SIBO 'C' Software Development Kit WORKABOUT PROGRAMMING GUIDE Version 2.30 March 1, 1999 (C) Copyright Psion PLC 1991-98 All rights reserved. This manual and the programs referred to herein are copyrighted works of Psion PLC, London, England. Reproduction in whole or in part, including utilization in machines capable of reproduction or retrieval, without express written permission of Psion PLC, is prohibited. Reverse engineering is also prohibited. The information in this document is subject to change without notice. Psion and the Psion logo are registered trademarks, and Psion, Psion MC, Psion HC, Psion Series 3, Psion Series 3a, Psion Series 3a, Psion Siena and Psion Workabout are trademarks of Psion PLC. TopSpeed is a registered trademark of Clarion Software Corporation. IBM, IBM XT and IBM AT are registered trademarks of International Business Machines Corp. Microsoft and MS-DOS are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. Apple and Macintosh are registered trademarks of Apple Computer Inc. VAX and VMS are registered trademarks of Digital Equipment Corporation. Brief is a registered trademark of Underware Inc. Psion PLC acknowledges that some other names referred to are registered trademarks. Contents 1 Introduction to the Workabout................................................................................................ 1-1 Switching on and off ................................................................................................ 1-1 Switching on for the first time.................................................................................. 1-1 Startup SSD ............................................................................................................. 1-2 The basic hardware ......................................................................................................... 1-2 Processor.................................................................................................................. 1-3 Internal memory....................................................................................................... 1-3 Solid state disks (SSDs)............................................................................................ 1-3 Expansion modules .................................................................................................. 1-3 Communications ports.............................................................................................. 1-4 The Holster .............................................................................................................. 1-4 The Workabout Docking Station (Cradle) ................................................................ 1-4 Power supply............................................................................................................ 1-4 The fuse ................................................................................................................... 1-6 Caution regarding lithium batteries .......................................................................... 1-6 Screen ...................................................................................................................... 1-6 Keyboard.................................................................................................................. 1-7 Buzzer...................................................................................................................... 1-8 The basic software........................................................................................................... 1-8 Versions of the Workabout software......................................................................... 1-8 ROM components..................................................................................................... 1-9 Command Processor................................................................................................. 1-9 System Screen and PIM applications ........................................................................ 1-9 Resetting the Workabout................................................................................................. 1-10 Soft reset .................................................................................................................. 1-10 Hard reset................................................................................................................. 1-10 Cold reset................................................................................................................. 1-10 What happens after a reset........................................................................................ 1-10 Customising the Workabout ............................................................................................ 1-10 Hardware customisation ........................................................................................... 1-10 Software customisation............................................................................................. 1-11 Connecting to other computers........................................................................................ 1-11 Hardware connection................................................................................................ 1-11 Software connection ................................................................................................. 1-11 2 Writing Software for the Workabout...................................................................................... 2-1 Basic programming choices............................................................................................. 2-1 Standard C (CLIB) or Psion C (PLIB) ...................................................................... 2-1 Writing the user interface......................................................................................... 2-2 Synchronous or asynchronous processing ................................................................. 2-2 Customisation options..................................................................................................... 2-3 Replacing the Startup Shell ...................................................................................... 2-3 Replacing the Command Processor........................................................................... 2-4 Replacing the System Screen.................................................................................... 2-4 Adding System Screen applications.......................................................................... 2-4 Supplying an autoexec file........................................................................................ 2-5 Programming guidelines ................................................................................................. 2-6 Some consequences of not running under the System Screen .................................... 2-6 Data integrity........................................................................................................... 2-6 Add-files .................................................................................................................. 2-7 No access to WLD: or ALM: .................................................................................... 2-7 WORKABOUT PROGRAMMING GUIDE Programming examples................................................................................................... 2-8 The Tables application ............................................................................................. 2-8 The Lcdtest application ............................................................................................ 2-10 Workabout specific environment variables ...................................................................... 2-10 S$SVER................................................................................................................... 2-10 C$P@ ...................................................................................................................... 2-10 C$PA to C$PZ.......................................................................................................... 2-11 C$P£ ........................................................................................................................ 2-11 C$P$ ........................................................................................................................ 2-11 Error! Not a valid heading level in TOC entry on page 1 Command Processor menus...................................................................................... 3-1 Font sizes and zoom settings .................................................................................... 3-2 Batch file processing ................................................................................................ 3-3 Launching programs ................................................................................................ 3-3 Synchronous and asynchronous programs................................................................. 3-4 Terminating programs.............................................................................................. 3-4 The command line editor.......................................................................................... 3-5 Pausing the screen display........................................................................................ 3-6 Running multiple System Interfaces ......................................................................... 3-6 Files and directories .......................................................................................................