Many external links may be obsolete -- if you have updates, please send.
What's New:
CrozzWord is a Zaurus application for displaying and solving crossword puzzles: features, screenshots, download.
Sharp's Zaurus (SL-5000D) is a Linux-based PDA/"Personal Mobile Tool" -- see links for introductory info (reviews) and technical details (Sharp). The Zaurus ("Z") primarily supports Qtopia(C++) environment and Personal Java ("PJ") (along with some other languages). This page provides links to some current PJ applications and tools that I'm working on or considering.
As learning exercises, I have converted several of my "standard" apps to Personal Java. Personal Java source for earlier version "1.0" available for some; some Waba 1.0 .ipk available too.
I've ported an eBook reader (for Palm DOC format) -- DocReader by Chris Wong -- with a few minor fixes so that it opens properly on Z's smaller screen and avoids some compiler warnings. It works best with plain DOC format, though will also display TealDoc and RichReader (along with markup/format codes) and AportisDoc. Bookmarks are typically marked by (bm) or ----- before headings. Highlight range of text to copy to clipboard. Scrolling via , scrollbar .
With repeated single-line scroll via scrollbar, I noticed some occasional hang problems (low memory? turning off/on Z seemed to clear); also "page" by tapping in bar area doesn't appear to work. Use 2D hardware button and soft keys (Home, End, Page Up/Down, arrows).
If you download books, e.g., from MemoWare, and sync these to Documents, here's where the files will probably go:
| extension | MIME type (Z dirs) |
|---|---|
| .prc | application/octet-stream |
| .pdb | chemical/x-pdb |
Any other eBook formats of interest, other sites, free readers (preferably w/ PJ-compatible source)?
For greater cross-platform availability -- to systems where Personal Java isn't available/feasible -- the Waba subset/VM is now available for the Zaurus. This means that the same .class files (appropriately packaged) for an app can run on desktop, Zaurus, Palm, WinCE, DOS, Newton, ... anywhere there's a Waba VM.
Waba apps use the Java language and can be developed using a standard JDK, but use a very restricted set of methods from java.lang.Object, .String, .StringBuffer; waba.ui.* instead of AWT; no doubles, longs, threads or exceptions; etc. I assume that most developers would prefer to use Personal Java directly, but if Waba's portability outweighs its limitations, here are some brief steps for using it:
Note: a Waba app is packaged in .ipk like any PJ app; the main difference is that the run file includes the VM and library .jar files in the classpath, and specifies waba.applet.Applet as main class, with your class as parameter; this assumes that any libraries, i.e., waba (and wextra if required), are installed in same store (internal, cf, card) as the app (e.g., Hanoi):
. /home/QtPalmtop/bin/installdir.sh
$QPEDIR/bin/evm -XappName=runHanoi
-cp $INSTALLDIR/java/waba.jar:$INSTALLDIR/java/wextra.jar:$INSTALLDIR/java/Hanoi.jar
waba.applet.Applet Hanoi
Example apps (require waba and wextra):
If others developers find Waba useful, I'd be willing to answer a few questions and document more; perhaps in future, provide SuperWaba compatibility when that system is more 'final'?
Last Updated: 31-Jul-2012