[py8] Index Page

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[py8] Index Page

The py8 platform

We are runing S8 Smalltalk systems in Python execution runtimes.

Status: release 1.0 (Nov 2021)
Actually under intensive testing and used at application/module level

The platform files can be found in py8 folder at U8
- Contain all source files needed to run S8 kernel on Python 3.9.x and core test files.
- The tests for the platform can be run using console mode or conecting remotelly from U8 workbench:
  1. start the System Server in python console with
    smalltalk.SystemServer.start()
  2. press the connect icon in a workspace to evaluate smalltalk expressions remotelly in the py8 system

Community release

It is the first release of this platform, it is considered ready for development of applications.
Bug and issues are reported here.
Contact us on Facebook in case of problems or if you need more information on how to use S8 to develop your python apps.

Executing py8 platform

We have many alternatives to run py8 systems, basically we need a Python VM to host a S8 snapshot file. We load the snapshot and the system is instantiated and start running as usual.
The snapshot can be built in console mode (same as we do for most S8 platforms) to be embedded in the hosting execution environment

Steps to start working on [py8] platform (console mode):

ensure you have Python machinery installed and running OK
download the py8.zip file from U8 service
decompress the file in a new folder
execute the py8.py file to start a clean image
python -i py8.py
evaluate python commands using smalltalk global variable to access your objects
Sample expressions
- To get the version
  smalltalk.Smalltalk.version()
- smalltalk.Smalltalk.current().licenseTerms()
- smalltalk.Object.selectors().sorted()
- smalltalk.String("3+4").doIt()

If you want to run a complete snapshot file execute
python -i s8.snapshot.py

Where we are running py8 ?

We have tested that the system runs in the following execution environments, without changes (nor adaption of smalltalk code):

OS, Runtime context	Runtime/Python version
MacOS Big Sur (11.5.2)	3.8.2, Jun 8 2021
Windows 10 64 bits	3.9.2, Feb 19 2021
Raspberry Pi Raspbian 8.0	3.9.6, Aug 19 2021
Android (kivy)	S8 systems running Android with native binding and Kivy framework
iOS (kivy)	S8 systems running iOS with native binding and Kivy framework
Desktop (kivy)	S8 systems running desktop GUI (Kivy framework)
Android 7.1.1	Pydroid 3 - 3.8.3, Jun 15 2020
Android 10	Pydroid 3 - 3.8.3, May 27 2020
iOS	Pyto 18.0.8 - python 3.10.0+

It has been tested running the default system image with:

Kernel
SystemServer and remote access from U8 workbench
native wrappers (current Standard Python Library implementation

The tests includes:

the automated swiki testset for py8
rebuild of the kernel and libraries (full recompilation of the system).

Well known bugs and issues

If you observed an issue or bug, please report it here or in our facebook group

Fast exit of VM, when compiling smalltalk code under windows VM
(3.9.2 (tags/v3.9.2:1a79785, Feb 19 2021, 13:44:55) [MSC v.1928 64 bit (AMD64)]).
The issue is present ONLY running under Windows.
This issue has been reported as a severe bug in VM.
See: issue44906
It is rare the occurrence of the crash, less than 5 methods in the complete system, when there are deep use of paren or blocks

What is included in py8?

The complete S8 kernel. It is the SAME system that is running and used in all platforms where S8 smalltalk is running. The initial snapshot was produced Exporting the system using an instance of PythonEncoder (browse Exporter and NativeEncoder hierarchy to learn more on how to jump to another native language). After decompression the py8.zip file see under "build" folder the source files to produce an image from an existing S8 system (running on other platform & native language).
The "s8" folder contains the s8 kernel used to produce the initial snapshot (after running the first snapshot on a python VM, you can save the image/snapshot as usual).
The "s8/library" folder has S8 frameworks of common toolset and source files for The Python Standard Library (see s8/library/StandardLibrary.st).
The "s8/apps" folder contain applications samples and frameworks extending py8 for common application contexts.
List of application samples:

cmdTello.st	File implementing Tello dhrone commands for realtime driving of a DJI's Tello dhrone.
[py8] DJITelloPy	Implementation sample: DJITelloPy API DJI Tello Drone programming with image capture, and S8 video proccessing (with OpenCV)
[py8] Kivy	Installing and implementing Kivy Apps Sample for hello world GUI app
[p4a8] Android	Running py8 systems in android devices with native access and Kivy GUI
[py8] Pillow	Installing and using Pillow - Python Imaging Library
[py8] Plyer	Installing and using Plyer
[py8] OpenCV	Computer Vision framework
[upy8] index	S8 for MicroPython boards
[py8] PyDroid	S8 running on Pydroid 3 - IDE for Python 3

ToDo list

If you want to collaborate on this platform, you can peek a topic and discuss or get guidance to implement it.
Suggested topics in our ToDo list

More wrappers to The Python Standard Library (see s8/library/StandardLibrary.st)
Test and complete impl. for S8 Sharing frw (to exchange objects from/to S8 systems running on top of js and lua)

Notes on py8 platform

[py8] Call a native function with variable arguments and unordered keyword arguments
[py8] Kivy - Installing and implementing Kivy Apps

[py8] Index Page

The py8 platform

Community release

Executing py8 platform

Where we are running py8 ?

Well known bugs and issues

What is included in py8?

ToDo list

Notes on py8 platform

Other references