Run and develop Linux apps under Windows :)

[paul_nicholls]

Hi all,
I haven't tried it yet (will do when I get free time), but I found a project that supposable allows users to run and develop Linux applications under windows.


"andLinux is a complete Linux system designed for developing applications and runs seemlessly in Windows 2000 based systems (2000, XP, 2003, Vista, etc...)."

http://wiki.gp2x.org/wiki/AndLinux

I am going to try this instead as my computer wouldn't allow me to try a liveDistro of Ubuntu the other day :(

If this works, I am going to download the freepascal linux and Linux-ARM stuff to try compiling to my GP2X :)

cheers,
Paul.

[WILL]

Very nice find Paul. ;) I think I'll be checking this one out myself...

[paul_nicholls]

I have downloaded it and extracted it.
I will actually run it tonight :)

PS I found it accidently when searching for developer stuff for the GP2X; the andLinux project was started because of the GP2X! :)

cheers,
Paul.

[pstudio]

So have you tried it out?
and most importantly; did it work?

[paul_nicholls]

So have you tried it out?
and most importantly; did it work?

I have tried it and it seems to work :)
I haven't downloaded any Linux apps to try under it yet, but i was able to use ap-get install ... under the Linux console to install stuff :-)

It has a launcher bar that can be customized.

I am planning on seeing if I can install KDE or similar to try out a Linux desktop as well.

cheers,
Paul.

[WILL]

Well here is the all mighty question... have you gotten Lazarus to install and work under andLinux?

I've just installed it and checked it out... it seems to work ok,but there is no console to run commands

All I have is a single window called 'andServer (CoLinux)'


colinux: booting
colinux-net-daemon: searching TAP device named "TAP-Colinux"
colinux-net-daemon: found TAP device named "TAP-Colinux"
colinux-net-daemon: opening TAP: "TAP-Colinux"
colinux-net-daemon: TAP driver version 8.4
colinux-net-daemon: enabling TAP...
conet-slirp-daemon: running

Then a cursor that doesn't let me type. :P

Any ideas?

[paul_nicholls]

Well here is the all mighty question... have you gotten Lazarus to install and work under andLinux?

I've just installed it and checked it out... it seems to work ok,but there is no console to run commands

All I have is a single window called 'andServer (CoLinux)'


colinux: booting
colinux-net-daemon: searching TAP device named "TAP-Colinux"
colinux-net-daemon: found TAP device named "TAP-Colinux"
colinux-net-daemon: opening TAP: "TAP-Colinux"
colinux-net-daemon: TAP driver version 8.4
colinux-net-daemon: enabling TAP...
conet-slirp-daemon: running

Then a cursor that doesn't let me type. :P

Any ideas?

andLinux may be checking the Linux disk which would explain why it appears to not be doing anything except for hogging the CPU.

it is set to check after 1 mount.
It should bring up a application loading bar after the checking, and this allows a terminal to be opened, etc.

I had to use apt-get install thundar to install a file manager before that option would work.

I have managed to finally install lazarus under andLinux :)

I had to download these files from here http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=89339

fp_all_deb.tar
lazarus_0.9.20-0_i386.deb

I then unpacked the .tar file into a folder and also placed the lazarus .deb file into this folder as well.

I then opened a terminal in this directory and ran this:


dpkg -i *.deb

I found this page helpfull:
http://wiki.lazarus.freepascal.org/Installing_Lazarus#Another_way_to_install_Lazarus_ under_Debian

Hope this helps,
cheers,
Paul.

[WILL]

Oh man... you're running the PreBeta aren't you? :P

I tried the newer Beta that uses Ubuntu. :scratch:

Well I'll give that version a try then. I prefer Debian anyhow. And the Laz installation has gotten better from what I'm hearing so...

If I'm wrong though, how on earth do I open a console for the PreBeta? The guy apparently made a change to use something else instead of automatically popping open a console...??? Some app that starts with an X or something. :?

