Proposition: GUI for QEMU

About Qemu-system-ppc, a PPC Mac emulator for Windows, macOS and Linux that can run Mac OS 9.0 up to Mac OS X 10.5

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SistemaRayoXP
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Proposition: GUI for QEMU

Post by SistemaRayoXP »

I'm the make of a new VirtualBox-style GUI for PearPC. But as many people better goes with QEMU, I might fork my own GUI to work with QEMU. What do you think?
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adespoton
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Re: Proposition: GUI for QEMU

Post by adespoton »

Makes sense; and from there you can work your way backwards to handle SheepShaver, BII and Mini vMac.
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Re: Proposition: GUI for QEMU

Post by mePy2 »

I’m with you. And if you are making it using Xcode and Swift I can help you a little bit too. Basically you are creating an app easy-to-use in which the user can simply change the configuration of the VM without manually writing it.

Also I was thinking, Can we improve Qemu using Metal for macOS? Asking for ask. I’m not really into Qemu to understand how it works, I know on Linux it’s faster... can we make it faster on macOS too?

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SistemaRayoXP
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Re: Proposition: GUI for QEMU

Post by SistemaRayoXP »

Thank you for your support.

Even thought I'd love to code on Swift, I can't because I don't own a Mac, so anything I can't help with anything tied with OS X/macOS

And yes, I'm talking about an easy app which lets novice users to run configure QEMU with visual elements, rather than writing a config file manually
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peter_j
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Re: Proposition: GUI for QEMU

Post by peter_j »

SistemaRayoXP wrote: And yes, I'm talking about an easy app which lets novice users to run configure QEMU with visual elements, rather than writing a config file manually
I hope you can come up with such an app. QEMU is quite complex to get running - versions, a bit of a moving target, difficult parameters. "Easy" will be difficult.

I tried my own hand at it a couple of years back, and it works (Win), but I never had too much confidence. I fear new parameters in newer versions too.

Also - in general developing such for the modern Mac brings its own issues because Apple have no regard for 'migration path engineering' and things that worked last version don't on the latest version. They are always changing things so you would run around chasing your tail trying to keep up.

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sentient06
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Re: Proposition: GUI for QEMU

Post by sentient06 »

I suggest considering React Native. It compiles using components native to the OS.

You could easily manipulate which controls to be visible and which data they should keep by using something like a JSON file. The end result will be a native OSX application. I reckon Windows and Linux can be used as a target system too, I just never tried. I know React Native compiles quite well for Mac OS, and I saw the same app being compiled into Android and iOS binaries, PS4 binaries, XBox binaries and LG Television.

For Mac OS, a React Native project generates an XCode project with a C++ wrapper, it's really cool.
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Re: Proposition: GUI for QEMU

Post by mePy2 »

Guys I’m wondering, is it possible to put QEMU inside an Xcode project? Like a framework/library. So to be imported, to be used in a program.

How the build process works? I mean what does the makefile do when you build from the source code?


(I’m sorry I always think it’s a Mac related thread... let’s say, I would like to help to a Macintosh GUI for QEMU)
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SistemaRayoXP
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Re: Proposition: GUI for QEMU

Post by SistemaRayoXP »

Sorry, but I'm a Windows programmer, and I don't own a Mac.

If I somehow I get to run OS X on a PC, or do get a Mac (or even program Mac code from Linux), I'll let you know I'm making a Mac program

And it's true, I should have specified what platform I'm targeting.
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Cat_7
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Re: Proposition: GUI for QEMU

Post by Cat_7 »

There still is this MacQemu GUI by programmingkid:

http://www.mediafire.com/file/yuh4gb7j2 ... beta+3.zip

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Re: Proposition: GUI for QEMU

Post by mePy2 »

Hi Cat,

do you have the source of the project?
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Cat_7
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Re: Proposition: GUI for QEMU

Post by Cat_7 »

You should ask programmingkid for that.

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Madd the Sane
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Re: Proposition: GUI for QEMU

Post by Madd the Sane »

There's also Q/Kju by Mike Kronenberg, which I have forked. However, it is massively outdated.
Get out of my mind, idea! I already have an idea in there!
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Re: Proposition: GUI for QEMU

Post by mePy2 »

I’m in!
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adespoton
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Re: Proposition: GUI for QEMU

Post by adespoton »

Madd the Sane wrote:There's also Q/Kju by Mike Kronenberg, which I have forked. However, it is massively outdated.
I tried forking that and updating it to work with a modern QEMU a few years back... and eventually gave up. It's assuming a lot of things about QEMU that just aren't true anymore.
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