Comprehensive Guides on their Way
TideSDK is an open source software development kit for creating multi-platform desktop apps using HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript. With TideSDK you can also use other common scripting languages such as Python, PHP or Ruby to harness the skills you already possess as a web developer. TideSDK is the best way to create unique desktop apps using simple web technologies.
The TideSDK team is currently preparing comprehensive guides to support our users. As they become available, the guides will be hosted with the API documentation at:
- http://tidesdk.multipart.net/docs/user-dev/generated/#!/guide
Please check back frequently as a number of guides are reaching completion.
NOTE: TideSDK is completing a transition from the former Titanium Desktop to the rebranded and updated TideSDK. Therefore, the legacy 1.2.0.RC4 will be short lived since TideSDK 1.3.0 is targeted for the end of September 2012. Despite this, the legacy 1.2.0.RC4 will get you started on your desktop app development today. Because there will be no API changes for TideSDK 1.3.0, you can expect everything you create in 1.2.0.RC4 to work in the upcoming release. There will be a namespace change though that you need to be aware of. In the legacy 1.2.0.RC4, the namespace for the API is 'Titanium'. In the upcoming TideSDK 1.3.0, the namespace has been shortened to 'Ti'. To prepare for the namespace change, you can add the following to your code:
var Ti = Titanium;
Include this somewhere in your JavaScript before the API calls to the SDK are made. When TideSDK 1.3.0 releases, you can just remove this line.
To keep up to date with announcements and timing of the upcoming TideSDK 1.3.0 release, please follow us on twitter at:
- http://twitter.com/TideSDK
or join our mailing list at:
- https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/tidesdk
Platform Support for 1.2.0.RC4
The legacy 1.2.0.RC4 SDK can be used on the following platforms:
- MacOSX 10.6.x Snow Leopard (with Xcode 3.x)
- Ubuntu 10.10 x86
- Ubuntu 10.10 x86-64
- Ubuntu 10.10 x86-64
- Ubuntu 11.04 x86
- Windows 7 x86
- Windows 7 x86-64
- Windows XP x86
NOTE: The limitation of support for the most recent OS versions is a short term issue that has already been resolved. If you are on a OSX Lion or Mountain Lion, a possible short term solution is to install a Windows virtual machine until TideSDK 1.3.0 reaches a release. TideSDK 1.3.0 will bring updates and upgraded libraries to support the following:
- Ubuntu 12.04 x86
- Ubuntu 12.04 x86-64
- MacOSX 10.7.x Lion (Xcode 4.x) x86-64
- MacOSX 10.8.x Mountain Lion (Xcode 4.x) x86-64
- Windows XP x86
- Windows 7 x86
- Windows 7 x86-64
- Windows 8 x86
- Windows 8 x86-64
Simple Steps From Download to Packaging
The following steps will help you do the following:
- install the SDK for your platform
- install a helper app (to assist you to create and run your app for development)
- clone and import a Hello World example app to experiment with
- package an app locally for your platform
STEP 1: Download and extract the SDK
To get the SDK, visit tidesdk.org and click on the 'Download 1.2.0.RC4' button.
- https://github.com/TideSDK/TideSDK/downloads
The 1.2.0.RC4 SDK must be extracted into a specific folder for your operating system:
For Mac OSX:
/Library/Application Support/Titanium
On Linux:
~/.titanium
On on Windows XP:
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Titanium
On Windows 7:
C:\ProgramData\Titanium
The zip file will expand the contents and create/overlay some new directories for 1.2.0.RC4.
NOTE: With the release of TideSDK 1.3.0, the SDK will be installed in a TideSDK folder as opposed to Titanium.
STEP 2: Download the TiDev Community App
While TideSDK can be used with no more than a basic text editor, using an app to create, run, and bundle your app is recommended until you learn a bit more about the SDK.
The 'TiDev Community' app is suitable for this purpose. While 'TiDev Community' is reaching the end of its useful life, TideSDK Builder will soon take its place. The TideSDK team is hoping to bundle TideBuilder with the official TideSDK 1.3.0 release.
To get 'TiDev Community', download it from here for your supported platform:
- http://api.appcelerator.net/p/pages/app_page?token=m4rZLSv6
STEP 3: Obtain the Hello World Example App
For a first app, a simple Hello World example is a good introduction. The Hello World app illustrates the the following:
- The use of the API to create a menu
- Adding a menu item to a menu with a simple callback to prompt the user to exit the app
- Displaying content using HTML and CSS.
To get the TideSDK-HelloWorld app, you can either clone the app if you have git installed, or simply download the zip from the following location:
- https://github.com/TideSDK/TideSDK-HelloWorld
STEP 4: Importing the Example App into TiDev Community
To import the Hello World example app into TiDev, click on the 'Import' button at the top left, navigate to the folder containing the the app and select it.
STEP 5: Running the Example App
To run the Hello World app, click on 'Test & Package' button in the TiDev menu, then click on the 'Launch App' button in the lower left. The Hello World app will start and begin logging to the screen. Debugging statements you include in your code will appear.
STEP 6: Packaging the Example App Locally with the CLI
When Appcelerator shifted its focus to mobile, they removed the network packaging and update service for Titanium Desktop that was once available. Despite this, packaging locally has always been one of the best options for bundling your app for distribution. In fact, Appcelerator's service used this same process on the server (that you are using locally).
Within the legacy SDK, a small CLI app tibuild.py is available. You will find tibuild.py in within the root folder of the SDK (for your platform). You can use this tool for running your app or bundling it for distribution. tibuild.py has built-in help that can display its available options.
To package an app using the CLI:
python tibuild.py --dest=. --type=bundle --package=. "c:\path\to\your\app\dir"
Note: You can only do bundle packaging at the present time. Adjust the path so it is appropriate for your platform.
This should build and package your app and create a installer for it. Change "dest" and "package" to the directories where you want to have the built app and installation package.
You can omit the OS parameter, since the builder can only generate builds for the current OS.
Additional Information
If you need more help while the comprehensive guides are being prepared, please post your questions here on stackoverflow or consult our other support channels listed on our site at http://tidesdk.org.
