Qtopia For Pdaxrom? Options

[fryster]

Having tried both cacko and pdaxrom, I'm leaning towards pdaxrom, because of its large library of packages, and because things seem to work right out of the box the first time: 'it just works'. However, I am not very taken by the visual appearance of pdaxrom. My eyesight is not great, so it is very difficult for me to make out the fonts and letters.

Furthermore, though I enjoy the thought of using my C3100 Zaurus as a handheld Linux box on the go, I also need it as a PIM, and here is where I think QTopia shines. QTopia works so well, that it feels as though it was designed for the Zaurus. The Zaurus Cancel and OK buttons are well integrated into QTopia, making it a breeze to navigate through the programs with only a few thumb clicks. This is not the case in pdaxrom, where I found that I had to guide the stylus across the screen and point to menu and window items very precisely, lest I accidentally select the wrong item. Ergonomically, I think QTopia works very well: quickly, simply, and intuitively.

I've tried Meanie's X/Qt package in which he bundles an X-windows and Linux environment to run on top of Cacko. I wonder if the opposite is possible: Is there a way to run a QTopia-like window manager from pdaxrom? The pdaxrom window managers I've looked at still resemble scaled-down full-screen desktop window managers, rather than QTopia or other handheld-oriented window managers.

Ideally, I would start in pdaxrom, but launch a QTopia-like window manager, for ordinary usage. I would then switch out of that environment, and back into native pdaxrom mode for more serioius Linux work, such as launching a bash window to peform some task. Is this possible on pdaxrom, or are there plans to provide this capability?

Fry

[silencer51]

This would be great, I think that there would be legal implications though (from Trolltech, maker of Qtopia)... Correct me if I'm wrong...

[ArchiMark]

Your other alternative would be to do like I did and install pdaXrom using dual-boot with qtopia. See other thread in this forum started by someonehoi for detailed instructions. His thread is actually meant for dual-booting qtopia and pdaXrom/KDE. But it's easy to just install it for dual-boot qtopia/pdaXrom.

HTH,

Mark

[fryster]

Your other alternative would be to do like I did and install pdaXrom using dual-boot with qtopia.

Thanks. I'll have to look into that. I might need to try it for the immediate future. However, I wonder if a QTopia clone could be developed for padXrom. I haven't tried Opie, but isn't it suppose to be similar to QTopia, since Opie forked from the same codebase as QTopia? Would it be difficult to port Opie to pdaXrom?

Fry

[prohto]

Hi everybudy

I have been playing around with qtopia on top of pdaxom. I succeded, I compiled the full distribution of qtopia and got it running on pdaxrom, that means the full desktop running on a windows.
If somebody could tell me about an utility to take screenshots, I will post some.
Currently I'm working on two packages, one with the complete desktop and another one with the libraries for developement.

Best Regards


Carlos F.

[pgas]

If somebody could tell me about an utility to take screenshots, I will post some.

Use the following command:
xwd -display :0.0 -root -out screenshot.xwd
this will take a screenshot right away - so often its better to use:
sleep 5;xwd -display :0.0 -root -out screenshot.xwd
then use gimp to convert.

Did you compile it with the yopy patch?
one thing I was thinking to try (but don't have time nor much interest)
is to compile qt/e with the yopy patch against the X/qt libraries with the toolchain for sharp rom.
and replace the qt/e of a rootfs of a cacko rom with this one.

It would then perhaps be possible to run a chrooted cacko inside pdaxrom.

[pgas]

I wonder if a QTopia clone could be developed for padXrom

It would require a lot of work.

Maybe you want to try oz/gpe, gpe is a complete environement written on top of X designed for pda (you can also use matchbox wm (in the feed) instead of openbox and the gpe applications compiled by Xromer.

I heard that opie would be made to run on top of X ( hrw you are invited to tell us more about that )

You can of course tweak the shortcut of the window manager to make it more friendly (to maximize window, to close them)
But all standard X applications have to be rewritten to have a consitant "pda" feel.

qtopia libraries for X and recompiling all qtopia applications would require a lot of work.

I think that there would be legal implications though (from Trolltech, maker of Qtopia)

qtopia is available under the GPL license.


sorry don't have the courage to develop more...

[jerrybme]

If you install Imagemagick you can convert it directly, I use a simple script I like this to take the screenshot, convert and name it with a unique name. Adjust the sleep command and the location of where the files go to your liking.

