FiveMac

FiveMac is a library that allows Harbour developers to create native macOS applications using the Cocoa (AppKit) framework. It bridges the power of the xBase language with the modern macOS user interface.

🚀 Features

• Native UI: Uses standard Cocoa controls (NSWindow, NSButton, NSToolbar, WKWebView, etc.) for a true native look and feel.
• Harbour Integration: Familiar syntax for FiveWin/Harbour developers.
• Modern Support:
  • Optimized for Apple Silicon (ARM64) and Intel. (Harbour binaries included are compiled for ARM64).
  • Built using macOS SDK 15.4 / 26.2 (dynamically detected).
  • Scintilla Framework recompiled for ARM64.
  • Support for SF Symbols (ImgSymbols) alongside traditional bitmaps.
  • Updated build system using clang and dynamic SDK path detection.

📂 Project Structure

The project is organized to separate the native core from high-level modern GUI wrappers.

• fivemac/: Main development folder.
  • nativo/: Core native components.
    • source/: Harbour class definitions and Objective-C wrappers.
    • include/: Framework header files.
    • lib/: Compiled static libraries.
    • samples/: Classic native samples (Cocoa).
    • Fivedit/: The native FiveMac IDE.
    • makefile: Root build system for the native core.
  • NiceGui/: Modern web-based GUI wrapper (Vue/Quasar).
  • SwiftUI/: Modern SwiftUI-based GUI wrapper.
• harbour/: The Harbour compiler and its libraries.
• bitmaps/: Shared image resources.

🛠️ Build & Installation

Prerequisites

1. Xcode (or Xcode Command Line Tools).
2. Harbour compiler installed and accessible.

Compiling the Library

To build the static libraries (libfive.a and libfivec.a):

cd fivemac/nativo
make

Building Samples

Native samples are located in fivemac/nativo/samples. Modern UI samples are in fivemac/NiceGui or fivemac/SwiftUI.

cd fivemac/nativo/samples
./build.sh testweb

(Replace testweb with the name of the sample you want to build)

This will create a macOS Application Bundle (e.g., testweb.app) inside the samples folder.

📖 Usage Example

#include "fivemac.ch"

FUNCTION Main()
   LOCAL oWnd

   DEFINE WINDOW oWnd TITLE "Hello FiveMac" ;
      FROM 200, 200 TO 600, 800

   @ 40, 40 BUTTON "Check Status" ;
      SIZE 150, 40 ;
      ACTION MsgInfo( "FiveMac is running natively!" ) ;
      OF oWnd

   ACTIVATE WINDOW oWnd
RETURN NIL

📝 Recent Updates

• SF Symbols Support: Use ImgSymbols("gear", "Description") to use system icons.
• Improved Build Scripts: Automatic detection of SDK and Swift paths.
• Webview Improvements: Fixed ATS issues for loading external websites.
• Fivedit IDE: Now capable of self-hosting! built-in compiling and linking of native apps, generating fully bundled .app structures with correct dependencies and Frameworks.
• TWBrowse Improvements: Fixed TBrwColumn and implemented SetHeader method for dynamic column header updates.
• NiceGUI Enhancements:
  • New Harbour-style attributes for all controls: BOLD, SIZE, COLOR, BGCOLOR.
  • Advanced layout control for HSTACK, VSTACK, and GRID using GAP, ALIGN, and JUSTIFY clauses.
  • Seamless integration with Tailwind CSS and Quasar Framework.
• Advanced Reporting (TNicePrinter):
  • High-fidelity HTML reporting engine with A4/Landscape support.
  • Native Preview: Dedicated preview window with zoom, navigation, and PDF export.
  • Headless PDF Generation: Generate professional PDFs (TWebview:SaveToPDF) without user interaction.
  • Automatic resource detection for standalone and bundled (.app) execution.
  • Seamless integration of Material Icons, Tailwind, and Quasar in printed documents.
  • Image Embedding: TNiceImage support for including local path or Base64 images directly in reports (DEFINE NICE IMAGE).
• SwiftUI Enhancements:
  • SwiftGrid: Improved internal state management, row indexing, and correct handling of multiple grid instances.
  • Zebra Striping: Native support for alternating row colors for better readability.
• Database Synchronization Suite:
  • Full bi-directional data flow between DBF ↔ SQLite ↔ MySQL.
  • High-Precision Numeric Support: Enhanced CreateTable and DbStruct (SQLite/MySQL) to preserve decimal precision using NUMERIC(L,D) and DOUBLE(L,D).
  • Automatic Type Conversion: Robust handling of ISO dates, logicals, and numeric types during cross-database migrations.
  • Identifier Quoting: Full support for backticks (MySQL) and double quotes (SQLite), preventing conflicts with reserved SQL keywords.
  • Migration Progress: Native support for progress callbacks during large data imports/exports.
• Music Control Improvements:
  • Native AppleScript Integration: Direct control of macOS Music app without deprecated ScriptingBridge.
  • Artwork Support: GetTrackArtwork() now retrieves high-resolution album art from the current track.
  • Metadata: Reliable retrieval of song title, artist, duration, and player state.
• Memory Management Overhaul:
  • Proactive Cleanup: Implemented End() methods across all core classes (TMultiView, TToolBar, TToolBarBtn, TGroup, TDatePicker, TImage) to ensure immediate resource release.
  • Native Release Patterns: Integrated autorelease and removeFromSuperview patterns in Objective-C wrappers, aligning with modern Cocoa memory management standards.
  • SwiftUI Leak Fixes: Resolved critical memory leaks in TSwiftVStack, TSwiftList, and TSwiftButton by ensuring correct de-registration from global internal registries.
  • Advanced Image Handling: New Retain() and Release() methods in TImage for manual control of native NSImage handles, plus automatic cleanup on control destruction.
• Enhanced Robustness:
  • Improved data validation and null-pointer checks in Objective-C wrappers to prevent EXC_BAD_ACCESS crashes.
  • Optimized Harbour Garbage Collector integration with manual hb_gcAll(.T.) calls during complex view transitions.

🖥️ IDE: Fivedit

FiveMac includes fivedit, a fully functional IDE written in FiveMac itself (fivemac/nativo/Fivedit).

• Syntax Highlighting: Powered by Scintilla (recompiled for macOS).
• Project Building: "Run" button compiles and runs the current PRG.
• App Bundling: Automatically generates .app bundles, copying necessary Frameworks (Contents/Frameworks) and Resources.
• Debugging: Integrated build log and error reporting.

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Powered by Harbour & Objective-C