NAME¶
README.epoc - Perl for EPOC
SYNOPSIS¶
Perl 5 README file for the EPOC Release 5 operating system.
INTRODUCTION¶
EPOC is an OS for palmtops and mobile phones. For more information look at:
<
http://www.symbian.com/>
This is a port of perl to the epocemx SDK by Eberhard Mattes, which itself uses
the SDK by symbian. Essentially epocemx it is a POSIX look alike environment
for the EPOC OS. For more information look at:
<
http://epocemx.sourceforge.net/>
perl and epocemx runs on Epoc Release 5 machines: Psion 5mx, 5mx Pro, Psion
Revo, Psion Netbook and on the Ericsson M128. It may run on Epoc Release 3
Hardware (Series 5 classic), too. For more information about this hardware
please refer to <
http://www.psion.com/>
Vendors which like to have support for their devices are free to send me a
sample.
INSTALLING PERL ON EPOC¶
You can download a ready-to-install version from
<
http://www.oflebbe.de/perl/perl5.html>
You will need at least ~6MB free space in order to install and run perl.
Please install the emxusr.sis package from
<
http://epocemx.sourceforge.net/> first.
Install perl.sis on the EPOC machine. If you do not know how to do that, consult
your PsiWin documentation.
Perl itself and its standard library is using 4 MB disk space. Unicode support
and some other modules are left out. (For details, please look into
epoc/createpkg.pl). If you like to use these modules, you are free to copy
them from a current perl release.
STARTING PERL ON EPOC¶
Please use the epocemx shell to start perl. perl integrates with the conventions
of epocemx.
Features of Perl on Epoc¶
The built-in function EPOC::getcwd returns the current directory.
Restrictions of Perl on Epoc¶
Features are left out, because of restrictions of the POSIX support in EPOC:
- •
- socket IO is only implemented poorly. You can only use
sysread and syswrite on them. The commands read, write, print, <> do
not work for sockets. This may change iff epocemx supports sockets.
- •
- kill, alarm and signals. Do not try to use them. This may
be impossible to implement on EPOC.
- •
- select is missing.
- •
- binmode does not exist. (No CR LF to LF translation for
text files)
- •
- EPOC does not handle the notion of current drive and
current directory very well (i.e. not at all, but it tries hard to emulate
one). See PATH.
- •
- Heap is limited to 4MB.
- •
- Dynamic loading is not implemented.
Compiling Perl 5 on the EPOC cross compiling environment¶
Sorry, this is far too short.
- •
- You will need the epocemx SDK from Eberhard Mattes.
- •
- Get the Perl sources from your nearest CPAN site.
- •
- Unpack the sources.
- •
- Build a native perl from this sources... Make sure to save
the miniperl executable as miniperl.native.
Start again from scratch
cp epoc/* .
./Configure -S
make
cp miniperl.native miniperl
touch miniperl.exe
make
perl createpkg.pl
emxsis perl.pkg perl.sis
SUPPORT STATUS OF PERL ON EPOC¶
I'm offering this port "as is". You can ask me questions, but I can't
guarantee I'll be able to answer them. Since the port to epocemx is quite new,
please check the web for updates first.
Very special thanks to Eberhard Mattes for epocemx.
AUTHOR¶
Olaf Flebbe <olaf@oflebbe.de>
<
http://www.oflebbe.de/perl/perl5.html>
LAST UPDATE¶
2003-01-18