Make a custom button with Xojo canvas

Today we look at another Xojo canvas example on how to make a very simple custom button.
Our simple button will draw a button on screen with text that resizes and centers as the window resizes. Also will show how to add a very simple button states and add simple effects on which state is active. The sky really the limit with the canvas object in Xojo. We just touch the surface here, and show how simple it can be to get started making some custom UI elements such as a button with Xojo.

 Check out the video:

If your on iOS device (The video quality is better if you watch va the YouTube app.) here the link




Thanks and Happy coding ;)

Xojo draw image to follow mouse

Another look at the Xojo Canvas object.

This time where going to show how simple it is to draw a image to screen to follow the mouse. We made a simple video for that because it easier to see how it works many times more than read about it.




For Xojo canvas docs for desktop: look here
For Xojo graphics doc for desktop: look here


Thanks and happy coding ;)

Xojo still choose for crossplatform apps

Many are confused that I stop using Xojo, I never stopped using Xojo. Many of the jobs of making in-house software for companies require Mac, Windows and Linux. For that I still use Xojo.

Over the years I used many different languages and tools from Ruby, Python, Javascript, C#, Lua and more. Just because I decided to start using Swift for iOS and some Mac apps for things, does not  mean I stopped using Xojo.

I had some issues recently with Xojo and my active license not working. After contacting support by email everything was fixed. It is working again.

Another aspect of why I chosen to use Swift is that I would like to put myself in the market to code Swift projects for others. I done this in the past with Unity, where I was hired to help program other companies games in exchange for cash. I also been hired to help program with Livecode, Python, Ruby, Javascript, Xojo and etc projects. It how I currently make a living.

Selling software does not support my family, however programming part of a team as a freelancer does. More languages I know how to code in is a major plus getting more work.

My blog here is about making cool things with code, and I will show many different things and different tools and programming languages.

Hope that clears up the confusion. We usually only made 15 post a year. 2015 we already are past that with ten more months to go. Meaning more content is coming and it will not all be Swift. More Xojo, Livecode and who knows what else will be pack along with Swift for this year.

So stick around I be post other stuff soon.

64-bit requirement for iOS

The app store now requires all iOS builds be built for 32/64 bit binaries. If your using Xcode then this is nothing new. However if your using a 3rd party development tool you need to make sure all apps submitted are compiled to a 32/64 bit universal binary and by Summer 2015 all apps submitted before 2015 also are built with that requirement.

If your using Xojo for iOS the new released 2015 r1 supports this new iOS requirement. If your using Livecode for iOS the new release 6.7.2 or later supports this for Livecode. And if your using Xcode its business as usual, as it been supporting this for a while now.

For Xojo 2015 r1 (released 2/17/2015)  get it here
For Livecode 6.7.2 (released 2/17/2015)  get it here
For Xcode 6.1.1 (released 12/02/2014)  get it here

Xojo vs Livecode best option for iOS Development?

I use both Livecode and Xojo I like them both. Xojo is way better than Livecode when it comes to Mac OSX and Linux. And Livecode way better at Windows. Livecode also supports Android and is one of the best 3rd party android development tools on the market.

However when it comes to iOS what my thoughts on the subject. First off Xojo just released version 1 of iOS support and Livecode has supported iOS for several years now. I used Livecode for iOS and liked it, but when I heard Xojo was going to support native iOs GUI I was excited.

Once iOS was released for Xojo I became disappointed fast, it was missing so much basic stuff that it was uncanny. Xojo is very very limited out of the box when compared to Livecode for iOS.

It was so limited that I made a chart highlighting some of the different things I came to need to when making iOS apps. Livecode supports most of them. Xojo supports only few of them. Lets take a look.

I really like how Xojo works and prefer it still over Livecode for Mac and Linux. And I like the IDE and the way BASIC works over small talk and Livecode IDE. However when it comes to Mobile Livecode wins for now. It supports more stuff out of the box for iOS and also supports Android with most of the same items as it does for iOS.

Another area that impressive is Livecode is now cheaper than Xojo if your going to make iOS apps. With Livecode your required to have Livecode Commercial License to sell iOS apps which cost $299 each year (that also includes 7 platforms for now and up to 8 in the near future.) For Xojo since there pricing change iOS cost $299 a year for only iOS. For Desktop its an extra $299 and for Pro its $699.

