Required Hardware & Software

This topic covers what hardware and software you will need to install the Software Reference Platform. It also includes the requirements for creating custom applications on the iPAQ with the use of the Board Support Package. You should probably start by reading this section to make sure you have the right tools to install the demo and development software.


 
Part 1: Installation & Uninstallation

 
An Introduction to the iPAQ Reference Platform

This topic will explain the process of embedding and booting QNX on an iPAQ. This includes a brief discussion about what the installation process is actually doing to your iPAQ and the hardware limitations which are important to embedded developers. Feel free to read this if your unfamiliar with terms such as bootloaders, flash, images or embedded file systems.


 
Configuring a Terminal for Serial Connections

You should be familiar with using a terminal program to do installations and upgrades to your iPAQ. This topic will give you detailed steps on how to connect to a remote device using a terminal program in Windows and QNX.


 
Installing QNX's iPAQ Reference Platform
[Approximately 1.5 Hours]

This topic will give you detailed steps on how to back up the existing iPAQ operating system and how to "burn" a new image onto your iPAQ's internal flash. This is a persistent installation which will remain even after a hardware reset. With the copy of your original operating system, you will be able to restore the iPAQ to its original state.


 
Upgrading the iPAQ Image
[Approximately 1/2 Hour]

This topic explains how to upgrade an iPAQ which has the Software Reference Platform installed into the internal flash. The process of updating can be substantially shorter than the original installation.


 
Restoring the Original iPAQ Operating System
[Approximately 1.5 Hours]

This topic covers the steps taken to restore an iPAQ to its original operating system. This requires that you have a copy of the original flash image.


 
Part 2: Development

 
A Basic User's Guide

This is the basic user's guide. It explains the system application and user interface on the QNX iPAQ Software Reference Platform. This also explains the ideas behind the service bar, the application control buttons and the input system for defining data.


 
Starting Cross Platform Development

This topic will attempt to give you insight into the process of developing for the iPAQ. This includes sample commands and configurations which may be useful to develop your own software or experiment with the internals of the iPAQ Reference Platform.


 
Remote Access and Debugging

This topic is a crash course in accessing remote devices on the QNX operating system. For new QNX developers, it is an essential quick start to remote development. The techniques in this section are directly applicable to every day QNX development.


 
Installing Applications and Sounds

This topic explains how to install applications onto the iPAQ. It also briefly explains how to add sounds to the ipaq-beep service. At this time this process is not automated, and involves some basic editing of configuration files.