VASSAL on a tablet (Android or Linux)

[cholmcc]

@rayb

Wow gadzooks more linux back talk than i can handle (HAHA). Might have been a samsung 3 lite.

Perhaps search XDA for more information on that device, and how to set-up Linux on that.

@rayb

Have to get back to u on that. Got the tar waiting but the load command is not highlighted.

I’m not sure what you mean by “load”. Could you please elaborate on that? Please use a little time to make your questions, comments, etc. clear.

@rayb

So cant try to load anything. But need to unzip the tar. Dont know if i did that or not. If the open or load command is not highlighted whats ur gut tell u??

There are loads of apps that can unpack various compressed (or not) archives out there - both for Android and Linux. Perhaps you can be a bit more explicit about what it is you are trying to do.

@rayb

I had a tab that could do a full sized keyboard. I have one with a touch pad but its logitech and needs a gizmo. Keep the light on for me be back soon with the os info. Be nice if i could do this on a motorola zoom.

The Motorola One Zoom should be able to run GNU/Linux natively - especially because it is not locked down. Another option is Motorola Xoom (10" tablet) which does have a bit older hardware.

Perhaps you could try to install DebianNoRoot on your device and see if you can get it working with that. DebianNoRoot does provide some mouse emulation and perhaps that is good enough for VASSAL.

@rayb

I do have an att tab that the touch screen is out and needs a mouse but i have one of those PALM like keyboards with a touch pad. All the parts, now the savvy to flog them together.

For keyboards and mice I would get some Bluetooth devices - they will most likely work just fine.

@rayb

One more query. Java on a tab is that available. Wow almost some light at the end of the tuunel. Tks.

Are you thinking about something like this? That won’t work for VASSAL as the Java Graphical User Interface (GUI) is not supported. A GUI needs to run in some graphical environment (X or Wayland on Un*x, Cocao on MacOSX, Win32 on Windows, Android UI for Android, etc.). The Android UI does not support the Java GUI (swing) as used by VASSAL.

This is why you most likely need a GNU/Linux virtual machine running on your Tablet or mobile device. Here, DebianNoRoot seems like a good solution. Of course, if you have a device to spare you can probably also get it to run GNU/Linux directly on the hardware. If you do get DebianNoRoot running you should

• Open a terminal (see the linked article above)

  • Execute

    sudo apt install default-jre 
    

• Download VASSAL Linux tar.bz2 from the virtual Linux machine

• In your Linux virtual machine in a terminal

  tar -xjf VASSAL-3.7.9.linux.tar.bz2 -C ~/applications

and then follow the steps outlined in this thread

If I have the time, I might try this myself, but no promises

Yours,
Christian