B4J Library [ABMaterial] Framework for WebApps

TIP: For absolute beginners with ABM, Get started with the Mini Template
TIP: Get started with 'ABMaterial For Dummies' by Harris here! (lessons)
TIP: My mini course on Youtube by MichalK73

ABMaterial is a framework combining a tuned Materialize CSS with the free programming tool B4J. It allows creating WebApps that not only look great thanks to Googles Material Design, but can be programmed with the powerful free tool from Anywhere Software without any knowledge of HTML, CSS or Javascript.

ABMaterial has over 45 themeable controls and some useful helpers.

Components:

• ABMActionButton
• ABMAudioPlayer (1.08)
• ABMBadge
• ABMButton
• ABMCanvas
• ABMCalendar
• ABMCard
• ABMChart (Plugin support 2.00)
• ABMChat (2.50)
• ABMCheckbox
• ABMChronologyList (2.00)
• ABMCombo
• ABMCustomControl (1.05)
• ABMChip
• ABMCodeLabel
• ABMDivider
• ABMDateTimeScroller (1.06)
• ABMDateTimePicker (1.06)
• ABMEditor (1.07)
• ABMFileInput (1.20+)
• ABMGoogleMap
• ABMLabel
• ABMList
• ABMImage
• ABMImageSlider
• ABMInputField
• ABMRadioGroup
• ABMPagination (1.04)
• ABMPatternLock (1.20+)
• ABMPDFViewer (1.08)
• ABMPercentSlider (2.50)
• ABMPlanner (2.50)
• ABMPivotTable (1.08)
• ABMRange (1.05)
• ABMSignaturePad
• ABMTimeLine (1.10, depreciated in 4.00)
• ABMSlider (1.05)
• ABMSmartWizard (3.00)
• ABMSocialShare (1.07)
• ABMSocialOAuth
• ABMSVGSurface (1.20+)
• ABMSwitch
• ABMTabs
• ABMTreeTable (1.04)
• ABMUpload
• ABMVideo

Helpers:

• ABMContainer
• ABMFlexWall (1.10)
• ABMGenerator (1.07)
• ABMModalSheet
• ABMNavigationBar
• ABMPage
• ABMParallax
• ABMSideBar (2.00)
• ABMTable
• ABMTableMutable (1.20+)

Other:

• Firebase Auth (1.20+)
• Firebase Storage (1.20+)
• Configurable App and Content folders (2.00)
• Lorem Ipsum Generator (2.00)
• Grid Builder (2.00+)

The Grid Builder:
With the Grid Builder you can build the responsive framework very easy. This has been the most difficult part for beginners to understand. But now with the builder, you have no reason to not use ABMaterial

Included is a extensive Demo application demonstrating a lot of the functionality of ABMaterial. In itself, the app is also some kind of tutorial. I suggest you start the app in B4J, open your browser and go to http://localhost:51042/demo. You can browse the objects and test them out, but when you want to start to program I suggest you start at 'Getting Started' and follow the guidelines through the chapters suggested at the end of each page.

There is also an online demo at http://abmaterial.com
Alternative url: http://prd.one-two.com:51042/demo/

Don't forget: Everyone (not only donators!) can use the feedback app:

NEW: You can now support BANano and ABMaterial here too: https://www.patreon.com/alwaysbusy

ABMaterial is DonationWare.

Click here if you like to donate

This means it is free to use, but consider this: it took me already thousands of hours to program ABMaterial, all done in my free time early in the morning and deep into the night. Not only will a donation push me to continue developing ABMaterial , remember, you'll get a warm and fuzzy feeling doing it!

Donators get the latest versions in their mailbox a couple of weeks before the public, and an extra goodie now and then...

Current extra goodies:

IMPORTANT NOTE: MyMaterial.Show / ABMaterial.Show/ Pen&Paper / MashPlugins is in no way affiliated with the ABMaterial library and I will not give support for it nor for what it generates as it has violates the ABM LICENSE AGREEMENT.

Read this if you are planning to use any of the above mentioned tools:
https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/t...olation-with-the-abm-license-agreement.87773/

Download the latest public version (4.51) with demo projects:
ABMaterial is to big to upload to the forum, so you can get it via dropbox. Included is a README 4.51.TXT files. IMPORTANT INFO on this release is in there so read carefully!

Note: You'll also need the PDFJet library from the B4X Forum and jServer 2.75+.

IMPORTANT: If you use B4J 5.80+ you have to make this change: https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/threads/abmaterial-important-change-for-b4j-5-80.81595/

Just unzip the file and you'll find several folders: Demos, Library, Template. Start the demo and all the rest is explained in the Getting Started section.

Download version 4.95 (open source, library only):
ABMaterial 4.95 is now available on github and is open sourced (AS IS)! This version has been in heavy use (development and production) within our company for over a year now without major alterations, so I consider it very stable and ready to be open sourced.