Also if your interested in just iOS and want to only do free iOS apps , Livecode for iOS only can be as low as $99. Xojo does not even have this option.

However Apple new swift changes the game even more. You can always switch over to Xcode and use swift for free, and that supports everything out of the box. The reason anyone would use Xojo or Livecode would be to make cross-platform apps.

I still like both tools and will keep using both tools, but for now Livecode wins iOS based on it supports way more needed stuff. However if you need or want Native GUI and learn declares for Xojo then Xojo can be a real improvement in overall quality of the end product.

------------------------------------

I personally have moved to Xcode and Swift for iOS as neither Xojo or Livecode does what I need to grow as a developer of iOS apps.

Swift is very easy to use as a programming language and Xcode supports everything. The case its not cross platform is not valid to me because Xojo and Livecode are not really cross-platform either when it comes to iOS. You can not take the same code base as a Linux or windows app and make it work with iOS with either of those tools without re programming it for iOS.

That fact of that alone makes Xcode and swift the best overall option. Plus its free to use, there millions of developers using it. Which gives more chances to get answers if you get stuck. And last if your looking for a paying job you likely find one for swift than with either of those tools.

Xojo for iOS Tip; Where are the iOS docs.

When your in Xojo for iOS and click on the toolbar help icon. The iOS help docs are not accessable, The Help button bring up the Docs for Mac, Windows, Linux and the Web.

There two ways to get it. One is to just use your web browser. And go to this web page: http://xojo.helpdocsonline.com/home

The other is to go to the menubar / help and select iOS Language Referance, which opens it it in the Xojo help viewer.

Adventures of iOS with Xojo Part 2 Tab Bar Now Working

If you been following along the first part I had a hell of an time figuring out the Tab bar set up. Well after a good night sleep and a good tip from a beta user,who had more info than me. Now it works and did another video showing how it does work.

When the help docs are vague it often seems harder than it actual is. Since I do not work for Xojo I can not help document for them but I can make a video like this in no time flat.

Adventures of iOS with Xojo Part 1 Tab Bar Blues

I was super happy to finally have a chance to work with iOS for Xojo. I knew there would be a learning curve. However never thought the would be a learning curve to just add user interface element like a tab bar.

Xojo included example project of a tab bar however that example has no code. It was done some way by the IDE. Trying to figure out how is the topic for this first part of the Adventures of iOS with Xojo.

I feel this is fitting for the first part because Xojo for iOS is not as easy as Xcode without better help docs. Would have thought it should have been, but its not. Since this has taken up hours trying to understand how Xojo for iOS works with just adding tab bars. also hearing other are experiencing about the same thing. Its fitting to start this series off this way.

Part 1; Xojo iOS Tab Bar Blues (in full motion color)

-

Xojo for iOS is here, a first look.

Xojo for iOS is here, a first look. I have some screenshots and basic info. Later in the week maybe a video.

Xojo has a pricing change so depending on what you need. you maybe paying less or if your like me you be paying more. Xojo has a blog post on this info.

Above is a screen of one of the included example apps in the Xojo IDE. (One of those annoying and reject-able noise apps.)

Above is a iOS simulator view of a date picker running on the iPad. This uses declares.

Above is the example notes app running in the iPad simulator.

Xojo for iOS is done very well. I have used several development platforms for iOS over the years (including such; Livecode, Unity, Cornia SDK, Phone Gap, Ruby Motion and a few others) And to be fair when I compare Xojo for iOS Xojo is one of the best I seen.

However Xojo does not have a full out of the box feature set at this time. It is a little limited what you can do without writing declares. However declares are pretty simple to understand and use, that it not that bad. However for the price some may think some of these things should be added out of the box and I would agree.

One thing xojo does that basically no one else has done besides Ruby Motion and Xcode is have Native iOS controls built in. Corona & Livecode has no native controls and was one major reason both tools are a disappointment.

iOS Xojo control palette

Another awesome feature is the code signing is built in to Xojo so we do not need to sign it ourselves our pay some other app developer some huge overprice license to do it either (like you do on mac).

One of the neatest but confusing features is the auto layout. What cool is it has auto layout, however it works no where close to Xcode and swift in ease of use. here a image below.

