How to Port Programs

[GeBeCluck23]

   Hello, I'm not sure if I'm posting this is the right section, but I would like to know how to port programs to the Pandora; ("programs" is intentionally vague, I'd like to be able to port anything I want, games, editors, ect. [although I'm also aware it has to be open-source in order to port it to begin with.])

   Anyways I'm kind of a noob, I don't know about compiling, cross-compiling, (I'm not entirely sure what those even mean!) or anything really (except that it has to be open-source, as I mentioned above.)

  So, I imagine that it's a lot more complex than simply step 1, 2, and 3, and I don't want to clutter up this topic with a bunch of various discriptions, and guides and such, so links to various guides would be welcome, so I could study up on it. I imagine there must be some guides out there...(although a few comments explaining simple stuff would be great as well.)

  If it's "non-Pandora" guides, that's fine too, just for knowledge and the like, but keep in mind that my ultimate goal is to use these on the Pandora, meaning I'd also appreciate a guide on making the .pnd's, which I've heard isn't *too* complicated, apparently.

 

[ptitSeb]

Hi,

On PandoraLive, you'll find some tutorial yes:

look at: http://pandoralive.info/?cat=18 for the list of articles about porting. Specificaly, there are tutorial on Dillo (Web Browser), Arakanoid (a Game of course) and Asunder for the C/C++ softwares. You''ll also some tips on porting Java apps.

Good luck

 

[Crionic]

   Hello, I'm not sure if I'm posting this is the right section, but I would like to know how to port programs to the Pandora; ("programs" is intentionally vague, I understand something needs to be open-source to port it, but apparantly if it IS open-source, it's portable, if I understand this correctly.)

Open source does not automatically mean it's portable. Software is generally not portable if

• there are dependencies to non open sourced libraries that aren't available on the target platform (for example pure Windows software depends on the Windows API). You would have to remove/replace those dependencies then.
• it uses low level instructions for hardware that is again not available on the target device (for example x86 assembler vs ARM)

  Anyways I'm kind of a noob, I don't know about compiling, cross-compiling, (I'm not entirely sure what those even mean!) or anything really (except that it has to be open-source, as I mentioned above.)

  So, I imagine that it's a lot more complex than simply step 1, 2, and 3, and I don't want to clutter up this topic with a bunch of various discriptions, and guides and such, so links to various guides would be welcome, so I could study up on it. I imagine there must be some guides out there...(although a few comments explaining simple stuff would be great as well.)

  If it's "non-Pandora" guides, that's fine too, just for knowledge and the like, but keep in mind that my ultimate goal is to use these on the Pandora, meaning I'd also appreciate a guide on making the .pnd's, which I've heard isn't *too* complicated, apparently.

I really appreciate your intention to contribute to the Pandora's software repo. But, to be honest, if you know nothing about compiling or software development at all, you won't succeed to port any software. If you really want to learn about development, just check Google. There are tons of tutorials for beginners out there.

 

[KickAss]

as always the wiki should be your first stop:
http://pandorawiki.org/Getting_started_with_Pandora_development

for some reason the rest of msg was cut off:

the wiki surely wont get you coding right away, but it will grant a first overview. as you dont know how to code (yet) anyways, thats what you should start with.
in general porting software does not necessarily require specific os or coding knowledge (if your compiler/cross-compiler is set up correctly and the source you're working on aint too messy). of course knowledge is handy, but the compilation process was designed to be automatic on purpose.
so even if you're a noob, you should be able to compile stuff without too much effort. just keep trying

feel free to make good use of the boards, should further questions arise.

thanks for your interest, btw. we can never have too many ppl wanting to contribute

 

[Hồng Thất Công]

I know nothing but I successfully ported arkanoid to Pandora using ptitSeb tutorial.  I'd say stop wandering to learn the theory just jump right into the deep end and learn it the hard way because if you don't die you become stronger

 

[KickAss]

way to go, shenmue

 

[mcobit]

I would suggest to read about compilers and linkers, what they do and how they work (gcc). This might give you a bit of backgroundinfo at what you are trying to do.


Also it doesn't hurt to have a bit of understanding how programs and code work in general.


If you successfully compiled something with code:blocks pnd or whatever, start reading how the pndsystem works and how you can create your own pnds.


If you have questions that are not easily answered on the first page of a googlesearch, come back here and somebody might help you


Edit: Other good topics to hack into google and learn about would be: make, Makefile, autotools, cmake, scons, qmake, gtk, qt, sdl, opengl, opengles, shared libraries, static libraries


Edit2: Reading readmes, makefiles, dependencies and other documentation of a program is always a good idea before starting to do something with its sourcecode.

 

[ZXDunny]

I know nothing but I successfully ported arkanoid to Pandora using ptitSeb tutorial.  I'd say stop wandering to learn the theory just jump right into the deep end and learn it the hard way because if you don't die you become stronger

I dunno, dude... I mean, what if he actually does die? Do you want that one your conscience? DO YOU?

D.

 

[Hồng Thất Công]

I know nothing but I successfully ported arkanoid to Pandora using ptitSeb tutorial.  I'd say stop wandering to learn the theory just jump right into the deep end and learn it the hard way because if you don't die you become stronger

I dunno, dude... I mean, what if he actually does die? Do you want that one your conscience? DO YOU?


D.

Not sure what you mean by "Do you want that one your conscience? " 

 

[KickAss]

i actually cant believe he pulled that joke and i cant believe you dont even get it.

 

[Hồng Thất Công]

i actually cant believe he pulled that joke and i cant believe you dont even get it.

Who?  Me don't get it? Or ZX didn't get mine? 

 

[ZXDunny]

Ho hum. Suppose I'll have to explain then.

