Caanoo / WIZ Where Do I Start To Develop For The Caanoo?

[Mistabeen]

Hey all,
I'm looking into ordering a caanoo, it seems like a nice little handheld.
But with this and combined with my spare time I'm looking into learning to program for the Caanoo.

I have very little programming experience. I know some web programming and some flash AS, so afaik it'll be pretty much learning how to program from the ground up.
I know that people might say: start to program on pc. But I want to program with the caanoo in mind.

So that brings us to my question(s) really. Where do I start? what languages can I use to program for the Caanoo, what are interesting things to look into, etc....

 

[Alex.]

It's the same as on Wiz, here are some nice topics about it:

http://www.gp32x.de/board/index.php?/topic/53363-want-to-start-developing-for-the-gp2x-wiz/
http://www.gp32x.de/board/index.php?/topic/53116-wiz-programming/
http://www.gp32x.de/board/index.php?/topic/52846-i-want-to-be-a-programmer/

It usually boils down to C/C++ with SDL, or Bennu.

 

[Mistabeen]

Thanks Alex, it's been interesting to go trough those topics.

One of the things that I am wondering now tho.
How advanced are Bennu and GLBasic and how do they contribute to your overall programming knowledge?
I mean, if I learn C++ then I'll gain knowledge of a language that can help me out on most(if not all?) other platforms.
While i'm under the impression that the other 2 use an interpreter and therefore is limited by that.

And I could say the choice is easy here and go for C, but if Bennu or GLBasic are similar to C++ they might be a good startingpoint to learn how to program and from thereon make the transition to C++ and SDL.

 

[sam fisher]

Whether a language is compiled or interpreted doesn't really affect its usability on other platforms. It just decides whether a compiler or an interpreter needs to be ported to target that platform .

Personally I started by messing about with Fenix (like Bennu) for a bit but didn't really "get it" fully. Then I read some of "The C Programming Language" then came back to my Fenix stuff and understood it fully. Eventually you get to the point where languages like Bennu/Fenix become a bit limiting. For example I recently messed about with Bennu a bit and started writing a menu framework but then stopped as I couldn't see any support for function pointers.

If you really want to be able to target a wide variety of platforms and not be limited in what you can do then from the languages you've mentioned I do suggest looking at C/++. That is not to say that you can't write some impressive games using Bennu (Ruckage's are a great example of this) but sometimes I find that you have to do things the "wrong" way as the "right" way isn't supported .

 

[Mistabeen]

Thanks for the advice
I'll probably look into bennu first, it's not like the first things i'll attempt to make will be that impressive anyway

 

[Optimus]

I am curious if there will be a small tutorial of how to set up correctly the toolchain and compile an example SDL code. This is always a great help to start.

Even as an experienced programmer, I still find problems when I get a new toolchain, try to make a makefile or use the provided one and make things work. I always get into trouble. I got into trouble both with one windows toolchain provided in the file archive (cc1plus not found?) and then I tried some other one provided from GPH that I found in a pinned forum post around here among with other stuff and example. The windows SDK which works on Codeblocks, runs an example in windows (shoot em up alike) but when I choose from host to target platform to make a Caanoo executable I get some undefined error.

I don't remember now the error, I have to go home in my laptop where I have no connection home, I am writting this from a netcafe but all I wanted to say is I would like to see soon an example tutorial that says which toolchain to download, how to set up it and compile an example project, and if it works then you have it else you are doing something wrong.

p.s. Another thing I can't understand with these toolchains is, there is a bin/include/lib folder, then in a sub-folder you find the same formation, then in a 3rd sub-folder you find again the bin/include/lib with other stuff. Why this kind of chaotic structure? Which one of the three folders should I select in my makefile? (to your information, I tried both three and always got the same errors ) I also tried setting those folders in windows enviroment variables and all that stuff. A step by step tutorial would tell me at least that I am not doing something wrong but now I don't know..

 

[2x3r]

I am curious if there will be a small tutorial of how to set up correctly the toolchain and compile an example SDL code. This is always a great help to start.

Even as an experienced programmer, I still find problems when I get a new toolchain, try to make a makefile or use the provided one and make things work. I always get into trouble. I got into trouble both with one windows toolchain provided in the file archive (cc1plus not found?) and then I tried some other one provided from GPH that I found in a pinned forum post around here among with other stuff and example. The windows SDK which works on Codeblocks, runs an example in windows (shoot em up alike) but when I choose from host to target platform to make a Caanoo executable I get some undefined error.

I don't remember now the error, I have to go home in my laptop where I have no connection home, I am writting this from a netcafe but all I wanted to say is I would like to see soon an example tutorial that says which toolchain to download, how to set up it and compile an example project, and if it works then you have it else you are doing something wrong.

p.s. Another thing I can't understand with these toolchains is, there is a bin/include/lib folder, then in a sub-folder you find the same formation, then in a 3rd sub-folder you find again the bin/include/lib with other stuff. Why this kind of chaotic structure? Which one of the three folders should I select in my makefile? (to your information, I tried both three and always got the same errors ) I also tried setting those folders in windows enviroment variables and all that stuff. A step by step tutorial would tell me at least that I am not doing something wrong but now I don't know..

I'm totally with you pal! X#!