Merge pull request #50 from martin-a-brown/master

updated Linux-Android-HOWTO.sgml (from author) and retiring old LFS from tree

LDP/inprogress/Linux-Android-HOWTO.sgml

@@ -88,6 +88,33 @@ on my devices; hopefully, they should work on your device too. If you
 want me to cover more Android versions, I'll be glad to receive new
 equipment; or just tips. Equipment is preferred :-)
 
+<p>
+Currently, the majority of Android devices are ARM based; others are
+based on x86 or MIPS CPUs, in both 32 and 64 bit flavours. This is not
+a significant difference: most applications are written in Java with
+no native code, so they are CPU-agnostic. Instructions in this HOWTO
+should work for these Android versions, too. I guess that relevant
+differences concern security policies.
+
+<p>
+Should you have trouble with your Android device, I suggest that you
+refer to Android forums. Among the many available, I find the
+following especially helpful:
+
+<itemize>
+  
+  <item> <htmlurl url="http://forum.xda-developers.com/"
+  name="http://forum.xda-developers.com/">
+
+  <item> <htmlurl url="http://forums.androidcentral.com/"
+  name="http://forums.androidcentral.com/">
+
+</itemize>
+
+<p>
+Besides: if you find any error in this guide, please report them to
+me.
+
 <p>
 Thoughout this HOWTO, all instances of ``Linux'' actually mean
 ``GNU/Linux''. The GNU part is very important, and I'm very grateful
@@ -111,11 +138,11 @@ on. Nothing special, really: in general, you'll have to be able to
 find out where options are in your device. I would be glad to provide
 information, but unfortunately no identical menus or screens can be
 found across different devices of different brands and different
-Android reseases. You will have to figure it out yourself.
+Android releases. You will have to figure it out yourself.
 
 <p>
 Finally: rooting your device might be desirable, but it's not
-necessary as long as this HOWTO is concerned. Root permissions are
+necessary as far as this HOWTO is concerned. Root permissions are
 normally forbidden in Android, unless an enlightened vendor decides
 otherwise. I will mention a great program that needs root access
 (Webkey), but the rest of recommended software will not need it. By
@@ -246,8 +273,8 @@ Some devices may also need this additional step:
 
 <tscreen>
 <verb>
-Linux:~$ mkdir .android
-echo "0X1E68" >> .android/adb_usb.ini
+Linux:~$ mkdir $HOME/.android
+echo "0X1E68" >> $HOME/.android/adb_usb.ini
 </verb>
 </tscreen>
 
@@ -307,7 +334,7 @@ Connect your Andbox and run the <tt>adb shell</tt> command, which
 launches Android's internal shell. Please be aware that Android's
 native shell is much less sophisticated than <tt>bash</tt>; available
 commands are not made by GNU either, so you should expect minor
-differences. That said, there you are:
+differences.
 
 <tscreen>
 <verb>
@@ -351,7 +378,7 @@ devices.
 
 <p>
 Now run the <tt>mount</tt> command, to see what devices correspond to
-what directories:
+what directories (line-broken for readability):
 