Auto layout palette

Xojo for iOS gets a thumbs up from me. However It still needs work to be a really contender to several other iOS toolsets for its cost. Consider that iOS for Xojo is at 1.0 I say its pretty good. It still has much more it needs to do to get many to switch however. I still think its worth checking out. 

More info at Xojo.com

Xojo on Mac OSX Yosemite.

This is a basic preview of the basic gui from Xojo on Mac OSX Yosemite, for those not on this OSX version yet. I have not notice any issue with any control that comes built in with Xojo (xojo 2014 r2 or higher) Also all MBS controls also work without issue. 

The full screen button is now the green button. Also the toolbar tabbed button looks more like linux now. Actual the whole interface looks linux like.

The only known issues are the Social Sharing and Notifactions (plugins or declares) no longer work in OSX 10.10. However this is not a Xojo only issue, its a 32-bit vs 64 bit built application issue. As these two frameworks are now 64 bit only changed by Apple without warning. They now require a 64 bit build for OSX app to work. 

Xojo has anccounced that in 2015 that they will be adressing 64 bit on all platforms. Starting with iOS and Linux, followed by OSX and Windows. 

An apps perceived value, Choosing the right tools.

With the update to Mac OSX 10.10 Yosemite, Xojo Native UI is updated without doing one thing or updating apps based upon appearance. However with Livecode the UI is a mess on this new OS version. If your forced into using custom controls to get a mac like appearance, like many Livecode developers do. Then there forced into updating apps with a new custom UI or worst just using the old non updated user experience (witch can be the case, because the app could have been made on a Windows or Linux machine. And that developer does not know any better because that.)

This all boils down to customers perceived value. If the customer sees a UI that old out of date and broken the perceived value of the finish product is not great and it equals lost sales. A customer will decide in a split second based on the appearance of your product if its worth there time. If you lose them in that second because of appearance and user experience, then you have a very hard sell in front of you.

In todays app market there several apps that do similar things. While one app could actual be better in functionality if it looks bad and has no pride of ownership it will fail vs an similar product that deliveries the perceived value the customer is looking for. 

When I personally used Livecode for Mac OS, iOS and Windows software 80% of the year was spent updating apps to work with a new OS release, 75% of that was based of user experience. (because Livecode does not use native UI and your forced into building a custom UI to just make a app look better than out of the box.) Now using Xojo and Swift the time I spend updating apps on appearance is zero. That means I have 100% of my time to focus on new products or adding new features to existing products. 

Example:

One application that I made since 2003 is called File Mutation Pro (from 2003 - 2012) This Application was made with Livecode. Since 2013 Its been remade with Xojo. 

Since moving to xojo with this product I was able to add many native platform user experiences and Native API's including adding AVFoundation, AudioToolbox, CoreAudio, CoreVideo, CoreGraphics, NSText etc etc. Things that can be done with Livecode using C++ but not as easy as with Xojo and not as robust. 

Since moving over to Xojo the product also has seen better overall success. The overall sales boomed since switching to Xojo from Livecode. Many of the long time customers that used both the Livecode built version and the Xojo built version actual wrote us, thanking us for the great improves that the Xojo version gave. Many thought the app (built with Xojo) was worth more money, even if it did the same things (as the versions built with Livecode).

The First Picture Below Is the last Livecode built version of my app File Mutation Pro. It using a full custom UI because the Livecode UI did not look like a mac app made in the last decade.

The Second Picture or the one below Is the Version of File Mutation made with Xojo. I can see why customers prefer it on looks and user experience alone.

One really needs to consider the end product these cross platform tools make. Livecode maybe fast to code with. However if your spending ever year updating a product X% of the time because of a new OS update its not really saving time or money like Xojo does in the end.

Xojo is not prefect either, but its 100 times better to actual gaining the perceived value and increasing sales. I still a fan of Livecode and I like to see them improve there tools. The thing is Xojo does most of this stuff now and can turn you and your products into a star now. 

I talked to some developers the other day that seem to not care what the app looked like, I believe that is a mistake on there part. Would you want a rust bucket car or a brand new car, if both cost the same price and did the same thing? There a reason why there thousands of rust bucket cars sitting in junk yards all over the world.