You said "because if you don't die you become stronger" which is a paraphrasing of "That which does not kill us makes us stronger". Now obviously in the context of coding and porting software this is something that comes across as quite absurd - coding is possibly the least dangerous hobby you can take on, short of reading books or maybe knitting (though knitting involves needles and there is the chance of an eye injury and, with sufficient force, death).

So I humourously posited that the unthinkable may happen - continuing the absurdity, if you will, and that the unfortunate chap may actually die due to a freak porting accident. Of course, this is unlikely which makes it even funnier.

Now, the last part was the question "Do you want that one on your conscience?" which extends the absurdity (and thus the humour) even further to suggest that you would be responsible for his death, by the accident of your suggesting he learn to port code. And the question suggests that you might not be able to sleep at night knowing you were responsible for a young man's death by misadventure at your urging.

And now you have a better idea of why what I posted was in fact hilarious - at least it was until you ruined it by forcing me to explain it.

D.

 

[KickAss]

luckily there wasnt much damage done, as your joke was already as flat as knightley.

ba dum tss!

 

[ZXDunny]

luckily there wasnt much damage done, as your joke was already as flat as knightley. ba dum tss!

It was hilarious, I have it on good authority.

D.

 

[Hồng Thất Công]

Ho hum. Suppose I'll have to explain then.


You said "because if you don't die you become stronger" which is a paraphrasing of "That which does not kill us makes us stronger". Now obviously in the context of coding and porting software this is something that comes across as quite absurd - coding is possibly the least dangerous hobby you can take on, short of reading books or maybe knitting (though knitting involves needles and there is the chance of an eye injury and, with sufficient force, death).


So I humourously posited that the unthinkable may happen - continuing the absurdity, if you will, and that the unfortunate chap may actually die due to a freak porting accident. Of course, this is unlikely which makes it even funnier.


Now, the last part was the question "Do you want that one on your conscience?" which extends the absurdity (and thus the humour) even further to suggest that you would be responsible for his death, by the accident of your suggesting he learn to port code. And the question suggests that you might not be able to sleep at night knowing you were responsible for a young man's death by misadventure at your urging.


And now you have a better idea of why what I posted was in fact hilarious - at least it was until you ruined it by forcing me to explain it.


D.

It's still hillarious! 

 

[ZXDunny]

Ho hum. Suppose I'll have to explain then.

You said "because if you don't die you become stronger" which is a paraphrasing of "That which does not kill us makes us stronger". Now obviously in the context of coding and porting software this is something that comes across as quite absurd - coding is possibly the least dangerous hobby you can take on, short of reading books or maybe knitting (though knitting involves needles and there is the chance of an eye injury and, with sufficient force, death).

So I humourously posited that the unthinkable may happen - continuing the absurdity, if you will, and that the unfortunate chap may actually die due to a freak porting accident. Of course, this is unlikely which makes it even funnier.

Now, the last part was the question "Do you want that one on your conscience?" which extends the absurdity (and thus the humour) even further to suggest that you would be responsible for his death, by the accident of your suggesting he learn to port code. And the question suggests that you might not be able to sleep at night knowing you were responsible for a young man's death by misadventure at your urging.

And now you have a better idea of why what I posted was in fact hilarious - at least it was until you ruined it by forcing me to explain it.

D.

 It's still hillarious! 

Phew, thank god for that! I was beginning to wonder - but maybe there's something wrong with Mr. Ass rather than me.

D.

 

[GeBeCluck23]

  Hahaha, I don't look at my topic for one day and look what happens! To be fair to ZX, I think it actually became funnier that he had to explain the joke, (in sort of an ironic way,) even if it did lose it's original intended purpose, I know I was laughing the whole way down!

  Anyways, I'm very much alive, and plan on continuing to have that...status, while I attempt porting...(hopefully anyways...I'm getting a little frightened now... :unsure: )

  But in all seriousness...thanks for all the info! I'll do some research in my spare time, (which mind you, isn't much) and come back here to ask more questions along the way, if I need to.

Crionic: "I really appreciate your intention to contribute to the Pandora's software repo. But, to be honest, if you know nothing about compiling or software development at all, you won't succeed to port any software. If you really want to learn about development, just check Google. There are tons of tutorials for beginners out there"

  ...Also, thanks for your honesty Crionic, although I'm confident that if I want to learn something new, I can, no matter how long it takes. (The effort involved in the whole process might be another story though, but...c'est la vie!)

(P.S.

    A short tip on how to "quote" would be good to, haha...*nervous laugh.* :wacko: )

 

[KickAss]

I was beginning to wonder - but maybe there's something wrong with Mr. Ass rather than me.D.

amongst you weird ppl it sure looks like it. i can live with that
oh btw, where did you get that avatar? at the.... toilet store?
(that's an actual movie quote)

anyways, good to have another dev in the making

 

[ZXDunny]

Sigh... Suppose I'll have to explain my avatar then!

My Username on these boards is a blend of my real name and my main focus in my hobbies - the former being "Paul Dunn" and the latter being "ZX Spectrum". When I was a kid, my nickname was "Dunny", hence "ZX Dunny". In Australia, a "Dunny" is slang for the toilet and the actual graphic comes from a ZX Spectrum game "Jet Set Willy" which is one of the most sublime platformers you're ever likely to play. It just fits, you know?

D.

 

[KickAss]

i gotta admit your avatar anecdote is so much better than mine.

apart from the emulator, do you still own and use any of the sinclair stuff?
i never did. ive always been more of a commodore person. unfortunately i never had the pleasure to give jet set willy a go. but very well might do so on my c64.
but then again i will probably emulate. dun have a tv out cable and my screen is monochromaric