Learning GTK+ with C++

And boy do I miss C# already.

I learn new program languages as quickly as I get the Jones. Usually I want to join some open source program movement and advance it to the point where I'm happy with what ever I'm using and move on. Sometimes I just get interested in something and want to try it. I try and I learn and then again get bored and move on. I guess this is why I was a contract worker for so long. My latest passion is GTK+ and C++. It all looks like basic C from back in college. I was hoping that my C# work now would be closer to the standard I'd use learning this. No dice.

I found one of the reasons I can learn so quickly is the availability of high quality tutorials. Learning from a tutorial is different from just learning from reading a book. You actually have to do your homework and do the exercises. You have to get it wrong learn from the mistake and get it right. For example when I learned C# from the book I was handed by a System Architect I couldn't get my mind around the new syntax. I would leave off the trailing semi colon on every line and complain VB was easier. Now when I code in VB I forget to not add the semi colon.

So with that story in mind I found a web page with a lot of great tutorials called ZetCode. I found a lot of articles and ebook (html web pages that act like a book) tutorials. One reason I'm missing .NET and C# is that this book would be somewhere else. Like a printer friendly page or something. Also they talk about the functions that will be called and worked with but they never define them the way they would be in the object browser on Visual Studio. I like reading about function CreateWidget(string ,string, object()) I at least know what I could shove into that object and get some kind of strange error. Anytime I get an array of objects I know I'm going to error that out.

My problem with the layout and not being able to get a pdf is me being picky. I want to read the whole tutorial before I actually do the tutorial. I know I need to do the tutorial but once i read it I'll gain some kind of knowledge of what I'll be asked to do and type. It will save some on the retyping and where did I go long and what is that curly bracket for. This doesn't stop the tutorial from doing it's job and being a good tutorial.

The lack of methods and functions described like an it is in the object browser doesn't distract from the tutorial either. The information I want exists it's just in another document. The document I won't understand anyway. That's why I went out searching for a tutorial. I didn't understand the object browser always either. Now I just know enough to be dangerous with it.

I'm glad I could tell you about my pet peves.

My First Week with the Iliad

My Iliad
Originally uploaded by DrkMage

I've been meening to update this blog for some time.

My first week with my iLiad was eventful. I learned how to reflash it the hard way and I started using the community OS on the device.

I've been reading about the iLiad OS project on MobileRead Forums for some time now. this was one of the things that made the purchase of the iLiad a win. I like the fact that it's based on Linux and the commuity was taking on the coding for iRex.

I decided one fine day to start the move to the iLiad OS. I started the flash by backing up. This took forever. I want to stop now and say this is a warning sign but I didn't know it. I came home from work and said hell the backing up should be done by now must be an error in the script. I'll check it out later and keep moving to the reflash of the current OS and then it'll be ok and hell I'd love a new keyboard. A day later I attempted to boot my machine and A day after that I was reflashing back to the standard OS. Yea it took that long because I was stupid and detemained.

I wrote the forums a couple of time and what I found was I had 2 gig's of the same files over and over. I removed my MMC card with my programs on it. OOps. Reflash to the iLiad OS took minutes. I loved it.

I plaied with all the toys and new stuff. I can open CHM files. and cbr files. I have a full screen Ipdf. Really cool.

Good stuff here.

Virtualization and Software development

Well in my last post I was talking about the eBook reader that I'm lusting over. I wrote about how it's Linux based and I wanted to try my hand at some Linux C++ development. The question is how is that software written and how is the stuff developed and tested.

The answer was found on the mobile reader pages. I found that there is a software development kit (SDK) to write and port the software. The SDK comes on a Linux VMware virtual computer. You can install it and then compile and cross compile to check for compile errors and run tests.

I'm a windows based software developer. I code in C#.NET and Visual Basic. I've been really spoiled by Microsoft with Visual Studio. I like the IDE. I like having it find code snippets and edit my code. I like WYSIWYG interface. Linux command line coding and remembering commands wasn't going to work for me. I went to my normal freeware development spot and found an IDE.

The IDE I settled is called codeBlock. I think this one looks and seems to function most like the Visual Studio that I'm use to. Ok I found my weapon of choice. I now need to know what else I need.

I read the posts and wikis and downloaded the SDK. I also got VMware Player and the SDK. I learned how to build the tool chain. I also learned how to build the scratchpad to program and test my ports. I also found information on installing Ubuntu Linux in a Microsoft Virtual PC.