Even if your not a fan of Xojo, perceived value is a important thing to embrace. It will allow you to gain more value for your products in the end. Specially in a marketplace that has competitors to your products. If you take pride in your products appearance and user experience then your customers will open there wallets.

From Livecode to Xojo; Center Window

I keep getting Livecode users telling me that Xojo can not do most of what Livecode can do. I here to show them, Yes it can and just how simple it is.

This weeks look at something real simple in centering a window to the main screen. With Livecode this requires a pretty simple script and in Xojo this can be done by a simple block of code or the properties window.

Here a short video showing how simple it really is.


 

From Livecode to Xojo buttons and such

Another look at moving from Livecode to Xojo ( two different cross platform development tools) or the other way around. This time around we look at a very basic UI elements, buttons and tab panels. One tool looks like a million bucks while the other just looks not so good.


Below image is the default button set and tab panel styles of Livecode 7.0 (with cocoa support on mac)

Below image is the default button set and tab panel styles of Xojo 2014v2 (with cocoa support on mac)

The two photos clearly show one set of controls that looks like a million bucks and another one that looks not so good. Why is this important? If you have a product aka app that does something awesome but looks bad with buggy UI no one going to want to buy it. Looks are important to so many people who are willing to pay money for something. Second one of the photo shows old outdated and even buggy controls. That will bring into question your actual app and how sound it is and if It actual works. One set of UI shows pride in ownership the other does not.

But to give it a chance beyond just photos I did a video of both Livecode and Xojo and look at the UI elements of buttons and tab panels. It may help a little choose between the two tools for your next project.

enjoy.

Preview files with using Quick Look

One of the coolest thing I like about using Xojo is we can add functionality easily to a app deployed to a certain system. Such as adding a view to preview any file on Mac OSX with quick look within a window. This added functionality can be added using declares, macOSLib or Plugins.(Monkey bread complete plugin as one example of a plugin.)

I spent over a decade using a tool called Livecode that had no real way to add any additional functionality within views of a window. This made for very non professional looking apps that had outdated user experience and needs hacks to do anything cool. The problem with hacks, is they are not a safe way to make a app. A poor user experience also leads to less sales. 

With Xojo this is possible and without any special hack. This is one of the main reasons why I use Xojo over the now outdated Livecode that still stuck back in 2005 for most of what it does out of the box.

I will walk over how to add a quick look view within a window and also add a panel view in this video tutorial. Additional bonus items that also can be used on any platform includes; adding and removing a file list to and from a list box. And how to use classes to assign supers.

enjoy

Livecode expired, Xojo becomes top tool.

My Livecode License has expired and for the first time in a decade I not renewing it.

Have I just out grown Livecode? Well that is part of the reason. The other part of the reason is kind of sad. I say sad because Runrev the company be hide Livecode was once a very honest and trustworthy company. However since 2013 this changed rate around the time the made millions on Kickstarter to make a open source version of Livecode.

The Open Source version does not allow apps to be deployed to the Mac or iOS app stores. 70% of our business today is within those stores. That makes using this open source version not possible. So we have to pay for a commercial version. And to pay for a commercial version we need certain things fixed that have been broken for years. I supported there kickstarter effort and while they did release a open source version. None of the issues we needed fixed since 2012 where fixed since. Almost 2 full years.(there are even other bugs as old as 5 years still unfixed)

In the fall of 2013 I received over 30 emails from runrev that several bug reports of mine (with show stopping bugs) have been removed from the bug database. No reason was given. After review with the most recent build they where not fixed either. Then they came out and said they never removed any bug reports, even if I still have all 30 email from them saying they did. Making software for me is a profession, not a silly game. They send us emails saying xyz then,  say they never did such. Well I keep emails, and have proof of it.

I not sure what going on with Runrev anymore. Runrev once was a very helpful company that delivered a decent but somewhat outdated product. At least we knew where we stood using Livecode. Runrev before 2013 had the best customer support I ever seen by any company and was the major reason why I kept using there product.

With no certain future in sight. No way to talk with anyone from the company without them becoming very hostile to a fair report of issues (specially issues that will not pass app review for the app store) There not much one can do. There really only one thing to do, stop using Livecode. 

