Offer to assist with Snow Leopard

mwheinz · 09-11-2009, 09:33 AM

Hey, I'm brand new to the eBook scene, my first day with a PRS-600 and I'm already banging my head against the wall because of all the problems Snow Leopard is causing with eBook Library and Calibre.

The good news is that I'm a developer with 20+ years of experience and although I don't know Python, I'm fairly comfortable with Macs.

Is it possible for me to get the source and take a look at the problems Calibre is having? Superficially it seems like the problem is with the GUI rather than the underlying Calibre tools - maybe I can help?

itimpi · 09-11-2009, 09:40 AM

If you go to:
http://calibre.kovidgoyal.net/wiki/Development
it tells you what you need to do to set up an development envionment and get the source

Of course it is possible the OSX instructions are no longer quite correct for Snow Leopard but they should provide a good starting point.

ggendel · 09-11-2009, 09:45 AM

I suspect that, if you force Qt to compile in 32-bit, things will run a lot smoother. One of the things that changed in Snow Leopard is that the default compiles are 64-bit. Adding -m32 to the compilation and link options fixed all the issues I was having with building our Qt based apps.

kovidgoyal · 09-11-2009, 09:59 AM

Sure, I'll be happy to have help, since I dont have a machine capable of running Snow Leopard its impossible for me to debug this. The first step is to compile all the various dependencies. I've attached the build scripts I use along with a .profile to setup needed environment variables. These build (almost) all the required calibre dependencies.

After you're done with that ask and I'll help you get calibre running from source.

kovidgoyal · 09-11-2009, 10:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ggendel

I suspect that, if you force Qt to compile in 32-bit, things will run a lot smoother. One of the things that changed in Snow Leopard is that the default compiles are 64-bit. Adding -m32 to the compilation and link options fixed all the issues I was having with building our Qt based apps.

The Qt build system is broken for 64 bit on OS X, but once you patch the Makefiles, it builds fine and the 64bit build runs fine on 10.5

mwheinz · 09-11-2009, 11:58 AM

okay - I'll try to take a look over the weekend.

rcuadro · 09-12-2009, 01:53 PM

*keeps fingers crossed*

kjk · 09-12-2009, 07:03 PM

this makes me happy.

mwheinz · 09-13-2009, 04:12 PM

Status update:

The problem isn't with Calibre, it is with a 3rd party graphic library that Calibre uses (which Kovid already knew).

Unfortunately, the company that created the library has pulled the source code off their website, and the newest binary versions produce the message "Warning: Support for this operating system is preliminary" when you try to use it with Snow Leopard.

I've sent messages to the company that produces the library - both via email and on their forums. Hopefully I'll get some feedback soon.

gwynevans · 09-14-2009, 05:27 AM

Is the issue with either Qt or PyQT, as there appear to be recent snapshots of both (Qt 4.6.0-tp1 & PyQt 4.6-snapshot-20090912).

Which versions are you trying & are you building as 32bit or 64bit?
(While I've been developing for a while, lately it's been just Java! It's been a while since I used Unix/gcc & I'm new to Macs, so trying to get up to speed! As such, some of the questions may not make sense together!)

mwheinz · 09-14-2009, 07:04 AM

PyQT won't build in snow leopard because the aforementioned #warnings and because of link errors that are because the current binary of QT is 32 bit but Python in Snow Leopard is 64 bit.

As I mentioned above, I haven't tried to rebuild QT itself because TrollTech has pulled the source for the Mac version - but I just found it, at ftp://ftp.qt.nokia.com/qt/source/

I have work today, and class tonight, but I'll try to get it built soon.

gwynevans · 09-14-2009, 10:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mwheinz

Python in Snow Leopard is 64 bit.

Would either of "arch -arch i386 /usr/bin/python" or running Python2.5
(/usr/bin/python2.5 -> ../../System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.5/bin/python2.5) help with that?

mwheinz · 09-14-2009, 10:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gwynevans

Would either of "arch -arch i386 /usr/bin/python" or running Python2.5
(/usr/bin/python2.5 -> ../../System/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.5/bin/python2.5) help with that?

Not worth sweating over; now that I have the QT source, I was able to compile it as 64-bit and PyQT compiled without error (when I should have been working).

The only real fear is the constant repetition of the warning that QT isn't really ready for Snow Leopard.

The next step is to resolve all the additional dependencies that aren't mentioned on the Mac development page. It looks like Kovid uses fink to manage extra software, I use MacPorts, but sof far it hasn't been a problem.

