Other B4A v7.80 has been released!

Erel

B4X founder
Staff member
Licensed User
Longtime User
I'm happy to release B4A v7.80. This is the largest update of the IDE since the release of the new IDE in v5.0.

Several important components were rewritten to provide more features and better performance:
  • Visual designer properties grid
  • Visual designer views tree
  • Modules tree (new component)
  • Files tree
The major improvements are:
  • Code modules can be loaded from other folders and can be easily shared between projects (including projects targeting other platforms): https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/threads/b4x-modules-files-groups-and-folders.86587/

    share-gif.62717

  • Modules and file tree support grouping:

    SS-2017-12-13_11.14.51.png


  • Modules are monitored for external changes.
  • Files tree shows the files icons and allows opening the files with external editors: https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/threads/b4x-external-editors.86592/

    SS-2017-11-26_17.12.24.png


  • Modules, files and views can be renamed directly from the relevant tree.
  • Full support for drag and dropping files and modules, including support for dragging multiple items.
  • B4A services and activities can be shared with B4J: https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/threads/b4x-sharing-modules-and-classes.87478/
  • New options when adding modules:

    SS-2017-12-13_11.24.30.png


    Copy to folder: Copies the module to the project folder (same as the current behavior).
    Link - relative path: Adds a link to the module with a relative path. Useful when the folder is under or close to the project folder.
    Link - absolute path: Adds a link to the module with an absolute path.


  • Deleted files are moved to the recycle bin.
  • Properties grid and views tree can be filtered.
  • Properties grid is much faster and includes new types of editors:


    SS-2017-11-26_17.15.19.png


    SS-2017-11-26_17.15.53.png

  • B4A Sdk Manager is included in the IDE:

    SS-2017-12-13_11.16.26.png

  • Support for downloading maven resources from Google online repositories. This is an important improvement as Google no longer updates the offline repositories.
  • Java 9 is supported.
  • WebView.ZoomEnabled hides or shows the zoom controls.
  • Better error handling in CallSub calls.
  • Fix for potential race condition in AsyncStreams.
  • Better handling of edge cases where the Activity life cycle events are called multiple times.
  • CallSubDelayed doesn't raise an error if the target sub is missing. This makes it safer to use CallSubDelayed for raising events,
  • Better support for version control. Files are only written when the contents are actually changed.
  • The modules internal attributes are sorted in lexicographical order to reduce random changes.
  • XUI library is now an internal library.
  • Debugger hover window is resizable.
  • Add New Modules / Existing modules menu items in modules tree.
  • Code editor color picker is based on the designer color picker.
  • Open file with default program in Files tree. Also works with double click.
  • Support for opening multiple files at once.
  • Better handling of locked files.
  • Manifest editor replacements are applied to resources created with CreateResource.
  • Bug fixes and other minor improvements.

An email with upgrade instructions will be sent to all developers who are eligible for a free upgrade.
Other developers will receive an email with an upgrade offer.
 
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Erel

B4X founder
Staff member
Licensed User
Longtime User
I received today, on my professional email address, the link to download 7.80 Version of the B4A.
Unfortunately the mail system of my company forbids me to open this link.
So I decided to change in my account this professional email addess by my personal address.
Please send an email to [email protected].

Does we need to unistall previous version to install this update? we can have both?
You can keep both versions by installing the new version in a different folder.
You can also install the new version over the old version without uninstalling the old version (if you don't want to keep it).
 
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Ed Brown

Active Member
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Longtime User
Fix for potential race condition in AsyncStreams.
G'day Erel!

Thanks for the update. Could you expand a bit more on the above please? I've searched the forums for some details but have not found anything that seems related.

I use asyncstreams a lot and do occasionally get RTE's but have put that down to quirks within the various versions of Android.
 
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NJDude

Expert
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Longtime User
Awesome!!

One question, besides the XUI library which will have to be removed from the "external" libs directory since now is part of the B4A distribution, are there any other things to do before upgrading?
 
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Erel

B4X founder
Staff member
Licensed User
Longtime User
One question, besides the XUI library which will have to be removed from the "external" libs directory since now is part of the B4A distribution
No need to. Internal libraries have higher precedence over external libraries.

You don't need to do anything special. At some point you should switch to the new sdk manager though it will work properly with the existing one.
 
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vfafou

Well-Known Member
Licensed User
Longtime User
Hello Erel!
The new features are really a very big step forward for B4X!
I would like to ask you if we should install Java 9 and the Android SDK 27.
If yes, should we worry about incompatibilities with older Android versions?
If no, will Android 8+ be supported from Java 8 and Android SDK versions smaller than 26 or 27?

Thank you in advance!
 
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Star-Dust

Expert
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Longtime User
I have a question, the version 7.80 Automatically set the target SDK to 26?. (as requested by Google starting in August)
 
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rbghongade

Active Member
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Longtime User
Great work Erel! Installed new version on a new hard drive. Using SDK manager is a breeze. The utility, sort of completes, B4A in totality. All previous projects compiled smoothly. No problem with Genymotion emulator.
Big thanks to Erel.
 
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Duque

Active Member
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Longtime User
SE ve genial pero no hay dinero para actualizar :( hay alguna forma de ganar un cupón de descuento :D
 
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thehe

Member
Licensed User
Longtime User
I had developed my programs with Basic4Android up_to ver 5.8 an Releasing with out any error; run well on my school tablets ( ACER ICONIA, Motorola XOOM MZ604)

But my applications are not run with new version B4A 7.8 just bought yesterday.

I even tried to created a new simple with a button and a label but out of luck.

Deleting 7.8 and reinstalling 5.8 then re-opening the bad-luck new simple: it worked on 5.8.

Anyone know WHY?
 
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