Well I started using Real Studio/ Xojo in 2011 for a one off product for a corporate client, and since have moved about 90% of my work to it. Enter Xojo,while it may not support all the same platforms as Livecode, what Xojo does do is just awesome. I can trust Xojo as a company way more than Runrev today because there honest with us. If Xojo can not delivery something, they tell you. If a company is honest, willing to listen to all customers and deliveries as they say like Xojo does 99.8% then why wouldn’t we use there tool over a company that does none of those things anymore.

Xojo supports things I dreamed Livecode could have done a decade ago. Xojo is a more true and more easy to use programming language with dot syntax, real arrays, dictionaries, more controllable drawing code, access to everything on a platform with declares and plugins. It has a real IDE with a great code editor, and best of all a community full of many professional developers. Whom are professional in answer questions and talking about Xojo. There no hostile fanboys with Xojo like with other tools. 

Best of all Xojo makes our final products work and look professional. It fits rate into the platform It is deployed on. 

The biggest improvement moving from Livecode to Xojo is Native UI. The reason this is so much of a impact is we do not have to think twice about any control. The layout of the interface is fast, easy and works as if built with the default OS development tool. That save days if not weeks of work. It also allows us to focus on the code and workflow of the app. Where Livecode needs a custom UI and takes days if not weeks to make and look right. Plus it does not fit the platform what so ever as its not using anything native at all.

Pay to play; with Xojo you pay full price once, that one time is for a year of updates. If you do not renew you still can use what you paid for (with Livecode it just expires). When you renew the cost is only 1/2 of what you first paid for for another year of updates.

Since 2012 (the last time I could deploy a Livecode built app, because of these unfixed bugs) I spent $1500 and got nothing from it. Runrev still owes us two years of updates that we never got for the money we paid. I would only renew livecode if it was free. because I already paid for 2 years for a broken un-useable product. This makes my stomach drop because for a small business like mine $1,500.00 is a lot of money to get nothing in return. I actual upset about this so much that I really not willing to forget.

Xojo has made me basically forget about Livecode now. It has access to everything and that is wonderful. Xojo for iOS is near release. What I find the most amazing with Xojo is there staff is 1/4 the size of Livecode's and they actual delivery more stuff in a shorter timeframe. Isn't that just amazing? I think so.

I wish all the great Livecode users we meet and became friends with over the last decade, the best of luck using Livecode. It was once my first choice and I hope they actual fix stuff for you soon, like Xojo does for me today.

This blog has many old helpful tips for Livecode, I keep them here for a reference to help others. I will however no longer answer questions about Livecode as I now do not really consider myself a full time user anymore. Maybe I even move some old Livecode built libs I made to Github as I have made many of useful add ons for that tool, that I not going to use anymore.

Code Image Filters

Programming for graphics has to be the coolest thing about programming in my mind. For years I made an really cool image app called Image Blender, witch uses some really cool image filters, that I programmed.

However that app was not programed with Xojo when I first started it and updated it for the first 6 years since I first released it. When I considered convert the code base over to Xojo, I found RGBSurface and it did basic the same method as the previous programming language I used.

With Xojo there many 3rd party plugins & declares one can use. That can access pre-made imaging methods like Core Image on OSX. However with RGBSurface you can support cross-platform every platform Xojo supports from one code base. If your like me and have an need for Linux builds to have the same stuff Mac and Windows, then RGBSurface is the way to go. Here is an little video walking over how to do it with an few different image filters.


enjoy

From Livecode to Xojo Read & Write Text Files

Both Livecode and Xojo are cross platform development tools.

This week in our Livecode to Xojo series... Is how to read and write text files with both development tools. If your new to one or both tools this will show an similar way to do the same thing with both tools.

-

If you find this video helpful please go to you tube and give it an like. Happy Coding :)

From Livecode to Xojo Switching Views

Both Livecode and Xojo are cross platform development tools. Both have strengths and weakness. However it no shock how much more I prefer Xojo over Livecode for desktop development, as the Xojo makes an far better and more modern final product on Mac and Linux than Livecode does. On Windows both do similarly well.

For mobile Livecode currently supports iOS and Android where Xojo will soon will do iOS, however not Android. Xojo also does the web where Livecode does the server. So again each tool has pluses and minus. 

I have used Livecode for over 8 years professionally and Xojo (and former product names) 6 years.

