UrukDroid (Android) - developers ONLY thread - Gen8 Android Development

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This thread is created for developers and developing of UrukDroid ONLY.
UrukDroid is alternative Android distribution, based on original Archos OS for Archos GEN8 tablets.
Please do not write here questions about installing UrukDroid on tablet - you can do it in default post - here.
All post violating above rule will be deleted.
This thread is created for:
manage people and dividing work
plan new releases
plan new features
help between developers
gain knowledge, materials
feature proposals by users
Things we are currently working on:
Sauron: memory I/O tuning
cheefy: backup script
Sauron: upgrade/install scripts
chulri: dvb support
What informations are we looking for:
How to prevent Android from going sleep on system level?
Format of bootlogo and initlogo.rle on Gen8 (we are aware of rgb2565 converter etc., but with no luck on Archos yet - I've tried different bit settings 4/8/16/24 and resolutions 200x480, 800x480 - Sauron)
Repository for binary and source releases is currently available here.

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Links to other materials that can be usefull in future
Things to do
check ADB over USB problem - and fix
give a better look at mounting disk from Archos over USB (does not work)
prepare and maintain FAQ
check how we can use QUI/QUID (can be checked rescue initramfs) to write messages on boot time
dalvik cheap/stack tuning - memory tuning
backport And. 2.3/3.0 features
Proposed new features by users
dvb-t support (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=871391)

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For future use...
For future use...

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Developers
Hey, I would like to help, I have an A70, PM back with something I could do, Im not an android expert but I have some linux and development knowledge, and I'm willing to learn and help as muchs as I can.
Thanks!

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Well after reading up on some more Motorola ROMs it seems they modified the dalvik heap size.
Did some quick googling on that, turns out other ROMs do it too, perhaps we could play around with it as well.
The maximum events per second for the windowmanager should help with smoother scrolling ~ also something the motorola ROMs adopted.
Source: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=815595
as posted on the original Uruk thread
Perhaps the camera can be hacked up a bit as well ~ although I haven't looked into any of this as I'm to busy at the moment !
As for extra tools, tcpdump and vim instead of vi might be helpful for some.
Removing the Telephony.apk and Phone.apk by default in Uruk would be an easy performance addition, Nook users can vouch for an increase in battery life. People have also started mentioning the lack of a
I've had questions on IPv6 support for Google Goggles too although I don't know if this is worth it.
Also could you post the exact location on those bootlogo files so more people can look into it^^.
I won't be as active now as I have exams coming up though I'll do whatever I can to help.

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Hi Guys,
I'm not a developer by any means and am just learning Linux, and about the Android frameworks. I'll gladly help in any way possible, but for now I can only research and post what I find for you to look at. That being said, here are a few sources for changing heap sizes in the build.prop.
General Dalvik heap discussion - http://groups.google.com/group/android-platform/browse_thread/thread/ef329096b0dcca94?pli=1
More details from Cyanogen (I found this most helpful and is probably most relevant to what you guys are doing) - http://ryanolson.wordpress.com/2010...ory-per-vm-heap-can-effect-your-rom-cyanogen/
Increasing helps window transitions but takes away RAM - http://www.droidforums.net/forum/droid-hacks/105712-change-dalvik-heap-size.html

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3G USB dongles support
I'm planing to start trying to make Huawei 3G dongles work in a next couple of days. Have some expirience with them on linux, along with some expirience in administering linux machines. I'll post results as soon I have some.

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xnatex21 or escoriaa - anyone of You (or both ) is willing to create and maintain FAQ (if it's not you could like - no problem - it should be fun ).
Tzbob - how can we merge changes of your OC version kernel? I can probably do it if you don't have time - but you should provide me source + .config file.
I don't get "Also could you post the exact location on those bootlogo files so more people can look into it^^." - you mean source of the image I use, or source of materials how to create Android Logo?
Apps: I'll add tcpdump and vim - no problem, and remove telephony stuff (I wonder why Archos put them anyway). I've added in 0.4 Google Apps (market etc.).
Speed: I'm now playing not with memory managers, IO managers and task managers (kernel stuff).
I do not like especially Java (it's like appendix (Vermiform appendix) to me - everyone have it, but why... ) - so as I wrote in my thread - someone should check current dalvik settings and try to change them (It's mostly in /init.rc script - so changing should be easy).
DVB-T: that's what I looked, it's quite enough to compile in modules (what I've already done) but requires some settings, I'll probably try to play with it when my USB OTG cable will arrive - but if someone is willing play with it earlier
And one more thing - is there any UI/GFX tool on Android that allows to build configuration interface (reads some GUI/menu definitions, and sets some text file/database switches) - we can do it on browser, but I'm not sure if it's best way.
I wanted also to ask you - does the installation procedure should be easier - or it's easy enough? I can make it a bit simpler, and try to work on some scripting. The easiest way would be to make images (I already have them) - that can be installed on SD card in one step, but it would make installation to be a fresh Archos (no copied app from /data) - how to you think?

