WISH: Additional Library Browse/Download/Update Feature in IDE

[Highwinder]

Currently, it is somewhat of a wild goose chase to manually research, download/update additional libraries that do not come with the IDE. Additionally, applying an updated library means unselecting ti and then re-selecting it in the project. Worse, a user who doesn't find themselves on the support forum much will miss announcements about new and updated libraries and be completely unaware of them and thus not get full benefit or use from the product. And finally, this would be just downright cool:

It would be wonderful to have a feature built into the IDE that, when brought up, checks for the latest available additional libraries and displays them to you, complete with some type of general description and a link to docs/tutorials. It would allow you to select the ones you want and automatically download them to the libraries folder.

Ideally, this would be an "upgrade" to the existing "Libraries" tab in the IDE when you have a project open, with maybe a "check for updates" button to initiate a scan.

Not only would the Libraries tab show what installed libraries are available/selected for the project, it would also show libraries that are not installed but available for download. Additionally, it would show what updates are available for libraries that are already installed and a button or checkbox to download/update them (which would also automatically apply the downloaded update to the open project if the library is in use).

This would be pretty slick and get rid of the hunting effort users must go through when they wish to extend the capabilities of B4A.

- Highwinder

 

[Cableguy]

This would be pretty slick and get rid of the hunting effort users must go through when they wish to extend the capabilities of B4A.

- Highwinder

Ask any hunter...the thrill is not in the Kill but in the Hunt...
There is a list in the wiki, with all the available aditional libs...
Also, the Helpviewer already list a lot of them...and if something isn't listed, just ask in the forum, and you will be pointed to the path to walk...If the "requested" lib is not present yet, an alternative usually is suggested...
This "feature" of the forum, enables that unaware users, may notice a post/question abou a lib, and in doing so, find it..instead of just delivering it in silver platter...

Just my 1 cent...the Troika took the other I was trying to give

 

[NeoTechni]

I've already suggested this/offered to do it for him and Erel said he is considering it.
http://www.b4x.com/forum/bugs-wishlist/12190-auto-updater.html

And if the next update doesn't have it, I will do it myself. It won't be as pretty and it'll waste the site's bandwidth (as it'll have to parse HTML) but it'll be better than nothing.

I just think Erel could do better than what I have planned (since it's his site and program) so I want to give him the chance.

 

[Erel]

You can create such a tool for yourself. Please do not distribute it.

There are security issues involved with such an automatic tool. Libraries are only available for licensed users.

 

[NeoTechni]

You can create such a tool for yourself. Please do not distribute it.

There are security issues involved with such an automatic tool. Libraries are only available for licensed users.

The tool would only work for licensed users, I can't bypass the security already in place.

 

[Erel]

As I wrote above, please do not distribute such a tool.

 

[NeoTechni]

As I wrote above, please do not distribute such a tool.

But then it'd be a waste of time making it.
The app would work like a web browser,(it'd use the internet explorer control) it would just download page from the forum and check if they have new versions. It would also require the user to log in. It would only work for licensed users.

But if you're sure then I won't make it.

 

[Cableguy]

In the B4Ppc days I tried to make such an app wich I named dll2date but due to some issues wich included Erel's will to NOT distribute it.
My attempt was also base on the webBrowser control and it aimed to be made available only to registered user...
This was only to say that such a tool has already been discused...

 

[Jost aus Soest]

Auto-Update of Libs is a must!

I repeat: Auto-Update of Libs is a must!

 

[marcel]

Today, again I spent a lot of time searching on the form for updating the correct libraries. I really think this would be a must for good library support and make it easy for the developer to be quick up-to-date. So would it not be possible to make something in the IDE that this connects to a special part of the basic4ppc website using your forum credentials and check if you are registered or not. If so you can update your libraries, if not you can pop-up something to update their subscription or whatever.

I think, Erel, it is really a good investment to find a whay for this. In my opinion this is the only big issue within B4A. Because the libs are spread accross the forums and sometimes hard to find....

 

[ivan.tellez]

+1 For security This should be an IDE feature, not a third party app

Additionally, applying an updated library means unselecting ti and then re-selecting it in the project.

Actually you can do a right click and select "Refresh"

 

[JakeBullet70]

+1 for an IDE feature