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The new Gambas AppImage - can it run on Android?

Posted: Sunday 10th January 2021 3:48am
by Godzilla
Hello all,

I recently discovered from the Gambas mailing list that a working Gambas AppImage has finally been created. Fabien Bodard deserves a round of applause! I think its an incredible accomplishment, and its clearly the end-result of a great labor of love and dedication.

From what I understand, it seems to be working great for most people who've tried it. Only a few people have had minor quirks, and I'm sure those will soon be worked out.

I was just wondering if anyone might know if this Gambas AppImage might run on Android? Not that I would expect it to be able to create working stand-alone Android applications. But if Gambas GUI programs could simply run in the Gambas IDE on Android, I believe that in itself would be a great leap forward. Personally, I'd find it immensely useful for something like on-the-job productivity. I wouldn't need to be carrying around a laptop, when I can simply pull my phone out of my pocket anytime / anywhere and do the work on the spot.

If anyone might know how to get the Gambas AppImage running on Android, or better yet have the know-how to test and report back to the Gambas community any results (along with step-by-step instructions on how to accomplish it, system requirements, free space needed, etc.), I think it would be a great service to everyone.

Thanks for reading,
Godzilla

Edit: I should have included the link to the mailing list announcement post https://lists.gambas-basic.org/pipermai ... 71373.html

Re: The new Gambas AppImage - can it run on Android?

Posted: Sunday 10th January 2021 6:02am
by Godzilla
As I continue to read the Gambas AppImage threads on the mailing list, (if I understand them correctly, all the MVPs are over my head) Benoit had the brilliant idea of giving Gambas the option to export programs not into compiled executables, but to their own stand-alone AppImages. Fabien replied that this would be quite simple to do. Awesome!

Again, if AppImages can be executed on Android, this could revolutionize the usefulness of smartphones.

I have high hopes and I'm excited by the possibilities. But in reality, its probably not quite so simple as whether or not Androids can execute AppImages. Do they use GTK or QT? If not natively, can they be made to use GTK or QT? Or maybe its even way more complex than that, I don't know.

Those more knowledgeable, please chime in.

Godzilla

Re: The new Gambas AppImage - can it run on Android?

Posted: Monday 11th January 2021 4:29pm
by cogier
I hope I am wrong, but I don't think that Gambas programs are going to be running on Android any time soon. The answer I saw in 2015 was: -
No.

Here is what is needed:

- An Android system.
- An example of how to compile a C application on Android and make it run.
- How to replace the GNU libc by the Android libc.
- How to use Qt on Android for making the GUI.
- A dedicated Gambas component to access the specific Android mobile features.
- Time.
- Did I forget anything?

Benoît Minisini

Re: The new Gambas AppImage - can it run on Android?

Posted: Thursday 14th January 2021 8:06am
by stevedee
I found myself thinking about the wider implications of this question at 3am last night, when I couldn't sleep. (the wider implications being: developing or running Gambas programs on Android).

My initial reaction was "why would anyone want to lug Gambas all the way over to Android?" There are no 'ideal' programming languages, and that's why so many people choose to write their own. Gambas certainly isn't ideal, not even when running on Linux (...OK, I'll get my coat).

This is partly due to there being hundreds of Linux Distros (everyone thinks they can make a better distro) and partly due to decisions made by the Gambas designers (e.g. useful commands hidden in components rather than part of the core language, and commands like RInstr & LTrim which would have been better named InstrR and TrimL...I still haven't ruled out the idea of writing my own language, by the way :roll: ).

Linux is basically little more than a kernel, sitting at the heart of the system. There are scores of Window Managers (e.g. Openbox, Compiz, Enlightenment...), Widget Toolkits (Gtk, Tk, Qt...), Windowing Systems (X11, Wayland...), Desktop Environments (Gnome, KDE, LXDE, Xfce...)...its a wonder anything you write works on more than just your own computer!

But with 'software-as-a-hobby' its always interesting to try to hack something onto something else and see if you can get it to work.

You may be able to install a Linux OS via Termux onto your Android phone, and then try to add support for some kind of program written in Gambas Script. I don't know, its not on my long list of ideas-to-explore-before-I-die.

Android has its own selection of interesting programming languages, and if "programming on Android" ever makes it to the top of my list, I'd probably start by working with Kotlin or Basic or Python.

I must admit that now I have a de-Googled Android phone, the idea of writing programs for it has become a lot more interesting.

Re: The new Gambas AppImage - can it run on Android?

Posted: Friday 15th January 2021 3:37pm
by vuott
cogier wrote: Monday 11th January 2021 4:29pm The answer I saw in 2015 was:
https://lists.gambas-basic.org/pipermai ... 53346.html

Re: The new Gambas AppImage - can it run on Android?

Posted: Saturday 16th January 2021 3:48pm
by cogier
Hi vott, the problem is that your link is a question.

Image