DR800 Lua 5.1 MegaPackage for DR800

[Iñigo]

EDIT 20101214: new release: v3

IMPORTANT: version 3 and up needs the core base package v4 in https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?p=887725

Lua 5.1 MegaPackage for DR

This is a megapackage including Lua interpreter bundled with a lot of useful modules and bindings compiled for the iRex DR devices, and some useful and interesting scripts.
All in all, it's a complete development framework to build applications for the iRex DR800 and DR1000, in 4 MB!!!

Note you need the core base package, version 4, which you can find at https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?p=887725

I've tried to emulate Hansel's incredible Lua port for Iliad [1] [2], but I've added some new packages. Consult section below to learn about all the modules included.

Not all of the included packages have been tested so please try and report any broken module. By now I'm aware of next non working packages: alien, and vte.

I've included the documentation, examples and tests of all the packages in the "docs" directory. You should not copy them to the DR device.

[1] https://dev.mobileread.com/trac/luailiad/wiki
[2] https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36483


Steps to install:
1. enable SD card folders browsing (advance settings or look for the dr.ini file hack in mobileread forum)
2. connect device to your computer using the USB cable
3. create a folder "/Programs" in SD card root if it does not exist yet
4. you need libs core package installed into SD card/Programs/_base
5. copy "_lua" and "Tools" directory there

Now, you should have something like:

    SD card
	/Programs
            _base            (directory)
            _lua               (directory)
            Tools             (directory)
                RunDebug.desktop  (file)
                Icons.desktop     (file)
            ...

Don't copy "docs" folder or any other files to your DR, they are not necessary.


Scripts included:
There are some scripts included with this package in _lua/scripts directory.
You could use them as examples, but they also have their interest and purpose.

* run_debug.lua
This application lets run some other programs and get the output. It is specially useful to execute command line based scripts or to check why some applications don't start correctly.
It understands some special types of files like lua, python or shell scripts. Even it can run the proper command if you select a .desktop file!
It can be started from its own .desktop file, no command line needed.

* icons.lua
A script which generates images for some types of files, updating device global database so you can see these images when browsing.
It currently supports next file types:
. Programs: parses .desktop files looking for an Icon entry
. FB2 files: extracts cover image if the ebook has one

* gui-icons.lua
A GUI frontend for icons.lua


Modules included:
[Detailed information in the README file]

Base: lua, LuaFileSystem, LuaPosix, luaexpat, stdlib, penlight, alien, lpack, LuaBitOp, rings, lrandom, lmd5, lbase64, date, gzio, lpeg, lualogging, luaprofiler, lpc, luadaemon

Network: LuaSocket, luacurl, luajson, cgilua, xavante, copas, coxpcal, wsapi, orbit

GUI: lgob (gobject, glib, gdk, atk, gtk, pango, cairo, gtksourceview, gtkspell, poppler, goocanvas, vte, webkit), lplot

Extra: nixio, ldbi, luadbus, ldbus, lhpdf


And now what?
Ok, ok... read next message...


Enjoy,
Iñigo Serna

Changes:

Spoiler:

v3 - 2010/12/14 23:39:13
. new modules:
  - gzio v0.9
  - luaplot v0.2.0
  - ldbus
  - lbase64
  - lmd5
  - lrandom
  - date v2.0.1
  - lpeg v0.10
  - lualogging v1.1.4
  - luaprofiler v2.0.2
  - lpc v1.0.0
  - luadaemon v1.0.0
. updated modules:
  - posix 5.1.7
  - stdlib v16
  - lgob v10.11
  - ldbi.sqlite v0.3
  - hpdf v1.0
. improved icons.lua script, now supports fb2 files
. added gui-icons.lua script

v2 - 2010/05/19 14:54:12
. added run_debug.lua and icons.lua scripts
. fixed ldbi.sqlite

v1 - 2010/04/27 23:20:27
. needs libs from core _base package v1
. webkit and poppler bindings work now, but not sure about vte

v0 - 2010/04/05 00:10:13
. initial test release

[Iñigo]

EDIT 20100428: added examples. Copy "tests" directory inside attached file into SD/Programs folder


Keep reading? ok, ok, let's go for some fun now...


