Announce: Desktop Version Of The Iqnotes

[koan]

I never compiled or ran iqnotes so it was just a guess.

Let's try the next thing: compile it on a windows box with some flavor of g++ and qt3...

QT3 was never released under an open source licence for Windows.

I think some people were backporting QT3 from Linux to Cygwin, see http://kde-cygwin.sourceforge.net/qt3/index.php

[SNi]

Any luck w/this?

Thanks Koan,
That didn't really work. The following does:
if no modifications are made to the source code whatsoever, you have to create a folder /usr/share/iqnotes and then simply copy (drag and drop) the contents of the pics folder. It actually is exactly as is written in the README.DESKTOP file. The pictuers are then in /usr/share/iqnotes/iqnotes. That folder also has a (empty) subfolder items. What that is for, I don't know...

So now it works completely.

Let's try the next thing: compile it on a windows box with some flavor of g++ and qt3...

I will report if that works.


MaBo

[Frederic Bergeron]

Just for "fun", I decided to give it a try.

My first attempt was to try porting the whole application from qt-3 to qt-4.  I quickly realized that would require too much work.

On my second attempt, I tried to build the latest version of Q... (aka QTWIN: the port of qt3 for Windows) but it didn't work.

My third attempt was to use an old but existing and working binary version of Q... that I found on the Sourceforge download page.  After moving my cygwin installation away (because it was interfering somehow) and manually tweaking some config files, I managed to build a working Windows executable!  See the attached zip file. There was some warnings when compiling but it doesn't seem to bother anything.

I have not fully tested the application as I have never used it before.  Could someone familiar with the application provide some feedback please.

If it works fine, I will give more details about my building procedure

[Frederic Bergeron]

I have been told that there was a missing DLL file in the archive so here a new one with the required DLL.

Also, here is the process I did to build the application:

Run "setenv.bat" that basically does this:

Code: [Select]

SET QTDIR=N:\Qt\qt-win-free-mingw-3.3.4
SET PATH=%QTDIR%\bin;%PATH%
SET QMAKESPEC=win32-g++
After that, I edit the iqnotes.pro file and change these 4 lines:

Code: [Select]

desktop:DEFINES = IQNOTES_PICDIR="\"pics\""
desktop:INTERFACES = p:\fred\iqnotes-2.1.0rc1\iqnotes\desktop\ui\*.ui
desktop:HEADERS += p:\fred\iqnotes-2.1.0rc1\iqnotes\desktop\qpe\*.h
desktop:SOURCES += p:\fred\iqnotes-2.1.0rc1\iqnotes\desktop\qpe\*.cppThen, I do:

Code: [Select]

cd iqnotes
qmake
Then, I edit the Makefile and replace "-lqt" by "lqt-mt".

I build the application typing "make".

For some mysterious reasons, the linking step may give some errors.  If I do "make clean;make", it usually works on the second time.  Go figure...

At this point, I should have a iqnotes.exe in the parent directory.  

I package the application manually in a directory that contains:
- iqnotes.exe
- qt-mt3.dll (taken from qt-win-free-mingw-3.3.4 directory)
- mingwm10.dll (also taken from qt-win-free-mingw-3.3.4 directory)
- pics folder (taken from iqnotes)

That's it!  I hope I have not forgotten anything.

[SNi]

Thanx so much, works fine on Windows desktop. Only cavil so far, when writing/editing a note it starts off in a very small window (though you can 'drag' it to make it bigger)...
SNi

I have been told that there was a missing DLL file in the archive so here a new one with the required DLL.

At this point, I should have a iqnotes.exe in the parent directory.  

I package the application manually in a directory that contains:
- iqnotes.exe
- qt-mt3.dll (taken from qt-win-free-mingw-3.3.4 directory)
- mingwm10.dll (also taken from qt-win-free-mingw-3.3.4 directory)
- pics folder (taken from iqnotes)

That's it!  I hope I have not forgotten anything.

[SNi]

When you do Note- Add Picture what directory is it expecting the files to be in???

[Frederic Bergeron]

When you do Note- Add Picture what directory is it expecting the files to be in???

A quick look to the code reveals that it should be in the directory pics/iqnotes/items of the application directory.  However, when I put image files there (gif, png, jpg or xpm), they are not shown in the dialog window...  I would need to check further.  Maybe this weekend.

[Frederic Bergeron]

Here is a new version that should fix the problem with Set Picture... feature.  The images must be PNG files and stored in the pics/iqnotes/items directory.  Please, tell me if it works on your side.

By the way, for anyone who cares, the updated source code can be found here.

I have also found this interesting blog entry about iqnotes. Glad to see that some users are happy about that.

[SNi]

Thanx, will give it a try...  One thought, on a Win box when opening a new file it expects it to be in a .iqnotes subdirectory in the User's directory on the PC. Any possibility of having this subdirectory be with the program files. This would allow it to be used as a "portable" app on a USB stick (vs. having to be installed on a particular PC)
SNi

Here is a new version that should fix the problem with Set Picture... feature.  The images must be PNG files and stored in the pics/iqnotes/items directory.  Please, tell me if it works on your side.

By the way, for anyone who cares, the updated source code can be found here.

I have also found this interesting blog entry about iqnotes. Glad to see that some users are happy about that.

[SNi]

Yup, it works... Thanx much...
SNi

Here is a new version that should fix the problem with Set Picture... feature.  The images must be PNG files and stored in the pics/iqnotes/items directory.  Please, tell me if it works on your side.

By the way, for anyone who cares, the updated source code can be found here.

I have also found this interesting blog entry about iqnotes. Glad to see that some users are happy about that.

[Frederic Bergeron]

Thanx, will give it a try...  One thought, on a Win box when opening a new file it expects it to be in a .iqnotes subdirectory in the User's directory on the PC. Any possibility of having this subdirectory be with the program files. This would allow it to be used as a "portable" app on a USB stick (vs. having to be installed on a particular PC)
SNi

I think that the default behavior is standard.  Usually, you want your personal data to be stored in your home directory.  Especially if you're sharing your computer with other people.  However, I could make a "portable" version of the application with the asked behavior.  It would be very convenient indeed and it's probably very easy to implement.  I will take a look in the week-end.

Thanks for your quick feedback btw.

[SNi]

That's great... Right now I have it installed on computers at work and at home, which gets into "version" issues (ensuring latest .xml or .rijn file, keeping "synced"), the ability to have and run off a USB stick on any computer would be great from a portability standpoint
SNi
P.S. You linked my IQN "review"

I think that the default behavior is standard.  Usually, you want your personal data to be stored in your home directory.  Especially if you're sharing your computer with other people.  However, I could make a "portable" version of the application with the asked behavior.  It would be very convenient indeed and it's probably very easy to implement.  I will take a look in the week-end.

Thanks for your quick feedback btw.

[Frederic Bergeron]

That's great... Right now I have it installed on computers at work and at home, which gets into "version" issues (ensuring latest .xml or .rijn file, keeping "synced"), the ability to have and run off a USB stick on any computer would be great from a portability standpoint
SNi
P.S. You linked my IQN "review"

Here is the portable version.  

When building this version, I found at least one place where the application crashes systematically (when adding a note on a previous note the very first time).  I suspect that the bug is not in the application itself but rather in the version of Qt3 that I have used to build the application.  I may try once again to build the latest version of Q... eventually but it's not my priority so don't hold your breath.  I have already tried to build it and I failed miserably.  Anyway, I think that the application is usable enough.