Noobie Programing

[Spank]

I have read these forums for a while basically ever since I heard about the gp2x. I have noticed that this community really seems to care about what they are doing putting aside the occasional flame war and nay sayers. My question is what is the communities sugestions as to learning to develop programs for the gp2x. Basically what skill set would you learn first to make a rudimentary program for this machine.

I have not been this excited about a piece of hardware since I built my LCD projector. Now I have a new forum to visit every day and see what is the latest update of any little thing that is going on. (a void that I never thought I would fill)

Thus far I have manged to avoid all programming excluding qbasic and some vi editor so I was just curious where would be a good start?

Thanks for a great community to join!!!!

 

[iignotus]

Learn C or C++ and then become familiar with the SDL library. If you're hardk0r, learn ARM Assembler too.

http://wiki.gp2x.org/wiki/Getting_started_...P2X_development

 

[AireTamStorm]

You'd be pretty set with some mediocre C/C++ knowledge, the basic understanding of how ARM processors work (don't need much, just for some optimizations), and Linux development.

If you're fairly good with even just basic type languages, thats a good start. Get C syntax down, then when the SDK becomes available, pick it up, and stick to the forums. The instructions for basic drawing and "Hello World" will probably be posted somewhere in the dev section.

Welcome and good luck.

Edit: Spelling, grammar. Ugh, terrible.

 

[MiniMoose]

Basically what skill set would you learn first to make a rudimentary program for this machine.

​

Qbasic is a good start, you at least understand the process of writing a program and solving problems algorithmically. To make the jump to the GP2X you'll need to learn at least C. I recommend starting with simple C programming and then try to convert your qbasic applications to C.

Once you have a handle on C programming, you should grab a copy of the SDL library and go through the various SDL tutorials on the web.

If you learn well from reading books and trying examples, let me know and I'll post a list of books that I recommend to people who are in a similar position as yourself.

 

[Knurz]

I was just curious where would be a good start?

Hi.

Thats a question I have to ask too. I am good with C/C++ and a little RISC-ASM from Archimedes-Times but where to start with development for gp2x?
Now I have begun to get closer to SDL and I am now a little uncertain if SDL is able to use the co-processor in the gp2x ? If not what can I study right now to learn how to use the Co-Processor (or are there any practical examples you can suggest) ?

I have searched Freshmeat.net for an emulator for the ARM 920T to make some exercises with ASM but I haven't found anything. Anyone here know some Emu for it (Linux-version prefered) ?

Bye.

 

[jislizard]

MiniMoose

If you learn well from reading books and trying examples, let me know and I'll post a list of books that I recommend to people who are in a similar position as yourself.

If that was a general offer then count me in, so far I have gone through 'C for Dummies', 'Algorithm Developement and Program Design Using C' and starting on 'PRENTICE HALL - The C Programming Language Second Edition'. All very good for learning C but not so good when it comes to applying the language to Games.

Any tutorials for games would be good, I have downloaded plenty of source codes for 'Connect4', 'Minesweeper' and cards games and I am slowly working out how they made them and why they made certain choices but when you come up against a bit of code you can't understand you're screwed if the coder didn't annotate it fully.

Know of any decent forums for people wanting to talk about coding in C ?
or anywhere you can get help deciphering a bit of code?

Cheers

 

[zaffercharles]

Qbasic is a good start, you at least understand the process of writing a program and solving problems algorithmically. To make the jump to the GP2X you'll need to learn at least C. I recommend starting with simple C programming and then try to convert your qbasic applications to C.

Once you have a handle on C programming, you should grab a copy of the SDL library and go through the various SDL tutorials on the web.

If you learn well from reading books and trying examples, let me know and I'll post a list of books that I recommend to people who are in a similar position as yourself.

​

Me too. please do post a list as a sticky preferrably, theres a few people showing interest now and hopefully lots more to come

 

[Spank]

Thanks minimoose and everyone else that responded it is good to see that I will have people on the same level as myself. Great answers and great speed now I'm off to Borders to see what they have.


Why do all Pascal programmers ask to live in Atlantis?
Because it is below C level.


Sorry bad joke

 

[Geevowitz]

I am learning Java right now, is there any way I could do any development with that, or am I better off learning C or C++?

 

[yaustar]

MiniMoose
Know of any decent forums for people wanting to talk about coding in C ?
or anywhere you can get help deciphering a bit of code?

Cheers

​

http://www.gamedev.net/ should help.

I am learning Java right now, is there any way I could do any development with that, or am I better off learning C or C++?

Unless a java runtime is released you haven't got much of a choice developing for the GP2X.

C++ Books?
Thinking In C++ vol 1 and 2 (free eBooks)
Effective C++ (~£15)
More Effective C++ (~£15)

C books
The C Programming language (~£20)

 

[jdwrrzmm]

My plan is to put some C++ Ebooks on the Gp2x. :rolleyes:

 

[RobertJ]

For gods sake don't learn Basic.

The single most badly designed useless language on earth, and responsible for countless crappy shareware apps (and dare I say it even terrible so called professional software).

Learn the basics of C, you'll be able to do everything you want then, skill and time providing.