Converting desktop windows programs for Pocket PC?

Bacabachaui · 11-01-04, 11:16 PM

I was wondering how possible it was to convert desktop programs for pocket PCs, and if it is, what are some prgrams that will?

I heard of someone that was able to place a reference type program I want to use on a pocket PC. This program was designed for Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2000/XP or higher. It needs 24 MB of RAM and 500MB of disk space for full installation. It is mostly text driven, with things like imbedded links that refer to other parts/documents of the program and a few graphics. Would this be possible to convert and place on a Axim x50V with say a 1GB SD or CF card? Where would I get such a program to convert it?

11-02-04, 09:58 AM

Quite impossible. The PPC Operating Systems - PPC 2002, WM 2003 and WM2003 SE are totally different from any of the Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2000/XP Operating Systems. The PPC Procesors PXA 250, PXA 255 etc. use totally different instruction sets from Intel Pentiums, Celerons, Centrinos or their AMD Athlon equivalents.

11-02-04, 10:23 AM

Originally Posted by Bacabachaui

I was wondering how possible it was to convert desktop programs for pocket PCs, and if it is, what are some prgrams that will?

I heard of someone that was able to place a reference type program I want to use on a pocket PC. This program was designed for Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2000/XP or higher. It needs 24 MB of RAM and 500MB of disk space for full installation. It is mostly text driven, with things like imbedded links that refer to other parts/documents of the program and a few graphics. Would this be possible to convert and place on a Axim x50V with say a 1GB SD or CF card? Where would I get such a program to convert it?

If you have the source code, it's possible. The amount of effort required depends on the language used, the internal design of the app, etc.

Without the source code... depends on the language. If a p-code type language (.Net or Java) or an interpreted language: possible, but difficult. If a fully compiled language (C, C++) also possible, but extremely difficult. Also likely illegal.

Bacabachaui · 11-03-04, 01:36 AM

Originally Posted by Noisy Crow

If you have the source code, it's possible. The amount of effort required depends on the language used, the internal design of the app, etc.

Without the source code... depends on the language. If a p-code type language (.Net or Java) or an interpreted language: possible, but difficult. If a fully compiled language (C, C++) also possible, but extremely difficult. Also likely illegal.

I guess I misphrased the question when I asked if it was possible, because he has already done it. This is second hand info, but I grilled the guy I know and he saw it with his own eyes. Said some program called "Igloo" or something like that amde it possible?

As for the legal side, it is not the type of program that the makers would care about. It is non profit reference material provided free of charge. While they would nto be thrilled about it, they also would not really care too much.

11-03-04, 01:07 PM

ooh, rumours, secondhand boasts of success, 'igloo' or something title, opinions about how the authors wouldn't like it but wouldn't hate it... This is good stuff. Super-secrets stuff too, apparently. How about offering us a title, a link, something? Maybe the functionality you are after has already been ported to PPC, and you just don't know about it but someone here might? Is it naughty, an encyclopedia of dirty pictures or something? Maybe all the records from the Pentagon, smuggled out on one CD in a compressed archive? ;)

gnark · 11-03-04, 01:13 PM

If you had some software site between the application and the CPU it is definately theortically possible, although unlikely. Take for example wine which allows you to run Windows programs on Linux. There's even ways to run OSX on Windows. Of course, there is a major translation going on, so of course, the speed will be quite lacking.

11-03-04, 02:40 PM

if you had the source code and knew the os interface very well this would probably no be too hard.
for instance if you wrote an app for your desktop pc and wanted to run it on your ppc, you would just update all the os calls in the ppc development environment (hopefully all your output to the screen was through the os) and rebuild.
add anything to this, or add problems, and everything gets more difficult, and will quickly become more difficult than rewriting the whole thing.

allsub · 11-23-04, 12:30 AM

No idea what type of software you're talking about, but a google search turned up this link

http://www.inchware.com/mainpgs/about.html

which mentions pocket pc's and the word "igloo" on the same page, I didn't have the patience to tyr to figure out what they were talking about though.

11-23-04, 01:29 AM

Originally Posted by allsub

No idea what type of software you're talking about, but a google search turned up this link

http://www.inchware.com/mainpgs/about.html

which mentions pocket pc's and the word "igloo" on the same page, I didn't have the patience to tyr to figure out what they were talking about though.

Don't think that is what he was looking for. That seams to be more of a way to synchronize data for apps used on the PPC with a database. Specificaly for medical programs.

allsub · 11-23-04, 01:35 AM

Originally Posted by jpmarth

Don't think that is what he was looking for. That seams to be more of a way to synchronize data for apps used on the PPC with a database. Specificaly for medical programs.

Eh, I tried

I'm in so far over my head it's not even funny. It's been a cram session on all things pocket pc/pda since I ordered my x50v 11/15, i've got a little bit to learn.

Ok, I'll stop writing before I get even more off topic for this thread :approve:

11-23-04, 07:05 AM

Slightly off topic, but PocketDos is a very nice MSDOS 6.22 emulator that now supports 386/486 plugins.

Runs Win 3.1 and below...but not Win95 and above

Quite nice for running many native MSDOS apps.

www.pocketdos.com

Bacabachaui · 11-28-04, 02:20 AM

I just found out more about it and it has something to do with it "reading" the info from the program using iSilo (not igloo like I thought :) ). It is actually a religious reference work program with links and stuff like that and I had thought he was running the whole program somehow, but is instead using iSilo to read it.

Anyway, in the meantime I found a way to get in touch with the guy that knows how to do it so I am going to go from there. Thanks for all your help and suggestions.