EPOC OPL 开发介绍(Technology Computer English)

Introduction
The Symbian EPOC operating system is a powerful
platform for the development of palmtop and wireless
applications. It's robust object orientated architecture makes
efficient use of the reduced processing power and memory
available on portable devices.
The developer has three options with which to exploit
EPOCs power, OPL, Java and C++. Each language provides
the ability to develop and deliver fully featured robust
applications, however each language involves a compromise
between the access to EPOC functionality, performance and
development time.
OPL is a Basic like language that appeared on the Psion
Organiser in 1991. It's subsequent implementation on the
Psion Series 3 created a loyal following because of it's
power, ease of use and the fact that programs could be
developed directly on the Series 3. OPL migrated to the
EPOC operating system and has been used to develop a wide
range of applications.
OPL is the obvious choice where development time
needs to be minimised, optimal performance is not critical
and direct access to all of EPOCs functionality is not essential.
However despite it's limitations OPL is capable of delivering
rich and functional applications.
The Development Process
The process of developing an OPL program or application
can consist of simply writing, translating and running
the code directly on your EPOC machine. However the
production of a fully featured application is a little more
involved.
(The distinction between a program and an application
is really whether an Icon appears on the Extras bar, similar
to the Windows Start menu, from which the application can
be run. A program can only be run by finding and executing
the compiled code.)
The process of developing an application has five elements:
简介
在开发Palm和无线应用程序时，Symbian EPOC操作系
统是一个强大的开发平台。它强大的面向对象体系结构使得
开发者可以更加高效地利用便携式设备上相对较差的处理能
力和存储空间。
要利用EPOC 的强大威力，开发者有三种语言可供选
择：OPL、Java 和C++，这三种语言都可以用于开发功能
完善、坚固可靠的应用程序。但是，在EPOC的功能、效率
和开发时间三个方面，这三种语言作出了各自不同的权衡
选择。
OPL是一种类似于Basic的语言，它的第一次亮相是1991
年在Psion Organiser 上。OPL 在Psion Series 3 上的实现版
本为它造就了一大批的忠实拥趸，因为它不仅强大、易用，
而且可以直接在Series 3 上进行开发。随后，OPL被移植到
EPOC 操作系统上，并被大量应用于应用程序的开发中。
当开发者需要尽可能缩短开发时间，并且不要求很高的
性能、不需要访问EPOC所有的功能时，OPL就是最合适的
选择。而且，尽管有一定的局限性，OPL实际上还是可以用
于开发功能相当丰富的应用程序的。
开发过程
开发OPL 程序或者应用的过程非常简单：只需编写代
码、进行翻译、然后直接在EPOC机器上运行翻译得到的代
码即可。不过，要开发功能齐全的应用程序就会稍微复杂一
些了。
（“程序”和“应用”两者的区别其实很小：应用的图标
会出现在类似于Windows“开始菜单”的“特殊工具栏”上，
可以通过点击图标来运行应用；而要运行一个程序，则必须
找到编译后的代码，再执行它。）
开发一个应用需要下列五个步骤：
u 编写并测试OPL 代码；
u 准备资源文件（主要用于多语言版本）；

 u writing and testing the OPL code
upreparing a resource file (primarily for multiple lingual
versions)
udeveloping and packaging bit map icons or other
graphical program elements
uwriting the help documentation
upackaging the final application in an installation file.
The Future of OPL
OPL is currently a core element of the EPOC operating
system and will be included in the Crystal DFRD when
EPOC release 6 is launched. However this is not a guarantee
that OPL will be available on all future EPOC devices, as
it's delivery (as with any EPOC application) will be determined
by the licensee. The Psion Revo, for example, does
not include the OPL development environment (although the
run time is present).
Currently it is likely that OPL will be absent from the
Pearl and Quartz DFRD's, if only because these devices
form factor does not readily facilitate the intensity of text
editing necessary for application development. However
Symbian may include an OPL runtime in these DFRD's.
So while OPL provides an easy entry point to EPOC
development it may not provide a practical platform for
commercial application development if only because OPL
applications may not be deployable on all future EPOC
devices.
Even so OPL provides a useful tool in the EPOC
development armoury. The basics can be mastered in a few
days and advanced development can be achieved in less than
a month. Applications can be developed with relative speed
and ideas trailed before transferring to either Java or C++.
What Next?
Hopefully this article has given you some insight into
the how the OPL works. If you wish to explore OPL
further the following is recommended:
uregister with the Symbian Developer Network and
download the OPL SDK
udownload a copy of the Resource file tutorial (also
from the Symbian Developer site), which contains a useful
example program illustrating the principal of event
programming, use of OPXs and OPMs as well as (obviously)
resource files.
u 开发并打包位图图标或其他图形程序元素；
u 编写帮助文档；
u 将最终的应用打包到安装文件中。
OPL 的前景
现在，OPL 已经是EPOC 操作系统的核心元素之一了。
到EPOC 6 发布时，OPL 将被包含进Crystal 设备系列参考
设计（DFRD）中。但是，无法保证所有的EPOC 设备上都
可以使用OPL。和所有的EPOC应用程序一样，是否安装OPL
也是由EPOC 执照拥有者来决定的。例如，Psion Revo就没
有提供OPL 开发环境（但仍然提供了运行时环境）。
目前看来，Pearl和Quartz系列产品将有可能不提供OPL
开发环境，除非它们能提供应用开发所必须的简便的文本编
辑功能。但是，Symbian 有可能在这些系列产品中提供OPL
的运行时环境。
因此，尽管OPL 提供了EPOC 开发的一个轻松的入口，
但它很可能无法提供商用软件开发所需的实用平台，因为
OPL 应用程序有可能无法发布到将来的某些EPOC 设备上。
即便如此，OPL 仍然为EPOC的开发工具箱提供了一件
有用的工具。开发者可以在几天之内掌握OPL的基础，达到
较高的开发水准也只需不到一个月的时间。使用OPL，你可
以更快地开发出想要的应用程序；而如果使用Java 或者
C++，也许在你想到如何实现它以前，灵感就已经溜走了。
还有什么？
希望本文能让你对OPL有所了解。如果你想更深入地探
索OPL，我建议你：
u在Symbian开发者网站上注册，然后下载OPL软件开
发包；
u 下载一份“资源文件教程”（在Symbian 开发者网站
上也可以找到），其中有一个很有用的范例程序，展示了事
件编程、OPX 和OPM 的使用、以及（当然了）资源文件的
使用方法。