Setting up a development environment (Windows)

Set up a compiler

There are various ways how to get a working development environment under Windows. The easiest one is on top.

A (lazy person's guide): Prebuilt developer package

If you use Windows 2K or Windows XP and just want a quick set-up, you can use this section to get a minimum developer system:

Two options are available:

1. The Gamepark Holdings Software Developer's Kit

Available from Gamepark at: http://dev.gp2x.com/sdk/gp2xsdk_windows.zip

This kit includes the Bloodshed devC++ integrated development environment, GCC versions for both gp2x native and MS-Windows native executables, and copies of the Linux version 2.4.25 libraries. It will compile gp2x native code for executables using shared libraries in addition to the static library form.

2. The devkitGP2X described below.

• Download: gp2x devpack (31.1MB). Unzip the devkitGP2X directory into your root directory. It contains the latest development libraries (hardware accelerated SDL, Allegro, etc).
• If you chose a development directory other than \devkitGP2X, you will need to correct the paths in bin\arm-linux-sdl-config and demo\Makefile.
• Add the bin directories to your path. Click on Start->Settings->Control Panel, open System->Advanced->Environmnet Variables, select PATH and add C:\devkitGP2X\bin;C:\devkitGP2X\minsys\bin; to your path.
• This set-up includes devkitGP2X (cross compiler tools), SDL (library), MinSys (make and GNU commands). It does not include a debugger or a Windows compiler.
• To test your setup, run a Demo Program

B (standard): Using the pre-built SDK devkitGP2X

Basics

The most common way to develop software for the GP2X is C/C++ and SDL. It is also possible to access the hardware directly using C/C++ and/or ARM ASM/Thumb.

We'll go the -use-a-prebuilt-sdk-with-sdl- route here first.

Download the user guide

Get the GP2X User Guide and hit the section titled "Developing for the GP2X introduction" (page 39). Follow those instructions.

Installing MinSys and setting PATH

Install MinSys and set the enviroment variables as described here.

Test the demo program

You might want to use the Demo Program and the demo program you download per the Users Guide.

Environment Example

Here is an example of setting up a IDE-less Environment in Windows using devkitGP2X, MinGW and MSys and using a simple text editor like Notepad.

C (easy, unless you want to customize it): Using andLinux as Linux under Windows

andLinux is a native, Ubuntu based Linux distribution that runs in Windows and is designed for development. Linux applications run seamlessly in Windows so they look and feel like Windows applications. You can run any Linux development toolkit without the performance issues of running an emulated Linux system. It requires no configuration, partitioning, rebooting, dedicating a machine or any of the other complications when running Linux and Windows.

See the page AndLinux for instructions.

D (incredibly overcomplicated): Build your own GCC Environment

See Building your own GCC environment.

Using an IDE

Using Visual C++ 2005 Express Edition

See Using Visual C 2005 Express Edition.

Using Dev-C++

See Using Devcpp

Using CodeBlocks

See Using CodeBlocks