Completely lost...Doubts about Livecode

[glpunzi]

Hi all,

Sorry if this is not the place for ask this, but, I don't know where, sorry.

I'm from Spain (and my english is not very good as you can see), and recently, a follower from twitter, reffers me to this tool. At the moment, seems it has what I need, but, I don't know how it works, and for this, I ask you, the experts in Livecode. I would like to express what I need, and please, I would like you clarify me my doubts, I can't find them in website. In next months I will convert on an ISV and I'm searching a good development enviroment for my purposes. I need to develop a POS system who connects to serial ports and so on, external libraries, etc.. and some management applications (CSM, ERP, Quotes, Bills, and so on)

1.- I would like to develop from Linux/Windows/Mac. I develop from a dual boot Linux/Windows box, and I have a Macbook. Do I need 3 licenses? Or with 1, I can install Livecode in this 3 machines and work in one or another? How about to share projects when I move to my office to my laptop in house?

2.- I need to deploy Mobile, Win/Mac/linux, and web development. What exactly I need to buy?

3.- Something is needed by enduser? Or my apps can be deployed in any number of machines without problems?

4.- Livecode has it's own database? or its connects to Firebird/PostgreSQL/SQLite etc.. databases?

5.- What about multiuser applications? Saas?

6.- How is the lifecycle of licenses? For example, If I buy today Livecode, RunRev will publish next year a new version, and new licenses is needed to buy every year to stay update?

7.- How robust is Livecode applications?

8.- How complete is Livecode itself? Or I need to buy third party plugins for doing things? (XML, TCPIP, Email etc...)

For the moment, I think this is all, if I have some other doubt, I will ask. While, I will study the trial.

Thanks in advance and sorry for my english.

[Klaus]

Buenas tardes glpunzi,

1.- I would like to develop from Linux/Windows/Mac. I develop from a dual boot Linux/Windows box, and I have a Macbook. Do I need 3 licenses? Or with 1, I can install Livecode in this 3 machines and work in one or another? How about to share projects when I move to my office to my laptop in house?

You only need 2 licenses, the Mac/Windows version is ONE license.

2.- I need to deploy Mobile, Win/Mac/linux, and web development. What exactly I need to buy?

Then you need to buy these three licenses: Mac/Win, Linux and iOS.
And of course the pro version, so you can build and distribute standalone apps.

3.- Something is needed by enduser? Or my apps can be deployed in any number of machines without problems?

Deploy as much as you can

4.- Livecode has it's own database? or its connects to Firebird/PostgreSQL/SQLite etc.. databases?

No "own" database, but you can connect to most databases, there are drivers for Oracle, PostGreSql, SQLite, MySql and a ODBC driver.

5.- What about multiuser applications? Saas?

Sorry, no idea what SAAS is, but your apps will run in a multiuser environment (like OS X and >=Win XP) and manage prefs for all users.

6.- How is the lifecycle of licenses? For example, If I buy today Livecode, RunRev will publish next year a new version, and new licenses is needed to buy every year to stay update?

Better ask support@runrev for exact info about this one.

7.- How robust is Livecode applications?

I unintentionally dropped one onto the floor and it was still working after that! Just kidding
Livecode apps are very robust!

8.- How complete is Livecode itself? Or I need to buy third party plugins for doing things? (XML, TCPIP, Email etc...)

XML is supported via an external (included in the distribution!) and everything else can be implemented via libraries (written in Livecode of course!)
eMail libraries are available for free!

Hope that helps!

Best from germany

Klaus

[glpunzi]

Buenas tardes glpunzi,

1.- I would like to develop from Linux/Windows/Mac. I develop from a dual boot Linux/Windows box, and I have a Macbook. Do I need 3 licenses? Or with 1, I can install Livecode in this 3 machines and work in one or another? How about to share projects when I move to my office to my laptop in house?

You only need 2 licenses, the Mac/Windows version is ONE license.

