Getting started

Please read this carefully since all important steps to get PearPC running are described here.

Important naming convention:

• Host: The system where PearPC runs (i.e. your system)
• Client: The program that is run using PearPC

Installation of binaries

PearPC doesn't have an installer, you must install it by yourself.

• Windows users: Please download the win32 jitc build. Unzip the file to a new directory. Then continue with configuration.
• Windows experts (and brave): Make sure you have a descent compiler installed. Only GCC is officially supported. Then download a source archive. Finally continue at: Compilation from source or improvise...
• UN*X folks: Please download a source archive. Then continue at: Compilation from source.

Compilation from source

You will probably need to have GCC 3.x installed for the compilation to work. GCC 2.x should also work (if not write a patch). I don't recommend to use 3.0 <= GCC < 3.3 since they have severe bugs with -fomit-frame-pointer
Untar/gzip/bzip2 the downloaded file. Enter the created directory. Then compile by executing:

	$ ./configure --enable-ui=$UI --enable-cpu=$CPU && make
	

where $GUI is either x11, win32 or sdl and $CPU is either generic or jitc_x86. If you have an x86 processor you should use $CPU=jitc_x86. Everybody else uses $CPU=generic.

As of PearPC 0.3.0 the default configuration options are picked depending on your system, so a simple

	$ ./configure && make
	

should be enough in most cases.

Continue with Configuration.

Configuration

In the freshly created directory, make a copy of the file ppccfg.example. This copy is now your configuration file. It's recommended to give this file a descriptive name (e.g. macosx.pearpc).

You should then set up a disk and/or CDROM drive.

Now edit your configuration file using a text editor. The layout for configuration files is described here. You will need the file name(s) you have kept in mind (or written down) while setting up disks and/or CDROM drives. Look for the following comment in your configuration file:

#
#	PCI IDE Config
#
#	Drive type will be set according to file extension:
#		.img: Harddisk (filesize must be multiple of 516096)
#		.iso: CD-Rom
#	Or you can override this by specifying the type via
#	pci_ide0_master_type / pci_ide0_slave_type
	

If you have set up a disk, enter it's filename here:

pci_ide0_master_installed = 1
pci_ide0_master_image = "DISKFILENAME"
pci_ide0_master_type = "hd"
	

Otherwise make sure you have

pci_ide0_master_installed = 0
	

If you have set up a CDROM drive, enter it's filename here:

pci_ide0_slave_installed = 1
pci_ide0_slave_image = "CDROMDRIVEFILENAME"
pci_ide0_slave_type = "cdrom"
	

Otherwise make sure you have

pci_ide0_slave_installed = 0
	

Continue with Starting.

Starting

• Windows users: You can't just start PearPC by double clicking. Launch command (Windows 9x) or cmd (Windows 2000/XP), and start PearPC manually:

  
  	C:\your\install\dir> ppc CONFIGFILENAME
  		

  where CONFIGFILENAME is the name of your configuration file. If you want more luxury choose a special file extension for the config files (e.g. .pearpc) and associate ppc.exe with this extension. Then you can start PearPC by double clicking on your configuration file.

• UN*X folks: In your source directory execute:

  
  	$ src/ppc CONFIGFILENAME
  		

Now take your first steps.

First steps

Keyboard: If the PearPC window is focused (active), most of your keypresses are sent to the client. Beware however that not all of them do: e.g. window manager keypress-combinations (Alt-Tab on Windows, in KDE, Ctrl+Esc). If you want to send these special combinations, press F11 once before and after entering the concered keys. (Example: In order to send Ctrl-Alt-Del to the client you should press F11, then Ctrl, then Alt, then Del and finally F11.) PearPC uses a raw keyboard layout. So if you want a specific keyboard layout (e.g. a german) you have to configure this in the client.

Sometimes the keyboard behaves strangely. This normally happens after switching windows (from PearPC to another application or vice versa) with Alt-Tab (or whatever your window manager uses). You can fix these problems by pressing Alt+Ctrl+Shift ("The poor man's reset").

Mouse: The mouse of the client is completely independent of your host mouse, you can only use one at a time. To switch between both modes press F12. The window title will indicate in which mode you are. PearPC currently only supports two-button mice (i.e. middle-button click and the scrollwheel are ignored).