+++ /dev/null
-<appendix> <title> Ports </title>
-
- <sect1> <title> Port steps </title>
-
- <para>
-Basically, porting to a new architecture boils down to follow the
-following steps :
- </para>
-
- <orderedlist>
-
- <listitem> <para> <emphasis> Building the VLC : </emphasis>
- That may be the most difficult part, depending on how POSIX
- the architecture is. You have to produce valid C.
- </para> </listitem>
-
- <listitem> <para> <emphasis> Having video : </emphasis>
- If your architecture features an X server, it should be
- straightforward, though you might have problems with xvideo
- or xshm. Otherwise you can try to use SDL if it is supported,
- or end up writing your own video output plugin.
- </para> </listitem>
-
- <listitem> <para> <emphasis> Having audio : </emphasis>
- If your architecture features an OSS compatible DSP or ALSA, you
- can reuse an existing plugin. Otherwise you will have to write
- your own audio output plugin.
- </para> </listitem>
-
- <listitem> <para> <emphasis> Accessing DVDs : </emphasis>
- You are going to need a write access to the DVD device.
- Every system has specific ioctl() for key negociation with
- the DVD drive, so we have set up an abstration layer in
- <filename> plugins/dvd/dvd_ioctl.c</filename>. You might
- need to add stuff here. Some operating systems won't give
- you access to the key negociation (MacOS X), so you will
- have to write a kernel extension or you will only be able to read
- unencrypted DVDs. Other operating systems might only give
- you read access to the DVD device if you are root. Your mileage
- may vary.
- </para> </listitem>
-
- <listitem> <para> <emphasis> Writing a native interface : </emphasis>
- If your system doesn't support GTK or Qt, you will have to
- write a native interface plugin (for instance Aqua or Win32).
- You may also need to rewrite the video output plugin if
- you're currently using a slow compatibility layer.
- </para> </listitem>
-
- <listitem> <para> <emphasis> Optimizing : </emphasis>
- If your architecture features a special set of multimedia
- instructions (such as MMX) that is not supported by VLC, you
- may want to write specific optimizations. Heavy calculation
- parts are : IDCT (see idct plugin), motion compensation
- (see motion plugin), and YUV (see video output) if you don't
- use the YUV overlay support of your video board (SDL or
- XVideo extension).
- </para> </listitem>
-
- </orderedlist>
-
- </sect1>
-
- <sect1> <title> Building </title>
-
- <para>
-This is probably the most complicated part. If your platform is fully
-POSIX-compliant (such as GNU/Linux), it should be quick, otherwise
-expect troubles. Known issues are :
- </para>
-
- <itemizedlist>
-
- <listitem> <para> Finding a compiler : We use <application> gcc
- </application> on all platforms, and <application> mingw32
- </application> to cross-compile the win32 port. If you don't you're
- probably in <emphasis> very big </emphasis> trouble. Good luck.
- </para> </listitem>
-
- <listitem> <para> Finding <application> GNU make </application> : Our
- <filename>Makefile</filename> is heavily <application>GNU make
- </application> specific, so I suggest you install it.
- </para> </listitem>
-
- <listitem> <para> Running the <filename> configure </filename>
- script : This is basically a shell script, so if you have a UNIX
- shell on your platform it shouldn't be a problem. It will probe
- your system for headers and libraries needed. It needs
- adequate <filename> config.sub </filename> and <filename>
- config.guess</filename>, so if your platform is young your
- provider may have supplied customized versions. Check with it.
- </para> </listitem>
-
- <listitem> <para> Compiling the VLC binary : This is the most
- difficult. Type <command> make </command> or <command> gmake
- </command> and watch the results. It will probably break soon
- on a parse error. Add the headers missing, fix mistakes. If
- you cannot make it to also compiles on other platforms, use
- #ifdef directives. Add tests for functions or libraries in
- <filename> configure.in </filename> and run <command> autoheader
- </command> and <command> autoconf</command>. Always prefer
- tests on <property> #ifdef HAVE_MY_HEADER_T</property>,
- instead of <property> #ifdef SYS_MYOPERATINGSYSTEM</property>.
- You may especially experience problems with the network code
- in <filename> src/input/input.c</filename>.
- </para> </listitem>
-
- <listitem> <para> Threads : If your system has an exotic thread
- implementation, you will probably need to fill the wrappers in
- <filename> include/threads.h </filename> for your system.
- Currently supported implementations include the POSIX pthreads,
- the BeOS threads, and the Mach cthreads.
- </para> </listitem>
-
- <listitem> <para> Linking : You will need special flags to the
- compiler, to allow symbol exports (otherwise plug-ins won't
- work). For instance under GNU/Linux you need <parameter>
- -rdynamic</parameter>.
- </para> </listitem>
-
- <listitem> <para> Compiling plug-ins : You do not need external
- plug-ins at first, you can build all you need in (see <filename>
- Makefile.opts</filename>). In the long run though, it is a
- good idea to change <parameter> PCFLAGS</parameter> and <parameter>
- PLCFLAGS</parameter> to allow run-time loading of libraries.
- You are going to need <application> libdl</application>, or a
- similar dynamic loader. To add support for an exotic dynamic
- loader, have a look at <filename> include/modules_core.h
- </filename>. Currently supported implementations include the
- UNIX dynamic loader and the BeOS image loader.
- </para> </listitem>
-
- <listitem> <para> Assembling : If you use specific optimizations
- (such as MMX), you may have problem assembling files, because
- the assembler syntax may be different on your platform. Try
- without it at first. Pay attention to the optimization flags
- too, you may see a <emphasis>huge</emphasis> difference.
- </para> </listitem>
-
- </itemizedlist>
-
- <para>
-VLC should work both on little endian and big endian systems. All
-load operations should be aligned on the native size of the type, so
-that it works on exotic processors like Sparc or Alpha. It should
-work on 64-bit platforms, though it has not been optimized for it.
-A big boost for them would be to have a WORD_TYPE = u64 in <filename>
-include/input_ext-dec.h</filename>, but it is currently broken for
-unknown reasons.
- </para>
-
- <para>
-If you experience run-time problems, see the following appendix and
-pray for you to have <command> gdb</command>...
- </para>
-
- </sect1>
-
-</appendix>
projects / vlc / blobdiff