C/C++ Development
C/C++ Development Systems
PC-Hosted Tools
PRC-Tools
PRC-Tools (a.k.a. GCC) is a free suite of tools built around the GNU Project's GCC toolchain. PRC-Tools runs on 32-bit Windows and Linux/Unix, and I've heard that there is a port to Mac OS X under way. If you've programmed with command-line compilers and debuggers before, you won't have any trouble with PRC-Tools. There are also several GUI IDEs (PRCToolsGUIs) available for PRC-Tools.I think everyone should at least try PRC-Tools, since it's free and is capable of building any type of Palm application. To that end, there's a FAQ article that tells you how to get started with PRC-Tools.
CodeWarrior
CodeWarrior is a commercial package from Metrowerks, with versions for Macintosh and Windows. It's a typical commercial development environment, similar to Microsoft's and Borland's C++ environments. It has the distinction of being the most favored environment by Palm Computing, simply because they used it to write Palm OS. Most of the sample code in the SDK requires CodeWarrior, and several of the books out there only cover CodeWarrior. You can pick up a copy at any of several programming tool resellers for about $280, or you can get the Lite version which is limited (WhatAreLimitsOfCodeWarriorLite) in various ways.
OrbForms? Designer
OrbForms? Designer is a commercial package from OrbWorks ($85 or $55 for a personal license). It is a rapid application development tool built on a object-based dialect of C. It comes with the typical form designer and source code editor (with "Intellisense" features). As with most RAD tools, an application is created by designing the UI, followed by implementation of event handlers (such as button presses). OrbForms? applications are not written against the Palm API, but against a proprietary object-oriented API. The API has good coverage and is easy to use, but access to advanced Palm APIs is only possible by implementing native add-ins.
Palm-Hosted C Environments
There are two C environments that run directly on the Palm: PocketC and OnBoardC. With both tools, you write your code in a DOC or memo editor.The main difference between the two is that PocketC? implements a C-like language (basically C - structs + strings) and its own runtime library of easy-to-use functions, and OnBoardC? is a real C compiler using the standard Palm API. With OnBoardC? and a little effort, you can compile the same sources with OnBoardC? and PRC-Tools/gcc or CodeWarrior. With PocketC?, your code is much simpler and smaller, but can only be compiled with PocketC? or PocketC? Desktop Edition. Also, PocketC? generates bytecode, and OnBoardC generates native PRC executables.
Copyright © 2000-2001 by Warren Young. All rights reserved.
18 Feb 2003