Quesiton regarding Development process...
by Lateral Punk · in iTorque 2D · 10/15/2008 (1:38 pm) · 7 replies
Just a general question regarding how we should develop with iTGB (and I guess iTGE in the future)...this is pertaining to modifying/adding/removing source files e.g. CS, Images, and engine code...is it the case that we always have to clean and rebuild the project whenever submitting it to the simulator or device? This would really suck and lengthen any development cycle. I guess my quesiton should split into two:
1) how do we handle changes to script codes? Can we make a change to the script file and expect it to show up on the sim/dev next them we Build & Go? Currently, this is not the case.
2) how do we handle changes to engine code?
I believe this is an important question since it will avoid future problems with users making a change in the code (be it script or engine) and not having it show up on the sim/device.
Can this be further explained please?
1) how do we handle changes to script codes? Can we make a change to the script file and expect it to show up on the sim/dev next them we Build & Go? Currently, this is not the case.
2) how do we handle changes to engine code?
I believe this is an important question since it will avoid future problems with users making a change in the code (be it script or engine) and not having it show up on the sim/device.
Can this be further explained please?
#2
say you have to imagemaps on the stage, you deploy, and you see it in sim/device...
next you remove one of the images, run the app locally to generate the dso, and then deploy, you will still see both imagemaps...
Basically what you have to do is something stupid like saving any file in the scripts folder (common,game) with really no changes...this way xcode picks it up for deployment...so my point 1) still remains true I guess...
Can we have an automatic way to solve these issues?
10/15/2008 (2:32 pm)
...But you should be careful here...making simple changes in TGB like removing or adding objects on the stage and then building and running the app in xcode for deployment onto sim/device will not automatically work...say you have to imagemaps on the stage, you deploy, and you see it in sim/device...
next you remove one of the images, run the app locally to generate the dso, and then deploy, you will still see both imagemaps...
Basically what you have to do is something stupid like saving any file in the scripts folder (common,game) with really no changes...this way xcode picks it up for deployment...so my point 1) still remains true I guess...
Can we have an automatic way to solve these issues?
#3
This is how TorqueTech works. The work flow described in the docs is pretty solid and difficult to shortcut. There are concepts and code in the works to help decrease loading time, increase frame rates, and automate some steps. However, you have to keep in mind certain Torque practices as iTGB is built off previous technology.
10/16/2008 (8:16 am)
I've addressed this issue in your other threads, but I'll post a quick explanation here. The majority of TorqueTech runs using TorqueScript. When you run your game, your scripts are compiled to DSO files. Once they are compiled, they will not be recompiled unless you are running through Torsion or you manually delete the DSO files before the run.This is how TorqueTech works. The work flow described in the docs is pretty solid and difficult to shortcut. There are concepts and code in the works to help decrease loading time, increase frame rates, and automate some steps. However, you have to keep in mind certain Torque practices as iTGB is built off previous technology.
#4
10/16/2008 (8:46 am)
I don't mind having to run the game always to generate the DSOs offline, but it just sucks that XCode doesn't pickup that files have changed when you go deploy...i guess my beef is more with XCode than with the Torque practices you mentioned...
#5
10/16/2008 (9:26 am)
I might have the same issue with xCode if that's the case. I've grown accustomed to VisualStudio and Torsion alerting me to changed files and offering to update. 
#6
10/25/2008 (6:04 pm)
There doesn't appear to be a way to get Xcode to reload a file. You'd think you could just right-click it and select refresh but that isn't an option. At the moment its picking up that a file has changed seems to be pretty random, and the only way to ensure your new .dso gets used is to clean and build (which takes a couple of minutes each time). 
#7
10/28/2008 (1:39 am)
Much simpler way to do: just open the content of the corresponding app package and delete the game folder over and over again. that will for xcode to import it again ;)
Torque 3D Owner Lateral Punk
Default Studio Name
It seems that making changes to script actually does deploy to the sim/device properly without having to rebuild! I confirmed this by making changes and seeing that "Copying.." was occuring during building...
But it just takes so long to deploy, and then install, etc. and then have your app running..like close to 30 seconds...is there anyway this can be improved? Can we make it so that the iPhone only uploads changes?