How to setup Fresh IDE in Linux and Windows
The upcoming version 3.0 of Fresh IDE will be fully portable, but until then, we have to use the Windows version of Fresh. The good news is that Fresh IDE runs like a charm in Wine.
So, now (since v2.0.5) we have a choice - whatever OS we choose we can develop applications for Linux and Windows, including editing, compiling, running and debugging. Of course we are talking about GUI applications.
Let's see how to setup the two variants:
I. Working in Windows
In order to run Linux native applications inside Windows, Fresh uses special Linux distribution - andLinux.
andLinux is complete Ubuntu distribution, that uses coLinux kernel in order to allow running of Linux inside Windows OS.
How to setup andLinux to work with Fresh?
Step 1. Download andLinux package from andLinux download page.
There are two packages: "KDE version" and "minimal/XFCE version" available. For using with Fresh IDE, it is not important what version you will choose.
KDE package is very big and very slow distribution that contains many bundled programs and tools, but in general you will not need them. The size of KDE package is 500MB download and 5GB installed.
The XFCE package is relatively smaller and faster. Relatively means 200MB downloaded file and 2GB installed on the disk.
It is obvious that the right choice is to use XFCE package.
Step 2. Run the downloaded setup file and answer to the different questions of the setup wizard.
The important features that we need are:
- coLinux version - choose the stable version (0.7.4 in my case) instead of latest (0.8.0) - we shall work with andLinux, not to play.
- Memory size - 256MB RAM (or maybe more - if you can afford it).
- Install XMing server on your primary screen.
- Sound - you can enable or disable sound in Linux option - it is harmless although it is one more running server.
- Startup type + Panel - select "run andLinux automatically as a NT service + use Windows shortcuts"; It is not very important, but can save you a little manual work and troubles later.
- andLinux login - just select your user name and password for Linux root.
- Windows File Access - it is important! - select "using CoFS", no matter it is not recommended.
* File Access Using CoFS - important! - create one new directory somewhere and select it to be mount via CoFS. This will be the shared directory, visible from Windows and from Linux in the same time.
All other features you can choose freely or simply leave them to default state.
When you start installation, the installer will try to install network driver. It is possible Windows will protest and will atempt to mislead you by asking to not install not certified driver. You must ignore these attempts and firmly click "install".
After installation of andLinux you have to restart Windows and probably andLinux will not run. :D It is because of the Windows firewall. All new network adapters are firewalled by default. As long as installed adapter (named TAP-Colinux) is virtual and local, you will not need any firewall so, go to control panel/Windows firewall/Advanced and uncheck "TAP-Colinux" adapter from the list of adapters.
Then you can run some Linux program - in the Windows tray, there is a andLinux menu icon that have shortcuts to several Linux programs.
Step 3. Install several additional Linux tools. You will need additionally debugger and come decent terminal emulator. I choose xterm for terminal, because it is small and white by default. ;) You can choose to use the built-in terminal named in the simple Linux manner: "xfce4-terminal" and console debugger "gdb". In this case you have skip this step.
Start "Synaptic" - package manager for Ubuntu from the tray menu. You have to enter root password you choose on install.
When Synaptic is started, click "Reload" to refresh the package list from the network and then use search to locate needed programs. I personally recommend "xterm" as terminal and "ddd" as a GUI front end to "gdb".
Well, I recommend "ddd" only because it is only Linux debugger that I was able to run under andLinux and able to show disassembled code of the program.
Mark selected programs for install, click on Apply button and wait until downloading and installation.
Here you can encounter only one problem - your computer is behind a proxy server.
If the proxy is normal proxy, you simply have to set its address and port in the Synaptic preferences and it should work.
Completely another story is when the proxy is MS ISA server configured with NTLM user authorization.
Most Linux programs can't work with such authorization and Synaptic is not an exception.
Fortunately, there is a workaround of this situation. You need ntlmaps authorization proxy server.
Setting up of this server is out of the scope of this article. On the ntlmaps home page you can read complete documentation and explanations.
OK, we are ready with andLinux. Now you have working copy of Ubuntu inside your Windows box.
It's time to configure Fresh to run Linux applications inside andLinux. Continue with:
Step 4. Fresh IDE configuration.
Run Fresh and open "Options|IDE options" dialog. Select "Debuggers and Emulators" page.
Then select following directories and commands:
- "andLinux directory" - the directory where you installed andLinux.
- "andLinux shared directory" - shared directory you selected during andLinux installation.
- "Linux debugger" - Enter "ddd" (or whatever debugger you choose).
- "Linux terminal" - Enter "xterm -hold +mesg -e" - note the options.
And voila! You finished the configuration!
Now you can load the source of some Linux program (look at Fresh examples) and run it with shift+F9 or load it in the debugger with shift+F8.
Fresh will detect when you compiled ELF executable and will run it in andLinux instead of Windows.
II. Working in Linux
Working in Linux needs Wine installation. Fresh is tested with v1.2 and 1.3 and works great. You can skip some steps if they are already set.
Step 1. Install Wine - use whatever package manager is good for you. In the "Wine configuration|Graphics" panel, uncheck the option "Allow the window manager to decorate the windows".
Step 2. Install Fresh IDE v2.0.5 or newer - you can use the installation package or ZIP archive. It is better (at least for v2.0.5) to install it in "c:\" but you can put it at whatever place you like.
Step 3. Install whatever debugger you will use for Linux applications and OllyDbg for Windows applications. (OllyDbg works in Wine).
For Linux, personally I prefer EDB but any other is OK if you prefer.
Step 4. Run Fresh IDE and if some paths are not set properly, set them manually in "Options|IDE options" menu. You will need at least following directory aliases: "Fresh", "finc" and "lib" - set them respectively to fresh main directory, fresh "include" directory and "freshlib" directory, both located in Fresh main directory. (As a rule, there is an auto setup of these paths, so you don't to have to make it manually, but sometimes the algorithm fails) In order to work with FASM examples and programs, you can set manually "include" or any other alias (environment variable) you prefer.
Step 5. Set the external tools needed:
In "Options|IDE options|Debuggers and emulators" leave "andLinux directory" and "andLinux shared directory" fields empty.
Set "Linux debugger" field to binary file of the debugger you prefer. Add the needed options to the line as well. For example, in my settings "Linux debugger"="z:/usr/bin/edb --run"
Set "Linux terminal" to preferred terminal. For example "z:/usr/bin/xterm -hold +mesg".
Set "Win32 external debugger" to OllyDbg. In my case: "c:\Program files\OllyDebugger\Ollydbg.exe"
All paths must be "dos style" (Wine maps Linux file system to device z:).
Step 6. Try to compile and run some test applications both for Windows and Linux. Ctrl+F9 should compile, Shift+F9 should run the application and Shift+F8 should load it in the respective debugger. The type of the application should be automatically determined.
NOTE:The only known problem (for v2.0.5) is that the first time compiled ELF is not set to be executable. So, you will get "access denied" message on run. The workaround is to set the permissions manually from the file manager, or console "chmod" command. It is one time procedure - the following compilations, runs and debugs should work properly.