I trust no one here will publish a clone or take credit for my work and I would consider it common courtesy if you find a bug/fix/new feature, you report back to me so I can make the same changes in the official library and everyone can benefit from it.

Github (source + binary release 4.95): https://github.com/RealAlwaysbusy/ABMaterial-Source

Note: next to downloading the library, you need also to download the accompanying www zip files from the same github (releases) containing the latest javascript/css/font files.

The procedure from Github for 4.95:

1. Download https://github.com/RealAlwaysbusy/ABMaterial-Source/releases/download/v4.95/ABMaterial4.95-bin.zip
2. Download https://github.com/RealAlwaysbusy/A...ses/download/v4.95-www-fix220111/www4.95b.zip
3. Unzip ABMaterial4.95-bin.zip and copy all .xml and .jar files to you B4J Libraries folder
4. Unzip www4.95b.zip
5. In the projects you are working on (e.g. a for Dummies project) delete the following folders in \www

• css
• font
• js

6. Copy from the unzipped www4.95b.zip the 3 folder (css/font/js) to the \www folder where you just deleted these 3 folders.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did creating it and I look forward to see the killer apps you will make with ABMaterial!

Also consider BANano if you are planning to write Websites/Apps in B4J!

Alain Bailleul
Alwaysbusy's Corner

 

[Harris]

I don't think I personally would use it as the amount of work involved is way too much.

Too much work??? Compared to learning Javascript, HTML5, CSS and Ajax - and using these to create / cobble a "simple" web page is what I consider "way too much work".
When developing in debug mode, the web page you are working on essentially becomes your designer...

I use ABM everyday and am currently updating an app to make it more responsive on small devices. This requires bypassing the ABMTable and using ABMCustomCard for the presentation. This is easily accomplished, enjoyable to code and the outcome - a work of art...

Sure, a formal designer would be nice but as @alwaysbusy stated - not possible. However, there are code generators built in to create much of the grid and modalsheet code.

 

[alwaysbusy]

@Indic Software ABM is a wrapper for Materialize CSS, no other CSS framework (Bootstrap has nothing to do with ABM). If you want to use that, I wrote the BANano library, where you can use ANY css/javascript framework (Bootstrap, ReactJS, Vue, ...) you want.

ABM is in many cases the perfect tool for WebApps, without having to know anything about Javascript, CSS, HTML, PHP or Web whatsoever. Knowing pure B4J is enough. It is used internally within our company and has dramatically increased the development speed over any other tool we used before. THAT is the reason I shared this library to the community.

ABM does a lot of stuff in the background that makes the resulting app fast and reliable because it prevents the programmer from making common mistakes. The B4J Webserver Jetty is a very good Webserver and, with the proper load balancing, can serve up many users (just the same as with ReactJS, NodeJS, PHP: without a good load balancing strategy, they also will choke on a huge number of users just like Jetty will). In our latest company ABM WebApp, it will serve up to 50.000+ users with ease.

So the choice is: learn Javascript/HTML/CSS/PHP/ReactJS/Bootstrap/Vue and do all you want, or use only one language B4X where you are familiar with, having Materialize CSS as your UI with ABM (and some custom components if you want to pimp it a bit).

I guess as you already know html/javascript/css/php very well, your choice is simple and ABM just isn't for you. But I'm glad it has given many B4X users the opportunity to make great, robust WebApps without having to learn new stuff.

Alwaysbusy

 

[LucaMs]

@Indic Software ABM is a wrapper for Materialize CSS, no other CSS framework (Bootstrap has nothing to do with ABM). If you want to use that, I wrote the BANano library, where you can use ANY css/javascript framework (Bootstrap, ReactJS, Vue, ...) you want.

ABM is in many cases the perfect tool for WebApps, without having to know anything about Javascript, CSS, HTML, PHP or Web whatsoever. Knowing pure B4J is enough. It is used internally within our company and has dramatically increased the development speed over any other tool we used before. THAT is the reason I shared this library to the community.

ABM does a lot of stuff in the background that makes the resulting app fast and reliable because it prevents the programmer from making common mistakes. The B4J Webserver Jetty is a very good Webserver and, with the proper load balancing, can serve up many users (just the same as with ReactJS, NodeJS, PHP: without a good load balancing strategy, they also will choke on a huge number of users just like Jetty will). In our latest company ABM WebApp, it will serve up to 50.000+ users with ease.

So the choice is: learn Javascript/HTML/CSS/PHP/ReactJS/Bootstrap/Vue and do all you want, or use only one language B4X where you are familiar with, having Materialize CSS as your UI with ABM (and some custom components if you want to pimp it a bit).

I guess as you already know html/javascript/css/php very well, your choice is simple and ABM just isn't for you. But I'm glad it has given many B4X users the opportunity to make great, robust WebApps without having to learn new stuff.

Alwaysbusy

It is not exactly like that.

Following a video tutorial about JavaScript, 4 lessons for a total of only 6 hours and 11 minutes, this is the great final result (without CSS, which the tutorial did not teach, of course):

 

[Harris]

it will serve up to 50.000+ users with ease

WOW! That's my goal - 50G of clients at 2500.00 per year = BIG BUCKS!

