Difference between revisions of "WinCE port"

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(Moved CE port Hints into an own page)
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For example you want to build FCL. Go to <tt>fpc\fcl</tt> folder and execute the command above. You will get FCL compiled units in <tt>fpc\fcl\units\arm-wince</tt>.
 
For example you want to build FCL. Go to <tt>fpc\fcl</tt> folder and execute the command above. You will get FCL compiled units in <tt>fpc\fcl\units\arm-wince</tt>.
 
== Documentation ==
 
 
=== some WinCE notes ===
 
* If you are getting "Uknown error! Error code : 0xc1" and using dlls then the error might be becouse of using some export entries not found in dll file.Check the dll file export section and name of them and how you used them.
 
 
=== WinCE port notes ===
 
* <tt>'''chdir'''</tt> procedure always produces an error (WinCE does not support setting of current directory).
 
* All file/dir paths must be absolute (started with \).
 
* WinCE is unicode OS. All string parameters to API calls must be PWideChar.
 
* WinCE does not have support for environment strings.
 
* WinCE does not have support for console applications by default. But you can install console support by yourself. Please note that FPC creates GUI applications for WinCE target by default. To create console application you should use <tt>-WC</tt> compiler switch or put <tt>{$APPTYPE CONSOLE}</tt> directive to source code.<br>To enable console in WinCE install one of the following programs:
 
** '''PocketCMD''' by SymbolicTools. It is recommended solution. Get it [http://www.symbolictools.de/public/pocketconsole/applications/PocketCMD here]
 
**'''PPC Command Shell''' from Microsoft Windows Mobile Developer Power Toys. Get it [http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=74473fd6-1dcc-47aa-ab28-6a2b006edfe9&displaylang=en here]<br>PPC Command Shell have less features than PocketCMD. Also it have some issues. One of them - a new console window is opened even if an application is started from a console command prompt.
 
**To enable console output in Windows Mobile 5 and 6 set "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Drivers\Console\OutputTo" to 0.
 
  
 
== See Also ==
 
== See Also ==

Revision as of 16:56, 26 February 2012

WinCE Logo.png

This article applies to Windows CE only.

See also: Multiplatform Programming Guide

English (en) italiano (it) português (pt) русский (ru) 中文(台灣)‎ (zh_TW)

WinCE port is quite complete and usable. The port was started and maintained by Yury Sidorov. Oliver (Oro06) ported WinCE API headers.

Status

  • FPC 2.2.0 or later supports WinCE target.
  • CPU support for WinCE target:
    • ARM CPU is fully supported.
    • i386 CPU support was not tested too much and may contain bugs. Patches are welcome. See i386-wince for howto compile for i386-wince
  • The following platforms are supported:
    • Devices based on WinCE 3.0 or later
    • Pocket PC 2002 – WinCE version: 3.0
    • Pocket PC 2003 – WinCE version: 4.20
    • Pocket PC 2003 Second Edition – WinCE version: 4.21
    • Windows Mobile 5 – WinCE version: 5.0
    • Windows Mobile 6 – WinCE version: 5.2
    • Windows Mobile 6.5 - WinCE version: 5.2.1
  • RTL and FCL units are working.

Download cross compiler

The easiest way to start development for WinCE is to download the latest release version of FPC for Win32 and arm-wince cross compiler for Win32.

Download them here: http://www.freepascal.org/download.var

First install FPC for Win32, then install arm-wince cross compiler as add-on package.

Building WinCE cross compiler from sources

During the tutorial some paths will be suposed to demonstrate the build process. Just substitute those paths with the ones on your system.

This tutorial demonstrates how to build arm-wince crosscompiler. See i386-wince for target i386-wince (crosscompiler and binutils are not needed there, as the standard i386-Win32 versions can be used)


Step 1 - Cross binutils (not necessary for i386-wince)

These are the basic tools necessary to create executables, such as: Linker (ld), Assembler (as), Archiver (ar) (Creates smartlinking .a files), strip and some others.

You need cross binutils for arm-wince, get them from ftp://ftp.freepascal.org/pub/fpc/contrib/cross/arm-wince-binutils.zip for Win32.

Extract them to some dir in the path on your machine. We will supose that you extracted the cross binutils to: C:\Programas\arm


Step 2 - Cross compiler (not necessary for i386-wince)

Now you need to build fpc cross compiler for ARM processor. To do that you need fpc 2.2.0 or later sources and working installation of fpc 2.2.0 for Win32.

You can get the latest fpc source repository from Subversion: http://www.freepascal.org/develop.html#svn

We will supose that your Win32 fpc compiler is located here: C:\Programas\fpc\bin\i386-win32

And your Free Pascal source code is located here: C:\Programas\fpc


Step 3 - The Build process (See i386-wince for the build process for that target)

In order to build the cross compiler it is necessary to have a correct PATH environment variable. On Windows it is very easy to get a PATH crowded with information put by installers. To ensure that your path is correct, create a batch file with the following code:

PATH=C:\Programas\fpc\bin\i386-win32;C:\Programas\arm
make cycle CPU_TARGET=arm OS_TARGET=wince

Put this file on C:\Programas\fpc\compiler, open the Windows command line, go to this folder and execute the batch file.

