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Qtopia / QTE futur

camcam

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Sunday, March 28th 2004, 2:55pm

Qtopia / QTE futur

Hi,

I would like to ask you 7 questions that I haven't been able to resolve reading documentation:

1. Does Qtopia will be able to work with a 'multiple path' environnement variable. Something like "export QPEDIR=/firstdir:/anotherdir:..." to be able for exemple to install applications on multiple storage locations (Internal, CF, Ram Disk, MMC, NTS, Samba, ...). I heard about shared dir (netbsd) or symbolic links but they don't satisfy me as they are not managed easily and are not as powerfull (problem when installing different software version on different CF for exemple...).

2. Is this true that QTE/Qtopia (Qtopia 1.7 and QTE 1.3.8) are no more Zaurus compatible? Does the Opie patch for QTE 1.7 is the only solution to stay compatible? Do new PDAs using new QTE/QTopia will be able to use the available software? I can understand that those new PDA/Communicator manufacturer prefer to build gcc 3.2.3 optimised version... but I would like to see some PDA compatibily (something like Pocket PC or Palm OS compatibility). Will you promote one gcc version for inter-operability?

3. Does future Qtopia version will work finally like Opie (and more):
- using a qmake file and having default Qtopia qmake file objects to handle images, docs, translations, programmes installations...
- having all binary built into tempory directories with architecture name (like in '.moc/linux-generic-g++/')
- using a source directory and a target directory. Exemple: defining QPEDIR for source directory and QTOPIADIR for target. When compiling source code (qmake ; make), all is copied in destination with a 'make install'. It's just to let people be able to (1) manage easily multiple build without having to copy Qtopia source directories in another location (2) be able to compile the same source code without having to use 'make clean'.

4. Is there a way to manage icone themes (for Qtopia main application for exemple) without overwriting installed icones?

5. Where can I get more information about the next Qt 4 release?

6. Will next Qtopia version (not Qtopia 1.7.1 but 2.0) will be compatible with new 2.6.x Kernel?

7. Last but not least... people are apparently switching slowly to X11 based embedded OS because of Tiny X11 memory footprint and GTK LGPL licence. Does a plan to integrate X11 protocol over QTE is in the way? I mean something like http://xqt.sourceforge.jp but in rootless mode and with QTE theming (QTE simulating X11 windows manager and other componants). This is perhaps not desirable but could prevent from having to switch.

Note: Using xVNC + VNC Client is not what I expect. I'm thinking about X11 apps working like any other Qtopia applications in their own Windows. Same for Java: I have never understood the 'special java' tab.

Note: launching a standard QT/X11 or GTK application in Qtopia (qvfb+qpe on a x86 PC or using X/Qt Server project) have make me dream about it. (See xqt on Zaurus: http://xqt.sourceforge.jp/040128-2.png).

axeljaeger

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Sunday, March 28th 2004, 3:23pm

This is not a Trolltech forum so most of the members are not involved in the Qt and Qtopia development so this is not the right place to ask. The only available information about Qt 4 is these: http://dot.kde.org/1061880936/
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lpotter

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Sunday, March 28th 2004, 10:59pm

RE: Qtopia / QTE futur

Quoted

Originally posted by camcam
Hi,

I would like to ask you 7 questions that I haven't been able to resolve reading documentation:

1. Does Qtopia will be able to work with a 'multiple path' environnement variable. Something like "export QPEDIR=/firstdir:/anotherdir:..." to be able for exemple to install applications on multiple storage locations (Internal, CF, Ram Disk, MMC, NTS, Samba, ...). I heard about shared dir (netbsd) or symbolic links but they don't satisfy me as they are not managed easily and are not as powerfull (problem when installing different software version on different CF for exemple...).


No, but with ipkg, you can specify a destination directory,

Source code

 
1

ipkg install -d sd
and
then run

Source code

 
1

ipkg-link mount /mnt/card
, which will create the appropo sym links in /opt/Qtopia

Quoted


2. Is this true that QTE/Qtopia (Qtopia 1.7 and QTE 1.3.8) are no more Zaurus compatible? Does the Opie patch for QTE 1.7 is the only solution to stay compatible? Do new PDAs using new QTE/QTopia will be able to use the available software? I can understand that those new PDA/Communicator manufacturer prefer to build gcc 3.2.3 optimised version... but I would like to see some PDA compatibily (something like Pocket PC or Palm OS compatibility). Will you promote one gcc version for inter-operability?


