Python in Your Pocket: Python for S60
Matt Croydon
Introduction
- What is S60?
S60, formerly known as Series 60, is a smartphone platform built on top of Symbian OS.
- Why Python on S60?
Python allows developers to write useful applications with very few lines of code. Many standard libraries and APIs are available and virtually any C++ API can be wrapped in a Python extension. Because of this Python allows deeper access to phone features with less overhead than alternatives like J2ME or Symbian C++.
- PyS60 overview
- based on Python 2.2.2
- Apache 2.0 license
Getting Started
http://sourceforge.net/projects/pys60/
- Phone installer (.sis)
- SDK
- Source code
Jurgen Scheible's awesome mobilelin tutorial and videos
- Steve Litchfield's tutorial
Check the technical device specifications for the correct version to download for your phone.
appuifw Examples
Hello World:
import appuifw appuifw.note(u"Hello", 'info')
Input (simple popup):
name = appuifw.query(u'Enter your name', 'text')
PyS60 Advantages
easy to write
Native widgets
- Rapid application development
- wxPython-based compatability library
- remote bluetooth console
- easy to test on an actual device
Libraries
The entire Python Standard Library is not distributed with PyS60
Some highlights:
anydbm, math, md5, re, urllib, zlib
Many other pure-python libraries "just work" by copying the pure python libs (and any dependencies) from the python 2.2.2 source.
Some Available APIs
sysinfo: access information about the device (battery levels, memory information, etc.):
battery(), imei(), total.rom()
camera: modify camera settings and take pictures:
image = camera.take.photo()
graphics: create games and custom UIs
audio: play and record audio
More Available APIs
telephone: send an SMS:
telephone.dial('411')inbox: manipulate messages in your inbox
location: retrieve information about cel towers
contacts: access and change
Calendar API
Add, delete, modify:
now = time.time() cal = calendar.open() a = cal.add_appointment() a.content = 'urgent meeting' a.set_time(now, now) # start and end time a.commit()
From Series 60 snippets
Third Party APIs
PDIS (Personal Distributed Information Store)
- Jabber client/library, expat, xpath, iCal, others
- Nick Burch: webbrowser.py
- Symbian C++ extensions
PDIS also has a S60 compatability library that uses wxPython to emulate appuifw. This library makes initial application development very easy because apps can be roughed out on a desktop machine without having to code, send to device, load, test.
Nick also has some awesome Python for Series 60 apps and hacks including NMEA Info and log location.
Pure Python Libraries
Many pure python libraries "just work" with either the core PyS60 distribution or with the addition of required libraries from the Python 2.2.2 source.
- BeautifulSoup: mobile screen scraping
- Cryptography: Rijndael Blowfish 3DES
Distributing Applications
- When you send a .py file to the phone, it prompts you to install as a script or a library
- py2sis allows you to package your app and libraries in to an easy to install .sis file
What a Difference a Year Makes
Since PyCon last year:
- PyS60 has been open-sourced
- several new API hooks have been added
- apps are maturing
PyS60 Community
What Comes Next?
- mod_python + S60 = Crazy Delicious
- What about Symbian OS 9?
Note that apache + mod_python is an internal Nokia research product and is not available to the general public.
Questions - Slides
Questions?
Slides are available at
http://postneo.com/talks/pycon2006/
ReST source: