LiveCode Forums.

I have some issues with v5.0.2 tryout - Windows version and I wonder if they are fixed in 5.5

Solved: received a trial after sending an e-mail to <support@runrev.com> and asking them to provide with one.

LiveCode is currently at v5.5.3, available at runrev.com

I'd write to support and see what they say. Or you can let us know what issues you're having and maybe someone will know if it's been fixed.

Hi Richard, nice to meet you. I was read your Interview on the LiveCode Journal website, it inspires to start coding with LiveCode. Here's a quote I've remembered.

the more time I spend with it the more strongly I feel that unless you're writing device drivers or operating systems, C and C++ are often overkill.

Could you provide a link to a 5.5.3 trial for Windows?
I don't see a way to download the trial from the runrev site even after creating an account page at runrev. com
The only option is to "Buy" at least a 20 $ pay-as-you-go account - i .imgur. com/pEO2n .jpg (without spaces)

And why is that limitation in the forum - that I can't type web-addresses:
Your account does not have permission to post links or domain/page references.
The submitted form was invalid. Try submitting again.
There's no way even to put an image in the forum without Paying first.
It's much easier to solve Issues with help of screenshots.

Is RunRev, Kevin Miller decided to force all newcomers to buy at least a 20 $ "Pay as You Go" plan to just Try it for 30 days?
I've found the 5.0.2 trial version at softpedia and mirye
No wonder if they will disappear after this post.

I've started learning LiveCode with "RunRev Academy: Introduction & Skinning and Animation, the Basics", because of the fancy "Welcome to the Course" e-mail
But then it turned out that I have to pay at least 20$ to watch these tutorials and then watch 30 to get a 50% discount for the Gold account.

I just wanna Try It before purchasing anything.

I know there are other environments which can deploy to multiple platforms too:
* RealBasic supports Desktop and Web, but not mobile, afaik.
* Java - all platforms
* Digia Qt framework with KDE Necessitas for Android starting from API Level 4

The problem with Java, C/C++ and RB is their syntax. I like the human-friendly Talk-language syntax used in Apple Talk, SmallTalk, *Card and Revolution LiveCode.
But LiveCode is quite expensive from my perspective and it also needs some time to learn and solve issues.
I've found only the "LiveCode Mobile Development Book" by Colin Holgate, the only one LiveCode book currently and it's advertised at runrev's home page.
Java is free and there are tons of free books for Java/C.

I'm still in doubt whether to dig into LiveCode and use it as the main programming language for all of my future projects.

There's no auto-completion in the Editor. I've found Mark Space GLX2 so probably that is not an issue.

Some questions.
Can LiveCode build 64-bit applications?
Is it possible to use GPU power through DirectX, OpenGL, CUDA, OpenCL?
Is it possible to compile iOS from the Windows IDE?
Will RunRev work on support to deploy to Windows RT (Windows 8 Metro app)?

Few question related to my project:
Is it real to make a scripting language similar to LiveCode's for my app?
How to perform a DllCall()?
Can I perform PostMessage, SendMessage and other WM_Commands in the Windows version of compiled app to automate other applications?

Please help making a decision.

Hi Steven,

Currently, it seems that trials are unavailable. Some time ago, I created a RunRev store account for a friend to show LiveCode to him and let him download a trial version, but this was impossible. Without being able to play with a trial copy of LiveCode by himself, he is not interested.

LiveCode can't build 64-bit applications. You can't use DirectX, OpenGL, CUDA and OpenCL, but you might be able to access these frameworks and API's through an external (which you have to write in C++/Objective-C if no one else did already). You can't compile for iOS from the Windows IDE, although there might be a tricky and complicated workaround. I have a Mac and am not really interested in compiling for iOS on Windows and don't have info on this.

There isn't anything special about Metro apps. I even read on a new site that the Metro store is now called Windows 8 Store. When I tested my Installer Maker on Windows 8, it appeared that a proper installation makes your app icon appear on that coloured brick wall automatically. Do you need any special features regarding Metro?

I wouldn't try to make another scripting language on top of LiveCode. It will be very slow. However, experts are able to create their own IDE for the LiveCode engine, which could be an option for you, if you really need it.

You can't just "perform a DLLCall" like you can in e.g. Visual Basic. You need to write an external. An external might be able to perform this call for you. There has been some discussion about this on this forum.

You can't use PostMessage, SendMessage etc., but you could write an external for this. You can use utilities like ScriptIt to create applets and run those as an app from within LiveCode.

Kind regards,

Mark

To add a little more: while you can't yet build 64-bit apps, your apps will run fine on a 64-bit machine though they will run in 32-bit mode. RR knows this needs to be changed and they're working on it.

No Windows app can build for iOS, Apple requires that you have a Mac. So that isn't a LiveCode restriction, it's an Apple restriction. The tools required to build for iOS are only released for OS X.

Depending on what you want to do, you may not need DirectX, etc. That's why I asked what you had in mind. You can write externals to support those if you need to, but in all these years no one has yet done it, so it seems that LiveCode has enough built-in capabilities that they aren't necessary. You may have a specific need, and if so, I'd be curious what it is.

LiveCode is already running on Metro, someone else on the mailing list mentioned it runs fine there.