I have built apps with Qtopia 1.7 that run fine on Sharp Zaurus. You might have to create a new tmake config file, replacing the -lqtopia with -ljpeg, and using that.


Quoted


3. Does future Qtopia version will work finally like Opie (and more):
- using a qmake file and having default Qtopia qmake file objects to handle images, docs, translations, programmes installations...
- having all binary built into tempory directories with architecture name (like in '.moc/linux-generic-g++/')
- using a source directory and a target directory. Exemple: defining QPEDIR for source directory and QTOPIADIR for target. When compiling source code (qmake ; make), all is copied in destination with a 'make install'. It's just to let people be able to (1) manage easily multiple build without having to copy Qtopia source directories in another location (2) be able to compile the same source code without having to use 'make clean'.


1-In the future, Qtopia does use qmake, and a version of qmake will be distrubited with Qtopia sources.
2- yes.
3- yes. a 'make install' will install fiels into $QPEDIR/image, or where you specify with a -prefix=/blah/blah configuration argument.
As far as the future of Qtopia is concerned, think small and mobile phone.

Quoted


4. Is there a way to manage icone themes (for Qtopia main application for exemple) without overwriting installed icones?


Themeing will be enhanced in future versions.

Quoted


5. Where can I get more information about the next Qt 4 release?

Haavard is giving a talk about Qt 4 soon. Stay tuned for more information being released.
There is no release schedule.

Quoted


6. Will next Qtopia version (not Qtopia 1.7.1 but 2.0) will be compatible with new 2.6.x Kernel?

Only if 1) 2.6 is stable, and 2) there are customers who want 2.6
Qtopia uses POSIX standard calls, so there should not be too much to 'fix'.

Quoted


7. Last but not least... people are apparently switching slowly to X11 based embedded OS because of Tiny X11 memory footprint and GTK LGPL licence. Does a plan to integrate X11 protocol over QTE is in the way? I mean something like http://xqt.sourceforge.jp but in rootless mode and with QTE theming (QTE simulating X11 windows manager and other componants). This is perhaps not desirable but could prevent from having to switch.


We think X11 in embedded products is overkill. and I personally do not think LGPL is a very good or true open source license. I have seen no movement for releasing any device that uses X11 embedded environment.

Quoted


Note: Using xVNC + VNC Client is not what I expect. I'm thinking about X11 apps working like any other Qtopia applications in their own Windows. Same for Java: I have never understood the 'special java' tab.

Note: launching a standard QT/X11 or GTK application in Qtopia (qvfb+qpe on a x86 PC or using X/Qt Server project) have make me dream about it. (See xqt on Zaurus: http://xqt.sourceforge.jp/040128-2.png).
[QT] Trolltech Qtopia Community Manager
irc.freenode.net #qtopia
http://qtopia.net

camcam

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Monday, March 29th 2004, 7:25am

Thanks for the reply.

I agree with you about LGPL.

Note: Using 'make ARCH=arm xconfig' with Linux 2.6.4 kernel source has titillate my imagination too.

:)

You should really think about multiple path in QPEDIR environnement variable:
- No loose in disk space with multiple symlink
- No need to change directories content if a manufacturer uses CRAMFS. Only have to change QPEDIR (and perhaps LD_LIBRARY_PATH and PATH).
- Applications could know where to find their ressource (locally or in QPEDIR paths).
- Multiple applications on different disk and different versions allowed (MMC, CF, ...).
- Only disk scan need to be done for .desktop files when disk is inserted + add perhaps something like an icon to the application name to tell the user where the application is (MMC, CF, net...).


Best Regards
Amrein-Marie Christophe

lpotter

Trolltech Qtopia Community Manager

Posts: 276

Location: Brisbane Australia

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Monday, March 29th 2004, 10:36pm

I can see a few problems with that.
1) those directories would always be in use, thus creating problems with cardmgr/mounting/umounting.
2) it would slow down a docs search, as multiple paths would need to be scanned.

but I will run this idea by a few people.
[QT] Trolltech Qtopia Community Manager
irc.freenode.net #qtopia
http://qtopia.net