-=====================================================================
-Perl 5 README file for the EPOC operating system.
-=====================================================================
+If you read this file _as_is_, just ignore the funny characters you
+see. It is written in the POD format (see pod/perlpod.pod) which is
+specially designed to be readable as is.
-Olaf Flebbe <o.flebbe@gmx.de>
-http://www.linuxstart.com/~oflebbe/perl/perl5.html
-2000-05-15
+=head1 NAME
+
+README.epoc - Perl for EPOC
-=====================================================================
-Introduction
-=====================================================================
+=head1 SYNOPSIS
+
+Perl 5 README file for the EPOC operating system.
+
+=head1 INTRODUCTION
EPOC is a OS for palmtops and mobile phones. For more informations look at:
http://www.symbian.com/
-This is a port of Perl version 5.6.0 to EPOC. It runs on the Perl
-Series 5, Series 5mx and the Psion Revo and on the Ericson M128.
-
-Features are left out, because of restrictions of the POSIX support.
+This is a port of perl to EPOC. It runs on the Psion Series 5, 5mx,
+5mx Pro, Psion Revo and on the Ericson M128. I have no report about
+the Psion Netbook or the S7. For information about this hardware
+please refer to http://www.psion.com.
-=====================================================================
-Installation/Usage
-=====================================================================
+=head1 INSTALLING PERL ON EPOC
You will need ~4MB free space in order to install and run perl.
this version. (For details look into epoc/createpkg.pl). If you like
to use them, you are free to copy them from a current perl release.
-Copy eshell.exe from the same page you got perl to your EPOC device.
-Start eshell.exe with a double tap.
+Get ESHELL from symbian:
+http://developer.epocworld.com/downloads/progs/Eshell.zip
Now you can enter: perl -de 0 in order to run the perl debugger. If
you are leaving perl, you get into the system screen. You have to
-switch back manually to eshell.exe When perl is running, you will see
+switch back manually to ESHELL. When perl is running, you will see
a task with the name STDOUT in the task list.
-======================================================================
-IO Redirection
-======================================================================
+=head1 USING PERL ON EPOC
+
+=head2 IO Redirection
You can redirect the output with the UNIX bourne shell syntax (this is
built into perl rather then eshell) For instance the following command
perl test.pl >stdout_file <stdin_file 2>stderr_file
-Alternativly you can use 2>&1 in order to add the standard error
+Alternatively you can use 2>&1 in order to add the standard error
output to stdout.
-======================================================================
-PATH Names
-======================================================================
+=head2 PATH Names
+
+ESHELL looks for executables in ?:/System/Programs. The SIS file
+installs perl in this special folder directory. The default drive and
+path are the same as folder the executable resides. The EPOC
+filesystem is case-preserving, not case-sensitive.
-Pathnames to executables in eshell.exe have to be written with
-backslashes '\', file arguments to perl with slashes '/'. The default
-drive of perl is the same as the drive perl.exe is located on, the
-default path seems to be '/'.
+EPOC uses the ?: syntax for establishing a search order: First in C: (RAM),
+then on D: (CF Card) and last in Z: (ROM).
-i.e. command lines look a little bit funny:
+The perl @INC search path is now implemented with '?:'. Your perl
+executable can now live on a different drive than the perl library or
+even your scripts.
-D:\perl.exe C:/test.pl >C:/output.txt
+ESHELL paths have to be written with backslashes '\', file arguments
+to perl with slashes '/'. Remember that I/O redirection is done
+internally in perl, so please use slashes for redirects.
+
+perl.exe C:/test.pl >C:/output.txt
You can automatically search for file on all EPOC drives with a ? as
-the driver letter. For instance ?:\a.txt seraches for C:\a.txt,
+the driver letter. For instance ?:\a.txt searches for C:\a.txt,
D:\b.txt (and Z:\a.txt).
-======================================================================
-Editors
-======================================================================
+=head2 Editors
+
+A suitable text-editor can be downloaded
+from symbian http://developer.epocworld.com/downloads/progs/Editor.zip
+
+=head2 Features
+
+The built-in function EPOC::getcwd returns the current directory.