As for a trial copy, I suggest you write to <support@runrev.com> and ask if they can provide you with one. There has been quite a bit of new functionality added to the latest version that you won't find in the old trial you have. For a free set of learning materials, you can work your way through these stacks: http://www.runrev.com/developers/lesson ... ferences/ They are old (LiveCode was named Revolution back then) but still correct.

You do not need to purchase anything to post links or images here. You only need to have a certain number of posts. The forum limits new posters so that spammers can't upload images and advertising.

jacque wrote:while you can't yet build 64-bit apps, your apps will run fine on a 64-bit machine though they will run in 32-bit mode. RR knows this needs to be changed and they're working on it.

Albeit the expense of having a few hundred MBs of 32bit crossover library dependencies installed which are near useless for anything else. Good to know they are working on this!

Hi,

A few times every year, people complain to me that they can't run my software, because it isn't 64 bits. Apparently, people don't always understand that they can run software in 32 bit mode or they are actually unable to do so. Even if it is technically possible, I have to conclude that not everybody can run software created with LiveCode.

I suspect that most people who are able to write externals to make DirectX and OpenGL work in LiveCode decide to do the entire project in Visual Basic or a C variant. This would explain why such externals don't exist yet.

Kind regards,

Mark

Thanks Mark, Jacque for clarifications.

I see, 5 posts should be written to be able to post links. This question is missing from the FAQ

Regarding DirectX, OpenGL and other GPU acceleration libraries support, I want to clarify what is possible to do with LiveCode.
3D is not LiveCode's strength, LC is aimed only on casual 2D games.
There's a cross-platform Unity available for a 3D WYSIWYG game development - his graphics engine uses Direct3D (Windows), OpenGL (Mac, Windows), OpenGL ES (iOS, Android), and proprietary APIs (Wii). However it isn't a Talk-language.
I think there's no way to avoid C/C++/Java for 3D game development with/without GPU acceleration.

About externals.
I have found a topic here: http://forums.runrev.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=8893, but still don't understand how could I use LiveCode and Unity in tandem.
There's some Franklin 3D and some Unity plugin for LiveCode: http://forums.runrev.com/viewtopic.php? ... ity#p43054
Are they cross-platform and are they really work with LiveCode? Will the workflow be similar to LiveCode 2D with those externals?

I have an idea regarding deployment of iOS apps from Windows - it should not be an issue if the .livecode file can be opened from a Hackintosh or a Virtual MacOS machine (Oracle VirtualBox, VMware)

About Windows Metro (Windows RT OS or Windows on ARM) apps. It's a bit confusing - Windows 8 is not Metro.
Metro is an internal code name of a typography-based design language created by Microsoft, originally for use in Windows Phone 7.
Metro apps are not Desktop apps, they are aimed primarily for Windows 8/RT Tablets and Phones. Windows RT is part of Windows 8 OS.
Think about Windows RT (Metro) apps as an alternative to iOS and Adroid apps.

There are tablets and phones with ARM processors and they support only Windows RT apps (no Desktop).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_RT
LiveCode is aimed to be cross-platform, probably the support for Windows Runtime should be in Runtime Revolution's plans too.

I've asked for a trial, waiting for a response. Currently received an auto-response

Thank you for writing to the help desk for LiveCode.
This is an autoresponse. Your message has been received and assigned a ticket number.
You should normally expect a response within 2 working days. During exceptionally busy periods it may take a little longer.
The RunRev Robot

Hi,

One little correction: that Unity plugin in the other forum thread is not for LiveCode. It is a plugin for internet browsers, which allows you to run Unity content in your browser. It has nothing to do with LiveCode.

There was an attempt by RunRev to create apps for Windows Phone 6.5. I don't expect a release for Windows RT anytime soon (I don't want to pay for such information and hence I don't know if RR is currently working on it).

Kind regards,

Mark

Currently tablets and phones market is primarily shared by iPads, iPhones and Androids.
But, the Microsoft's Surface is going to be a killer tablet for one reason - it brought productivity to tablets.
Most people wouldn't even attempt to do some serious work on an Ipad and very few on an Android tablet. The Microsoft surface makes it so you can have two apps open at the same time sharing screen space. You can have a tablet that is a powerhouse and still is thin, the RT model comes with Office.
Unfortunately, apps always come when the hardware has enough user base. Look at Mac apps vs. Win apps. Apps will come.
So, as a user, wait for 1 year, as a programmer you should have an option to deploy to this platform if you want users from *all* platform.

Surely, one can always speculate, but I'd rather not. RunRev seems to have its own agenda.

Mark

Hopefully they will reconsider

Regards

When I say that RunRev has its own agenda, I don't mean that they will never create LC for Windows RT. Maybe they are re-considering as we speak, maybe not.

Kind regards,

Mark

btw, how often RunRev people participate in the forum?

About RunRev.
I know from the website that it was founded in 1997 and that Kevin Miller is the CEO and the founder of Revolution and that is based in Edinburgh, Scotland.
Mark Waddingham - Director of Technology.
Then there's a list of Consultants and you're one of them
But how many people are really working on LiveCode and how many of them participate in the forum, and Kevin particularly?
I see you have 2 decades of experience with xTalk platforms, I suppose you know everything about RunRev and acquainted personally with all of the team members.

Regards