 <tscreen>
 <verb>
@@ -368,25 +395,25 @@ tmpfs /mnt/asec tmpfs rw,relatime,mode=755,gid=1000 0 0
 tmpfs /mnt/obb tmpfs rw,relatime,mode=755,gid=1000 0 0
 none /dev/cpuctl cgroup rw,relatime,cpu 0 0
 /dev/block/platform/sdhci-tegra.3/by-num/p3 /system ext4 \
-ro,relatime,user_xattr,acl,barrier=1,data=ordered 0 0
+  ro,relatime,user_xattr,acl,barrier=1,data=ordered 0 0
 /dev/block/platform/sdhci-tegra.3/by-num/p7 /data ext4 \
-rw,nosuid,nodev,noatime,errors=panic,user_xattr,acl,barrier=1,\
-journal_async_commit,nodelalloc,data=ordered 0 0
+  rw,nosuid,nodev,noatime,errors=panic,user_xattr,acl,barrier=1,\
+  journal_async_commit,nodelalloc,data=ordered 0 0
 /dev/block/platform/sdhci-tegra.3/by-num/p4 /cache ext4 \
-rw,nosuid,nodev,noatime,errors=panic,user_xattr,acl,barrier=1,\
-journal_async_commit,nodelalloc,data=ordered 0 0
+  rw,nosuid,nodev,noatime,errors=panic,user_xattr,acl,barrier=1,\
+  journal_async_commit,nodelalloc,data=ordered 0 0
 /dev/block/vold/179:8 /mnt/sdcard vfat \
-rw,dirsync,nosuid,nodev,noexec,relatime,gid=1015,fmask=0002,\
-dmask=0002,allow_utime=0020,codepage=cp437,iocharset=iso8859-1,\
-shortname=mixed,utf8,errors=remount-ro 0 0
+  rw,dirsync,nosuid,nodev,noexec,relatime,gid=1015,fmask=0002,\
+  dmask=0002,allow_utime=0020,codepage=cp437,iocharset=iso8859-1,\
+  shortname=mixed,utf8,errors=remount-ro 0 0
 /dev/block/vold/179:8 /mnt/secure/asec vfat \
-rw,dirsync,nosuid,nodev,noexec,relatime,gid=1015,fmask=0002,\
-dmask=0002,allow_utime=0020,codepage=cp437,iocharset=iso8859-1,\
-shortname=mixed,utf8,errors=remount-ro 0 0
+  rw,dirsync,nosuid,nodev,noexec,relatime,gid=1015,fmask=0002,\
+  dmask=0002,allow_utime=0020,codepage=cp437,iocharset=iso8859-1,\
+  shortname=mixed,utf8,errors=remount-ro 0 0
 tmpfs /mnt/sdcard/.android_secure tmpfs ro,relatime,size=0k,mode=000 0 0
 /dev/block/dm-0 /mnt/asec/com.collabora.libreoffice-2 vfat \
-ro,dirsync,nosuid,nodev,relatime,uid=1000,fmask=0222,dmask=0222,\
-codepage=cp437,iocharset=iso8859-1,shortname=mixed,utf8,errors=remount-ro 0 0
+  ro,dirsync,nosuid,nodev,relatime,uid=1000,fmask=0222,dmask=0222,\
+  codepage=cp437,iocharset=iso8859-1,shortname=mixed,utf8,errors=remount-ro 0 0
 shell@android:/ $ _
 </verb>
 </tscreen>
@@ -402,13 +429,13 @@ only access the internal storage, usually mounted on
 <tt>/mnt/sdcard</tt>, and the external storage (if available), usually
 mounted on <tt>/mnt/external_sd</tt>. The actual names of these
 directories may vary; e.g. <tt>/storage/sdcard0</tt> or something
-else. Find it out.
+else. You'll probably have to figure it out for each device.
 
 <p>
-User data, programs included, is stored in <tt>/data</tt>. Using the
+User data, programs included, are stored in <tt>/data</tt>. Using the
 Android shell you can <tt>cd</tt> to that directory, but you can't
-list its contents as you lack root permissions. Programs are usually
-stored in <tt>/data/app</tt>, others (typically, paid programs and
+list its contents if you lack root permissions. Programs are usually
+stored in <tt>/data/app</tt>, but others (typically, paid programs and
 programs moved to the external storage) under <tt>/mnt/asec</tt>.
 
 <p>
@@ -435,7 +462,7 @@ VFAT; directory names are therefore case-insensitive.
 
 <itemize>
 
-  <item><tt>Android/data/</tt> contains directories containing
+  <item><tt>Android/data/</tt> contains directories with
   programs' user data. Each directory is named after the application,
   using a naming convention that will be explained in Section <ref
   id="programs" name="Installing/Uninstalling Programs from Linux">.
@@ -646,7 +673,8 @@ Linux:~$ _
 <p>
 An Andbox can easily share its installed programs with another
 device, provided that the Android versions are compatible. All you
-need is Ghost Commander.
+need is Ghost Commander. In the next paragraph, you can see how to
+send a file to Alice using Bob's Andbox.
 
 <p>
 From the ``Home'' position, select ``Applications'' to get a list of
@@ -676,7 +704,7 @@ Andbox, using a cable or Wi-Fi.
 