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As I posted in the original thread, i should be able to help with the backup script, unfortunately just on a bash basis.
The configuration UI could be integrated in the standard config menu of android as they do in the cm mod. as mentioned above i don't speak any java but i can find the apk which is responsible.
The copying of the data to data.new could be automated after first boot by putting a startup script, which does that and erases itself after finishing. how do you think about that?
How about integrating the smartass governor of nadlabak? i might ask him about changes to make and chance to get it running.
I think i will try to integrate some gingerbread features like keyboard,themes and if possible launcher to my urukdroid. but it is up to you if you want to integrate that generally... (edit keyboard works already fine)
i'm very willing to help here!
as mentioned i'm kind of a linux pro digging into android for some weeks now

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I'd like to help where possible

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I've listed in second post, things that need to be addressed by someone. So feel free to choose one (or more ).
cheefy: do you have any idea how to do this backups? I know it can be done by tar - but it seams a bit lame. It will allow to get back in time - but perhaps we can use some linux tools or even some rsync stuff to do it incrementally.
nenadr: those 3d dongles will require some some ppp stuff - this what's inside Android already is enought, or I should add some wvdial or something (I guess I can add some serial USB modems to - be default in kernel).

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$aur0n said:
dvb-t support (http://forum.xda-developers.com/show...ighlight=dvb-t)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
broken link
dvb-t support -> http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=871391

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I've cut/past from user proposal so ... - changed.
Anyway - want take care of it?
I can compile all/some dvb modules by default (i've seen you've made some backporting of newer mods). I can also help porting some C programs from Linux side - can't help with java - I'm kind of allergic to it

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for the backup things: tar itself has an update option for incremental archives. i will check the speed these days. do you have something like a script yet?
for backporting 2.3 stuff: i have a working GB-Keyboard here, the Launcher is working too, but it has just a 4by4 Grid and so the Archos-Widgets including the energy-widget dont work. I was not able yet to modify it to a 5by5 grid.

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@$aur0n maybe it's best to wait until I've done at least v0.6 or even v0.7 (see Roadmap) before integrating it into urukdroid.
I'll develop the dvb thing with regard to the simple tmpfs-root-trick of dogmaphobia because it's way easier to install and test but this should be compatible with urukdroid.
and I'm definitly the man to talk to with regard to the dvb-t project
of course you can build modules for urukdroid, but I think the standard modules I've built should be compatible.
you can find the linux.config and the kernel patches for mc44s803 driver in my svn repository: archos-gen8-dvb/trunk/sources
more backporting patches will follow.
also prebuilt modules and firmwares can be found there:
- archos-gen8-dvb/trunk/package/mod
- archos-gen8-dvb/trunk/package/fw

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cheefy said:
for the backup things: tar itself has an update option for incremental archives. i will check the speed these days. do you have something like a script yet?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope - i haven't created any backup script yet - just I've been using tar.
for backporting 2.3 stuff: i have a working GB-Keyboard here, the Launcher is working too, but it has just a 4by4 Grid and so the Archos-Widgets including the energy-widget dont work. I was not able yet to modify it to a 5by5 grid.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Keyboard is working - I don't know if there is need to put it be default since it's in market for free.
And we have plenty better launchers (Zeam, Pro and xda) - i'm not sure if it's needed.

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$aur0n said:
nenadr: those 3d dongles will require some some ppp stuff - this what's inside Android already is enought, or I should add some wvdial or something (I guess I can add some serial USB modems to - be default in kernel).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
@$aur0n: I still didn't managed to find time to play with 3G modems, but from what I know ppp that is already in, should be sufficient; usbserial.ko seems to be there also, wvdial would be nice but it is not essential, but what is crucial for most 3G USB dongles to work is "usbmodeswitch" package, since most of USB 3G dongles are presented to system as usb composite devices, usualy with one CD cdrive (from image on dongle), one mmc card reader on dongle, and several usb-serial channels. When one plugs such device on linux without usbmodeswitch, it gets detected as mass storage device only, and with usbmodeswitch package it gets redetected again as one or more usbserial devices.
Anyway I hope I'll have more time during the end of the week (and weekend), to dig deeper into the issue.

