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Developing NewtonScript apps for the Apple MessagePad |
NTK, Apple and the Newton ToolkitWhen Apple relesased the Newton MessagePad, they made developers pay dearly for the NewtonScript developer kit. On top of at least one MessagePad (multiple MP's if you wanted to develop for multiple platforms) for around 1000$US each, you had to buy NTK (~2k$) and possibly NCT, the native devloper kit. Not sure if MPW came with all that, but if you wanted to make drivers, you'd have to buy that as well. As a result, MessagePads were notoriously disconnected from the outside world, making them an island solution for patient folks with cash to spare. Needles to say, I did buy a MessagePad as soon as they came out. Being a software developer by trade, I was frustrated about the high price of NTK and moved quickly to the PalmPilot (their devkit was "only" 600$ IIRC). |
NewtonOS in 2020In 2020, running NewtonOS via the Einstein emulator is tons of fun. I am currently trying to get a very comfortable version of Einstein running on Android (and eventually iOS) mobile devices. Particularly e-Ink devices are very much in the intent of the original MessagePads. Part of this is developing an interface between NewtonOS and Einstein that is as simple as possible for Newton developers, and is supposed to give NewtonOS access to host properties wherever needed. |
NTK
In todays world, we can't launch classic Mac apps anymore without the help of an emulator like BasiliskII (download here), and RS232 serial ports are nowhere to be found, unless daisychaining USB adapters and MessagePad proprietary cables.
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Connect Einstein to NTK
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If you made it here, you are ready to develop your first NewtonOS app! If the emulators fails to connect, you may have the wrong version of Bailisk. If you are on a Mac, you can download the one I specifically compiled for this. |
The NTK Inspector
On the Newton, launch Toolkit from the extras folder. Tap on Connect Inspector. |
GeekOut: NTK, emulated m68k code, will send this request to the serial port that BasiliskII will forward to the pty which will then be picked up by EInstein which forwards it via an emulated serial port to the Toolkit app, emulated ARM code, which then tells NetwonOS to interprete that request in its NewtonScript interpreter. This will compile the text into byte code, and then interprete that bytecode, giving the result back to the Toolkit which gives it back to Einstein, then through the pty to BasiliskII and finally to the NTK Inspector which then prints #8 2. The first number is the event number, the next number is the reult of our calculation. Yeah, it really is that simple. Try other commands. GetRoot(); is a bit more exciting. Congratulations. You now have the exact same setup that a Newton developer would have had in 1996. Play some Jamiroquai and dance the Macarena. And send me a video of that. |
My first Newton app
In NTK, select Project >> New Project... from the menu. In the following file chooser dialog, create a folder named hello and change into it. Also name the project hello and click Save. The new window will contain a list of files that you use to build your app.
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Congratulations, you are a programmer now. You really earned your MMMBop and a portions of Limp Bizkit. Aaaah, that brings back memories of 1987, George Michael, and my Amiga. Now hop hop, off you go, write some exciting new apps for the community... ! |
RamblingsApp icons are 31 pixels wide and 29 pixels high.
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(c) 2014 elektriktrick@matthiasm.com - Impressum |