Software simplifies shift to Palm

Edited by the Electronicstalk editorial team Dec 19, 2002

Metrowerks' newest toolset for the Palm OS platform includes a compiler for ARM cores to allow developers to more quickly create applications for the next generation of Palm Powered devices.

Metrowerks' newest toolset for the Palm OS platform includes a compiler for ARM cores to allow developers to more quickly create applications for the next generation of Palm Powered devices.

Available from 20th December 2002, CodeWarrior Development Studio for the Palm OS Platform, Version 9.0, includes comprehensive support for 68K and ARM core technologies to help smooth application developers' transition to the Palm OS 5 platform.

"Version 9.0 is a major leap forward in usability and feature set", said Scott Maxwell, CEO of PocketPurchase, and author of the multi-award-winning WordSmith word processor.

"Using the built-in ARM compiler, I was able to add ARMlets to WordSmith that dramatically increased the speed of encrypting data and rendering fonts".

With built-in ARMlet project templates and the Metrowerks ARM core compiler, the graphical CodeWarrior integrated development environment (IDE) allows developers to create Palm OS 5 applications more quickly compared to using common GCC compilers with a command line interface.

In addition, the toolset includes a Metrowerks ARMlet support library that contains many common Palm OS functions and lets developers access them from the ARMlet using the same syntax used for 68K code.

Helping to further speed development cycles is a new drag-and-drop resource designer, a rapid application development feature that allows users to easily design and manipulate all the different aspects of their application's user interface live on the screen.

The object library for Palm OS (POL), a C++ class library that encompasses large parts of the Palm OS application programming interface (API), is also included, as well as an application wizard that assists developers in building applications based on POL.

For improved code performance, Metrowerks has added a completely rewritten and revamped 68K debugger that provides support for multiple debug sessions between emulators at once; an updated 68K compiler that offers better ANSI C++ compliance; and a new version of the CodeWarrior IDE that adds code completion for C and C++, docking windows, tabbed windows, and has workspace support.

Updated command line versions of the 68K C/C++ compiler and Palm OS 68K linker are included as well.

Software development kits (SDKs) from leading Palm OS licensees and third party utilities also ship with the toolset.

CodeWarrior Development Studio for Palm OS Platform, Version 9.0, will be available at a suggested retail price of US $399 per licence (a US $100 reduction from Version 8.0), and US $199 for renewals (a US $50 reduction from Version 8.0).