Category: neash

Hxcpp 1.0, neash 1.0, NME 1.0

The release this week of haXe version 2.0.4 officially includes c++ as a build target, for Windows, Mac, Linux and iPhone. You can download and install from haxe.org. In addition to the standard includes, you will need the “hxcpp” library, which can be insatlled with the included haxelib management tool.

Coincident with the hxcpp release, I have updated the neash and NME libraries to versions 1.0. You can also download these via the haxelib tool too. There are several incrental improvements, and the iPhone target has been added!

Getting started with the iPhone

Getting started with the iPhone is quite tricky at the moment, mainly because of the pain of setting up an Xcode project. Also, getting the simplest program onto the device is hard due to the code signing requirements. So if you can already get one of the existing application templates to work, you are half way there.

Note that this solution uses the “SDL” library, and must statically link against this. SDL is covered by the LGPL license, and this has implications should you choose to release your software. I am hoping to remove the LGPL restiction at a later date.

The binaries used here are have been compiled for the “2.2.1” iPhone SDK. So choose this version when compiling for simulator or device.

1. Download and install components
   • Get haxe & neko: Visit haxe.org
   • Get hxcpp: haxelib install hxcpp
   • Get nme: haxelib install nme
   • Get neash: haxelib install neash
   • Get the sdl-static libs for iphone: I have created a project with binary builds of these. You can get the latest builds directly from subversion svn code at:
     http://code.google.com/p/sdl-static/source/checkout.
     Or get the snapshot bundle from this site and install somewhere handy:
     sdl-static-iphone-1.0.zip
2. Get Xcode with iphone sdk support – visit apple.com
3. Get a Developer key (you can try simulator without it). You will need to pay to sign up as a developer on the apple site.
4. Fire up Xcode and do File > New Project.

   Choose iPhone OS > Application. Here choose a “Windows-Based Application”
   but infact we will use the delegate setup in the SDL code, so we will have
   to delete the one created by the wizard.

   Select a name & directory for the project. I’m calling it “Haxe Test”.

   Now as it stands, you should be able to build for the Simulator and
   get a lovely white screen and a program called “Haxe Test” in the simulator
   start screen.

   Next thing is to delete(to trash) the “…AppDelegate.h” “…AppDelegate.m”,
   the “Nib Files” group, Resources/MainWindow.xib and “main.m”.
   Finally, select the “Haxe Test” executable (in the Targets section) and from the “Get Info” –
   “Properties” tab, clear the reference to “MainWindow”.

   We will add replacements for these soon.

5. Add “main.cpp” from the NME project.
   Select the top-level project folder and then use Action > Add > Existing Files.
   It is probably in /usr/lib/haxe/lib/nme/1,0/ndll/iPhone/ or
   similar depending on which version of NME you have installed. It can be
   very painful to get xcode to load from this location, unless you hit
   Command-Shift-G at the “Add” dialog and type (at least some) of this filename in.
   Choose to “Copy to destinations folder” so
   that you can mess with it if you wish. Note: you need to have a cpp mainline
   in order to automatically link in the correct runtime libraries.

6. Add the libNME.iphoneos.a and libNME.iphonesim.a files from the haxelib NME project.
   You can add them both and the linker
   will select the correct on depending on your build. They are in the same place
   as main.cpp, you you should be able to use “iPhone” from the pull-down box
   in the add dialog. Probably best not to copy these files – in case you want
   to change them at some stage.
7. Add the whole sdl-static/lib/iPhone directory.
   Again probably best not to copy.
   I used the “Recursively create groups” option. These will be where you stored them
   in step 1.

8. Add the whole hxcpp/bin/iPhone directory like above.
   Again, this will
   be in a path like /usr/lib/haxe/lib/hxcpp/1,0,2/bin/iPhone/.
9. Add the hxcpp include directory to the include path.
   Use the “Info” button
   to get the project properties, and on the build tab, under “Search Paths”
   add something like /usr/lib/haxe/lib/hxcpp/1,0,2/include/ to “Header Search Path”
10. Now we are ready for the haxe code. If you have and existing project,
    then you can adapt the following instructions.

    Create a new file from Xcode (Other/Empty File] Here I have called it “HaxeTest.hx”, and unticked the “Targets” option. I’m prety sure there is a way to get “Haxe File” to appear as on option here – but I don’t know the details.

