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Ask Slashdot: Where Can I Find Resources On Programming For Palm OS 5?
First time accepted submitter baka_toroi (1194359) writes I got a Tungsten E2 from a friend and I wanted to give it some life by programming for it a little bit. The main problem I'm bumping up against is that HP thought it would be awesome to just shut down every single thing related to Palm OS development. After Googling a lot I found out CodeWarrior was the de facto IDE for Palm OS development... but I was soon disappointed as I learned that Palm moved from the 68K architecture to ARM, and of course, CodeWarrior was just focused on Palm OS 4 development.
Now, I realize Palm OS 4 software can be run on Palm OS 5, but I'm looking to use some of the 'newer' APIs. Also, I have the Wi-fi add-on card so I wanted to create something that uses it. I thought what I needed was PODS (Palm OS Development Suite) but not only I can't find it anywhere but also it seems it was deprecated during Palm OS's lifetime. It really doesn't help the fact that I'm a beginner, but I really want to give this platform some life. Any general tip, book, working link or even anecdotes related to all this will be greatly appreciated.
Now, I realize Palm OS 4 software can be run on Palm OS 5, but I'm looking to use some of the 'newer' APIs. Also, I have the Wi-fi add-on card so I wanted to create something that uses it. I thought what I needed was PODS (Palm OS Development Suite) but not only I can't find it anywhere but also it seems it was deprecated during Palm OS's lifetime. It really doesn't help the fact that I'm a beginner, but I really want to give this platform some life. Any general tip, book, working link or even anecdotes related to all this will be greatly appreciated.
Don't waste your time. Learn iOS, Android or some other platform that isn't dead.
PalmOS is a rather antiquated system. No memory protection, no native multitasking, clunky APIs...
Depending on your personality type and the coding experience you have, it's either going to be a TON of fun, or you're going to want to smash and break things on the very first night.
Or maybe both. :) I don't have any pointers, but as a former Palm OS user, godspeed.
(Palm IIIxe from 2000-2005, Palm Treo 650 from 2005 to 2009)
Writing ARM-native code on Palm OS 5 was never easy. I used prc-tools and Peal to write pssh (which needed ARM-native code for fast crypto and terminal emulation).
http://prc-tools.sourceforge.net
http://sealiesoftware.com/peal/
http://sealiesoftware.com/pssh/README.code
My local libraries all have tons of outdated (5- to 15-year-old) books on a variety of computer subjects. You just might get lucky and find the one you need at yours.
Or, check Amazon. Lots of people list lots of useless old books for basically nothing plus shipping. First hit for "palm os programming" is this meaty tome, from 2002, for 30 cents plus $3.99 shipping. Bang, zoom, $4.29 later, you're set. Palm OS Programming for Dummies, 22 cents plus $3.99. Whatever version you need is out there somewhere.
And they usually come with interactive CD-ROMs. Interactive, my friend. Check the descriptions on Amazon and make sure they're included.
Dear Slashdot: next time you want to mess with the site, add a rich-text editor for comments.
SPUG: "The group is on hiatus."
The most recent "previous meeting" mentioned was 12/5/2006, and there's a link at the bottom that says "Palm is hiring" if you want a hint of when that page was last updated.
Even the link to the article about the death of Palm is two years old now. Seriously man, it has run down the curtain and joined the choir invisible.
Dear Slashdot: next time you want to mess with the site, add a rich-text editor for comments.
I'm pretty sure they were written in cuneiform on clay tablets, so you might want to learn the language of the Anunnaki
I might be wrong. Maybe they were written in Middle Egyptian on papyrus.
Either way, you could start by asking a very very old nerd. If you can find an old pay phone, wait for someone with long greasy grey hair to pick it up and start whistling into it. Make sure you have some jelly worms on hand, but not the green ones.
You are welcome on my lawn.
See, old stuff that *they* like is important. Working on that stuff is a great idea.
Working on old stuff that they don't care about is clearly a waste of time.
Anyhow, here's a start for you: GCC PRC-Tools Which is likely what you want. Ron's Obsolete Palm OS Computing Information Page has a working link to HotPaw, which is better than nothing.