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Here is the link to the archos gen8 buildroot git:
http://gitorious.org/archos-buildroots/gen8
There is also some information and the source-files of the boot-splash-screen:
http://gitorious.org/archos-buildroots/gen8/trees/master/initramfs
and the information how it's displayed:
Code:
# Show a nice boot image
104
case "$PRODUCT_NAME" in
105
A28)
106
BOOT_IMAGE=$BOOT_IMAGE_BASE-240x320
107
;;
...
gunzip -c $BOOT_IMAGE > /dev/fb0
# Enabling LCD
enable_backlight
so the bootimage is gunzipped and then directly pushed to the framebuffer.
hope this helps!
(maybe the easiest solution to create a own splash screen would be displaying a animation and capture in the meantime the framebuffer?)

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Oh the gb_launcher is pretty snappy and fast, but i understand that. THe keyboard from the market did not work for me so i had to paste some stuff form my milestone to make it working.
but now back to the real things. can you give me a short explanation how to compile a kernel module? ive never done that and i want to try the interactive governor which is said to be much more responsive and quite intelligent, as it does not check the cpu load, but the workqueue.
greetz

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Hi,
I'll try to help you make 70HT Urukable !
Used linux from years and have some dev knowledge.
Here is HT's df -h and mount :
Code:
$ export PATH=/data/local/bin:$PATH
$df -h
Filesystem Size Used Available Use% Mounted on
/dev/mmcblk0p2 118.2M 81.3M 30.8M 72% /mnt/system
/dev/loop0 75.5M 75.5M 0 100% /
tmpfs 119.4M 0 119.4M 0% /dev
tmpfs 119.4M 0 119.4M 0% /mnt/asec
tmpfs 119.4M 36.0k 119.4M 0% /tmp
/dev/block/mmcblk0p1 31.8M 8.9M 22.8M 28% /mnt/rawfs
/dev/block/mmcblk0p2 118.2M 81.3M 30.8M 72% /mnt/system
/dev/block/mmcblk0p3 29.6M 3.2M 24.8M 11% /cache
/dev/block/mmcblk0p4 1.6G 144.4M 1.4G 9% /data
tmpfs 119.4M 4.0k 119.4M 0% /dev/shm
/dev/block/vold/8:1 232.8G 95.9G 136.9G 41% /mnt/storage
df: /mnt/secure/asec: Permission denied
$ mount
rootfs on / type rootfs (rw)
/dev/mmcblk0p2 on /mnt/system type ext3 (rw,noexec,noatime,errors=continue,data=ordered)
/dev/loop0 on / type squashfs (ro,noatime)
tmpfs on /dev type tmpfs (rw,mode=755)
devpts on /dev/pts type devpts (rw,mode=600)
proc on /proc type proc (rw)
sysfs on /sys type sysfs (rw)
usbfs on /proc/bus/usb type usbfs (rw,devuid=1000,busuid=1000,listuid=1000)
debugfs on /sys/kernel/debug type debugfs (rw)
tmpfs on /mnt/asec type tmpfs (rw,mode=755,gid=1000)
tmpfs on /tmp type tmpfs (rw)
/dev/block/mmcblk0p1 on /mnt/rawfs type rawfs (rw)
/dev/block/mmcblk0p2 on /mnt/system type ext3 (rw,nosuid,noexec,noatime,errors=continue,data=ordered)
/dev/block/mmcblk0p3 on /cache type ext3 (rw,nosuid,noexec,noatime,errors=continue,data=ordered)
/dev/block/mmcblk0p4 on /data type ext3 (rw,nosuid,noatime,errors=continue,data=ordered)
none on /dev/cpuctl type cgroup (rw,cpu)
tmpfs on /dev/shm type tmpfs (rw)
/dev/block/vold/8:1 on /mnt/storage type vfat (rw,dirsync,nosuid,nodev,noexec,noatime,nodiratime,uid=1000,gid=1015,fmask=0000,dmask=0000,allow_utime=0022,codepage=cp437,iocharset=iso8859-1,utf8,errors=remount-ro)
/dev/block/vold/8:1 on /mnt/secure/asec type vfat (rw,dirsync,nosuid,nodev,noexec,noatime,nodiratime,uid=1000,gid=1015,fmask=0000,dmask=0000,allow_utime=0022,codepage=cp437,iocharset=iso8859-1,utf8,errors=remount-ro)
tmpfs on /mnt/storage/.android_secure type tmpfs (ro,size=0k,mode=000)
fusesmb on /mnt/storage/network/smb type fuse (rw,nosuid,nodev,user_id=0,group_id=0,allow_other,max_read=32768)
djmount on /mnt/storage/network/upnp type fuse (ro,nosuid,nodev,user_id=0,group_id=0,allow_other)
$
I am ready to resize the main partition on the hdd and add two another partitions for root and data but what size do you recommend? 1Gb and 2Gb ?