Qt ApplicationDevelopment on Harmattan

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Maemo Summit 2009, Amsterdam9.10.2009, 1630-1655

Presentation: Ville Lavonius – ville.lavonius@nokia.comDemo: Thorbjørn Lindeijer – thorbjorn.lindeijer@nokia.com

One topic – two presentations• Qt programming on Harmattan is popular enough topic to require two presentations in the

Summit:

• This is a gentle introduction to the topic.

• On Sunday @1130 Sergiy Dubovik & Ian Monroe will run a workshop.

• Other related presentations are noted on the following slides.

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2 > 1, even in software development• N770 – N800 – N810

• Tools with a rough edge.

• Platform and application development using the same tools.

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• N900 …

• Tools with a lower threshold.

• Separate toolkits for platform and application development.

Native development for Harmattan• SDK for Maemo 6

• Lower the barrier of entry for new developers

• Multiple host environments supported (Linux, Windows, …)

• Platform SDK for Maemo 6

• Preserve current functionality

• Introduces Scratchbox 2

• System QEMU

• Emulates the entire software stack

• OpenGL graphics shuttled to the development host GPU

• Tool to introduce events (posture changes, resource shortfalls, ...)

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Non-native application development right afterthis presentation.

Development Nirvanalightning talk on Saturday.

Role of application frameworks• Qt turns from an add-on to an integral part of

the platform.

• Hildon turns from an integral part of the platform to a community-supported alternative.

• You can mix and match, the device can contain applications that use different frameworks:

• Maemo 6 UI

• Qt

• Hildon

• Web runtime (standalone or embedded)

• No framework at all / roll-your-own

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Maemo 5 Maemo 6

Hildon

Qt

Maemo 6 UI

Hildon’s future directionis presented tomorrow evening.

Maemo 6 UI framework is presented tomorrow morning.

Maemo 6 UI• Maemo 6 adds a new UI paradigm onto the software stack.

• It provides a new widget set for developers.

• The main element of the new UI style is its directness: data is operated in situ, without need to activate commands from a menu.

• The UI is optimized for small, finger-operated screens.

• The new hardware is used to the fullest.

• Applications can use full screen or be widgets.

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The updated Maemo architectureis presented in the very next slot.

Maemo 6 UI framework is presented tomorrow morning.

Qt tools for developers• Qt Creator IDE

• An integrated development environment for coding and debugging.

• Wraps tools, both Maemo-specific and generic – all available in IDE-agnostic fashion.

• Graphical UI designer

• Qt Designer in Maemo 5 timeframe.

• Will evolve for Maemo 6.

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Maemo API• Futureproof set of programming interfaces.

• The goal is to minimize need to create multiple versions of an application.

• The API is defined through the development cycle of Maemo 6, and will take into account developer needs as well.

• Heavily based on Qt principles, though the existing open source components will not be paved over with new API layers.

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Qt Mobility API presentationon Saturday

Best practices – patterns • Familiarize yourself with Qt – it’s the basis for the new UI framework.

• Familiarize yourself with Maemo 6 UI – available now, with more information to be released in upcoming months.

• Separate UI and logic of the application as much as possible.

• Participate in the definition of the Maemo API to ensure that the interfaces your application needs will be there.

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Best practices – antipatterns • Do not expect a 1:1 correspondence between the frameworks (guidance to be published).

• Do not expect the entire Hildon widget set to be present (again, guidance to be published).

• Do not expect to be able to mechanically port your application (e.g. portrait/landscape mode).

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How and when to start• First code drop of Maemo 6 right here in the Summit, read-only, enables getting familiar with

some of the core UI functionalities.

• The SDK for Maemo 6 is under development, and the alpha versions will be available early next year.

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DON’T WAIT

Start developing for Fremantle already today, the SDK is available, and the devices as well.

The availability of system QEMU lowers the barrier of entry significantly.

Thank you

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