Or this: http://runrev.com/store/product/livecod ... sktop-isv/
But my question was more about...There are some limitation, having only 1 license, of using LiveCode in more than one computer? I mean..If I buy Desktop ISV, can I have installed, only with this license, in house and office, and work for one to another computer without troubles? For example, now, I have a Windev license, thath has a USB dongle, without it Windev don't start. Is his anticopy protection, but, If I forgot the USB dongle, when come home, I can't develop, but I can have installed in various computers. In other development enviroments, you only can install it in one computer with one license. I would like to have LiveCode in my Macbook laptop, in my Windows laptop, and in my Windows/Linux machine. The reason is easy. My girlfriend use ALL my computers, and I need to jump, literally, from one to another (and if I don't obey she, I'm in troubles )

2.- I need to deploy Mobile, Win/Mac/linux, and web development. What exactly I need to buy?

Then you need to buy these three licenses: Mac/Win, Linux and iOS.
And of course the pro version, so you can build and distribute standalone apps.

Pro version, is Desktop ISV version too, I suppose.

4.- Livecode has it's own database? or its connects to Firebird/PostgreSQL/SQLite etc.. databases?

No "own" database, but you can connect to most databases, there are drivers for Oracle, PostGreSql, SQLite, MySql and a ODBC driver.

And this drivers are free?

5.- What about multiuser applications? Saas?

Sorry, no idea what SAAS is, but your apps will run in a multiuser environment (like OS X and >=Win XP) and manage prefs for all users.

SaaS comes from Software as a Service. ABout multiuser, I don't talk about multiuser enviroment, but multipleuser application. For example, an application with login, deployed in 30 machines, all working at same time against the same db.

7.- How robust is Livecode applications?

I unintentionally dropped one onto the floor and it was still working after that! Just kidding
Livecode apps are very robust!

Cool

8.- How complete is Livecode itself? Or I need to buy third party plugins for doing things? (XML, TCPIP, Email etc...)

XML is supported via an external (included in the distribution!) and everything else can be implemented via libraries (written in Livecode of course!)
eMail libraries are available for free!

Then, I suppose, Livecode is self-sufficient. I mean, If I don't have something, I can develop it in Livecode, always if I know how to do it For example, since a lot of time, I would like to do some game development. From LiveCode you can access to 3D engines and performance is "good"?

And for generate reports, I need to buy another package, true? Or there are some "simple" reporting package integrated?

Hope that helps!

Best from germany

Klaus

I really appreciate your time.

[ctflatt]

As Klaus points out, databases and XML are supported via externals, BUT for mobile development externals cannot currently be loaded (including database access and xml support). At least not in the latest pre-release.

Just thought you should be aware.

[glpunzi]

Then how data could be persisted in mobile? with plain text files?

There are some roadmap to other Mobile devices like Android, Meego and/or Phone 7?

[Klaus]

Buenos dias glpunzi (do you also have a real name?),

Then how data could be persisted in mobile? with plain text files?
There are some roadmap to other Mobile devices like Android, Meego and/or Phone 7?

Yep, you can store text files on an iPhone/iPad.
I think they are working on an Android version, no idea about the other platforms.

Concerning your other questions:
1. Yes, this is the complete package, which covers all the desktops versions.
2.There are no dongles, you can install your versions on all of your machines, as long as you are working on only one machine at a time,
which is OK as long as you don't have four arms
4. All the database drivers are included in the distribution!
5. I am not sure, I do not have much experience with multiuser access to databases, but I am sure this can be done.
7.
8. You might be surprised, but Livecode (the IDE) is in fact programmed in Livecode
This way it is (more or less) easy to make yopur own tools!
And yes, there is even a 3D external for Livecode. Check this url:
http://www.franklin3d.com
There is a report library here "Quartam Reports", which is of course programmed in Livecode:
http://www.quartam.com
But you can also make your own!

And welcome to the club


Best from germany

Klaus

[glpunzi]

Buenos dias glpunzi (do you also have a real name?),

Hi Klaus. Yes, Giuseppe Luigi. I'm curious. speaks you spanish? or knows some words?

