9. Graphical User Interface (GUI)

Currently there are two graphical user interfaces for Linux/IrDA under development:

9.1 GNOBEX

A GNOME application developed by Dag Brattli http://www.cs.uit.no/linux-irda/irda.html with support for drag'n drop from the GNOME file manager gmc. It will also show the progress of the file transfer and give some better error messages when something goes wrong. The GUI isn't finished yet, but if you want to try the GUI you will need the Perl-GTK+ module.

Annotations about CORBA by Dag Brattli: I have just had the first successful test running ORBit/CORBA over IrDA sockets/IrTTP! ORBit is btw. the GNU CORBA implementation used by the GNOME project. The goal is to make it possible for GNOME applications to work between your laptop and your stationary PC without having to first set up a TCP/IP link. Applications on the laptop can then make use of CORBA exported services on your stationary machine.

IrDA (as a one hop technology) fits nicely into the network hierarchy since ORBit will now choose which profile to use in this order:

1. Same process (same address space), Some short circut mechanism is used that I don't know much about. It should however be nearly as fast as a procedure call.
2. Same machine (different address space), UNIX domain sockets are used
3. One hop away, IrDA is used (if IrDA is available and a ORBit/CORBA capable device is discovered)
4. Multiple hops away (if all other methods fails). IIOP, TCP/IP will be used.

I use my laptop and a NetWinder for testing. The machines are connected by both Ethernet and IrDA. It's really nice to start a CORBA session and see that the IrDA does discovery, IAS-query, and connects if a CORBA capable device is discovered. If somethings goes wrong, IIOP (TCP/IP) will automagically be used instead. When the transaction if finished, the link goes down again."

There is also OBEX support to the gnome-calendar application gncal. Just click on an event and beam it to your Palm Pilot! Still needs to do some cleanup, and support for beaming the other way as well.

9.2 KDE

A KDE application developed by Thomas Davis. Look at his page http://www.jps.net/tadavis/irda.

Here's your chance to contribute! Both GUI's need some icons. Any icons need to be:

• each of them should display a printer, PC, PDA, LAN connection, etc.
• the format is not really important, but PNG is what will be used in the end
• set size (48x48 pixels seems to be a common size, I think)
• large and mini (ask about size for that; mini's are for docking and such)
• 16 colors
• free for use
• please, don't blatently copy MS icons!

Please contact the developers.