Updated Linux-Android HOWTO from Guido Gonzato

Hello Martin,

I've been lurking on the discuss list and have fixed the text following some
suggestions I received.

Please find attached the final version of my proposed Howto; I hope it's going
to be accepted.

All the best,
Guido =8-)

LDP/inprogress/Linux-Android-HOWTO.sgml

@@ -55,14 +55,31 @@ OS X only, but a GNU/Linux system is perfectly capable of interacting
 with Android devices. With a bit of hacking, as usual.
 
 <p>
-In the following, I will share a few tricks I have collected. I work
+In the following, I will share a few tricks I have collected:
-on a GNU/Linux Mint box, but I'll try and be distribution-agnostic.
-I'll concentrate on Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) whenever
-possible, and I'll take standard, unrooted Android devices into
-account. By the way: ``rooting'' means tweaking your Andbox to gain
-root permissions, as you would do in Linux with <tt>sudo</tt>.
-``Unrooted'' means ``not tweaked''.
 
+<itemize>
+  
+  <item> using the Android Debug Bridge;
+  <item> understanding and using the Android file system;
+  <item> installing programs from other markets;
+  <item> copying and syncing files and directories;
+  <item> backing up stuff;
+  <item> using a terminal emulator;
+  <item> compiling native command-line programs;
+  <item> remote control to/from Android;
+  <item> and more.
+
+</itemize>
+
+<p>
+I work on a GNU/Linux Mint box, but I'll try and be
+distribution-agnostic. I'll concentrate on Free and Open Source
+Software (FOSS) whenever possible, and I'll take standard, unrooted
+Android devices into account. By the way: ``rooting'' means tweaking
+your Andbox to gain root permissions, as you would do in Linux with
+<tt>sudo</tt>. ``Unrooted'' means ``not tweaked''.
+
+<p>
 Since Android is very fragmented (hey, it's Linux after all!) and
 several versions are available, I'll just provide information that is
 applicable to what I own: Android 4.0.4, 4.1.1, and 5.0.1 on ARM
@@ -207,6 +224,7 @@ edit the file:
 /etc/udev/rules.d/50-android.rules
 </verb></tscreen>
 
+<p>
 (create a new file if it's missing) and add this line:
 
 <tscreen><verb>
@@ -525,7 +543,8 @@ suggestions are:
   
   <p>
   is a ``real'' keyboard that provides arrow keys, Esc, Alt, Ctrl, and
-  so on. Released under the Apache License 2.0.
+  so on; you really can't do without it if you plan to use a terminal
+  emulator. Released under the Apache License 2.0. 
   
   <item>Ghost Commander:
   
@@ -553,7 +572,8 @@ emulator and BusyBox, <htmlurl url="http://www.busybox.net/"
 name="http://www.busybox.net/">. The latter is a single executable
 that provides the functionality of several commands that you normally
 expect to find in any self-respecting Unix box, but that are missing
-in Android.
+in Android. <tt>cp</tt> and <tt>tar</tt> are the first that spring to
+mind.
 
 <p>
 In Section <ref id="terminals" name="Terminal Emulators and Shells">
@@ -628,18 +648,20 @@ An Andbox can easily share its installed programs with another
 device, provided that the Android versions are compatible. All you
 need is Ghost Commander.
 
+<p>
 From the ``Home'' position, select ``Applications'' to get a list of
 installed <tt>.apk</tt>s ; click on the one you want and copy it to a
 standard folder (say, <tt>/mnt/sdcard</tt>.) From this location, long
 press on the program <tt>.apk</tt> and select ``Send To...''. Now
 select Bluetooth, which is probably the easiest way to send the APK to
 Alice; or choose another method from Section <ref id="copying"
-name="Copying Files"> below.
+name="Copying Files"> below. If your device refuses to send a
+<tt>.apk</tt> file via Bluetooth, just rename or zip it before sending
+it, then unpack it or rename it back on the new device.
 
 <p>
-If your device refuses to send a <tt>.apk</tt> file via Bluetooth,
+From within the Ghost Commander, tap on the <tt>.apk</tt> file to
-just rename or zip it before sending it, then unpack it or rename it
+install the program. When done, you can delete the <tt>.apk</tt>.
-back on the new device.
 
 <!-- - - - -->
 
@@ -1057,8 +1079,8 @@ the same.
 