Don't run it if you are not in beta tester mood and don't blame me if your device breaks. It works perfectly for me but...


Copy "test" directory in above package in SD card /Programs folder on your DR800.
Browse and try some of the examples.

* MultiCalc
Great Hansel's calculator, initially released for Iliad. Works great on DR800.
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=42946

* MiniPad
Great Hansel's notepad-like application, initially released for Iliad. It's not so useful for the DR800 without modifications... maybe without the hardcoded keyboard...
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=60585

* Toolbox
Yours' tiny apps. Originally released for Iliad. Works superbly. Try the file browser and enjoy the speed.
Some features don't work as they were written for Iliad.
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=60885

There is also a screenshot of Xiliad, a sample lua-based web server.
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36799


I will continue improving the Toolbox, specially FileExplorer in future weeks.


Hope you enjoy this as much as me ;-)
Iñigo

[Iñigo]

*nothing here*

[Dellaster]

Iñigo, thank you very much. I remember you mentioning in another post that you were thinking of doing this. I'm grateful that you went through with it. Time for me to put Android aside for a while and have some fun with Lua.

(As I write this the link to the package is removed. I'm guessing you found a reason to make a change to it. I'll check back for the download at another time.)

[Iñigo]

Originally Posted by Dellaster

Iñigo, thank you very much. I remember you mentioning in another post that you were thinking of doing this. I'm grateful that you went through with it. Time for me to put Android aside for a while and have some fun with Lua.

(As I write this the link to the package is removed. I'm guessing you found a reason to make a change to it. I'll check back for the download at another time.)

Glub!!! sorry it was very late and I was so tired... I modified one of the tests after the initial post so I quickly removed the package, but I forgot to add the new one. Anyway, here is it.

[Mackx]

This also works on the DR1000 (tested with R2.0 Beta)!
Thanks very much, I am looking forward to your updates.

[Iñigo]

Originally Posted by Mackx

This also works on the DR1000 (tested with R2.0 Beta)!
Thanks very much, I am looking forward to your updates.

Wow! thanks for the feedback.

Perhaps, once DR1000 and DR800 new versions are released, we'll have to stop a bit and think together the way we port applications in order to work in both devices and not duplicate efforts.

If firmware is common for both devices we could have same infraestructure (common libs, apps, etc).

I'm thinking on this structure:

SD Card
    /Programs
        _config
        _base
            _bin
            _etc
            _lib
            _share
            ...
        _FBReader
        _osmo
        _xournal
        ...
        <desktop files here>

_ config would contain user personal configuration and data for the programs (a la /home/user).
_base would be the equivalent of /usr.
And each program will be contained in its own directory.

This way, LD_LIBRARY_PATH and such variables could be common for all programs and the launchers could be practically the same.

In fact I've already assembled common-runtime-libs for the DR800 with some of the libs the apps I ported apps use (fribidi, linebreak, art_lpgl, gnomecanvas, poppler, goocanvas, vte...). But I'll wait after the new release in order to include only needed and newer libraries.

I'm also thinking about my needs as a developer/porter. We could ask iRex for them.
F.e. support "Icon" in .desktop files.

What do you think? Is it worth to create a new thread to discuss this common infraestructure among all DR* developers/porters?

Iñigo

[Mackx]

Originally Posted by Iñigo

Perhaps, once DR1000 and DR800 new versions are released, we'll have to stop a bit and think together the way we port applications in order to work in both devices and not duplicate efforts.

If firmware is common for both devices we could have same infraestructure (common libs, apps, etc).

I'm thinking on this structure:

SD Card
    /Programs
        _config
        _base
            _bin
            _etc
            _lib
            _share
            ...
        _FBReader
        _osmo
        _xournal
        ...
        <desktop files here>

_ config would contain user personal configuration and data for the programs (a la /home/user).
_base would be the equivalent of /usr.
And each program will be contained in its own directory.

Seems a very good reasoning for the structure, I could follow that.

Originally Posted by Iñigo

This way, LD_LIBRARY_PATH and such variables could be common for all programs and the launchers could be practically the same.

