[How To] [GSM] Getting started with porting

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Ok, so after having a million questions I thought I'd write up a quick little 'how to' with regards to porting.
And now the warning

Read and learn first, doing this could cause serious issues with your tab or even brick it. The tab is really tough, and hard to brick if you do everthing right but it could still happen. I'm not responsible if it does.

Where to start

Get good at reading, google searching and searching XDA. Lots of porting discussion regarding other phones can apply to the tab.
Learn to use Heimdell
Have a linux distro available, either by virtual box, or natively.

Technomancer where it all began

I've said it before and I'll say it again, without techs work miui wouldn't have been possible.
Reference technomancers thread here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=931857 on how to download the cm7 + sgt source, you're also going to want to follow the kernel making part, cause most likely you'll need to make adjustments to the init.rc which is inside the initramfs and requires building the kernel again.

porting x build
Get X build onto your computer and extract the update.zip for it.
Copy the boot.img into your linux environment and extract it using splitbootimg.pl script (note: Google it, plus this doesn't work with samsung builds). Compare the init.rc to your init.rc (from the sgt cm7 kernel source root folder). Specifically the most important part here is the PATH, LD_LIBRARY_PATH statement and BOOTCLASSPATH lines.
Build your kernel with the updated init.rc and flash with heimdell, it should still boot your cm7/miui build (if you were running it before) albeit with errors.

The system
Now following the awesome list of proprietary files (either from your source folder or technomancers github link) check the galaxytab-common-vendor-blobs.mk for the GT-P1000. It lists every file you need that's propreitary to the tab and where to put it.
Also you'll probably need the debuggerd from /system/bin on the cm7 build.


Compare the /system/build.prop of the cm7 build to your port, make sure the ril info is the same as well as the ro; model, brand, device, board, and platform lines.

Create an update.zip (or whatever you want to call it.zip) and try it.

It's not booting
Logcat is great, but I really suggest using the ddms from the android sdk tools. It's color coded, and gives a much nicer view of what's happening.
Using winmerge in windows or a linux file compare program start checking what other bin files may be missing that you require. Special notice to the xbin folder.

It works! I want to post it!
Ok, first up, make sure you have permission if this is someone elses custom build you've ported. Most people/groups are really good about it assuming you ask first and give them credit in your post.
Also credit everyone who helped, answered a question or sent you in the right direction. (it's just polite)
Second your going to want to make sure your update.zip flashes the kernel, read the update_script from the cm7 build to understand how it works.

So that's it for a start. roll up your sleves, gather your courage and get to it!

Please if you have other tips, add them to the thread, what's better 1 or 2 'developers/porters' or 100?

Thanks. This is very useful for me.

Thanks,
Following this method, with slight alterations to adjust, I was able to port an i9000 phone build to the tab in about 10 minutes, it's really not terribly that difficult once you have the right steps.
The first couple times are usually frustrating but after that you get the hang of it

Hi mssmison Thank you for your guide,it will be very useful in the future! I have only one request,how can I contact you? I have a proposal for you about a dev team (regarding an old think tank)

Thanks for the guide...
Is there any ROM left to port by the way?

Sent from my GT-P1000 using XDA Premium App