Just noticed my member level has been upgraded to Expert (very debatable)...
I would prefer a status of HACK - much more appropriate for me....

 

[Cableguy]

I think the main problem in writing a designer is the fact that the screen occupation is not known by the "designer"
Creating a code generator is in itself not hard, but then, enters theming, and grid placement, will it be inside a "cell" or a "container"..?
There is just too many variables in the screen layout itself, unlike with the other designers that know the screen size and how they are "divided".

 

[LucaMs]

50G of clients

50 Giga... I would be happy 1c from each one just una tantum! (even a quarter of a cent!)

 

[Jones Hone]

I am test ABMarterial's project of demo.b4j.
I only modify some word to Chinese word.
But:
On ABMNavigationBar the Chinese word is gardled.
Ob other page the Chinese word is correct.
(Refer to below image, Please.)
How can I fix it? Thank you!

[Sorry! I'll post another new thread.]

 

[Cableguy]

I am test ABMarterial's project of demo.b4j.
I only modify some word to Chinese word.
But:
On ABMNavigationBar the Chinese word is gardled.
Ob other page the Chinese word is correct.
(Refer to below image, Please.)
How can I fix it? Thank you!
View attachment 98226
View attachment 98227
View attachment 98228
View attachment 98229

Please start a new thread for your question.
This thread is meant as an announcement / introduction thread to ABMaterial.
By posting your answer here, it will have less visibility, and even worse, the possible answers will not be easily found by others having the same issues!

 

[Jones Hone]

Sorry! I'll post another new thread.

 

[Schakalaka]

Donation Done

 

[Don Oso]

Some new updates for this lib in the future? may be turn it open source ?

 

[alwaysbusy]

Some new updates for this lib in the future? may be turn it open source

There have indeed been very few updates (needed) and making it open source is something I'm very seriously considering. I think it is mature enough to be so. I previously did not want to do it because it could turn into a wild grow of versions that could break with every 'official' update I did. But things have changed now.

 

[Cristianlt]

@LucaMs

is it possible to use ABMaterial with VB .net?

 

[Indic Software]

I don't think so. It is built in B4J and we cannot compile the code of B4J in VB.NET.

 

[Jmu5667]

@LucaMs

is it possible to use ABMaterial with VB .net?

What had you in mind, what are you trying to do ?

 

[hibrid0]

@LucaMs

is it possible to use ABMaterial with VB .net?

In Vb.net you will test Radzen https://www.radzen.com/
Or https://mudblazor.com/

 

[barx]

I think it is about time I looked at this. I want to create myself a job management platform to help keep my jobs/clients/invoicing in order. I was going to try create it in Laravel PHP framework, but then I remembered this project and thought 'why the hell not give it a try'.

See how it goes...

 

[MichalK73]

I think it is about time I looked at this. I want to create myself a job management platform to help keep my jobs/clients/invoicing in order. I was going to try create it in Laravel PHP framework, but then I remembered this project and thought 'why the hell not give it a try'.

See how it goes...

I recommend ABMaterial, it is perfect for what you want to write. You'll like it nice to write. You do very well to have a goal, and you will slowly write your system and at the same time you will learn the framework and the next ones will be easier for you.
Good luck, and if you have a problem, everyone will help you here.

 

[Indic Software]

I think it is about time I looked at this. I want to create myself a job management platform to help keep my jobs/clients/invoicing in order. I was going to try create it in Laravel PHP framework, but then I remembered this project and thought 'why the hell not give it a try'.

See how it goes...

This means you are well versed in PHP as well as B4J.

If you can wait for a few days we are launching a new product NO-CODE web application generator called ZenDevX!!

In ZenDevX you will be able to build any king of web application without having to write a single line of code!

Please don't get me wrong. Using ABM is a very good idea but unforunately one has to code a lot and test the output very frequently. And as per my very little experience with ABM, this is very time consuming.

Please check the Post: https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/threads/launching-two-product-back-to-back.130225/ for more information as I will be posting updates there.

Finally ZenDevX will generate complete web app with PHP code for server side, JavaScript for client side and it uses Bootstrap for page designing internally.

 

[barx]

This means you are well versed in PHP as well as B4J.

If you can wait for a few days we are launching a new product NO-CODE web application generator called ZenDevX!!

In ZenDevX you will be able to build any king of web application without having to write a single line of code!

Please don't get me wrong. Using ABM is a very good idea but unforunately one has to code a lot and test the output very frequently. And as per my very little experience with ABM, this is very time consuming.

Please check the Post: https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/threads/launching-two-product-back-to-back.130225/ for more information as I will be posting updates there.

Finally ZenDevX will generate complete web app with PHP code for server side, JavaScript for client side and it uses Bootstrap for page designing internally.

Sounds very interesting. I will certainly keep an eye ut for it.
Cheers