Step one Install Ubuntu in a Virtual PC: I choose this form of virtualization because this is the one that I'm most familiar with. I know how this works and I figured I could make this work well for me. It's already installed on all the pc's in the house because of stuff I did with the Philly.Net group. This was very confusing at first from the YouTube video I found some information on the ubuntu website. Win

Step Two follow the toolChain instructions: I found the Terminal (don't ask I like FreeBSD better) I was able to enter the commands and spent my day building my sandbox and my tool chain. I had earlier downloaded all the sources for the iLiad. I did a quick copy over by mounting my filesystem and doing a quick mount.

Step Three download and install my IDE: I went to the website and did another download. I made copies of the orignal sources at this time so I can go back. I think I'm done for now tile I start working on this project.

I have to install SVN and get a paid hosting service so I can start working on modifying the existing code to do what I want. I also have to you know order the iliad.

Well this was surpose to be about Virtualization. I think I missed my topic here but as you can see I have a system with a fresh OS and tools to start developing on my old beat up laptop. This is kinda cool if you ask me. 2 Computers one machine.

And the Winner for my Ebook Reader is

iRex iLiad: All the pieces
Originally uploaded by centrax

I've been doing reviews and investigating ebook readers for a while now. Ok most of Febuary. I believe that the ebook reader will be to reading what MP3 Players are to music. We all have something that plays MP3's and we all know how we use it. We don't buy CD's just digital music from Amazon.com or other MP3 vendors.Ebook Readers will be doing the same for the things we read.

With things like Feedbooks.com which takes blogs and Rss feeds and turns them into PDF's for you to download as well as regular books. Amazon.com to buy digital media for books and other book vendors. You can read what you want. When you want it.

The iLiad has one advantge over the other eBook readers I checked out. That was the fact that you can take notes on the screen and merge them with your books. You can highlight and write on the screen. The iLiad is open source and has alot of 3rd party applications. It also has the largest screen. Accepts Compact Flash (CF cards) as well as MMC (sd cards).The model I want has wifi.

The makers of the iLiad, iRex, has released a new model for 2009. The new model is called the Digital Reader 1000. It boosts a 10 inch screen instead of the 8.1 inch of the iLiad. It also doesn't require a Travel hub to connect to a PC, AC power or EtherNet .The new models suspends and the iLiad does not but has a 15 hour of on time battery life more or less. Long boot time due to the lack of suspend modes.

As I sit here now I think I can live with the chinks in the armour.

The Travel Hub power for external connectivity and power means I buy an extra travel hub and power connector. Carry them in the bag with the laptop or what ever. That will allow me to power anywhere and connect. Plus I'm saving space because I nolonger need my moleskin.

Screen size I don't think I'll have a problem I have a much smaller and more normal book formfactor.

CF cards are all over the place. 2 gigs or 36 gigs it's still alot of books.

I got my CodePlex and my Popfly.

Ok today I registered for Codeplex and I have my Popfly. So I'm all Microsoft moneypieced up and I'm going to break my nephew in right with Visual basic 2008.

Cool tools for version control.

I started using version control on my personal projects about a year ago now. I had a hard drive crash and I lost some project that I was working on. I cried, bought a new hard drive, reimaged and started again with the cadveat I'd do better.

So I started doing better my way. I loved subversion since I had to use it at Catalyst. It never messed up a project and it was nice and easy to use. I downloaded Tortiose and found a site to host it for free.

I thought My Version Control was a god send. I was able to tell my client he was important enough to warrent off site back up. I was able to give several other ppl working on the project with me access. they could read the wiki. Yea.. that was a move in the right direction.

At work I have a VSS system to do the source control and it's all nice inside the IDE. I never really liked it but I deal with it. and go and find who has the file locked and IMing them to get out of the file that I need. I remember the senior devs wanted a plugin into the IDE so they can "live in the IDE". I always joke about it not having a roof. Well I went to code camp (Generic name for Philly.net meeting). It was a hands on camp and dude had all kinds of amazing toys. I wanted his toys his Subversion was inside his VS his nunit test thing was inside his VS and I discovered Resharper.

The Anhk Project is that plug in. I added it tonight and I think it's really cool. I coded a bit on my project and it's sweet just what I need right there where I need it. I also added test driven.net and it works well to running unit tests with in vs.