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SpiderBasic 2.00 released !
Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2016 7:02 am
by Fred
Hi there,
We are very happy to announce the 2.00 version of SpiderBasic, a web and mobile oriented fork of PureBasic. Its syntax is very similar to PureBasic and you can target Android, iOS and Web application ! A free version is available for small apps creation. For more information:
https://www.spiderbasic.com/
Code: Select all
- Added: Android App creation support (Windows version only)
- Added: iOS App creation support (MacOS version only)
- Added: InAppPurchase library (Android only)
- Added: new 'Create App' window in the IDE to ease the app creation
- Added: app name field for WebApp
- Added: default browser choice in Preferences -> Compiler
- Added: too old browser detection when launching an app
- Added: a lot of switch to the commandline compiler to support mobile app
- Added: custom headers support to HttpRequest()
- Added: #PB_Text_VerticalCenter flag to TextGadget()
- Added: touch support to window dragging and resizing
- Added: IsScreenActive()
- Optimized: reduced greatly DOJO footprint for much faster app loading
- Optimized: minified most of the spiderlibraries dependencies to reduce footprint
- Updated: DOJO to lastest 1.11.2 version
- Changed: Moved the old 'Export' panel to new 'Create App' window
- Changed: OSX compiler is now bundled in the main SpiderBasic app for easier installation
- Changed: New dmg for OSX for drag'n'drop install to support Sierra
- Changed: Examples on Windows are now installed in 'common app' folder to avoid permission issues
- Fixed: Many bug fixes
The Fantaisie Software Team
Re: SpiderBasic 2.00 released !
Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2016 7:51 am
by netmaestro
Wow! This is big news!! Wasn't expecting release news anywhere near this good. Thanks Fred
- btw is my 1.x license still good or do I have to buy an upgrade? Spider's not lifetime like PB iirc. Glad to do it if I need to.
Re: SpiderBasic 2.00 released !
Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2016 8:21 am
by Mistrel
I downloaded and installed it and browsed through the documentation. It looks very similar to PureBasic but with a different set of standard libraries. I wasn't exactly sure what the use case was for the 1.0 release as a web platform as it seemed like some kind of application framework like Java applets rather than something like to build a website like asp or php.
The release of 2.0 is even more confusing as it throws Android and iOS into the mix. I'm not exactly sure how to approach this product. And there aren't any demos or examples on the website to help direct me.
It's certainly a product but I don't understand why I should want to use it as a platform.
Re: SpiderBasic 2.00 released !
Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2016 8:30 am
by Marc56us
Mistrel wrote: And there aren't any demos or examples on the website to help direct me.
Online showcase viewer
http://www.spiderbasic.com/showcase/onlineviewer/
Re: SpiderBasic 2.00 released !
Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2016 8:42 am
by Mistrel
I'm blind. I did see the Soccer Trainer thing.
It's still a very strange platform with all of the desktop features rendering in a browser.
Re: SpiderBasic 2.00 released !
Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2016 8:52 am
by Marc56us
In a few word, SpiderBasic is a code generator who transform PureBasic code in Javascript code then upload it on a webserver.
All PureBasic functions can't be used because Javascript is a web client technology.
For local developpment, a webserver is not needed to test.
The big new in 2.0 is the ability to be used in android and iOS
Re: SpiderBasic 2.00 released !
Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2016 9:19 am
by Fred
About rich web app creation, it's mainly used for server based app, to be able to create a responsive interface easily, similar to what you can see on desktop OS. It's meant for productivity.
It supports game creation as well, and iOS and Android is for now focused on game (even if you can indeed build an app as well). Still young and not very polished but it works (it even support InAppPurchase on Android).
Re: SpiderBasic 2.00 released !
Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2016 10:04 am
by SparrowhawkMMU
@Mistrel: I use it to create business front ends to APIs that I created for the company I'm currently with. Basically SB brings together a whole bunch of JS libraries and hides them behind the familiar PureBasic syntax. The IDE is the same as the one from PureBasic.
So, in my case, the SB-generated Javascript calls PHP API endpoints on some webservers with JSON RPC payloads which in turn send back JSON RPC responses which get converted to values I display in web forms.
Which is why I am very excited about the new custom headers support for HTTPRequest() as this opens up the possibility of being fully JSON RPC compliant and also allows me to hook up SB front ends to other in-house and external APIs that, for example, use JWTs for security.
Yes, all this cold be done with native JavaScript, but I prefer the PB/SB syntax and the convenience of the IDE and toolset. (As an aside, I have started using PB again after being smitten with SB
)
Note: once you have exported your project into JS/HTML/CSS, you can deploy the exported content freely, there is no SpiderBasic dependency or licensing fees.
As Fred says, there is more that needs doing, but I can attest to the fact that it is a very impressive tool already and fixes and new features appear every few weeks.
Re: SpiderBasic 2.00 released !
Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2016 12:35 pm
by Mistrel
So if I'm understanding this correctly then all interactive functionality boils down to JavaScript running on the client's side?
SparrowhawkMMU wrote:Which is why I am very excited about the new custom headers support for HTTPRequest() as this opens up the possibility of being fully JSON RPC compliant and also allows me to hook up SB front ends to other in-house and external APIs that, for example, use JWTs for security.
I would like to see a wider range of use cases like this where the platform can be leveraged beyond floating windows and desktop-like interfaces. I know that there is now the addition of Android and iOS features. I hope to see some examples of these sometime in the future.
Re: SpiderBasic 2.00 released !
Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2016 12:50 pm
by srod
Does SB create native Android java apps or are they still web apps running in a brower? Not that I have a problem with that - just curious.
Re: SpiderBasic 2.00 released !
Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2016 1:20 pm
by Mistrel
srod wrote:Does SB create native Android java apps or are they still web apps running in a brower? Not that I have a problem with that - just curious.
I have a similar question but for iOS.
Re: SpiderBasic 2.00 released !
Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2016 1:20 pm
by falsam
srod wrote:Does SB create native Android java apps or are they still web apps running in a brower? Not that I have a problem with that - just curious.
Mistrel wrote:I have a similar question but for iOS.
The SpiderBasic library uses dojo.js.
With Android or iOS, SpiderBasic uses a chromium container to run JS as an app with access to APIs and WebGL support
https://crosswalk-project.org/
Re: SpiderBasic 2.00 released !
Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2016 1:24 pm
by Mistrel
I can imagine that this wouldn't matter for games which draw everything. But can Android and iOS apps leverage native UI controls for non-games?
Also, what is the minimum supported platform for both?
Re: SpiderBasic 2.00 released !
Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2016 1:26 pm
by falsam
I think you should ask the questions on the SpiderBasic forum ^^
Re: SpiderBasic 2.00 released !
Posted: Wed Dec 07, 2016 3:35 am
by Psychophanta
Awesome version!
Thanks!