On the end of the compile you should not see any errors.

You should have a ppccrossarm.exe in C:\Programas\fpc\compiler and some .o and .ppu files in C:\Programas\fpc\rtl\units\arm-wince

Now copy those files to your Free Pascal installation. The cross compiler ppccrossarm.exe should go to C:\Programas\fpc\bin\arm-wince and the units to C:\Programas\fpc\units\arm-wince


Step 4 - Configuration file

Now you need to create fpc.cfg configuration file in C:\Programas\fpc\bin\arm-wince folder in order to use ppccrossarm.exe easy.

Create empty fpc.cfg file in C:\Programas\fpc\bin\arm-wince folder and add the following lines to it:

-Twince
-FuC:\Programas\fpc\units\arm-wince
-XParm-wince-
-FDC:\Programas\arm

Finally add C:\Programas\fpc\bin\arm-wince and C:\Programas\fpc\bin\i386-win32 to your PATH environment variable.

Remember to substitute the paths with the ones on your system.

Alternative Step 4 - Configuration file for hybrid compilation

If you want to compile your projects with the same "fpc" for both win32 and winCE platforms, you can do the following:

  • copy ppcrossarm.exe into your fpc/bin/i386-win32 directory
  • edit your fpc.cfg in that directory and add:
-FuC:\path_to_fpc\units\arm-wince
-XParm-wince-
-FDC:\path_to_arm_binutils

Remember to substitute the paths with the ones on your system.

Now when you want to compile for WinCE you just have to specify the OS and Arch targets to fpc.

NOTE: if you use Lazarus this will work flawlessly, but make sure to point lazarus to "fpc.exe" not "ppc386.exe".

Compiling a Test Project

You compiled the compiler! Now, what can I do with it? This is a tutorial to create a hello world like software with your new compiler.

Step 1 - Installing and Configuring the Emulator

You will need a Windows CE Emulator configured for ActiveSync. The ActiveSync is necessary to install PocketCMD, a command line tool to run our hello world software.

Download the free Pocket PC device emulator from Microsoft. It emulates ARM CPU. http://msdn.microsoft.com/mobility/downloads/Emulator/default.aspx

There is a tutorial on how to set up the Emulator for ActiveSync here.

Step 2 - Installing the command line

Download and install PocketCMD by SymbolicTools. Get it here (this site seems to be gone) but try here [1]

To enable the console on newer devices (I needed it in my 6.1CE pro), you may to set the following registry value link

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Drivers\Console\OutputTo -> 0

Check WinCE_port_Hints for more details on programming under Windows CE platform.

Step 3 - Compiling

A example file to compile:

program test;

{$apptype console}

var
  Str: string;
begin
  WriteLn('Software Developed with:');
  WriteLn('The Free Pascal Compiler');
  WriteLn('');
  WriteLn('Please, enter your name:');
  ReadLn(Str);
  WriteLn('Your name is: ' + Str);
end.

Sample command line to compile test.pas:

ppcrossarm test.pas

You will get test.exe executable file. Copy it to your Windows CE device and run.

Here is a screenshot of a software created this way.

Debugging WinCE applications

GDB can be used to debug your WinCE applications remotely via ActiveSync. Download GDB 6.4 for Win32 host and arm-wince target here: ftp://ftp.freepascal.org/pub/fpc/contrib/cross/gdb-6.4-win32-arm-wince.zip

Some hints:

  • Pass --tui parameter to GDB to enable TUI interface which makes debugging more comfortable.
  • Use unix line endings (LF only) in your pascal source files. Otherwise GDB will show sources incorrctly.

How to use:

First, make ActiveSync connection to your Pocket PC device.

Then launch gdb:

gdb --tui <your_executable_at_local_pc>

On gdb prompt type:

run or just r

GDB will copy your executable to the device in \gdb folder and run it.

Here is a short list of most needed GDB commands:

  • r args - run program with args arguments.
  • s - step into.
  • n - step over.
  • ni - step over instrument.step over assembly instruction.
  • c - continue execution.
  • br <function_name> - set a breakpoint at function_name. Use PASCALMAIN to set a breakpoint at program start.
  • br <source_file>:<line_number> - set a breakpoint at specified source line.
  • disas - show disassembly of current location.
  • x/fmt address - dump memory at address with special format.use "help x" for more informations.
  • bt - back trace.print back trace of the call stack.
  • where - Display the current line and function and the stack of calls that got you there.
  • q - Quit gdb.

To learn more how to use GDB read its documentation here: http://www.gnu.org/software/gdb/documentation

Building FPC libraries

If you want to build libraries available with FPC just go to library folder and execute:

PATH=C:\Programas\fpc\bin\i386-win32;C:\Programas\fpc\compiler;C:\Programas\arm
make OS_TARGET=wince CPU_TARGET=arm PP=ppcrossarm.exe

For example you want to build FCL. Go to fpc\fcl folder and execute the command above. You will get FCL compiled units in fpc\fcl\units\arm-wince.

See Also

Links

Here are some links related to ARM CPU Architecture

Contacts

Write any questions regarding WinCE port to Yury Sidorov