Well I'll see next time I give it a run.

[paul_nicholls]

Oh man... you're running the PreBeta aren't you? :P

I tried the newer Beta that uses Ubuntu. :scratch:

Well I'll give that version a try then. I prefer Debian anyhow. And the Laz installation has gotten better from what I'm hearing so...

If I'm wrong though, how on earth do I open a console for the PreBeta? The guy apparently made a change to use something else instead of automatically popping open a console...??? Some app that starts with an X or something. :?

Well I'll see next time I give it a run.

Yes, I am running the prebeta and this is the latest version; see http://wiki.gp2x.org/wiki/AndLinux for details.

When running mine, an application called Xfce opens after initialization and doing checks.

Using this one can click on the icon with the hint: 'Command Prompt X Terminal Emulator' to open up a console window.

With that, one can then run console commands.

BTW, the PreBeta version uses the Ubuntu Edgy Eft Linux base.

cheers,
Paul.

[WILL]

When running mine, an application called Xfce opens after initialization and doing checks.

Really? Ok then it's the same version that I 'tried' to install apparently. This Xfce application doesn't startup after I run the Startup.bat file. :?

What folder did you install it to? I tried installing to the Desktop maybe it's some kind of pathname thing.


BTW, the PreBeta version uses the Ubuntu Edgy Eft Linux base.

From what it sounds like, I must have had a problem while installing, or I didn't do a step right... Any common pitfalls you run into yourself that might help me out? (I'm running WinXP Home, 1.6GHz Celeron, 512MB RAM)

[paul_nicholls]

Install steps for andLinux PreBeta

Requirements

* Windows 2000/XP/2003 or higher
* 128MB of free RAM (64MB possible, by editing settings_static.txt)
* 4GB available hard drive space.

Note
It was either during the install or the first time starting andLinux, that I had to allow a few of the new programs through my firewall (ZoneAlarm).

First time installation

* Run the self extracting 7zip and extract to your desired location. This will create a folder named andLinuxPreBeta off of this location. You may now rename the andLinux folder if desired.
* Run the run_to_install.bat file by double clicking on it.
o A small Windows command window will appear and should vanish after a few seconds. This will install the needed Windows drivers.
o You may receive a Continue Anyway prompt because the WinTap driver isn't Microsoft certified. You will need to click this.
+ If the Window stays, check to see if the title bar has the word Finished in it. If so, you may close the window and continue to the next step.
* Run the startup.bat to start andLinux.

Please note that andLinux will gather all needed information about your system during startup so there should not be any additional configuration needed.

Starting

* Enter your andLinux folder and double click startup.bat to run
o A window will appear labeled andServer (CoLinux). This window represents the andLinux backend.
o When the sound system starts, you will hear a few sounds to confirm its startup.
o Once andLinux is completely running, an application launcher panel will appear at the top of your monitor.
+ This window means that andLinux is now fully loaded.
+ You may select an application to launch (Console, FireFox, Synaptic, Write, etc.) or add your own.
# Please add suggestions for running andLinux to the discussion section.

Known Issues http://wiki.gp2x.org/wiki/AndLinux#Known_Issues incase you are having problems.

I hope this helps :)
cheers,
Paul.

[paul_nicholls]

PS I extracted the andLinux 7Zip file to the root folder of one of my drives; I didn't use the desktop.

cheers,
Paul.

[paul_nicholls]

Hi Will, did I manage to help you?

cheers,
Paul.

[WILL]

Hey Paul. Sorry for not getting back to this thread until now.

I've sort of given up on andLinux in favor of VMWare running Debian Linux. Sorry to say it, but even though I did eventually get it working, it was just way too sluggish and consuming to be attractive as a solution for me.

I also wasn't able to get Lazarus installed on it either. :?


