Can't switch between Abstract and Visual designers

[Helihead]

Been working on an app for a while and upgraded recently to B4A 1.7 and got the abstract designer.

The Abstract Designer works fine but sometimes I need the visual designer because of screen complexity.

The problem is that I can't find a way to switch back to the visual designer.

Sometimes I start the Designer and the Abstract version comes up with the message to connect to the emulator or device to get the visual designer. I do that and still can only get the abstract designer.

Under Tools it has the "Show Abstract Designer" option but no "Show Visual Designer" option. If I click "Show Abstract Designer" repeatedly nothing happens. If I close the Abstract designer manually, it goes away and I can click "Show Abstract Designer" over and over and nothing happens. I have to shut B4A down completely, restart, restart the designer and I will get the Abstract Designer again. Once again, no obvious way to get the Visual Designer.

This seriously looks like a bug. Even if I am missing something on how to pop the Visual Designer, the Abstract Designer going away and no way to get it back without a restart can't be right. The "Show Abstract Designer" option under Tools seems to do nothing.

Thanks
Jeff

 

[Erel]

The visual designer runs on the emulator or on a real device.
The abstract designer is part of the IDE. There is no need to connect to anything to see the abstract designer.
There is also no need to switch between the two as they are not related in any way. You can have both running at the same time.

The "Show abstract designer" should always show the abstract designer. Is it possible that it is somehow shows out of the screen?

 

[Helihead]

Hi Erel,

I used Basic4Android for months with the visual designer before the abstract designer was available so I was very comfortable getting the visual designer connected to my device or emulator. I installed version 1.7 and haven't seen the visual designer since.

The visual designer runs on the emulator or on a real device.

If I start B4A and don't connect a device or emulator, When I click Designer, I get the abstract designer that says I can see the visual designer if I connect a device or emulator.

If I start B4A, Connect my device, Connect to my device and Run the Emulator, I can compile and download the code to the emulator or device. When I select "Designer" I use to get the visual designer but now I get the abstract designer. I can see no way to run the Visual Designer.

There is also no need to switch between the two as they are not related in any way. You can have both running at the same time.

I have never seen the visual designer since I loaded version 1.7. Only the abstract designer comes up.

The "Show abstract designer" should always show the abstract designer. Is it possible that it is somehow shows out of the screen?

If I close the abstract designer manually, it goes away and clicking "Show Abstract Designer" does nothing. I checked and it isn't offscreen. If I shut everything down and bring it back I get the abstract designer on my screen right where I left it but no Visual Designer.

Looks like my install may be messed up if no one else is seeing this. I haven't been able to see the visual designer since I installed 1.7. Maybe I will back it all up and reinstall my B4A dev environment from scratch.

Thanks
Jeff

 

[Helihead]

I may have it fixed.

I have been developing with an original Droid, a Droid Bionic and 7" Tablet connected in some combination pretty much all the time. I also use the emulator at times as well. I noticed when I open Designer and Connect it just goes to one of the devices and never shows the emulator as an option. I disconnected all my devices except one and now it gives me the option of selecting the emulator to connect to.

Once I connect to the emulator, I get the visual designer.

If I connect to any of the devices, I never get the visual designer but that doesn't bother me much since I typically use the emulator for visual design anyway.

OK looks like I can proceed without a total reload for now.

Thanks
Jeff

 

[Helihead]

WooHoo!

Just got the Abstract and Visual designers up simultaneously for the first time. This is really nice for designing screens for multiple resolutions.

Guess you guys already knew that but it's the first time I have gotten it.

Still only works if only one physical device attached and connected to the emulator but that's good enough.

Thanks!
Jeff