Wish File Layout (.bal) in plain text

[bridge1]

Surely for all developers who program, using versioning systems, it would be very useful if the layout files are in plain text.

Thank you.

 

[DonManfred]

[B4X] BalConverter - Convert the layouts files to JSON (and vice versa)

BalConverter is a B4J app (desktop app) that converts between the designer layout files and JSON format. This allows you to edit the layout with a text editor. Note that the format is not so simple as the layout files were not designed to be edited this way. The converter app is simple. You...

www.b4x.com

 

[bridge1]

Thanks Don Manfred, we have already used the class of your project, and we can compare the layout files via their JSON file.
But in the versioning system when we merge the project, we have to manage the binary files (.bal) manually.

We hope for your future development.

 

[AnandGupta]

[B4X] BalConverter - Convert the layouts files to JSON (and vice versa)

BalConverter is a B4J app (desktop app) that converts between the designer layout files and JSON format. This allows you to edit the layout with a text editor. Note that the format is not so simple as the layout files were not designed to be edited this way. The converter app is simple. You...

www.b4x.com

This does not help in versioning systems, as requested by op.
Here one has to do the manual conversion before and after changes always.

Any auto solution can you suggest, will help, if Erel can not find way to use the json itself instead of bal in designer.

 

[DonManfred]

Here one has to do the manual conversion before and after changes always.

it can be automated with a batch too. Fact is that the BAL-Files are binary and not editable.

 

[AnandGupta]

it can be automated with a batch too. Fact is that the BAL-Files are binary and not editable.

That is the problem.

Now if we make any changes in designer then we again need to run the batch file to convert to json for versioning.
Worse we can not make changes in json, as again we need to convert else ide won't show the changes.

Now assume somehow Erel manages to create layout.json instead of layout.bal, all the problems are solved in one flash.
I know many members have requested / wished for the same for very long time. I am not loosing my heart. Always hope.

 

[Spavlyuk]

You can modify BalConverter to a console app and use that in combination with #CustomBuildAction.
Then it will be run every time your application is compiled.

 

[AnandGupta]

You can modify BalConverter to a console app and use that in combination with #CustomBuildAction.
Then it will be run every time your application is compiled.

Thanks for the tip. I use similar external batch file for long time. But I hope maybe in is not required anymore, maybe ..