Canvas3D XUL Runner App 0.3

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Here's the progress so far on v0.3 of the XUL Runner App project.

Version 0.3 -
☆ Windows → Portable_Canvas_0.3w.zip
☆ Mac OS X → (incomplete)


Planned Features

Local files to be added!

  • For now, a static file would be acceptable.


Portable Canvas to work on Mac


Feb 26

  • Info.plist seems to be a culprit for many issues
    • Changed the "Executable file" string back to "xulrunner" (to represent a file that actually exists)
    • Note for other projects: use "plutil -lint" to check for invalid code
  • Portable Canvas no longer gives the "architecture unsupported" error on any platform
    • It simply closes as soon as it's run on a g5, which is still bad
    • Edit: it closes immediately on any other Mac
  • 0.3 build has been updated (fails. xD)


Handy shell code

plutil -lint

scp filename user@servername:


Feb 23

Demi-success!!

  • Canvas elements display properly on Mac Mini!!
    • However, the application simply refuses to run on Leopard
    • Moving the app to the Applications folder doesn't fix the issue
    • This issue is common among other programs on Leopard, including Adobe CS3
  • The app was simply missing canvas3d.xpt from the components folder
  • Next steps are to figure out how to work with Leopard


Dec 15

Progress

  • Windows version of Portable Canvas 0.3 is working!!


Notes


Dec 12

Progress simply must find the most round-about way of manifesting itself. The solution will be at your fingertips, but you'll have to walk a mile and 3/4 light year to get to it. It's like Mouse Trap, but many orders greater in complexity and many orders lesser in amusement...

Adventure into the Abyss

  • Started off trying to get MyBrowser working on Mac in the ORI (Spain)
  • Found this site and recognized it from 0.1 (helpful!): https://developer.mozilla.org/En/XULRunner:Deploying_XULRunner_1.8
  • Began changing folder structure to match the example for Mac OS X
  • Started looking for location of Mozilla source on this computer
  • Found Minefield in Applications folder, but couldn't check its properties for the shortcut target
    • Is clearly a Windows user, and does not understand the Mac paradigm. :/
  • Required /Library/Frameworks/.../1.8/ according to the guide, this computer only has 1.9 and no Hg
  • Downloaded Mozilla source from one of Humph's labs
  • Modified .mozconfig to handle XUL Runner
  • Discovered that there is no XUL Runner code in the lab's version of Mozilla source... (not so helpful)
  • Still can't find a stub executable for Mac OS
  • Realized that MyBrowser needs moz 1.9, not 1.8!!
    • Still does not fix the missing XUL Runner code issue...
  • Found the required framework files simply by looking in the expected locations!! (very helpful, but moderately shocking)
  • Could not run the XUL app
  • Remembered the "hack application.ini to change 1.8 requirement to 1.9" trick from v0.1
  • Got MyBrowser working on Mac OS X!?! (...a first for me!)


This is where I cheer for joy inside. x3

Also, learned that <Shift>+<Command>+3 is a quick Print Screen shortcut, and produces pngs! Grab, on the other hand, is harder to access and produces memory-hogging tiffs.


Applying the Alchemy

  • Compared the new and working MyBrowser structure with the old and current Portable Canvas structure
  • Duplicated new structure in old folder and ran it
    • Produced a program with no application menu choices and no interface, so it couldn't be closed
    • Discovered <Control>+Clicking on the program in the dock, and the <Command>+<Alt>+<Esc> feature
  • Realized I had renamed MyBrowser.jar to MyBrowser.zip earlier (because Macs can't open .jar, and are stubborn about limiting extensions to specific applications)
  • Now have a running version of Portable Canvas on a Mac! ...which doesn't know how to display Canvas elements


Handy Mac shortcuts I learned today

  • <Command>+<Alt>+<Esc>
    • Displays all running programs, so you can kill them. =P
  • <Command>+<Shift>+3
    • Saves a screen shot of the desktop on the desktop, in png format. =D


Dec 11

Accomplishments

  • Got Sokoban demo to work locally
    • The local file location is hard-coded at the moment, but changing this shouldn't be hard


Dec 7

Things tried

  • Received help from mfinkle!
  • Tutorial 2 displays the html, but can't load anything in the canvas element.
    • "createScene()" not found in the SDK.

Future notes

  • Include some (working) demos in the SDK.
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