Comprehensive Guides on Its Way
TideSDK is an open source software development kit for building multi-platform desktop applications using HTML5, CSS3 and JavaScript. With TideSDK, you can also use other common scripting languages such as Python, PHP, or Ruby to use the skills that you already own as a web developer. TideSDK is the best way to create unique desktop applications using simple web technologies.
The TideSDK team is currently preparing extensive manuals to support our users. As they become available, manuals will be posted with the API documentation at:
Check often as the series of manuals ends.
NOTE. TideSDK completes the transition from the former Titanium Desktop to rebranding and updating TideSDK. Thus, the obsolete 1.2.0.RC4 will be short-lived, since TideSDK 1.3.0 is intended for the end of September 2012. Despite this, the obsolete 1.2.0.RC4 will help you get started developing desktop applications today. Since 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 version. There will be a namespace change, although you should be aware of this. In deprecated 1.2.0.RC4, the namespace for the API is Titan. In the upcoming TideSDK 1.3.0, the namespace has been reduced to "Ti." To prepare for a 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 the TideSDK 1.3.0 releases, you can simply delete this line.
To keep abreast of the news and the upcoming version of TideSDK 1.3.0, please follow us on Twitter:
or join our mailing list at:
Platform Support 1.2.0.RC4
Inherited SDK 1.2.0.RC4 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. Limiting support for the latest OS versions is a short-term issue that has already been resolved. If you are on OSX Lion or Mountain Lion, a possible short-term solution is to install a Windows virtual machine until TideSDK 1.3.0 reaches release. TideSDK 1.3.0 will provide updates and updated 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 loading to packaging
The following steps will help you do the following:
- Install the SDK for your platform.
- install a helper application (to help you create and run a development application)
- clone and import the Hello World app for experimenting with
- package locally for your platform.
STEP 1: Download and extract the SDK
To get the SDK, go to tidesdk.org and click the "Download 1.2.0.RC4" button.
SDK 1.2.0.RC4 should be extracted to 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
In Windows 7:
C:\ProgramData\Titanium
The zip file will expand the contents and create / overlap some new directories for 1.2.0.RC4.
NOTE. With the release of TideSDK 1.3.0, the SDK will be installed in the TideSDK folder, unlike Titanium.
STEP 2: Download the TiDev Community App
While the TideSDK can be used no more than a basic text editor, it is recommended that you use the application to create, run and build your application until you learn a little more about the SDK.
The TiDev Community application is suitable for this purpose. As the TiDev community nears the end of its useful life, TideSDK Builder will soon take its place. The TideSDK team hopes to link TideBuilder with the official version of TideSDK 1.3.0.
To get "TiDev Community", download it here for a supported platform:
STEP 3: Get the Hello World Example Application
For the first application, a simple Hello World example is a good introduction. The Hello World application shows the following:
- Using the API to create menus
- Adding a menu item to a menu with a simple callback to ask the user to exit the application
- Display content using HTML and CSS.
To get the TideSDK-HelloWorld application, you can clone the application if you have git installed, or simply download the zip from the following location:
STEP 4: Import the sample application into the TiDev community
To import a Hello World application into a TiDev application, click the Import button in the upper left corner, find the folder containing the application, and select it.
STEP 5: Launch a sample application
To launch the Hello World application, click the Test and Package button on the TiDev menu, then click the Run Application button in the lower left corner. The Hello World application will start and begin to register on the screen. The debug statements that you specify in the code will appear.
STEP 6: Pack the sample application locally using the CLI
When Appcelerator switched to mobile, they removed the network packaging and update service for Titanium Desktop that was once available. Despite this, on-site packaging has always been one of the best options for adding your distribution application. In fact, the Appcelerator service used the same process on the server (which you use locally).
As part of the old SDK, a small tibuild.py CLI application is available. You will find tibuild.py in the root folder of the SDK (for your platform). You can use this tool to launch your application or link it for distribution. tibuild.py has built-in help that can display the available options.
To package an application using the CLI:
python tibuild.py --dest=. --type=bundle --package=. "c:\path\to\your\app\dir"
Note. Currently you can pack packages only. Adjust the path to fit your platform.
This should create and package your application and create an installer for it. Change "dest" and "package" to the directories in which you want to create the embedded application and installation package.
You can omit the OS parameter, since the builder can only generate assemblies for the current OS.
Additional Information
If you need further help preparing full manuals, post your questions here on stackoverflow or check out the other support channels listed on our website at http://tidesdk.org .