perlepoc (1) Linux Manual Page
perlepoc – 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.