So frustrated - difficult to figure out how to convert jar/jad to prc???

[Rick Reumann]

This is really getting frustrating. I've been googling and looking at tons of j2me pages on Sun's site, and still finding it very difficult to find a step by step process on "How to convert a jad/jar into a prc that can run on the Palm OS." Different sites give conflicting ways to even attempt to do it. Some say I need to have MIDP for the PalmOS installed .. yet when I go and even try that .. I'm directed to a site that is from 2001? and installing that prc from that site and the 'games.prc' it comes with crashes my Zodiac PDA running PalmOS5. Other sites exmplaing how to do it from the command line but they all seem to explain it based on when you do not already have the jad/jar files created. All I want is a simple way (command line is fine) and create a prc from the jar/jad. Does anyone else find the documentation on this procedure very poor? You would think it should be a top article listed on Sun pages related to j2me, yet when go to the starting out page: http://developers.sun.com/techtopics/mobility/learn/midp/getstart/ there isn't a mention of it in any of the articles. Sorry to sound like such a whiner. I'm just frustrated that I can't find clear and concise documentation on this topic. I've searched the forums here as well and the information is sparse. I'm guessing it's not a common practice to develop j2me apps to run on the PalmOS?

[arnel nicolas]

I'm guessing it's not a common practice to develop j2me apps to run on the PalmOS?

Hi Rick,
i myself here used j2me to develop midlet for Palm OS. You can use this tool provided by IBM to compile your jad/ jar file which also includes documentation on how to use it. Other than that, visit the Palm Developer's Network which might help you more on your development. The development kit that comes from SUN i think has also a compiler called PRC Converter but sadly its only for MIDP 1.0. IBM supports both MIDP 1.0 and MIDP2.0 deployment under Palm OS.

Stay cool
arnel

[Rick Reumann]

Thanks arnel. I'll try that today.

[Aaron Roberts]

Hey Rick you're facing the same issue I'm looking at.

I recently got a Sony Clie and wanted to run java apps on it, since I can write in java far faster than C/C++. I was able to download and install the JVM for the Tungsten line of PDAs just fine. My wife has a tungsten E, so I was curious how things would work between the two.

I tried the prc converter on a jad I had made with the j2me wireless toolkit, but it didn't work on the Palm.

I am very comfortable with 'normal' java, but completely new to J2ME.

Could you email me and maybe we can dialog as we both learn?

antamiga at gmail . com

Regards,
Aaron R>

[siddharth murthy]

is there some reason u'r trying to convert the .jar or .jad into a 'prc'?

just do as mentioned at the following site:
http://developers.sun.com/techtopics/mobility/midp/articles/palm/

you should be directly able to run the jar/jad on the palm os.

[Rick Reumann]

Originally posted by siddharth murthy:
is there some reason u'r trying to convert the .jar or .jad into a 'prc'?

just do as mentioned at the following site:
http://developers.sun.com/techtopics/mobility/midp/articles/palm/

you should be directly able to run the jar/jad on the palm os.

That link only provides help with part of the picture (getting the Java MIDP app on your Palm.) You still need to convert the files to .prc. If you look at that page you posted you'll see they mention:

The development life cycle of a Palm application can be summarized in the following three steps:
-Develop a MIDlet or a MIDlet suite.
-Convert the JAR/JAD files into a PRC file (executable Palm application).
-Install the PRC file on the Palm and test the application.

They then procede to give some links to some apps that will do this conversion and they are all horrible or incredibly confusing to figure out how to use. The whole process is very confusing, as illustrated by your post. You posted a link that only explains part of the picture. It still amazes me that Sun has not put a "step by step" guide to how to accomplish getting MIDlets to run on the PalmOS.

That being said, I tracked down a friend that was able to help me, by providing a file from WebsphereStudio which will do the job painlessly. The question becomes, Why doesn't Sun provide an application to do this conversion? and one that will convert MIDP2.0 (not just MIDP1.0 - even the 1.0 conversion tool I tried from (I think Sun) didn't work) ?

All this becomes such a pain that I think it might be more beneficial to just learn C and code Palm apps in that.

[Michael Yuan]

Neither Palm nor Sun is even remotely interested in getting J2ME running on Palm (or PocketPC) devices. Palm wanted their C-based proprietary solution and quitted the JSR process all together. Sun just does not think that PDA in general is a profitable market. I tend to agree with Sun -- PalmOS's days are numbered.

[Rick Reumann]

Curious, why do you think the PalmOS days are numbered? If so, what do you think it'll be replaced with? The pocketPC stuff is crap in my opinion. The PalmOS apps are so much nicer (and much more of them). The Tapwave Zodiac that I have is doing really well also and runs the PalmOS. What is your take on the future of the PDA market. I'd be interested in your opinions. (Granted this thread will have diverged, but do let me know Thanks a lot.

[Michael Yuan]

There are three factors/signs here:

1. The PDA market is rapidly losing to smart phones, especially Symbian-based smart phones from Nokia, Moto, Sony-Ericsson. Palm has a phone-PDA offering but it is not very strong. Sony, a very important PalmOS device vendor besides Palm itself, has quitted the US market a couple of months ago.

2. Palm is divided into two companies: the hardware business and the software (PalmOS) business. In the last month or so, it has been widely reported that the Palm hardware is looking into "diversify" the software that run on their devices. You may soon see a WinCE-based Palm device.

3. In the battle for PDA market share, PocketPC has been keep winning so far. I think it has officially suppressed Palm in the last couple of months.
[ December 01, 2004: Message edited by: Michael Yuan ]

[Rick Reumann]

Thanks for the response Michael. That sure will be a shame if J2ME will end up becoming only useful for cellular devices and it will be equally disheartening if Windows ends up monopolizing the PDA market. If that later becomes the case, what will become of the future importance of Java in the PDA realm? Non-existant? Thanks again.