Compiler option "--device"

I have made a simple datafield and compiled it using the option "--device round_watch" and and made another prg using "--device fr935". I don't see any difference when using the simulator but the files size for the 935 is 800 bytes bigger. Does anyone know what kind of differences to expect when using version A or B? :confused:

A: Birdie Datafield for Round Watches
B: Birdie Datafield for Forerunner 935

travis.vitek over 7 years ago

The round_watch profile is a 218x218 device with ConnectIQ 2.2.1 support for use with the simulator. The fr935 profile is a 240x240 configuration with ConnectIQ 2.3.3 support for a physical device... Don't nit-pick the details. One file is bigger than the other for good reason.

Travis

jim_m_58 over 7 years ago

The 'generics" like "round watch", "tall watch", and "square watch" will or have gone away (based on the SDK). They really aren't needed. You want to have the actual targets defined, as that's how things are built for the .iq and uploading to the store, etc.

round watch used to be f3 like devices, that were 218x218 and had the same fonts,etc, but "round" today is different resolutions, different fonts, some are ciq 1.x, others ciq 2.x, etc. So "round watch" as a target is kind of meaningless for something like this today.

PUFFOLINO over 7 years ago

Don't worry, I won't start to decode the prg content to hack it :o

I just started to do a first datafield program (as seen in the first posting) and did not know to compile it specially for the forerunner 935. Anyhow the wrong "round_watch only" result worked well on my Forerunner. I found the fr935 compiler option by accident some days later.

jim_m_58 over 7 years ago

If you went with "round watch" only, you'd not be able to build a .iq for the app store. I know in Eclipse you get a compiler warning if you use it (at least last time I tried).

A .prg can be written so it's pretty much device independent. One difference is with bitmaps, as the depth could be different as well as a the palette. (I've sideloaded the va-hr version of a .prg on a fr 230 and it ran fine but the colors in bitmaps are all wrong). If you use bitmaps, that alone could account for the size difference. the 935 has 64 colors, and the generic "round watch" probably assumes 16 colors.

Coleman.Apps over 7 years ago

Hello,

Jim is correct on multiple points here. First, the generic devices will be going away. Second it is possible that a "round_watch" built prg will run, but you will have differences. The 64 vs 16 colors example is a perfect illustration of this. The store will not accept generic devices and needs an IQ file that has PRGs for each device you want to support. I hope that helps to clarify a few things.

Thanks,
-Coleman