I also get many clients asking to convert Livecode code bases to Xojo and also Xojo code bases to Livecode so I figure I could do an few videos showing the different ways using both tools, to get one started using either or of the tools.

First in this new series is switching views. I will keep every video under 15 minutes long, even if that means editing the content down.

There many of way to switch views than what I present, but I walk over the basic ways for both tools.

Again Happy coding :)

Toolbar Toggles With Xojo

With Xojo (Real Studio) Making an Toolbar behave like an tabbed view controller does not work by default. Even with using the inspector settings. This is an walk over to how to get this to work. This will work perfectly on all platforms Mac, Windows and Linux. It does not need many steps but does require code.

I have added an screen record video (free, cause this info should really be free! ) That shows how to get this to work.



-


Enjoy and Happy coding:)

Xojo (Real Studio) New IDE out, Here is the lowdown.

Xojo formally known as Real Software whom made Real Studio and once Real Basic, has released there new Cross platform IDE tool Xojo 2013 r1. While there are some minor bugs in this first release, it is an great IDE if its compared with other cross platform tools (such as Livecode).

Since 1996 when I first started making software for money, I have used many such cross platform tools. None really compare to the overall quality of Xojo development tools or the final compiled product.

The IDE is basically one window, however as seen in the screenshot you can palette the object and properties panes (which I personally find make an faster workflow, during gui layout). 

What I really like about Xojo is it designed for the professional developer in mind first. Some of the other tools I have used seem to be designed for hobbyist first which make it fall short. 

Xojo has built in tools that help get the job done faster and with great results. I can not even cover all of them here, because there so many things it does that other tools do not. 

If you spend over 80 hours a week making apps like I do, having the right tools matter.

Having an fully customizable code editor is an major plus. Many other tools just do not get it, when it comes to code editing. They think any old plain text editor will do (which I guess it can work, if you spend little time writing any code.)

I prefer having and working with an editor that one can adjust colors of the syntax and background to anything.  After 14 hours an day, 6 days an week if not 7 staring at black text on an white background it can really kill your eyes. Specially if your already wearing glasses.

Also being able have syntax autocomplete is an major plus. Typing thousands of lines of code one char at an time adds up. This takes longer in time, and adds more chances of creating an bug.

When I compare Xojo to Livecode (another tool I used for 8 years) text editor. Hands down Xojo wins by an land slide. While many Livecode users have requested such changes to Livecode editors for years, nothing ever has come. 

Xojo seems understand how to make tools that make people more productive (While they are not prefect. Compared to other cross platform tools, I feel they understand far better than others.) 

This tool allows for many different project formats which supports source control super easy. Most other cross platform tools do not have this at all.

Built in Unit testing. This is awesome! Easy see bottle neck areas, fast and easy to help optimize your code. Actually no other cross platform tool I used has ever had this feature. This is an major plus, allowing you to deliver an top notch product that works fast.

The best thing I like in the Xojo IDE, is the interface layout and design area. The layout area has measurement guides, advance alignment tools, layering and quick access to every item on an window and also helpful scrollbars, when on smaller displays (macbook air anyone?). 

The best part of Xojo is the end product it makes. It is just better than any other cross platform tool on the market today. It supports many of the most modern platform items and native UI. Also if anything missing that I want access to I can write an declare and add just about any native thing I want. 

Also you can tap into the many resources of other developers and use 3rd party plug-ins that have reasonably prices. Specially when compared to the expensive, and limited 3rd party add-ons of most other cross platform tools

I hear many people complain about Xojo, I really do not understand why. Maybe if you have issues with it, go use Livecode or another cross platform tool for an few years. Then maybe you will see what I am talking about. When you actually compare Xojo to other cross platform development tools, really I see nothing better.

The people who make Xojo deliver promises, they make within an reasonable timeframe. I have been lead on for over 6 years about another tool I used, supporting Cocoa for OS X.Adding Browsers for Linux, etc, etc, etc. It still not done, and may never be done. There to busy working on minor things like syntax changes to things that are not broken.

Xojo offer far better resources to make far better cross platform apps than any other tool I used. It is an great cross platform tool, I highly suggest checking it out. You can use the IDE for free , and it reasonable priced to deploy apps.

Here is an link Xojo website