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GMC Forum _ Electronic Entertainment _ From Linux To Windows
Posted by: Jose Mena Dec 9 2008, 05:50 PM
Hello Guys
Since it seems that many of us guitar players are into computers and stuff, I thought I would ask here:
Has anyone ever ported linux program into windows, I am not talking emulation, I am talking about I have the code, it was written on linux and builds on linux operating system, want to take the code and compile it in windows to make it a win32 application.
I am not a programmer, but somehow find myself involved with stuff like this.
Later
Posted by: fatb0t Dec 9 2008, 08:27 PM
Is the application open source? If it's open source you need to rewrite the application to accommodate windows eccentricities... I'd imagine you're better off using a linux virtual machine to use that program when you need, then close the virtual machine and go back to windows. Recoding programs to use in a different OS isn't an easy task unless the app was written in java or something that is cross platform..
Posted by: Jose Mena Dec 9 2008, 08:41 PM
Yes, open source application, simple program that works under linux and we want it to work on windows, I know not an easy task, it was written in C++, I've done some research and apparently it can be done using cygwin.
Posted by: Static Dec 10 2008, 11:11 AM
Is it a program with a GUI or does it just run in the terminal?
Posted by: GrindGuer Dec 10 2008, 12:00 PM
Maybe you could just use Linux ? 
OK, I'm not very usefull... 
I don't know C++, so I can't help you. And I've always been interested in porting windows software to Linux, not the opposite. But I think Cygwin is what I would look for.
Posted by: Andrew Cockburn Dec 10 2008, 12:52 PM
It really depends on the program.
If its hard core calculations with little I/O running as a command line it likely just recompile. If you are relying on linux libraries for specific functions, you may need to port those as well or find equivalents. If it has a GUI, as static says, all bets are off and you are into a fairly hefty rewrite. At that stage, the design of the program becomes significant - did the original author take care to isolate OS specific things such as the GUI? In which case a rewrite might not be too hard. If he didn't though, it could be a large job, as the windows GUI is significantly different from the Linux GUI.
Posted by: Jose Mena Dec 10 2008, 03:44 PM
Thanks everyone for the help.
No GUI for this one, but looking to add one, but I'd be happy if the thing works in a dos terminal for the moment.
@ Andrew: man what are you??, guitar player?, Computer wiz?, you are awesome man, I figured I need 3 libraries which I am working on installing right now.
Again thanks everyone, I'll have more questions soon if you guys don't mind
Posted by: Andrew Cockburn Dec 10 2008, 07:28 PM
I've just been around a bit is all
Actually, computers are my day job!
Posted by: kjutte Dec 11 2008, 10:09 AM
Lollercoaster
Posted by: utak3r Feb 5 2009, 02:05 PM
Don't hesitate to ask, if you have any questions in this field 
Posted by: 29a Feb 5 2009, 02:41 PM
You could try to compile it against cygwin and pray. As praying isn't very effective you'll probably have to change some things in the source code to make it work. It's mostly minor things tough. I'd be more happy to help you to port it in the other direction but as utak3r said just ask
- Jonas
Posted by: Toni Suominen Feb 5 2009, 10:37 PM
If its hard core calculations with little I/O running as a command line it likely just recompile. If you are relying on linux libraries for specific functions, you may need to port those as well or find equivalents. If it has a GUI, as static says, all bets are off and you are into a fairly hefty rewrite. At that stage, the design of the program becomes significant - did the original author take care to isolate OS specific things such as the GUI? In which case a rewrite might not be too hard. If he didn't though, it could be a large job, as the windows GUI is significantly different from the Linux GUI.
I have no idea what you just said there
Posted by: utak3r Feb 6 2009, 12:08 AM
hm, nowadays we're at the better position - under Windows you have both Gtk and Qt, so it doesn't need to be completely rewritten...
Besides there're few GUIs which are completely platform independent, like wxWindows for example
Things are getting better slowly, year by year...
Posted by: 29a Feb 6 2009, 10:47 AM
Besides there're few GUIs which are completely platform independent, like wxWindows for example
Things are getting better slowly, year by year...- Jonas
Posted by: Jose Mena Feb 6 2009, 04:38 PM
- Jonas
Man I tried this with cigwin and then with mingw, had some linker problems, my knowledge with code is very limited
Posted by: Sensible Jones Feb 6 2009, 05:45 PM
You and I both Toni!!!!!
Posted by: 29a Feb 6 2009, 10:32 PM
- Jonas
Posted by: Resurrection Feb 7 2009, 02:08 PM
As 29a says, the linker error messages should give some clues. Is the linker complaining about unresolved symbols? Are you trying to link against any libraries other than the standard C++ run-time libraries?
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