Then how data could be persisted in mobile? with plain text files?
There are some roadmap to other Mobile devices like Android, Meego and/or Phone 7?

Yep, you can store text files on an iPhone/iPad.
I think they are working on an Android version, no idea about the other platforms.

LiveCode sounds better to me for moments hehe

1. Yes, this is the complete package, which covers all the desktops versions.
2.There are no dongles, you can install your versions on all of your machines, as long as you are working on only one machine at a time,
which is OK as long as you don't have four arms

I readed in the FAQ, sorry for not looking it before.

4. All the database drivers are included in the distribution!

Great.

5. I am not sure, I do not have much experience with multiuser access to databases, but I am sure this can be done.

I see there are some big projects (an ERP for example), I suppose all of this is contemplated.

8. You might be surprised, but Livecode (the IDE) is in fact programmed in Livecode

Well, this shows must be enough powerfull to be builded from its own.

This way it is (more or less) easy to make yopur own tools!
And yes, there is even a 3D external for Livecode. Check this url:
http://www.franklin3d.com
There is a report library here "Quartam Reports", which is of course programmed in Livecode:
http://www.quartam.com
But you can also make your own!

Looks interesting. The only problem I see, is thath most of the external libraries are not free, and Livecode looks simple (I mean looks simple, I don't say it's simple, because I don't know it) when you open, as if externals were required mandatorily. I can't find what libraries, features and so on are integrated with the IDE (as I said, for example, working with XML, serial ports, DLLs/.so, working with files, GUI, and so on).

For the moment, I'm looking to the User Guide of Livecode, seems like a tutorial.

[Klaus]

Hola Guiseppe,

hmm, "Guiseppe Luigi" sounds more italian than spanish to me, capisce

And no, I do not speak spanish, but I am very interested in languages and speak german and english fluently, dutch and french not so fluently, have some basic knowledge in "roman" languages like italian, spanish and portuguese (I had latin in school!) and try to learn at least some common phrases in as many languages as possible

Libraries and externals:
Since Livecode is definitvely not a low level language, some things like this 3D external need to be added via externals written in C/C++ and are thus not free.
Everything else can be written in Livecode, although this is mostly not trivial.

Here a list of the externals that are include with Livecode (copied from my Mac version, these are of course DLLs on Windows!):
revbrowser.bundle
Lets you have a real webbrowser in your projects. It uses "Safari" on Mac and IE on windows

revdb.bundle
Database connection

revfont.bundle
Lets you install/remove a (custom) font via Livecode

revspeech.bundle
Use the text-to-speech technology of the different platforms

revvideograbber.bundle
Lets you intergrate live video and videorecording to your projects

revxml.bundle
You guess

revzip.bundle
Give you the ability to zip/unzip files via Livecode

Everything else needs to be programmed by yourself of buy as external.

Here is the best resource to get started with Livecode, check all the stacks here:
http://www.runrev.com/developers/lesson ... nferences/


Best from germany

Klaus

[glpunzi]

Thanks a lot.

One more question please...

Why in my Slackware Linux at office looks different thath my Fedora Linux at home?

Looks like at home, use Gnome while at work is using TK.

Livecode can use KDE/Gnome/TK?

[Klaus]

Hola Guiseppe,

sorry, I have absolutely no experience with Linux.


Best

Klaus

[glpunzi]

Hola Guiseppe,

sorry, I have absolutely no experience with Linux.


Best

Klaus

Ok, no problem, I will ask to support

I suppose, my last question for the moment. How code is separatelly to work with more than 1 developer? As far as I can understand, An application, is a Stack with substacks and cards, but, how more than one developer can work in the same project, and how can you move code from computers and control versions? (SVN, CVS and so on..) copying the rev file?

Oh, and I forgot. Yes, my name sounds Italian, because my father and his family is from there, but I was born in Spain, and sadly, I don't speak Italian

[mhoneywill]

Hi Guiseppe,

I'm a new user of LiveCode just bought the bundle offer that is on at the moment.

Did you buy LiveCode? what have your experiences been?

Cheers

Martin