GP2X Poll: Changing The Webserver

[crusty]

I develop web code using PHP and either mySql or Sqlite.
The thttpd-php server is not quite good enough to do this
and I want to see how much interest there is in providing
an alternative.

The gp2xmenu program is hardcoded to start /sbin/thttpd
when the System menu 'web server' option is selected so
this executable file could be replaced with another, using
the same name.

There are several possible web servers that might be
considered, among them are:

- thttpd - updated to include php version 5.x.x and sqlite
- lighthttpd
- busybox

I am not familiar with any of them so tell me what you know.

 

[evill33t]

I develop web code using PHP and either mySql or Sqlite.
The thttpd-php server is not quite good enough to do this
and I want to see how much interest there is in providing
an alternative.

The gp2xmenu program is hardcoded to start /sbin/thttpd
when the System menu 'web server' option is selected so
this executable file could be replaced with another, using
the same name.

There are several possible web servers that might be
considered, among them are:

- thttpd - updated to include php version 5.x.x and sqlite
- lighthttpd
- busybox

I am not familiar with any of them so tell me what you know.

php sucks and mysql is a little bit to much for the gp2x ,)
i would go for zope !! since python is already running that should be no big problem

 

[zzhu8192]

I'm a bit curious as to what you are trying to host on the gp2x?
Wouldn't it be a pain to use, since you would need to have usb connectivity anyway? :blink:
Unless you're wanting to use links/lynx as the browser client on the gp2x I suppose.

 

[crusty]

I'm a bit curious as to what you are trying to host on the gp2x?
Wouldn't it be a pain to use, since you would need to have usb connectivity anyway? :blink:
Unless you're wanting to use links/lynx as the browser client on the gp2x I suppose.

I am in discussion with Opera (www.opera.com) about extending their browser
support to include gp2x. They already have a version running on Nintendo DS.
Imagine the web server feeding a local browser and driven by some form of cgi
to a database and/or directory full of images.

In a similar manner, for routine web development work, I run a server on my
PC and let it feed content to my PC browser for testing. This is much faster than
connecting to a remote server, uploading changed code, and waiting for
bandwidth to continue testing.

Using PHP on the gp2x web server provides interpreted execution that is plenty
fast enough for single user work. We sometimes forget how recently it was that
PC processors ran at under 300 mhz and we thought the speed adequate.

 

[firefly2442]

I think this would be fantastic. It would be really nice having an easy simple server that supports PHP and modules and so on. I've been trying to get some other light webservers to compile but I don't have much experience when it comes to compiling things. Has anyone else worked on this?

 

[firefly2442]

Well, I compiled lighttpd:

http://www.lighttpd.net/

But it needs a slightly newer version of GLibC. Which I tried compiling but it's being difficult. Plus the fact that I'm a complete newbie when it comes to compiling doesn't really help. Anyway, I'm going to look around for some alternative toolchains and see if maybe they have a newer version of glibc. If anyone has any suggestions, please PM me. Thanks.

Also, if some has a lot of experience here compiling stuff. If you would be willing to compile a newer version of GLibC (version 2.3.2 is what it says it needs and 2.2.5 is installed in the firmware by default) that would be awesome! I'll keep trying but it might take me some time...

 

[ldesnogu]

Also, if some has a lot of experience here compiling stuff. If you would be willing to compile a newer version of GLibC (version 2.3.2 is what it says it needs and 2.2.5 is installed in the firmware by default) that would be awesome! I'll keep trying but it might take me some time...

gp2xdev comes with glibc 2.3.5. You could try to statically link with it and see what happens.

 

[kevcal]

For interest, I use thttpd for my embedded stuff...
http://freshmeat.net/projects/thttpd/

 

[Orkie]

Also, if some has a lot of experience here compiling stuff. If you would be willing to compile a newer version of GLibC (version 2.3.2 is what it says it needs and 2.2.5 is installed in the firmware by default) that would be awesome! I'll keep trying but it might take me some time...

You don't want to go replacing glibc in the firmware - it will almost certainly brick your GP2X. The only way you'll get away with it is to recompile the entire system from scratch around the new glibc, which is a bit of a pain (I've been playing around with it and programs dynamically linked with ooPo's toolchain do work fine with a newer glibc).

Personally, I'd be all for scrapping the HTTP server entirely

 

[firefly2442]

Also, if some has a lot of experience here compiling stuff. If you would be willing to compile a newer version of GLibC (version 2.3.2 is what it says it needs and 2.2.5 is installed in the firmware by default) that would be awesome! I'll keep trying but it might take me some time...

gp2xdev comes with glibc 2.3.5. You could try to statically link with it and see what happens.

I tried using --enable-static in the configuration options but obviously I didn't have the right version. I'll hunt around and see if I can grab these other development files.

 

[dodgyville]

I don't think python is installed by default...

I develop web code using PHP and either mySql or Sqlite.
The thttpd-php server is not quite good enough to do this
and I want to see how much interest there is in providing
an alternative.

The gp2xmenu program is hardcoded to start /sbin/thttpd
when the System menu 'web server' option is selected so
this executable file could be replaced with another, using
the same name.

There are several possible web servers that might be
considered, among them are:

- thttpd - updated to include php version 5.x.x and sqlite
- lighthttpd
- busybox

I am not familiar with any of them so tell me what you know.

php sucks and mysql is a little bit to much for the gp2x ,)
i would go for zope !! since python is already running that should be no big problem

 

[Blah]

You could plug the GP2X into your computer thru usb and run the server on the pc.

 

[BradN]

Just place the newer glibc in the same spot as the current one (it should be named with a version number so they don't conflict) - just don't change the versionless symlink away from the current library and I don't think there will be any adverse problems.

Of course the drawback to this is that now you'll probably have two glibc's loaded, and 32MB can go fast.

 

[firefly2442]

Yeah, I have the sourcecode for GLibC but I've yet to try compiling it. I think I need to ditch the windows development and boot back into Linux.