You'll also want to take advantage of the Wayback Machine to see what's behind all the dead links you're surely running in to.
Required reading for internet skeptics
You are 100% right in criticizing me. Actually, I wasn't expecting this to get to the frontpage.Nonetheless, I thought Slashdot was the best place to ask. Many times I've seen pieces of news about Amigas and usually they're warmly received (are they not outdated?). I'm wondering why so many people are saying stuff like "let it go", "it's useless", "learn a language." Other people are linking me to LMGTFY as if I haven't spent hours looking for working links.
Don't get me wrong, maybe they're right and I shouldn't spend/waste my time learning about a dead platform, but at least I'd like to hear their rationale.
Because Amiga, C64, Early DOS and UNIX's were great and successful. For me, all that stuff was my childhood and messing around with it is like going to a garage sale and finding my old favorite GI Joe figure or something. PalmOS5 failed right out of the gate. There's nothing to be nostalgic about.
If you want to do some cool hobby stuff (and I don't blame you, I do that sort of thing all the time) I recommend the following:
RaspberryPI or one of the several 3rd party variants out there: It's basically a small PC with a UART (hardware interface with buttons) You can turn it into a media player, an Audio DSP, a "car computer" whatever you can think of.
http://www.raspberrypi.org/
http://www.pcworld.com/article...
Arduino is a micro controller. Not to be confused with the RPI. An arduino will teach you how to solder :-)
You can run scripts written in C, and control lights, relays, sensors, etc... You can build something that automatically waters your garden, turns on your lights, feeds your pets... basically anything you can script.
http://www.arduino.cc/
AX84 is a website that has a host of amplifier projects. They are all tube based. Why tube? Well a lot of us think it sounds better, but that's a long argument. Even if they don't, it's how electronics started and if you want to know how things were done originally... and why that lead to how things are done now, Tubes are a great way to start. It's like learning to build a campfire by rubbing 2 sticks together. Yea, you could just throw a road flare on a dead tree, but somethings are just worth doing the old way. If you're not a musician, there's a Stereo amp near the bottom.
http://www.ax84.com/sel.html
Then there's steam engines... There's no collective site for that, but I've done them and they are fun. No codding involved unless you count the valves ;-)
These are super fun though. Imagine a device that can generate power from any source of heat. Even mirrors reflecting the sun. I recommend starting on youtube.
Anyways, there are lots of "useless" projects you can do that will have a far larger community and be far less of a waste of time in the end. Good luck.
Since you're a C guy, there's http://onboardc.sourceforge.net/ that compiles right on the Palm Pilot. A bit tough by modern standards, if there's an API call you want that's not in the standard header file you have to find the ROM address for it and put it in yourself.
Much easier but of course limited is http://smallbasic.sourceforge.net/ which runs on Palm OS and has a lot of little games in the forums.
Cwm, fjord-bank glyphs vext quiz
Check out Code Project - lots of great articles on Palm programming: http://www.codeproject.com/sea...
Go to Sourceforge - it may take a while to pick through the weeds, but you should find some useful projects to examine the code:
http://sourceforge.net/directory/os%3Apalmos/?q=palm&sort=update
C programming for Palm: http://onboardc.sourceforge.ne...
http://www.vb-helper.com/review_palm_ides.html -- a review of Palm IDEs - may give you some ideas
http://porganizer.sourceforge.net/ -- Palm Organizer has the essential files for creating a Palm program if you look at the bottom of the page
Try the 1stSource forums, check out the menu on the left for various Palm models and you'll be sure to find some useful info:
http://www.1src.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=156
For some fun - and perhaps some code to review:
http://sourceforge.net/projects/phoinix/ -- Gameboy emulator for Palm
http://sourceforge.net/projects/palmapple/?source=recommended -- Apple II emulator for Palm
More emulators to consider: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2004/...
http://www.codejedi.com/shadowplan/castaway.html -- Atari ST emulator
http://frodopalm.sourceforge.n... -- commodore 64 emulator
Good luck and have fun!