; cd build; cmake .. -DLD80BITS=1 -DNOALIGN=1 -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=RelWithDebInfo; make -j$(nproc)

If you encounter some linking errors, try using NOLOADADDR=ON (cmake -DNOLOADADDR=ON; make -j$(nproc)).

use ccmake

Alternatively, you can use the curses-bases ccmake (or any other gui frontend for cmake) to select wich platform to use interactively.

Customize your build

Use ccache if you have it

Add -DUSE_CCACHE=1 if you have ccache (it's better if you plan to touch the sources)

To have some debug info

The -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=RelWithDebInfo argument makes a build that is both optimized for speed, and has debug information embedded. That way, if you have a crash or try to analyse performance, you'll have some symbols.

To have a Trace Enabled build

To have a trace enabled build (the interpreter will be slightly slower), add -DHAVE_TRACE=1. But you will need to have the Zydis library in your LD_LIBRARY_PATH or in the system library folders at runtime.

To have ARM Dynarec

Dynarec is only available on ARM (for the meantime), Activate it by using -DARM_DYNAREC=1.

Note: VFPv3 and NEON are required for Dynarec.

Not building from a git clone

If you are not building from a git clone (for example, downloading a release source code zip from github), you need to use -DNOGIT=1 from cmake to be able to build (box64 uses git SHA1 to show last commit in version number).

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Testing

A few tests are included with box64.

They can be launched using the ctest command.

The tests are very basic and only tests some functionality for now.

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Debian Packaging

Box64 can also be packaged into a .deb file with DEB_BUILD_OPTIONS=nostrip dpkg-buildpackage -us -uc -nc.