The Tungsten PDA

Thanks to the Java virtual machine developed by IBM, the WebSphere Everyplace Micro Environment, any MIDlet of JavaME scheduled for MIDP 2.0 will run smoothly on a Palm. For those who have not programmed using J2ME (Micro Edition), have only to think of it as a stripped-down version of J2SE (Standard Edition), optimized for mobile devices.

However, this machine is free for certain equipment, but to pay for others. Even teams are not supported. So if you want a truly free choice for running Java programs on our Palm, we have another option: SuperWaba. There is an introduction to SuperWaba very well explained in PDAExpertos:

SuperWaba is a platform for programming of small devices. (hereafter PDA's). Define a language, a virtual machine, a file format. class and a set of base classes. SuperWabadesciende WABA and is compatible with this. You could say that SuperWaba WABA but is more developed. Because of the way in which it was designed, programmers can use development tools for creating Java-oriented programs that run on SuperWaba.

The syntax of programs written for SuperWaba is a subset of the Java language, which allows developers who are familiar with JAVA can quickly begin to use the SuperWaba. The format of the file type (. Class) SuperWaba are also subsets of the formatoJAVA. However SuperWaba not a result of JAVA or has to do with Sun Microsystems.

The language defined by SuperWaba, its virtual machine and the format of the class files have been designed in ways that are optimized for use on PDAs. The characteristics of Java, which used a lot of memory or that were unnecessary for PDAs have been omitted from the design of the language and its virtual machine.

SuperWaba has a base set of classes designed to be as small as possible and still contain the features necessary to write software professionals. It also contains a set of classes that allow programs written in this language can run on any platform to interpret the JAVA. For suchas programs written in this language can run on a PalmPilot and Ipaq as applets, or as independent applications on UNIX, Windows, MS-DOS and even in a TI.

Programs written for Palm in SuperWaba

The SuperWaba documentation is very complete, and the list of supported hardware quite broad. On this page you can find help installing SuperWaba in MacOSX and Linux. As they say in the introduction, the passage of the Java API for SuperWaba is equivalent to that occurs when moving to J2ME, so there is not really an extra effort to do.

There was a third Java Virtual Machine for Palm OS, developed by the Sun Microsystems. However, although you can still find the installation instructions, the download page no longer exists, suggesting that this software has been discontinued. However, on other pages (eg Softonic) is still possible to find it.

So we know two and a half to run Java applications on our Palm. And as developers, have the great advantage of being able to use the same programming environment that is used for the development of Java applications standard:

• One of the best IDE for Java development is undoubtedly Eclipse. And we can use it perfectly to develop programs with J2ME simply using the plugin EclipseME. If on the contrary we want to use SuperWaba there is also no problem: there is a project SuperWaba IDE that adds features to the environment that facilitates their use, and to make the SuperWaba utillize Eclipse SDK just have to follow these instructions.
• Another IDE is of course highly valued NetBeans, and to develop applications that use J2ME only have to install the added appeal J2ME MIDP Development. There is also option of using SuperWaba, following this detailed tutorial in Spanish.
• Of course, there are many other tools from Sun that it is worth testing, as the Sun Java Wireless Toolkit for CLDC, or the Sun Java Toolkit for CDC.
• And if you prefer a commercial solution for whatever reason, there are options as varied as Mobile Studio Borland, Simplicity for PalmOS, or the Workplace Client Technology, Micro Edition, IBM, which facilitates the spread of applications managed from a central server to PDA.
• Finally, to the tasks of cleaning, there are many documents on the Internet that can help us, like this one on Palm debug programs using a network connection, or a tutorial on using the Java Debug Wire Protocol. Palm itself gives us the ability to use the simulator for PalmOS along with a J2ME runtime for this simulator. This documentation and many other interesting resources can be found at the site of Palm dedicated to Java, both for developers and for users.

As we see the development of Java applications for mobile devices is booming, and our Palm can build all that software exists. Given that the new operating system ALP to replace PalmOS has the ability to run from the beginning of native applications for ALP, the PalmOS, and written in Java, this development path seems to have a very promising future in the future Palm teams.

By: Mark Gonzalez Troyes in Palm Analysis
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Labeling: development, eclipse, java, netbeans, Palm, Palm, PDA, sun, SuperWaba, WABA

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