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C and C++ development on S60

Open C and Open C++: platform-independent libraries let you do more

Open C and Open C++ bring well-known platform-independent libraries to the S60 platform, allowing S60 developers to take advantage of existing software components that are written in standard C or C++. Experienced S60 developers can port open-source components or code originally written for Linux or other operating systems to S60, for use in their S60 applications. This allows them to add new features and functions to their mobile applications quickly and efficiently.

Devlopers working with Symbian C++ can combine Open C, Open C++, and Symbian C++ as needed to create their applications. Open C and Open C++ libraries link to S60 applications like any other DLL, and do not circumvent Platform Security. For all developers, Open C and Open C++ can improve maintenance and quality assurance by making it possible to create a common cross-platform code base for shared components.

Open C is an optimized subset of POSIX and well-known middleware libraries that balance features, performance, and memory constraints. Open C is based on Symbian P.I.P.S. , which provides a set of POSIX libraries on the Symbian OS. The Open C library set includes:

  • libc: input/output routines, utility functions and memory management
  • libpthread: POSIX standard interface for thread management
  • libm: POSIX mathematical functions
  • libdl: POSIX library for loading DLL’s
  • libz: zlib compression library
  • libcrypt: encryption, decryption, password hashing
  • libcrypto: additional cryptographics services used in SSL, S/MIME, and other prototcols
  • libglib: data types and utility functions
  • libssl: SSL and TLS protocols

This selection of libraries and interfaces was based on studies of large scale open source projects such as Apache, Firefox, and GMplayer. Open C is supported on Nokia S60 devices based on S60 3rd Edition Feature Pack 2. For earlier Nokia 3rd Edition devices, Open C is available as an SDK plug-in for the S60 3rd Edition SDK for Symbian OS, for C++. The SDK, plug-in and more information about Open C are available through Forum Nokia: www.forum.nokia.com/openc »

Open C++ delivers the C++ Standard Template Library and iostream support to the S60 platform, offering more opportunities to leverage existing open source components written in C++. Open C++ also includes the well-known Boost libraries, a set of peer-reviewed portable C++ libraries that include smart pointers, containers and math functions. Open C++ will be available as an SDK plug-in for the S60 3rd Edition SDK for Symbian OS, for C++, by the end of 2008.