    In the haxe file, enter something like (Note the window size):

    import flash.display.Sprite;
    import flash.display.Shape;
    
    class HaxeTest extends Sprite
    {
    
       public function new()
       {
          super();
          flash.Lib.current.addChild(this);
    
          var circle:Shape = new Shape( );
          circle.graphics.beginFill( 0xff9933 , 1 );
          circle.graphics.drawCircle( 0 , 0 , 40 );
          circle.x = 150;
          circle.y = 200;
          addChild( circle );
       }
    
       static public function main()
       {
          neash.Lib.mOpenGL = true;
          neash.Lib.Init("HaxeTest",320,480);
          neash.Lib.SetBackgroundColour(0x447733);
    
          new HaxeTest();
    
          neash.Lib.ShowFPS();
          neash.Lib.Run();
       }
    }
    

    This is the “main” file for haxe, and the hxcpp compile will create a library matching
    this class name.

11. Set up a build script to build changes you make to your haxe files into a library.
    Xcode has a few issues with a straight custom build script order due to incorrect
    dependency checking. This can be worked around by first adding a custom target.

    Highlight the “Targets” in the Groups & Files and use the “Action > Add > New Target..”
    Choose “Other > Shell Script Target” and call it something like “Compile Haxe”.
    Close the pop-up and go back to the explorer. There should be a “Run Script”
    entry under the “Compile Haxe” target if you expand it out.

    Get info on “Run Scipt” and enter the following script

       if [ "$CURRENT_ARCH" = "i386" ]
       then
          haxe -main HaxeTest -cpp cpp -lib neash -lib nme  --remap neko:cpp --remap flash:neash -D iphonesim
       else
          haxe -main HaxeTest -cpp cpp -lib neash -lib nme  --remap neko:cpp --remap flash:neash -D iphoneos
       fi
    

    
    You can untick the “Show Environment” if you do not need to debug this.

    One last step – drag the “Compile Haxe” target into the “Haxe Test” target.
    It should now also show up as first item “under” the “Haxe Test” target.
    The build order should now be correct. (See image at end of post)

12. Now you are ready to do the build. The first time you build, the build
    results will show “Running custom shell script…” for quite a while.
    Haxe compiles to cpp very quickly, but it take a while for the cpp files
    to compile to a library. You can see the progress if you expand out the
    middle tab bit.

    At this stage, you should get a bunch or errors when linking, but also haxe
    should have created a library for you. Add this library to the project –
    it should be in the local cpp/HaxeTest.iphonesim.a.

13. Compiling now gets a bunch of unresolved functions from frameworks.
    Add the following frameworks to the project (Add > Existing Frameworks):
    • QuartzCore
    • OpenGLES
    • AudioToolbox

    These can be found in /Developer/Platforms/iPhoneOS.platform/Developer/SDKs/iPhoneOS2.2.1.sdk/System/Library/Frameworks/.

14. Run!
    So you should be good to go. Open up the debug console so you can see
    any traces/printfs.

15. Change the target to “Device – IPhone OS” from the pull-down and hit “Build and Go”.
    Again, this takes quite a while the first time.
    Now add the new cpp/HaxeTest.iphoneos.a library to the project.

16. Now you need to sort out your code signing. If you have not done so already,
    setup you apple developer account & certificates on the apple web site.
    Go to the info of the “Haxe Test” executable and the “properties” tab.
    Change the “Identifier” to match one of your cerificates. Make sure to
    match your company URL. You may want to use “*” when creating your
    profile for easy changing.

    Under the “Build” tab, under the “Code Signing” bit
    in the “Any iPhone Device” pull down your profile. If you don’t have one then
    you will need to create one on the apple website.

17. Connect up your iPhone(iPod touch) and build! W00t!

I have had all sorts of errors when trying to upload to the device.
So far, they have been solved by getting out of the car, walking around it and getting back in.
ie, Disconnect and power down ipod. Fully exit Xcode and the start it all up and try again. Also, uninstalling the app from the “Windows > Orgainiser” directory can help.

But now the easy bit. Change to HaxeTest.hx file, and hit Build & Go. It is that simple.
Errors should show up nicely in xcode.

You can add data files (eg, pngs, xml etc) to the project and they will be copied to device so you can open them with a relative path.

In the properties of the “Info.plist” you can set a Icon File – don’t forget to add the icon to the project too.

Not covered here (because I have not fully sorted it out myself):

• Syntax highlighting in XCode
• Debug build (hxcpp can do then – it’s a matter of setting up Xcode)
• Code completion in Xcode
• Automating this procedure!

Edit: Add framework path, SDL version, MainWindow clearing.