In VMWare however, I got farther than I ever had when I ran ONLY Debian on my laptop ages ago. (probably due to the excellent improvement work done to the Debian packages) Right now I've got a disk image with the latest version of Lazarus (0.9.20) fully installed and waiting for me to setup JEDI-SDL.

With a bit of luck or just some tinkering, I'll have a Linux port of Garland's Quest compiled and packaged soon enough. :) *crosses fingers*

[paul_nicholls]

Hey Paul. Sorry for not getting back to this thread until now.

I've sort of given up on andLinux in favor of VMWare running Debian Linux. Sorry to say it, but even though I did eventually get it working, it was just way too sluggish and consuming to be attractive as a solution for me.

I also wasn't able to get Lazarus installed on it either. :?


In VMWare however, I got farther than I ever had when I ran ONLY Debian on my laptop ages ago. (probably due to the excellent improvement work done to the Debian packages) Right now I've got a disk image with the latest version of Lazarus (0.9.20) fully installed and waiting for me to setup JEDI-SDL.

With a bit of luck or just some tinkering, I'll have a Linux port of Garland's Quest compiled and packaged soon enough. :) *crosses fingers*

LOL! :lol:

It is funny you should mention VMware...I was having troubles with andLinux locking up AND being sluggish so I have also gone to trying the free VMware player and a Ubuntu VMware appliance I downloaded.

It seems very responsive and is fun to play with Ubuntu :-)

I am having a bit of trouble setting up the network so I can transfer stuff between Windows and the virtual machine though :-)

cheers,
Paul.

[jdarling]

Well, I'll chime in and say I managed to get VMWare up and running with Debian Linux before WILL did :). I'm busy building out a standard Appliance with Debian, Lazarus, SDL, and LUA installed. Soon as I get enough time to complete the files, and can free up enough web space, I'll upload my Appliance for anyone to use.

BTW: Out of curiosity, what instructions did you use Paul? Will and I both used the alternate installation via Alien and dpkg.

[paul_nicholls]

Well, I'll chime in and say I managed to get VMWare up and running with Debian Linux before WILL did :). I'm busy building out a standard Appliance with Debian, Lazarus, SDL, and LUA installed. Soon as I get enough time to complete the files, and can free up enough web space, I'll upload my Appliance for anyone to use.

BTW: Out of curiosity, what instructions did you use Paul? Will and I both used the alternate installation via Alien and dpkg.

I haven't installed Lazarus, ect. under the Ubuntu appliance yet, but under andLinux I used alien to convert files to Debian format so I could use the dpkg to install them.

cheers,
Paul.

[Srki_82]

What performance do you get for 3d games? I make simple program (rotating cube + materials + diffuse/ambient light) and I get 5fps - 12fps. glxgears runs about 100fps - 120fps.

Is there some tweeking that will give beter performance?

[dmantione]

You only get better performance if you have hardware accelerated OpenGL. Wether that is possible within WMWare I don't know. You can check wether your OpenGL is accelerated with the "glxinfo" command.

[Srki_82]

Well... that is the problem. glxinfo returns this:

name of display: :0.0
X Error of failed request: BadAlloc (insufficient resources for operation)
Major opcode of failed request: 144 (GLX)
Minor opcode of failed request: 3 (X_GLXCreateContext)
Serial number of failed request: 16
Current serial number in output stream: 17
but glxgears runs just fine so context can be created.

andLinux uses xming X server for Windows and it doesn't accelerate OpenGL, and doesn't support X extensions for changing resolution, showing and hidnig mouse, etc... so... VMWare is better solution for me.

[dmantione]

Well, it is clear then your OpenGL support is very limited, so definately software rendered. Perhaps you can install an alternative X-server for Windows. Of course, nothing will beat a native Linux installation.

[WILL]

It's also likely that you just don't have your 3D acceleration setup properly for your card in your Linux installation. Linux does not enable this out of the box you have to install and configure it yourself.

After this, you'll probably have much better luck.