Other B4A v7.80 BETA has been released

[Erel]

I'm happy to release B4A v7.80 BETA. This is the largest update of the IDE since the release of the new IDE in v5.0.

Several important components were rewritten to provide more features and better performance:

• Visual designer properties grid
• Visual designer views tree
• Modules tree (new component)
• Files tree

The major improvements are:

• Code modules can be loaded from other folders and can be easily shared between projects (including projects targeting other platforms): https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/threads/b4x-modules-files-groups-and-folders.86587/
  
  
  
  
  
• Modules and file tree support grouping:
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Modules are monitored for external changes.
• Files tree shows the files icons and allows opening the files with external editors: https://www.b4x.com/android/forum/threads/b4x-external-editors.86592/
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Modules, files and views can be renamed directly from the relevant tree.
• Full support for drag and dropping files and modules, including support for dragging multiple items.
• B4A services and activities can be shared with B4J.
• New options when adding modules:
  
  
  
  
  
  Copy to folder: Copies the module to the project folder (same as the current behavior).
  Link - relative path: Adds a link to the module with a relative path. Useful when the folder is under or close to the project folder.
  Link - absolute path: Adds a link to the module with an absolute path.
  
  
  
• Deleted files are moved to the recycle bin.
  
• Properties grid and views tree can be filtered.
• Properties grid is much faster and includes new types of editors:
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• B4A Sdk Manager is included in the IDE:
  
  
  
  
  
• Support for downloading maven resources from Google online repositories. This is an important improvement as Google no longer updates the offline repositories.
• Java 9 is supported.
• WebView.ZoomEnabled hides or shows the zoom controls.
• Better error handling in CallSub calls.
• Fix for potential race condition in AsyncStreams.
• Better handling of edge cases where the Activity life cycle events are called multiple times.
• CallSubDelayed doesn't raise an error if the target sub is missing. This makes it safer to use CallSubDelayed for raising events,
• Better support for version control. Files are only written when the contents are actually changed.
• The modules internal attributes are sorted in lexicographical order to reduce changes.
• XUI library is now an internal library.
• Debugger hover window is resizable.
• Add New Modules / Existing modules menu items in modules tree.
• Code editor color picker is based on the designer color picker.
• Open file with default program in Files tree. Also works with double click.
• Support for opening multiple files at once.
• Better handling of locked files.
• Manifest editor replacements are applied to resources created with CreateResource.
• Bug fixes and other minor improvements.

An email with upgrade instructions will be sent to all developers who are eligible for a free upgrade.
As this is a beta version it is recommended to backup your projects before opening them in the new version.

 

[Javier Lovay]

Thank you!!!!!

 

[Peter Simpson]

That's excellent @Erel,
That's extremely quick considering that you've only just released the latest and greatest B4J

I'm just reassembling a few app for Phones, Tablets and Watches as I type this, so far so good, no issues that I can find with my apps.

Thank you,

 

[Peter Simpson]

Hello @Erel,
I got this when I clicked Tools > Run AVG Manager.
Please note that I do not use your SKD manager, I still use the original from Google. Please note that the 2nd time I clicked on Tools > Run AVD Manager it didn't bring up this screen, it ran as expected and doesn't effect my apps from running.

 

[Erel]

Have you installed the recommended items in B4A Sdk Manager?

 

[nobbi59]

Thank you for the excellent work, B4X becomes better and better @Erel

 

[Peter Simpson]

Have you installed the recommended items in B4A Sdk Manager?

No I use the latest items via Android SDK manager. Sadly I never got around to using the B4J SDK Manager, I will one day though.

I just thought that I would screen shot the above messages, all my tested app are running fine though.

 

[Erel]

No I use the latest items via Android SDK manager

Eventually you will need to switch as the latest versions are no longer available in the now old Android Sdk Manager.

 

[Peter Simpson]

Worded incorrectly.
I know I'm already switching as I'm typing, this is going to take a long long long time to do

Thank you...

 

[DonManfred]

this is going to take a long long long time to do

Depends on your Internetspeed

 

[Peter Simpson]

Depends on your Internetspeed

Currently 52.7Mbps down and 18.2Mbps up @DonManfred

Thank you @Erel and @DonManfred for your responses. I'm still giving B4A the best beta testing that I can manage with my apps, apart from the above @Erel, it's working like a charm.

 

[Erel]

I will add a new tutorial for the new SDK tool. It is quite simple to switch:

1. Tools - SDK Manager.
2. Download SDK. It will open the browser. You should download sdk-tools-windows.
3. Unzip it in a folder such as C:\Android
4. Set sdkmanager.bat in the SDK manager tool. It will be in: C:\Android\tools\bin\sdkmanager.bat
5. The recommended items will be checked. Click on Install Selected.
6. Yes and No buttons will appear from time to time when you need to accept licenses. Read and accept.
7. Configure the IDE to use the new SDK. Tools - Configure Paths. Set the path to android.jar. It will be:
C:\Android\platforms\android-27\android.jar

 

[LucaMs]

Nice feature and nice control (view on the left - to visually set view locations properties); soon will have also that view for us (I hope ).


BTW I could also appreciate the progress bar during the upload of this gif.

 

[afields]

It's with your work that Android programming is so captivating!
Thank Erel

 

[SNOUHyhQs2]

wow...

please implement the setId, getId and findviewId for views if you haven't [this is already on wishlist].
Thanks.

 

[Sergey Kravchenko]

How to add a device?

 

[LucaMs]

Problems with Files Manager:

1) when I try to move a group (change its level in the tree) I can see the line indicating the new position but the group remains in its place (after releasing the mouse button - in this regard, menu items "Move up" and "Move down" would also be useful).

2) Twice it happened that a folder (group) has disappeared (they were currently empty)

 

[Sergey Kravchenko]

Problems with Files Manager:

1) when I try to move a group (change its level in the tree) I can see the line indicating the new position but the group remains in its place (after releasing the mouse button - in this regard, menu items "Move up" and "Move down" would also be useful).
View attachment 62724


2) Twice it happened that a folder (group) has disappeared (they were currently empty)

if you move from the bottom up, it does not work.
if you move from top to bottom, it works.

 

[LucaMs]

if you move from the bottom up, it does not work.
if you move from top to bottom, it works.

No, there are other problems.
I wanted to move actLogin under Main, same level, but incorrectly it was put inside Main:

Since the final position was not the one I wanted, in the gif below you can see that I have moved the group (actLogin) upwards.

 

[techknight]

This is such a strong feature-filled update, IMHO it should be B4A V8.0