What is it?
-----------
This is a port of the Python 1.5.2+ interpreter to the PalmIII (PalmOS
3.0) platform.


Eliminated Features
-------------------

To reduce the size of the implementation, several features were eliminated
from the distribution.  

	float, complex objects
	file IO (stdio, stderr simulated)
	documentation strings
	parser, compiler
	python library modules
	extension modules



==========================================================
WARNING   WARNING  WARNING   WARNING  WARNING   WARNING   
==========================================================

The patches included in this distribution increase stack size from
4K to 6K to allow all_palm_tests.py to complete successfully.  This
can easily be overflowed in a python application by making recursive 
function calls.  Stack overflows will corrupt the memory of the Palm,
forcing a reset of the Palm system.  Test all applications on the desktop
using POSE or xcopilot before running on the Palm!  Before running
on the Palm, backup your system!  We expect to resolve this problem
with Stackless Python of Christian Tismer.

Building a Python application for the Palm III
==============================================

See INSTALL.PALM for instructions


Restrictions
------------

The file main.c in AppWrapper is the palm driver for a python
application.  Currently, its interaction with the PalmOS is very
limited.  Printing to stdout dumps output to the screen.  This can be
overcome with the addition of extension modules for interacting with
the PalmOS and these are planned for the near future.


Known problems
--------------

Stack size limitations - The stack has been increased to 6K, from 4K
so that the all_palm_tests.py in the test directory would complete
successfully.  Recursive Python function calls could overflow the
stack and corrupt memory, requiring a reset.  Test all applications
using POSE or xcopilot before porting to the pilot.

Dynamic Heap - Only dynamic heap memory is used and this is very
limited - 96K max for the Palm III, with approx 48K of usable space.


Contacts
--------

Jeff Collins (collins@seal.aero.org)
Michael Gorlick (gorlick@aero.org)

http://www.isr.uci.edu/projects/sensos/python/