 <!-- ----- -->
 
-<sect1>Copying via USB cable
+<sect1>Copying via USB cable (from Linux box)
 
 <p>
 When you connect your device via USB cable, Linux may see it either as
@@ -779,7 +807,7 @@ of the command: it's not the same as the Linux command <tt>cp
 
 <!-- - - - -->
 
-<sect1>Syncing directories
+<sect1>Syncing directories (from Linux box)
 
 <p>
 If you want to keep a directory synchronised between the Linux box and
@@ -828,12 +856,12 @@ Linux:~$ _
 
 <!-- - - - -->
 
-<sect1>Sorting files: <tt>fatsort</tt>
+<sect1>Sorting files: <tt>fatsort</tt> (from Linux box)
 
 <p>
 Let's suppose you copied a bunch of music files to your device. You
-run your music player and open the directory containig the files.
-Surprise: they're not sorted, and are displayed in (apparent) random
+run your music player and open the directory containing the files.
+Surprise: they're not sorted, and are displayed in (apparently) random
 order!
 
 <p>
@@ -901,7 +929,7 @@ but the above works and is reasonably safe.
 
 <!-- - - - -->
 
-<sect1>Copying files via FTP server
+<sect1>Copying files from an Andbox FTP server
 
 <p>
 This is the most traditional way to upload and download files to/from
@@ -956,7 +984,7 @@ Linux:~$ _
 
 <!-- - - - -->
 
-<sect1>Copying files via web server
+<sect1>Copying files from an Andbox web server
 
 <p>
 Another way of getting files from your Andbox is making it a Web
@@ -993,8 +1021,8 @@ come in handy.
 <sect1>Backing up applications
 
 <p>
-Applications are stored in <tt>/data/apps/</tt>, which you can't
-acccess on unrooted devices. Nevertheless, you can backup your
+Installed applications are stored in <tt>/data/apps/</tt>, which is
+inaccessible on unrooted devices. You can, however, backup your
 <tt>.apk</tt> files using Ghost Commander or the <tt>adb backup</tt>
 command. I prefer the former, which is way faster and more convenient
 (IMHO).
@@ -1404,7 +1432,8 @@ kbox$ _
 <p>
 Once you have a terminal emulator, you can add a lot of command-line
 based software to your Android box. If you're a geek, this is an
-invaluable extension; but even if you're a casual user, please read on.
+invaluable extension that makes your Andbox closer to a ``real''
+computer ; but even if you're a casual user, please read on.
 
 <p>
 You can compile C programs both on your Andbox and, obviously,
@@ -1424,7 +1453,12 @@ toolchain from the NDK home page:
 name="http://developer.android.com/ndk/downloads/index.html">
 
 <p>
-Download the binary package for Linux 32-bit or 64-bit. The directory
+Another toolchain that targets Android on x86 CPUs is called
+<tt>gcc-arm-linux-androideabi</tt>.
+
+<p>
+Choose the relevant architecture and download the binary package for
+Linux 32-bit or 64-bit. The directory
 
 <tscreen><verb>
 toolchains/arm-linux-androideabi-4.9/prebuilt/linux-x86/bin/
@@ -1432,12 +1466,13 @@ toolchains/arm-linux-androideabi-4.9/prebuilt/linux-x86/bin/
 
 <p>
 contains prebuilt binaries: include that directory in the
-<tt>$PATH</tt>.
+<tt>$PATH</tt>. MIPS and x86 binaries are also available.
 
 <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.
+Supposing you're compiling for ARM, 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.
 
 <tscreen>
 <verb>
@@ -1597,7 +1632,7 @@ gcc: no input files
 
 <p>
 That's it! From now on, you can compile programs directly on your
-Android box. Don't expect to be able to compile anything, though.
+Android box. Don't expect to be able to compile every single, though.
 
 <!-- - - - -->
 
@@ -1853,7 +1888,7 @@ user interface!
 <sect>Taking screenshots and screencasts
 
 <p>
-Some Anddroid versions let the user take a screenshot natively,
+Some Android versions let the user take a screenshot natively,
 usually holding the Power and Volume Down buttons together. For all
 others, there's DroidAtScreen:
 
@@ -1982,7 +2017,7 @@ url="http://www.osmand.net" name="http://www.osmand.net">.
 
 <p>
 Congratulations! You have now some basic information on how to turn
-your Andbox into something useful, and how to interact with it using
+your Andbox into something even more useful, and how to interact with it using
 your trusted GNU/Linux machine. 
 
 <p>
@@ -2022,3 +2057,4 @@ Enjoy,
 <tt>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</tt>Guido <tt>=8-)</tt>
 
 </article>
+