Symbian development general notes

5.2.1 Is standard C++ used for application development?
The C++ language used in the Series 60 Developer Platform has been optimized
for small devices with memory constraints. The Standard Template Library (STL)
is not supported, and other changes to standard C++ have been made. Symbian
native applications are developed using Symbian’s own version of C++, which
utilizes most of the C++ idioms but has a unique nomenclature. ANSI C is
supported but is rarely required.

translation:

5.2.1 Is standard C++ used for application development?
We don't have the effort to support the STL, bugger off.  We have our own
crapped out version of C++ that's just different enough to make writing code a
huge pain in the ass.  Our own unique nomenclature means you have to throw out
all your code because we're too lazy to implement the ISO C++ standard.  We did,
however, decide to throw you a bone and give you ANSI C because it took like four
lines of code to implement.

[edit]

Why we don't like Symbian C++

confusing naming conventions almost as bad as Hungarian Notation

no static or global variables allowed.

try/leave instead of try {} catch {}

confusing conventions for dealing with memory errors. Construct, ConstructL, New, NewL, new, ::blink:: ::blink:: ::confusion:: ::blink:: ::blink::

royal pain in the ass to work with strings (TDes8, TDes16, TDes, TDesC8, TDesC16, TDesC, TBuf8, TBuf16, TBuf, TBufC8, TBufC16, TBufC, ad infinitum)

[edit]

In defense of Symbian C++

Like the streets of Boston, once you learn it, it starts to make sense.

The Active Object model for concurrent programming eliminates many of the difficulties associated with multithreaded programs.

Descriptors are a pain, but the consequences are (1) strings are inherently international (2) data can be passed across process boundries (no need for data marshalling stubs).

There is a convention for dealing with memory errors, which is not normally found as a integral part of the platform.

Symbian devices are selling at a rate of about one million devices per month.

[edit]

Getting Started

Look on Forum Nokia Symbian (http://forum.nokia.com/symbian) for the document "Symbian OS: Getting Started with C++ Application Development". here (http://www.forum.nokia.com/ndsCookieBuilder?fileParamID=3919) is a direct link, which will probably break soon.

[edit]

GUI programming

The situation for GUI programming has improved vastly during the last year. There are now documents on http://forum.nokia.com which explain how to program each of the S60 GUI controls (lists, grids, dialogs, ...).

Nokia Carbide C++ V1.0 Express is free from http://forum.nokia.com and has an application generator that creates an initial template application. It now compiles to a .SIS file (installation file) or to an emulator debug image. V1.1 "Developer" has on-device debugging for N-Series and E-Series devices (aka S60 3rd edition).

Suggestion: Modify one of the example programs.

"Developing Series 60 Applications : A Guide for Symbian OS C++ Developers" (Leigh Edwards, Richard Barker) is the best book for GUI programming.

Borland Builder X has not been maintained and is now obsolete.

[edit]

Vision / Image Processing

You can download a camera plugin to the SDK, which includes support for camera use (both still and video imaging). There are also example applications. You can find installation instructions here (http://graphics.csail.mit.edu/~kapu/symbian.html).

By default you are stuck with the default video clip in the emulator. If you want to replace the video clip with your own, the link above provides a tool for that.

[edit]