TiShadow

TiShadow provides Titanium developers the ability to deploy apps, run tests or execute code snippets live across all running iOS and Android devices.

There are three parts to TiShadow: the TiShadow server, TiShadow app and TiShadow CLI which are all need.

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 (Outdated)

Join the discussion on the Google Group. You can also find some TiShadow related blog posts here

Getting Started

TiShadow Install

TiShadow NPM Package

TiShadow is built on node.js and is required.

TiShadow can be installed via npm using the following command:

  sudo npm install -g tishadow

TiShadow App

To create a new titanium project use the following command:

  tishadow app -d [destination folder]

e.g.

  mkdir ~/tishadowapp
  tishadow app -d ~/tishadowapp

NOTE: In general upgrade the server side and app at the same time (using the tishadow app command).

Start the TiShadow Server

The server can be started by typing the following command:

  tishadow server

The following options are available:

    -h, --help          output usage information
    -p, --port <port>   server port
    -l, --long-polling  force long polling

Remote Server Mode and Private Rooms

The TiShadow Server supports remote hosting with configurable http ports. It also allow for private "rooms" (much like chat rooms) so that the TiShadow server can be shared.

The tishadow log command is available to tail remote server logs (in the default or selected room).

The tishadow config command is available to set the default host, port and room for all the relevant command below.

Start the TiShadow App

Once the server is running launch the app. For example, to launch the app in the iPhone simulator using the Titanium CLI:

  cd ~/tishadowapp
  titanium build -p iphone

From the app just enter the ip address or hostname of the computer running the server and hit connect. (There are also more advanced connection settings that can be used for remote server connections.)

What you can do with TiShadow

Full Application Deployment

Go to the root folder of your project and enter the following command to deploy an app:

  tishadow run

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

  tishadow run --update

Here are full list of options:

    -h, --help             output usage information
    -u, --update           Only send recently changed files
    -l, --locale <locale>  set the locale in in the TiShadow app
    -j, --jshint           analyse code with JSHint
    -t, --tail-logs        tail server logs on deploy
    -o, --host <host>      server host name / ip address
    -p, --port <port>      server port
    -r, --room <room>      server room

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

  tishadow clear

Some notes and limitations

• CommonJS modules should be required with their full path.
• Ti.include is partially supported and will work if included with the full path i.e. slash leading.
• Only files in the Resources directory will be sent to the device using TiShadow. That said, localisation files are supported. (see options above).
• Native modules can be supported if built into the TiShadow app first. (I.e., add them to the tiapp.xml of the TiShadow app.)
• Custom fonts will be loaded if placed in the Resources/fonts directory.
• 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 server logs and webpage.

Keeping it Clean

If you want to make sure the previous app deployed is closed prior to updating or 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");
    }

If you are using Alloy, you can use the following alloy.jmk file instead.

Testing / Assertions

TiShadow supports Jasmine BDD tests. (Insipration taken from these two projects: titanium-jasmine and jasmine-titanium)

Include your specs in the 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

Here are a full list of options:

    -h, --help             output usage information
    -u, --update           Only send recently changed files
    -l, --locale <locale>  Set the locale in in the TiShadow app
    -o, --host <host>      server host name / ip address
    -p, --port <port>      server port
    -r, --room <room>      server room
    -j, --jshint           analyse code with JSHint
    -x, --junit-xml        output report as JUnit XML

The test results will be returned to the server/cli output:

See the included example project or this blog post.

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

  tishadow run --locale es
  tishadow spec --locale nl

TiShadow REPL

The TiShadow REPL is available and evaluates commands in a persistent sand-boxed context.

To Launch the REPL enter the following command:

  tishadow repl

With the following options:

    -h, --help         output usage information
    -o, --host <host>  server host name / ip address
    -p, --port <port>  server port
    -r, --room <room>  server room

launchApp(appName), closeApp() and clearCache() methods available to interact with apps cached in the TiShadow app.

require(), Ti.include() and assets are relative the running app inside the TiShadow app.

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.

Coding from the webpage works much like the REPL and variables are stored in a sand-boxed context. See the next section.

TiShadow Appify

The tishadow appify command can be used to create a stand-alone app that is integrated with TiShadow. It automatically launches the contained tishadow bundle and connects to a pre-configured server. The allows connecting to the deployed app via the repl and/or push upgrades.

  Usage: appify [options]

  Options:

    -h, --help                output usage information
    -d, --destination <path>  target path for generated project
    -o, --host <host>         set server host name / ip address
    -p, --port <port>         set server port
    -r, --room <room>         set server room

See the following blog post.

Launch From Web

Currently only working on iOS

You can also use TiShadow to bundle an app and launch it from a web page. Use 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 want to add these shortcuts (or similar) to the .vimrc/.gvimrc files. It add 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 run --update<CR>a
    :imap <F6> <Esc>:w<CR>:!tishadow run --update<CR>a
    :map <S-F6> <Esc>:w<CR>:!tishadow run<CR>a
    :imap <S-F6> <Esc>:w<CR>:!tishadow run<CR>a 

Credits

The server code uses the following and are included:

• node.js
• express
• socket.io
• Twitter Bootstrap
• Ace

The app is built using Appcelerator's Titanium.

Third Party Modules

Websockets/Socket.IO

####iPhone/Android Copyright 2012 jordi domenech jordi@iamyellow.net Apache License, Version 2.0

Github Repo

ZIP Modules

####iPhone/Android

Now using ti.compression: titanium_modules

Feedback appreciated.

@davidbankier