Python on Symbian
Part II
MIT 6.883
Spring 2007
Larry Rudolph
Pervasive Computing MIT 6.883 Spring 2007 Larry Rudolph
Goals
Mobile Communication: Finding your mate
Symbian (Python) GUI structure
Next P-Set
Pervasive Computing MIT 6.883 Spring 2007 Larry Rudolph
Finding a mate in a
static world
Given two people (or agents, processes)
Alice wants to send message to Bob
What if Alice does not know Bobs address?
Bob queries Alice
Bob publishes his address at known location
Alice posts her desire at known location
Alice goes through intermediary (mutual friend)
Pervasive Computing MIT 6.883 Spring 2007 Larry Rudolph
Alice and Bob have addresses. If Alice knows Bobs address, it is easy for the system to
route a message to him or to setup a circuit (physical, logical, or virtual). If Alice does not
know Bobs address, then there are several choices. (1) Bob can periodically query Alice if
she wants to chat. (2) Bob can publish his address in a place that Alice can find (Alice
needs to know some facts about Bob) (3) Alice can go through an intermediary (mutual
friend). (4) Alice can post her desire to talk to Bob at a well know location and hope that
Bob looks there.
There are examples of each one of these possibilities with computers today. Known IP
address, known DNS name, Chat rooms, and so on.
Finding a Mate in
Dynamic World
Fixed address, infrastructure maintains
dynamic route -- so how does it do it?
Similar, recursive problem
phone registers with tower and that info
is recorded in central database.
Updated each time switch to new tower
Static Locations -- via web
Polling is the key issue
Proximity
Pervasive Computing MIT 6.883 Spring 2007 Larry Rudolph
Lots of problems and issues. The phone network is always on, but not the internet (GPRS
or Wifi) because it is too expensive in terms of power.
Our choices
Telephone call -- not really
SMS message -- when is this good?
Internet (GPRS or Wifi)
Bluetooth
Pervasive Computing MIT 6.883 Spring 2007 Larry Rudolph
Server Code
import sys, socket
if len(sys.argv) < 2:
print "usage: socketserver <port>"
sys.exit(2)
# create the server socket
s = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
port = int(sys.argv[1])
# allow the socket to be re-used immediately after a close
s.setsockopt(socket.SOL_SOCKET, socket.SO_REUSEADDR, 1)
s.bind( ("0.0.0.0", port) )
s.listen(5)
# start the server socket
(client, address) = s.accept()
print "accepted connection from %s:%d" % (address[0], address[1])
while True:
data = client.recv(1024)
if len(data) == 0:
print "connection with %s closed." % address[0]
break
sys.stdout.write(data)
client.close()
Pervasive Computing MIT 6.883 SMA 5508 Spring 2006 Larry Rudolph
Client Code
import sys
import socket
if len(sys.argv) < 3:
print "usage: socketclient <address> <port>"
sys.exit(2)
s = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
s.connect( (sys.argv[1], int(sys.argv[2]) ) )
print "connected. type stuff."
while True:
data = sys.stdin.readline()
if len(data) == 0:
print "closing connection with server"
break
s.send(data)
Pervasive Computing MIT 6.883 SMA 5508 Spring 2006 Larry Rudolph
Publish & Subscribe
A major theme of mobile computing.
Pervasive Computing MIT 6.883 Spring 2007 Larry Rudolph
Proximity
(& Absolute Location)
Another major theme of mobile computing.
Pervasive Computing MIT 6.883 Spring 2007 Larry Rudolph
Symbian (Python) GUI
Structure
What are the choices?
Event loop: wait for event; if not relevant then
pass it on; otherwise, call routine to handle
the event
Very error prone (code bug freezes device)
Too much code to write
want help for typical cases
Pervasive Computing MIT 6.883 Spring 2007 Larry Rudolph
Event-Driven
Register callbacks or handlers for events
that can happen.
Callbacks run for short times.
If need longer, then do it in another thread
What is an event?
extensible?
How to register for event?
synchronization issues
Pervasive Computing MIT 6.883 Spring 2007 Larry Rudolph
It is like regular GUI systems, but with more restrictions.
Relevant Events?
Menu Selection (pull-down & popup)
Listbox Selection
Any key presses (down & up)
done via image manipulation
Time outs, Message Arrival, Phone Calls
Notification from other applications
Pervasive Computing MIT 6.883 Spring 2007 Larry Rudolph
SPy60 Approach
provide option for more usable screen area
great for prototyping.