 <p>
 If you need a more complete command-line experience, you will also
-want to install a command-line environment like KBOX, ZShaolin or
+want to install a command-line environment like KBOX, ZShaolin,
-Terminal IDE:
+Terminal IDE, or Termux:
 
 <itemize>
 
@@ -1091,12 +1113,13 @@ Terminal IDE:
   <htmlurl url="http://www.spartacusrex.com/terminalide.htm"
   name="http://www.spartacusrex.com/terminalide.htm">
   
+  <p>
   It's a very complete Linux-like command-line environment. It's
   focused on development, providing Vim, <tt>gcc</tt>, <tt>mc</tt>,
   <tt>ssh</tt>, and loads of software. Once installed, it gives you
   the option ``Install System'' to install additional components,
   including the <tt>bash</tt> shell.
-
+  
 </itemize>
 
 <p>
@@ -1110,6 +1133,31 @@ that you install Terminal IDE: it provides a very Linux-like
 experience. If you're short on storage, I suggest that you install
 KBOX: it's a very good compromise.
 
+Users of Android 5 and later versions may want to install an
+alternative terminal emulator called Termux:
+
+<p>
+<htmlurl url="https://termux.com/" name="https://termux.com/">
+  
+<p>
+It's very nice and self-contained, i.e. it does not need KBOX or
+another command-line environment. Additional software can be installed
+simply using apt (Debian users, does that ring a bell?):
+
+<tscreen>
+<verb>
+$ gcc
+The program 'gcc' is not installed. Install it by executing:
+  apt install gcc
+$ ...
+</verb>
+</tscreen>
+
+<p>
+Termux is released under GPLv3, but some add-ons are available for a
+small fee.  
+
+
 <!-- - - - -->
 
 <sect1>Installing KBOX
@@ -1316,9 +1364,9 @@ url="http://arachnoid.com/android/SSHelper/"
 name="http://arachnoid.com/android/SSHelper/">
 
 <p>
-Since it runs on
+Since it runs on unrooted devices, it uses the port 2222 instead of
-unrooted devices, it uses the port 2222 instead of the standard port
+the standard port 22; i.e., to connect to it from the Linux terminal
-22; i.e., to connect to it from the Linux terminal you will do:
+you will do:
 
 <tscreen>
 <verb>
@@ -1386,6 +1434,7 @@ toolchains/arm-linux-androideabi-4.9/prebuilt/linux-x86/bin/
 contains prebuilt binaries: include that directory in the
 <tt>$PATH</tt>.
 
+<p>
 The compiler is called <tt>arm-linux-androideabi-gcc</tt>. You use it
 instead of <tt>gcc</tt> to compile Android binaries. In general, all
 binutils have a <tt>arm-linux-androideabi-</tt> prefix.
@@ -1441,7 +1490,12 @@ Linux:~$ _
 Beware: Android 5.* has better security policies and will not allow
 running programs from <tt>/data/local/tmp</tt>, or even accessing that
 directory. From the terminal, you'll have to copy the compiled
-programs elsewhere. For instance, using KBOX:
+programs to a directory where you have write and execute permissions.
+Beware: you will have to copy files in the blind, specifying their
+exact names, no wildcards allowed!
+
+<p>
+For instance, using KBOX:
 
 <tscreen>
 <verb>
@@ -1451,13 +1505,13 @@ kbox$ cp /android_root/data/local/tmp/hello .
 kbox$ ls
 hello
 kbox$ ./hello
-hello, workd!
+hello, world!
 kbox$ _
 </verb>
 </tscreen>
 
 <p>
-A remarkable list of command-line programs can be compiled for
+A remarkable list of command-line programs can be easily compiled for
 Android. Among others, I ported the Bywater BASIC interpreter:
 
 <p>
@@ -1465,7 +1519,13 @@ Android. Among others, I ported the Bywater BASIC interpreter:
 name="http://sourceforge.net/projects/bwbasic/">
 
 <p>
-the C version of the e3 text editor: 
+(minor tweaks were needed: I added <tt>-DHAVE_ISNAN=1</tt> to the DEFS
+in the <tt>Makefile</tt>, and also <tt>#define uint64_t unsigned
+long</tt> at the top of <tt>bwbasic.h</tt>)
+
+<p>
+The C version of the e3 text editor (version 2.7.1) can be compiled
+with no tweaks at all:
 
 <p>
 <htmlurl
@@ -1473,7 +1533,7 @@ url="https://sites.google.com/site/e3editor/"
 name="https://sites.google.com/site/e3editor/">
 
 <p>
-and the ABC music tools:
+same for the ABC music tools:
 
 <p>
 <htmlurl url="http://abcplus.sourceforge.net/"
@@ -1488,7 +1548,6 @@ Android are available here:
 <htmlurl url="http://kevinboone.net/android_native.html"
 name="http://kevinboone.net/android_native.html">.
 
-
 <p>
 Compile the programs you need, copy them to <tt>/data/local/tmp/</tt>,
 and make sure this directory is included in the <tt>$PATH</tt> of your