I am using the -rpath parameter when linking the application, this way I do not have to set a LD_LIBRARY_PATH environment variable. The mechanism to show application names in the TaskBar of the DR1000, 'monitors' the original application that was started, I have seen problems when using a shell-script to start an application, so I prefer starting without a shell-script.

Originally Posted by Iñigo

In fact I've already assembled common-runtime-libs for the DR800 with some of the libs the apps I ported apps use (fribidi, linebreak, art_lpgl, gnomecanvas, poppler, goocanvas, vte...). But I'll wait after the new release in order to include only needed and newer libraries.

Porters/developers also need to cross-compiled libraries, with the header files to install them in their development environment (saves some time from figuring out how to ) building yourself. So we should also think on how/where to publish them.

Originally Posted by Iñigo

I'm also thinking about my needs as a developer/porter. We could ask iRex for them.
F.e. support "Icon" in .desktop files.

Customs icons are already supported, but they need to be in the metadata.db files, in 3 different sizes if I remember well. (At least in the R1.7.1 for DR1000, I have not looked into the new DR800 code.)

Originally Posted by Iñigo

What do you think? Is it worth to create a new thread to discuss this common infraestructure among all DR* developers/porters?

Iñigo

Maybe we should have a DR development sub forum like the Iliad development sub-forum or (this will not make me popular...) rename the Iliad sub-forum, to cover both the Iliad and the DR-platform. The wiki-pages and the Dev-Hub could also be used to share information/tricks/tips.

Starting with a thread to discuss the common infrastructure would be a good starting point.

Marcel.

[Iñigo]

v1 - 2010/04/27 23:20:27
. requires libs from core _base package v1
. webkit and poppler bindings work now, but not sure about vte

Download from first message.

[ThR]

Toolbox and MiniPad will not start... Their desktop-files are different from MultiCalc. Maybe thats the problem.

MultiCalc works fine (Osmo too)

[Iñigo]

Originally Posted by ThR

Toolbox and MiniPad will not start... Their desktop-files are different from MultiCalc. Maybe thats the problem.

MultiCalc works fine (Osmo too)

You would need to slightly edit original Iliad packages to work on DR.

Anyway, I'ved added a test package with some examples (MultiPad, MiniCalc and Toolbox to the 2nd message). Uncompress into SD/Programs, navigate to tests folder and enjoy.

i.e. the structure must be:

SD/
    Programs/
        _base/
        _config/
        _lua/
        tests/

[ThR]

I have this structure. Toolbox and MiniPad do not start. I've changed the desktop-files and the lua-files for testing purposes - Until now I was not able to get them starting. Sorry.

[Iñigo]

Originally Posted by ThR

I have this structure. Toolbox and MiniPad do not start. I've changed the desktop-files and the lua-files for testing purposes - Until now I was not able to get them starting. Sorry.

It's tested on DR800S, either with firmware version 1 and 2beta; and DR1000 firmware version 2beta.

I see on your profile you have a DR1000, which firmware version are you using? This package shouldn't work on v1.x for DR1000.

[ThR]

It's the Beta2 for the DR1000.

[Iñigo]

Originally Posted by ThR

It's the Beta2 for the DR1000.

Could you try to run from the command line?

Either:

a) install usbnet from https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=81699 and connect via ssh from your PC

or

b) using a terminal in the DR https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=81119

and then run:

# cd /media/mmcblk0p1/Programs/tests
# /media/mmcblk0p1/Programs/_lua/bin/lua   _code/MultiCalc.lua

# /media/mmcblk0p1/Programs/tests/_code/minipad.sh

MultiCalc should work.
If Minipad doesn't run showing an error like:

/media/mmcblk0p1/Programs/tests/_code/minipad.sh: cd: line 3: can't cd to _code/MiniPad
/media/mmcblk0p1/Programs/_lua/bin/lua: cannot open MiniPad.lua: No such file or directory

edit /media/mmcblk0p1/Programs/tests/_code/minipad.sh and change path in "cd" statement to absolute path:
from "cd _code/MiniPad" to "cd /media/mmcblk0p1/Programs/tests/_code/MiniPad", without the ".


Same for Toolbox.