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Coding on a 6600

3 replies · 2,228 views · Started 17 February 2005

Right, sorry to bother everyone, but i would like to start writing applications for my nokia 6600. The question is then how to do this. I have no previous experience with coding of any kind, now do i know what is used. I have done some searching and i came up with this:

http://www.symbian.com/developer/development/index.html

Unfourtunatly, i do not understand a word of this at all it talks about API's and various other things, if anyone knows what i mean, or has any advice or knows of any How-To's they would be greatly appreciated...

Many thanks

Ok, first piece of advice (which you'll hate) slow down and think smaller. If you've got no coding experience then programming for limited capacity devices is a really bad way to get started (sorry I told you you'd hate this advice).

If you're serious about wanting to program for your 6600 I'd recommend you start looking at the basics of coding on a more familiar device, such as the PC.

Begin by looking at a language on the PC and working out how to deal with that first. Now the 6600 can be programmed in about 4 languages which have PC paralels. In order of difficulty (in my opinion) You have the proper Symbian C++ stuff, J2ME, OPL and App Forge VB.

Now the differenet languages exist primarily because they were created for different reasons.

Symbian C++ code is most likely what you've run across so far, its not easy to learn (comparitivly speaking) but it was designed to interface directly with your phone and so can use ALL the capabilities of that phone (well almost all anyway). This is where the really cool stuff happens.

J2ME is a portable version of the Java programming language, this has been designed specifically so that programs written in it can be used on as many different brands and models of phones as possible. Unfortunatly this means that your software has to cater to the lowest common denominator, in short you can forget about fancy 3D effects, MP3 players or amazing bluetooth multiplayer games (for now at least). It is still an immensly powerful language however and one with a little dedication that is no too hard to started with.

Next comes OPL, this is a throw back to the old days of Symbian when they used to run Psions organisers. Its a very simple language based (I belive) on BASIC, it's designed to let you automate certain small tasks and for developing small robust applications. However whilst it is very simple, it also lacks any kind of real graphical capabilities and no real GUI stuff (that's the fancy menus etc).

Finally we have App Forge Mobile VB. Now this is a way of making Visual Basic applications portable. Visual Basic (or VB) is a very easy to learn language on the PC and App Forge keeps this for the most part. Ideally it is suited to building businessy type apps, such as calculators or spreadsheets etc however you can knock up a game in it if you're prepared to think widely enough around it. There are a few small drawbacks here tho... Firstly VB itself cost you money, you won't find freeware alternatives to it. Secondly App Forge also costs money. Thirdly anyone who want to use your software also needs to install an additonal piece of software called the App Forge Mobile Booster to allow them to use your program.

If you're still with me at this point, you may have a chance at sticking this out.

Now, depending on what you want to learn you'll need to go to different places...

If you want to learn C/C++ for eventual Symbian coding try having a look at:
http://www.cplusplus.com/doc/tutorial/tut1-1.html
Or
http://www.cprogramming.com/tutorial.html

If you're after Java (my personal recommendation here) the best place I can recommend is:
http://java.sun.com

If you want OPL try:
http://www.symbiandiaries.com/archives/opl/cat_tutorials.html

And for VB have a look at:
www.officecomputertraining.com/vbtutorial/tutpages/

Once you have a grounding in a basic language you can start to look at moving to specialise in a Mobile phone based version.

Thankyou very much for all the help, Can i ask one question, is the java more games orientated, as i was looking to construct mainly apps that would is store all out going and incoming traffic in certain folders, log alot more than my phone already does etc. So would C++ Be better for this? I'm sorry if i have grabbed the wrond end of the stick, but i have heard that java would be slightly easier to use, but would i still be able to use as many functions?

I will look into the links you sent me on C++, many thanx for your help 😃

Java isn't games oriented per se, but on a phone there is not access to all/complete functionality like from C++. What you describe you'd like to do is not possible from MIDP Java.

This book would be an invaluable resource for someone that wants to dive into Symbian OS/Series 60 software development in C++:
http://forum.nokia.com/main/1,6566,40_2,00.html

It is not a C++ language tutorial, though.