I've posted about this before and I feel like a real *****, but I still don't get it.

Here's the specific example: I want to modify mTasks to work more to my liking. I'm a software engineer and the changes are pretty simple, so I'm not expecting problems actually doing the development. The problem is setting up beforehand.

I checked out the code onto my (64 bit) Ubuntu desktop. But I can't run the code due to python-osso being missing. It's not in the Ubuntu repositories.

According to the PyMaemo pages, I can install python-osso by first installing scratchbox and then jumping through a bunch of hoops. I can do that, I guess, if it's required. But another page says if I only need scratchbox if I'm developing in C. Which is it?

I can't seem to find a simple, consistent set of instructions for how to get set up to do python development for the N810.

If you're just modifying an existing python app, install it on your tablet and make the changes there. A few of us actually do all of our development on-device.

You can also use ssh to connect to your device and edit the code on your desktop and then run it on the device. The Ubuntu Gnome desktop can even connect to your tablet using the "connect to server" in the Places menu, and then you can browse and edit the files like a local drive.

But, yeah, if you want to develop entirely on a desktop machine, and only move to the device when you've got a finished package, you'll probably want the SDK (ie scratchbox) to emulate the Maemo environment.

If you don't want to install scratchbox, you can do python development right on N810. Use ssh or sshfs do edits directly.

If you want develop on PC, install scratchbox.

Personally I'd edit the code on a PC (with a large screen) then copy the .py file back in place and run it on the device.

The osso stuff (and hildon for that matter) is Maemo-specific.

What changes are you planning to make out of interest? I was about to start hacking on mTasks too.

@drysdam: If you don't mind Eclipse, just go for PluThon. No scratchbox, yes for desktop IDE, osso stuff and on-device development.

I'd like 3 main changes:

1) I want to be able to launch mTasks by clicking on the home applet. (I also want the mCalendar home applet to work like this.)

2) I want the home applet to show only those tasks that occur on or before today.

3) When I add a new item, I'd like it to be the "current" item to be edited, instead of having to scroll down to the bottom.

This has been my experience developing for maemo too. Figuring out how to get started is a cluster****.

Everything is documented, it is true, but you just can't find it. Not only because its senselessly buried, but also because you don't know that you even HAVE to look for it in the first place.

Ditto - trying to get Maemo SDK up and running with ESBox on Ubuntu 9.10 has been one of the most painful experiences to date.

As a WinTel C++ developer I probably had a steeper hill to climb, moving to Linux. However there will be a lot of potential developers coming the same route and I reckon most will be put off.

The documenation is very poor for the SDKs as well, with most links etc leading off to different sites.

I even find the example templates in ESBox to be out of date and in need of fixing before they will execute.

Even now I cannot be sure that the SDK is running 100% as various errors etc show up when the af-sb-init.sh start script is executed.

There's a new Python installer available that provides a UI to help with the install of the SDK which does seem to be moving in the right direction.

Anyone managed to get OpenGL to work on the x86 Sandbox ?

I second that!

At least I just managed to get ESBox up and running but with many warnings and errors showing up.

The "Hello World" example in ESBox compiled, started Scratchbox and launched Xephyr showing the Maemo Desktop - still flooding the console with errors and warnings. At the moment I can't tell them apart whether they are real, important or just annoying - well, time will tell I hope.

Example is almost working, "Hello World", menu is registered but the menu button handler isn't working. Don't know for now but probably the example is just too old...

Daniel

Since you're already on Ubuntu, if you like to develop at your desk, just do the following:

sudo apt-get install python-hildon python-hildondesktop

That should bring in everything you need.

Like others have said, ssh and sshfs are great if you want to code on the desktop and test on the tablet.