What about Dolphin on iOS and Xcode 7?

Deferf · 06-12-2015, 07:17 AM #1

In the newest Xcode release Apple made possible to upload an app to your iDevice without the need of a developer account, is it possible to make a Dolphin version for iOS? The drawbacks in the past were that you needed a developer account and the app needed to pass Apple's quality filters, which it wouldn't because of legal stuff. So now don't you think is possible? here is an article about the game boy advance emulator made in Xcode 7

**KHg8m3r** · 06-12-2015, 07:22 AM #2

This would be fine for running the Interpreter engine, but that would be God-awfully slow (about 1-5 fps). To run Dolphin, you need to be able to run Just In Time (JIT) code, which you can't run in a non-jailbroken device.
And then of course someone needs to actually make an iOS version of Dolphin in the first place.......

Deferf · 06-12-2015, 07:43 AM #3

The JIT code on apps is banned by apple, but by sideloading apps with Xcode 7 you don't need permission or aprovation to embed JIT on the Dolphin port.

**KHg8m3r** · 06-12-2015, 07:59 AM #4

I thought that JIT was restricted in iOS itself due to how it sandboxes apps?

Deferf · 06-12-2015, 08:04 AM #5

What if we try to port it? Just for the fun?

**KHg8m3r** · 06-12-2015, 08:06 AM #6

No one has stepped up yet to do it.
I'm learning Swift/object-c right now, but am nowhere close to being able to port yet.

**Fiora** · 06-12-2015, 02:26 PM #7

You can only use a JIT on iOS if you jailbreak, which guts all the relevant memory protections.

Deferf · 06-12-2015, 02:43 PM #8

So if JIT isn't really an option. How GBA4iOS manages to emulate games? Can the system it uses be applied to Dolphin?

Deferf · 06-12-2015, 02:52 PM #9

Sorry for my insistence, but I really want to play GC games on my ipad. Wouldn't it be great to use all the processing power on the iPad or iPhone to play zelda in HD while you travel? Smile

**degasus** · (This post was last modified: 06-12-2015, 05:15 PM by degasus.)

Deferf: Feel free to port dolphin. I'd start with the no-gui - generic - gles3 build. It shouldn't be that much to just get it running at all. If this is running in the interpreter, you can look at our memory mapping code. But be prepared for us using all possible hacks available on the desktop.

Edit: Which ipad do you have? You'll need at least the A7 SOC.