+
+=head2 Restrictions
+
+Features are left out, because of restrictions of the POSIX support in
+EPOC:
+
+=over 4
+
+=item *
+
+backquoting, pipes etc.
-You may have a problem to create perl scripts. A cumbersome workaround
-is to use the OPL Editor and exporting to text.
+=item *
-The OPL+ Editor is quite good. (Shareware: http://www.twiddlebit.com)
-There is a port of vim around:
- http://www.starship.freeserve.co.uk/index.html
+system() does not inherit ressources like: file descriptors,
+environment etc.
-======================================================================
-Restrictions
-======================================================================
+=item *
-The following things are left out of this perl port:
+signal, kill, alarm. Do not try to use them. This may be
+impossible to implement on EPOC.
-+ backquoting, pipes etc.
+=item *
-+ system() does not inherit ressources like: file descriptors,
- environment etc.
+select is missing.
-+ signal, kill, alarm. Do not try to use them. This may be
- impossible to implement on EPOC.
+=item *
-+ select is missing.
+binmode does not exist. (No CR LF to LF translation for text files)
-+ binmode does not exist. (No CR LF to LF translation for text files)
+=item *
-+ 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.
+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.
-+ You need the shell eshell.exe in order to run perl.exe and supply
- it with arguments.
+=item *
-+ Heap is limited to 4MB.
+You need the shell eshell.exe in order to run perl.exe and supply
+it with arguments.
-===================================================================
-Compiling Perl 5 on the EPOC cross compiling envionment.
-===================================================================
+=item *
+
+Heap is limited to 4MB.
+
+=back
+
+=head2 Compiling Perl 5 on the EPOC cross compiling environment
Sorry, this is far too short.
- You will need the C++ SDK from http://developer.epocworld.com/.
+=over 4
+
+=item *
+
+You will need the C++ SDK from http://developer.epocworld.com/.
+
+=item *
+
+You will need to set up the cross SDK from
+http://www.science-computing.de/o.flebbe/sdk
+
+=item *
+
+You may have to adjust config.sh (cc, cppflags) for your epoc
+install location.
- You will need to set up the cross SDK from
- http://www.linuxstart.com/~oflebbe
+=item *
- You may have to adjust config.sh (cc, cppflags) for your epoc
- install location.
+You may have to adjust config.sh for your cross SDK location
- You may have to adjust config.sh for your cross SDK location
+=item *
- Get the Perl sources from your nearest CPAN site.
+Get the Perl sources from your nearest CPAN site.
- Unpack the sources.
+=item *
+
+Unpack the sources.
+
+=item *
+
+Build a native perl from this sources...
- Build a native perl from this sources...
cp epoc/* .
./Configure -S
- make perl
+ make perl.a
cp miniperl.native miniperl
make perl
+ make ext/Errno/pm_to_blib
perl link.pl perlmain.o lib/auto/DynaLoader/DynaLoader.a \
- lib/auto/Data/Dumper.a \
+ lib/auto/Data/Dumper/Dumper.a \
lib/auto/File/Glob/Glob.a lib/auto/IO/IO.a \
- lib/auto/Socket/Socket.a perl.a `cat ext.libs`
+ lib/auto/Socket/Socket.a \
+ lib/auto/Fcntl/Fcntl.a lib/auto/Sys/Hostname/Hostname.a \
+ perl.a `cat ext.libs`
perl createpkg.pl
- wine "G:/bin/makesis perl.pkg perl.sis"
+ wine G:/bin/makesis perl.pkg perl.sis
+
+=back
-====================================================================
-Wish List
-====================================================================
+=head1 SUPPORT STATUS
+
+I'm offering this port "as is". You can ask me questions, but I can't
+guarantee I'll be able to answer them.
+
+=head1 AUTHOR
+
+Olaf Flebbe <o.flebbe@gmx.de>
+http://members.linuxstart.com/~oflebbe/perl/perl5.html
-- Threads ?
-- Acess to the GUI?
+=head1 LAST UPDATE
-====================================================================
-Support Status
-====================================================================
+2000-09-18
-I'm offering this port "as is". You can ask me questions, but I can't
-guarantee I'll be able to answer them; I don't know much about Perl
-internals myself.
+=cut