Use default font & size; minor graphics
Pervasive Computing MIT 6.883 Spring 2007 Larry Rudolph
Symbian UI
Uikon is generic user
interface components
Product UI is S60 or UIQ
Product LAF: Look & Feel
None of this is relevant
to us now
Pervasive Computing MIT 6.883 Spring 2007 Larry Rudolph
Active Objects
If Symbian written
today, AOs would be
called listeners
Get called by
scheduler (have a
little bit of state)
Run to completion
then return to
scheduler
Event
Active Scheduler
AO
Charlie
Class Bob is AO
Run(event)
.....
Class Charlie is AO
Run(event)
......
AO Bob
Class Alice is AO
Run(event)
.......
AO Alice
Pervasive Computing MIT 6.883 Spring 2007 Larry Rudolph
Pythons AO
Previous discussion was for Symbian in general
Python hides the scheduler
but after setting up callbacks, just do a return
Can control AO by allocating an e32.Ao_lock()
and then doing wait() and signal() with this lock
Pervasive Computing MIT 6.883 Spring 2007 Larry Rudolph
Libraries for Nokia
appuifw: nokia ui interface
(UIQ is another ui but for Sony-Ericsson)
e32: symbian specific library
special purpose libraries:
graphics, e32db, audio, sysinfo, telephone,
contacts, location, camera, messaging, calendar
print (could be redirected to file, via e32._stdo)
with putools: comes to console
Pervasive Computing MIT 6.883 Spring 2007 Larry Rudolph
There are two main libraries. The first is the application user interface frame work
(appuifw).
Obviously, it contains all the user interface routines that are part of Nokias user interface.
There are other user interface frameworks, UIQ is the other famous one.
Using the screen
Appuifw contains an instance of the class
application, called app
appuifw.app.title = utitle of screen
appuifw.app.screen = normal # size
from appuifw import *
app.body = Text | Listbox | Canvas
app.menu = list of (title, callback)
app.set_tabs( list of tab names, callback)
Pervasive Computing MIT 6.883 Spring 2007 Larry Rudolph
import e32
import appuifw
class MyApp:
def __init__(self):
self.lock = e32.Ao_lock()
self.old_title = appuifw.app.title
appuifw.app.title = u"My Application"
self.exit_flag = False
appuifw.app.exit_key_handler = self.abort
appuifw.app.body = appuifw.Listbox([u"Loading..."], self.handle_modify)
appuifw.app.menu = [ (u"Add", self.handle_add), (u"Delete", self.handle_delete)]
def loop(self):
while not self.exit_flag:
self.refresh() # do any updates
self.lock.wait() # Let the active object scheduler do its thing
self.close()
def close(self):
appuifw.app.menu = []
appuifw.app.body = None
appuifw.app.exit_key_handler = None
appuifw.app.title = self.old_title
def abort(self):
# Exit-key handler.
self.exit_flag = True
self.lock.signal()
# loop code will now continue
# start here
ap = MyApp()
ap.loop()
# all done
# accepts an sms message, then forwards the contents to a web server,
# and returns an sms message with the reply
import e32, appuifw, inbox, messaging
import sendToServer
dns = "www.upcdatabase.com" # or rudolph.csail.mit.edu
handler = "bookland.asp"
# or 'SeenServer.py'
id = []
def callback(id_cb):
global id
id.append(id_cb)
Pervasive Computing MIT 6.883 Spring 2007 Larry Rudolph
inb = inbox.Inbox()
inb.bind(callback)
while True:
while len(id) == 0: e32.ao_sleep(10)
id_cb = id[0]
id.remove(id_cb)
address = inb.address(id_cb)
content = inb.content(id_cb)
fields = [ ('address',address), ('content',content)]
reply = sendToServer.post_multipart(dns,handler,fields)
messaging.sms_send(address,reply[:159])
Pervasive Computing MIT 6.883 Spring 2007 Larry Rudolph
P-Set 2
In-Class Voting
24
Another major theme of mobile computing.
Pervasive Computing MIT 6.883 Spring 2007 Larry Rudolph
Motivation: Lecturer would like to know if
students are following. Students can
continually rate current exposition via their
phones. Results appear on lecturers laptop
Part A:
install Python and tools
Handle text and keypress input
Part B:
bluetooth communication
tree-like voting among phones
Pervasive Computing MIT 6.883 Spring 2007 Larry Rudolph
