B4i (iOS) - Updates thread

Beja · Oct 4, 2014

Thanks Mitch

joseluis · Oct 4, 2014

This sounds like it's gonna be ~~a nightmare~~ really fun to make it work in linux

Osi · Oct 4, 2014

Yep. The newest XCode is out (XCode 6), there's some beta updates out, but I wouldn't bother with those until they are marked Final. But yes. You need a mac to compile for distribution.

Now ... there are ways (I have read), where you can run OSX in a virtual box to compile and distribute to the app store (and apple is non the wiser), but .... in countries with backwater laws (ex: US and UK), it would be illegal. In countries with modern laws (read, 80% of the world), it's just fine. You just got to take all the precautionary steps ...

Anyhow, I'm in Alaska, unfortunately, so that route isn't an option for me ..... but I do have a macbook......

RauchG · Oct 4, 2014

Mitchboo said:
The iOS developer program provides the possibility to distribute an app without the app store through the "ad hoc" distribution. I have no experience of that particular feature, but you can probably find out more at https://developer.apple.com/programs/ios/distribute.html

https://developer.apple.com/library...p.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40012582-CH8-SW4 and search for "ad hoc".

Thank Mitchboo
that's a start.
Greeting RauchG

IanMc · Oct 4, 2014

Erel said:
There are no plans for now to merge all three IDEs into a single IDE. The IDEs are very light-weight. You can install each of the tools in a single minute (visual studio for example can take a couple of hours). I don't see many advantages for merging them into a single tool.

Well there will be a marketing advantage, the mobile and java development IDE all-in-one for $250 per year.

Though if you get too rich you'll buy your own island Erel-isle and stop development and we can't have that!

migrec · Oct 4, 2014

So I just boot Windows when using B4A and OS X when using B4i? is there an OSX requirement? mine is quite old..

LWGShane · Oct 4, 2014

@Beja

You don't need to "install" Objective-C onto the Mac. Objective-C is just a language. Cocoa is the framework that uses both obj-c and swift.

Cocoa is basically a "runtime" like Java and .NET. Though Cocoa comes pre-installed on Macs.

migrec said:
So I just boot Windows when using B4A and OS X when using B4i? is there an OSX requirement? mine is quite old..

OS X is required for the first version to compile apps.

Beja · Oct 4, 2014

@BlackholeSoft

You don't need to "install" Objective-C onto the Mac. Objective-C is just a language

Thanks but I thought b4i is first translated to Objective-C then the OC source code is compiled into iOS op-code.. just like b4a when it is first translated to java and compiled the generated java code.. does cocoa recognizes b4i source code?

joseluis · Oct 4, 2014

@Beja

The only thing that would make sense is that B4I itself is the one that converts the B4I code to Objective-C, and then sends that to the Mac for the final compilation.

Mitchboo · Oct 4, 2014

joseluis said:
This sounds like it's gonna be ~~a nightmare~~ really fun to make it work in linux

VirtualBox works fine in most distros...

The only thing that would make sense is that B4I itself is the one that converts the B4I code to Objective-C, and then sends that to the Mac for the final compilation.

I see no other way.

Erel · Oct 5, 2014

joseluis said:
The only thing that would make sense is that B4I itself is the one that converts the B4I code to Objective-C, and then sends that to the Mac for the final compilation.

This is more or less correct. During development (debug mode) you will be able to "compile" your app and run it without a local or more compilation. At least not every time. It is a similar solution to B4A rapid debugger.

Erel · Oct 7, 2014

Fast debug mode and code swapping features are now working...

There will be two debug modes:
- Shell
- Fast debug

In Shell mode you build and deploy the "shell" app once and then you can modify your code or even run other programs using this shell app (you do need to rebuild the shell app if you change the referenced libraries).
This mode is quite convenient as it saves the build and deploy step. However it is slower and in many cases it is too slow.

Fast debug is similar to the debugger in B4A v3.5+. In this mode you need to build and deploy from time to time however the performance is much better.

The build and deploy step is not too annoying once you configure everything correctly.

Beja · Oct 7, 2014

@joseluis

The only thing that would make sense is that B4I itself is the one that converts the B4I code to Objective-C, and then sends that to the Mac for the final compilation.

This is what I am saying.. the Mac iOS is not a compiler.. it just executes instructions if it received them in compiled binary form.. it is the compiler that compiles high level language into binary so the OS can understand it.
In this case, either B4i compiler translates your project directly into Mac's binary instructions or pass it to a OC compiler.

joseluis · Oct 7, 2014

@Beja

The OC compiler runs in the Mac, and B4I will send the code to the OC compiler in the Mac. Technically it will be more complicated but that's basically it.

Beja · Oct 7, 2014

Jose,
ok, now we are in business.. now I understand (correct me) that Objective C compiler runs in Macs as a process or service
and the OSx comes like this (with the compiler pre-installed or even built into the operating system)

joseluis · Oct 7, 2014

@Beja

Isn't it how any computer works? Compilers are always programs that runs in OSes. I mean, I've never had a Mac but searching in google "compile objective c mac ios" gives exactly the info you are after.

Beja · Oct 7, 2014

(Isn't it how any computer works?)

No Jose,
In Windows you need to install C compiler, it doesn't come with OS.. now for B4A we need to install Java compiler to compile the B4A-generated Java code. But in the case of B4i we don't need to install OC compiler, and I understand what you said that Mac OS, unlike Windows, comes with OC compiler pre-installed.

joseluis · Oct 7, 2014

No, I didn't say that, and it really doesn't matter if the compiler comes preinstalled or not. That is completely irrelevant. You'll be able to install it if you don't have it already. I don't understand where is the confusion, but anyway, we're derrailing the thread so I'll leave it there. The instructions will be clear when Erel finishes it.

MaFu · Oct 8, 2014

Beja said:
(Isn't it how any computer works?)

No Jose,
In Windows you need to install C compiler, it doesn't come with OS.. now for B4A we need to install Java compiler to compile the B4A-generated Java code. But in the case of B4i we don't need to install OC compiler, and I understand what you said that Mac OS, unlike Windows, comes with OC compiler pre-installed.

On the Mac you must install Xcode.

Beja · Oct 8, 2014

On the Mac you must install Xcode.

Thanks Manfred for the clarification.

B4i (iOS) - Updates thread

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