Notes on compiling “modern” software on Zaurus

Introduction

How to install ROM

  • Place files:
    1. zImage-2.4.20.bin
    2. hdimage-base.tgz
    3. initrd.bin
    4. updater-tools.bin
    5. updater.sh

    to the root directory of the SD/CF card (formatted to FAT32)

  • Unplug Zaurus from the power outlet, check what it is not charging
  • Take away the battery for 5 seconds
  • Insert a battery, close the cover (move the slider towards the battery)
  • Press OK on a keyboard and holding it press the power on key. Keep OK pressed until the Zaurus is running.
  • You will see the Japaneese menu
  • Plug Zaurus to the power outlet.
  • Select the 4th item, and there select eithe CF or SD(depending on there do you have your files)
  • Don’t forget to not to use entire disk, but default drives layout, otherwise there will be no swap, and the gcc will not be able co compile larger projects (like GNU APL)
  • Install the software
  • Reboot

Notes

Given: Zaurus C3000 with installed pdaXii3

Software

Feeds

Edit the /etc/ipkg.conf and add there paths to feeds on SD/CF card. Warning: install from the feed using commands like

ipkg install gcc

is a preferred way over ipkg install /mnt/card/something.ipk since it will pick up dependencies automatically!

Install from the feed:

  • gcc (it will install binutils as a dependency)
  • gcc-headers
  • libgcc

Install from capnfish-feed:

  • mrxvt

Fonts

  • Copy fonts (ttf files) to /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/TTF/
  • Run fc-cache

Matchbox configuration

  • All applets on a lower panel are configurable via ~/.matchbox/mbdock.session file.

Openbox configuration

Edit the ~/.config/openbox/rc.xml file and comment all keybidings for Alt-1..10. since these hotkeys are used with akt for entering APL-characters.

Compiling software

  • Install gcc from the feed
  • Install awk from the feed
  • Install sed from the feed
  • Install make from the feed

Git

Using git 2.11.0

  1. Need to patch Makefile. Find the line
  BASIC_CFLAGS += -DHAVE_CLOCK_MONOTONIC

and comment it out.

  1. Compiling with the following command line
  NO_NSEC=1 NO_CURL=1 NO_PERL_MAKEMAKER=1 NO_PERL=1 NO_TCLTK=1 NO_GETTEXT=1 NO_REGEX=1 make prefix=/usr/local
  1. Install using
  NO_NSEC=1 NO_CURL=1 NO_PERL_MAKEMAKER=1 NO_PERL=1 NO_TCLTK=1 NO_GETTEXT=1 NO_REGEX=1 make prefix=/usr/local install

GNU APL

Taken the latest from SVN.

Configure:

./configure MAKE_J=1 CXX_WERROR=no --without-sqlite3 --without-postrgesql

pinfo

PInfo is a ncurses-based reader of GNU Texinfo files. It is useful when Emacs is not installed.

  1. On a host machine run ./autogen.sh
  2. Copy sources with generated configure script to Zaurus
  3. Install ncurses from the feed
  4. By some reason configure can’t find location of the ncurses.h file. Configure with the following command-line option: 
    ./configure --with-curses=/opt/native/arm/3.4.6-xscale-softvfp/armv5tel-cacko-linux/
  5. Make will look for texinfo installation to generate info documentation on pinfo. We don’t need it, we just want to build the binary: 
    cd src/
make
cp pinfo /usr/local/bin

Ratpoinson

Using ratpaison version 1.4.8 Nothing spectial needed: just

configure
make
make install

Configuring keyboard layout

Install xkb from the feed:

ipkg install xfree-xkb-utils