CODE

sleep 10

if test -z "$1"; then
   let i=1
   f="/mnt/card/screen$i.png"
   echo $f
   while test -f $f; do
       let i=1+$i
       f="/mnt/card/screen$i.png"
   done
   
else
   f="$1"
fi

xwd -display :0.0 -root -out "$f".xwd
convert "$f".xwd "$f"
rm "$f".xwd

Cheers,
Jerry

[prohto]

Thanks for the command to take screenshots.

I didn't use the yopy patch, I took the qtopia sourcecode, made some modification to a few configuration files and scripts, so the build system thought that the destination was a x86 disribution. Than I compiled the qt/e libraries and utilities native on the zaurus and then I cross compiled qtopia on my desktop. On the zaurus, as the display device, I use a utility called qvfb, which is part of qt.


Carlos F.

[Xromer]

Guys i tried all, OZ with GPE, OZ with Opie, Familiar with an Ipaq, Cacko, but the reason i installed PDAXROM is the completion of packages and SDK that nobody has. I' m not a real programmer, i know how to PRG on PHP, i understand configure and make behavior, but with the other Distros i was never able to compile anything. I thought i was not able.
With Xrom was all immediate. I' m learning how to fix things, and i' m beginning reading API' s Documentations. I' m having a lot of fun!
The only trouble is the visibility as fryster said. Th Cacko has the opportunity to zoom, i don' t know if there' s the same thing on PDAXROM, but if it would be possibile, would be the maximum.
Consider the best thing............... PORTABILITY
PDAXROM can be installed nearly everywhere. Other distribution are made only for PDAS.
Thing at installing the same OS with the same PKGS in all the things you have, would be unbelievable! EHHEHHEHE!!! The same has coyping the configuration PIMS, Documents, Films, wihout conversions.
Now i' m reaching it and it' s fantastic.
I hate CONVERSIONS! I was never able to use Multisync; with PocketPC every time Active Sync cancelled my appointments doing the synchronization. I only want to copy files from one to other. EHHEHHE!! This is my opinion.
Kde running on the Zauri is form me orrible too slow, you need the speed when you are working round for the city, and Qtopia Spreadsheet and Hancom office has not the power of Gnumeric and Abiword.
BYEZZZZ!! Let' s CROSSSSSSS! HIHIHIHI!!

[pgas]

I use a utility called qvfb, which is part of qt.

When I tried this it was terribly slow. Is it your case also?

more on qtopia for yopy here:
http://www.oesf.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=11651

[Xromer]

I use a utility called qvfb, which is part of qt.

When I tried this it was terribly slow. Is it your case also?

more on qtopia for yopy here:
http://www.oesf.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=11651

I tried the Zoom PDAXROM functionality, is there a possiblity of resolution in between the two i can see?

[spaul]

Fryster,
I have the same problem with PDAXROM. I noticed in a thread where people were posting their ages that most were two decades younger than me. Young whipersnappers. Wait to when they have to deny the need for reading glasses.

Anyway, there are several things you can do to mitigate. Type xrandr -s 1 into the terminal and everything gets too large as resolution cut in half (same command with 0 at end or restart fix resolution). Also, I run the PDAXROM version for VMware on my windoze entertainment PC. Since its linux you can usually figure out yourself or with forum help how to tweak font for various applications. But with these interventions you get around the catch 22 of having to read the font in order to make it larger. It is also easy to tweak the font for the XFCE windows manager. If all else fails try blueberry juice. You can delude yourself into thinking it is helping your vision. Good luck.

[plcg]

Thanks for the command to take screenshots.

I didn't use the yopy patch, I took the qtopia sourcecode, made some modification to a few configuration files and scripts, so the build system thought that the destination was a x86 disribution. Than I compiled the qt/e libraries and utilities native on the zaurus and then I cross compiled qtopia on my desktop. On the zaurus, as the display device, I use a utility called qvfb, which is part of qt.


Carlos F.

Hello prohto,

Any news about your qtopia screenshots ?
Thanks

plcg

[spaul]

The login for PDAXROM on windoze using VMware is the same as the Z. Root followed by startx (someone asked in a PM and I thought others might have same q).

FWIW dillo on windoze / vmware makes firefox look like a turtle in comparison. The price is a few pages render wierd or don't work at all