We'll see.

kovidgoyal · 09-14-2009, 11:53 AM

I actually don't use either fink or macports. I have my own custom build scripts, which I attached to an earlier post.

mwheinz · 09-14-2009, 12:28 PM

I assumed you were using fink in addition to the custom scripts because of the way you use /sw as your root directory for software development - I thought that was a fink thing.

09-11-2009, 09:33 AM	#1
mwheinz award-winning bozo Posts: 258 Karma: 172703 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Philadelphia Device: Kobo Libra 2	Offer to assist with Snow Leopard Hey, I'm brand new to the eBook scene, my first day with a PRS-600 and I'm already banging my head against the wall because of all the problems Snow Leopard is causing with eBook Library and Calibre. The good news is that I'm a developer with 20+ years of experience and although I don't know Python, I'm fairly comfortable with Macs. Is it possible for me to get the source and take a look at the problems Calibre is having? Superficially it seems like the problem is with the GUI rather than the underlying Calibre tools - maybe I can help?

09-14-2009, 07:04 AM	#11
mwheinz award-winning bozo Posts: 258 Karma: 172703 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Philadelphia Device: Kobo Libra 2	PyQT won't build in snow leopard because the aforementioned #warnings and because of link errors that are because the current binary of QT is 32 bit but Python in Snow Leopard is 64 bit. As I mentioned above, I haven't tried to rebuild QT itself because TrollTech has pulled the source for the Mac version - but I just found it, at ftp://ftp.qt.nokia.com/qt/source/ I have work today, and class tonight, but I'll try to get it built soon. Last edited by mwheinz; 09-14-2009 at 07:13 AM.

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09-11-2009, 09:40 AM	#2
itimpi Wizard Posts: 4,553 Karma: 950151 Join Date: Nov 2008 Device: Sony PRS-950, iphone/ipad (Marvin/iBooks/QuickReader)	If you go to: http://calibre.kovidgoyal.net/wiki/Development it tells you what you need to do to set up an development envionment and get the source Of course it is possible the OSX instructions are no longer quite correct for Snow Leopard but they should provide a good starting point.

09-11-2009, 09:45 AM	#3
ggendel Connoisseur Posts: 54 Karma: 54 Join Date: Dec 2007 Device: Cybook 3	I suspect that, if you force Qt to compile in 32-bit, things will run a lot smoother. One of the things that changed in Snow Leopard is that the default compiles are 64-bit. Adding -m32 to the compilation and link options fixed all the issues I was having with building our Qt based apps.

09-11-2009, 11:58 AM	#6
mwheinz award-winning bozo Posts: 258 Karma: 172703 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Philadelphia Device: Kobo Libra 2	okay - I'll try to take a look over the weekend.

09-12-2009, 01:53 PM	#7
rcuadro Wizard Posts: 1,686 Karma: 874275 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Device: Kindle DX	keeps fingers crossed

09-12-2009, 07:03 PM	#8
kjk . Posts: 3,408 Karma: 5647231 Join Date: Oct 2008 Device: never enough	this makes me happy.

09-13-2009, 04:12 PM	#9
mwheinz award-winning bozo Posts: 258 Karma: 172703 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Philadelphia Device: Kobo Libra 2	Status update: The problem isn't with Calibre, it is with a 3rd party graphic library that Calibre uses (which Kovid already knew). Unfortunately, the company that created the library has pulled the source code off their website, and the newest binary versions produce the message "Warning: Support for this operating system is preliminary" when you try to use it with Snow Leopard. I've sent messages to the company that produces the library - both via email and on their forums. Hopefully I'll get some feedback soon.

09-14-2009, 05:27 AM	#10
gwynevans Wizzard Posts: 1,402 Karma: 2000000 Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: UK Device: iPad 2, iPhone 6s, Kindle Voyage & Kindle PaperWhite	Is the issue with either Qt or PyQT, as there appear to be recent snapshots of both (Qt 4.6.0-tp1 & PyQt 4.6-snapshot-20090912). Which versions are you trying & are you building as 32bit or 64bit? (While I've been developing for a while, lately it's been just Java! It's been a while since I used Unix/gcc & I'm new to Macs, so trying to get up to speed! As such, some of the questions may not make sense together!)

09-14-2009, 11:53 AM	#14
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 44,039 Karma: 22669822 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	I actually don't use either fink or macports. I have my own custom build scripts, which I attached to an earlier post.

09-14-2009, 12:28 PM	#15
mwheinz award-winning bozo Posts: 258 Karma: 172703 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Philadelphia Device: Kobo Libra 2	I assumed you were using fink in addition to the custom scripts because of the way you use /sw as your root directory for software development - I thought that was a fink thing.

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