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TiShadow

TiShadow provides Titanium developers the ability to write code snippets in a browser and render the code across all iOS and Android devices. NEW TiShadow now also allows the deployment of apps to devices. There are three parts to TiShadow: the TiShadow server, TiShadow app and build scripts for deploying full applications.

Have a look at the following video to get any idea of how to use TiShadow and what it can do. (A little outdated.)

Have a look at this presentation (July 2012) recently given at the TiLondon meetup for a look at most of what you can do with TiShadow.

TiShadow Server Install

TiShadow can be installed via npm using the following command:

  sudo npm install -g tishadow

NOTE: I will endevour to update the npm package on significant changes but might lag, so if the app doesn't seem to be playing nicely install the server side from source. In general upgrade the server side and app at the same time.

Once installed, the server can be started by typing the following command:

  tishadow server

The server code uses the following and are included:

TiShadow Server Install From Source

After cloning the server code, make sure you run the following to install dependancies:

    npm install -d

The server can then be started like any nodejs app:

    node app.js

TiShadow App

The app is built using Appcelerator's Titanium.

NEW

TiShadow App now requires the following:

  • Some native zip modules what are included in the app/modules directory. Install these as you would any native module. Please see the README file there.
  • A custom build of the Titanium SDK is needed. OSX builds can be download from the "Downloads" section and are in line with the Titanium SDK Releases 2.0.2 and newer. The source can be found in the my titanium_mobile fork with each release tagged, e.g., tishadow_2_X_X. The following commit (and this one) contains all the changes.

Since the TiShadow app is not yet in the App Store or Google Play, clone the code and run/install as you would any Titanium project.

How To

Common Tasks

Fire up the server and launch the app. From the app just enter the ip address of the computer running the node server and hit connect.

Code Snippets Via Webpage

Enter the following address in a browser window:

    http://localhost:3000/

In the editor you can enter code and press Command+s to deploy the code snippet to all connected devices.

Have a look at the demo video.

If you want to include setup and clean up code, make sure you wrap your code in an anonymous function that returns open and close functions.

For example, a window could be one such object:

    (function() {
      var win = Ti.UI.createWindow();

      return win;
    }());

Full Application Deployment

Recently added to TiShadow is the ability to deploy full application. It is still in beta, but can be used for simple applications.

If you installed TiShadow using npm, go to the root folder of your project and enter the following command to deploy an app:

  tishadow

(For manual installs, the tishadow script is included in the build folder. You may want to include the script in your environment path.)

If the app has been deployed and you want to push minor updates, use the following command:

  tishadow update

The app is then cached on the device. If need to clear the cache, use the following command:

  tishadow clear

Some notes and limitations

  • Only works with applications that use the CommonJS structure. The use of Ti.include will not work.
  • CommonJS modules should be required with their full path, ie / leading. (This is a better practice anyway given the difference between iOS and Android.)
  • Only files in the Resources directory will will be sent to the device using TiShadow. That said, localisation files are supported.
  • Native modules can be supported if built into the TiShadow app first. (I.e., add them to the tiapp.xml of the TiShadow app.)
  • If there any errors about a Titanium SDK command not being found, add them to the Includes.js files and clean and build the TiShadow app. I will gradually be adding commands.)
  • Any Ti.API logs will be redirected to the tishadow webpage.

If you want to make sure the previous app deployed is closed prior to launching the new one, include the following code snippet in your app.js file:

    try {
      exports.close = function() {
        // Your code to close, e.g, main_window.close();
      };
      Ti.API.info("Running in TiShadow");
    } catch (e) {
      Ti.API.info("Running stand-alone");
    }

Testing / Assertions

RECENTLY ADDED

TiShadow now support Jasmine BDD tests. Insipration taken from these two projects: titanium-jasmine and jasmine-titanium

Include your specs in the Resources/spec path of your project. Ensure the files are ending in _spec.js. (Note: simply write the spec without any including/requiring the jasmine library.)

To execute the tests enter the following command:

  tishadow spec

Alternatively the following command is also supported if there are only minor changes:

  tishadow spec update

The test results will be returned to the server output: Spec Output

See the included example project.

Alternatively (yet not preferred)

TiShadow also supports the use of assertions and the results are returned either to the browser or server logs.

For example:

    assert.isNumber(6, "Testing if 6 is a number");
    assert.isArray([1,2,3,4], "Testing if it is an array");

The following assertion are supported: 'equal', 'strictEqual', 'deepEqual', 'isTrue', 'isFalse', 'isEmpty', 'isElement', 'isArray','isObject', 'isArguments', 'isFunction', 'isString', 'isNumber', 'isFinite', 'isBoolean', 'isDate', 'isRegExp', 'isNaN', 'isNull', 'isUndefined', 'lengthOf', 'match', 'has'

Also the equivalent not assertions are available as well, e.g. 'notEqual', 'isNotString', 'isNotNumber', etc.

Configurable Localisation

TiShadow now supports localisation. You can also chose the locale locale you wish to execute when launch your app/tests. Simply add the two-letter language code to your command. For example:

  tishadow en
  tishadow update es
  tishadow spec nl
  tishadow spec update es

Launch From Web

Currently only working on iOS

You can also use TiShadow to bundle an app and launch it from a web page. You the command tishadow bundle to bundle the app for a TiShadow distribution. Then include a link to the bundle in your webpage using the following format, e.g. : tishadow://mydomain.com/bundle.zip. Tapping on the link from your browser should launch the app in TiShadow.

VIM Shortcuts

Those using vim/gvim/mvim for development might what to add these shortcuts (or similar) to the .vimrc/.gvimrc files. It adds the shortcuts, F6 to save and do a tishadow update, and Shift+F6 to save and perform a full tishadow deploy:

    :map <F6> <Esc>:w<CR>:!tishadow update<CR>a
    :imap <F6> <Esc>:w<CR>:!tishadow update<CR>a
    :map <S-F6> <Esc>:w<CR>:!tishadow<CR>a
    :imap <S-F6> <Esc>:w<CR>:!tishadow<CR>a

Feedback appreciated.

@davidbankier