Runtime Revolution
Encyclopedia
Runtime Revolution Ltd. makes the LiveCode
cross-platform development environment (formerly the Revolution programming language) for creating applications that run on iOS, Microsoft Windows
, Linux
, Mac OS X
and Solaris
.
, a development environment and GUI toolkit originally developed for UNIX
development and later ported to support Microsoft Windows
and Mac OS
compilation. Runtime Revolution Ltd acquired MetaCard in July 2003 and released subsequent versions under the Revolution brand.
MetaCard built on the success of its predecessor HyperCard
. Both HyperCard and MetaCard utilized an English-like language that arguably was easier to learn than BASIC.
The language has been known by several names including Transcript, RevTalk and as of November 2010 "LiveCode". The entire product including the IDE is now officially referred to as LiveCode. The iOS version is available as of December 2010, with the Android and Server Versions under development.
, formerly called Transcript, an IDE framework, and an engine, which are all used together as a Rapid Application Development solution for cross-platform
development. It natively supports both older PPC based Mac OS X targets and the newer Intel based Mac OS X; LiveCode was the first third party development IDE to support Mac OS X on Intel.
LiveCode projects can be deployed as standalone applications or as LiveCode Player files. LiveCode Player files utilize the LiveCode Player as an external runtime
.
The IDE allows building of graphical user interface
by dragging controls into a visual environment, with interactive feedback and modification of existing and custom properties through property inspectors. The LiveCode control palette includes both native application controls (edit fields, menus, buttons, operating system specific dialogs) as well as media controls such as a movie player and support for direct control over audio, text-to-speech, transparency and blend modes of all visual objects and more.
Although LiveCode generates cross-platform applications, it is still possible to add operating system specific features. For example, it is possible to utilize Quartz
graphical features of Mac OS X, execute VB Scripts on Windows, and run UNIX shell applications.
LiveCode can support third-party media such as QuickTime (including Quicktime VR) and Flash. The development environment is used to develop software applications more quickly than traditional languages and the company has successfully grown a consultancy business designed to bring software to market in very short time periods. This is promoted under a Challenge RunRev banner where the company claims it can take on virtually any software development project and do it faster in the LiveCode language than any other programming language.
The company is supported by a number of investors including Mike Markkula
who originally invested in Apple Computer Inc in 1976 and brought that company to market.
RunRev hosts an annual developer conference, which is normally held in the USA. However, it was held in Edinburgh, Scotland from September 1–4, 2009. The opening public keynote address was by Dr Robert Cailliau
co-developer of the World Wide Web, with around 150 delegates in attendance. The 2011 conference will be held in April in San Jose, California.
On 11 November 2009 in San Francisco, the company officially launched version 4.0 of the Revolution programming language (renamed LiveCode in November 2010), officially bringing the revTalk language to the web.
In late 2009, the company launched the RunRev Partner Program giving all people programming in the LiveCode language the opportunity to work more closely with the core LiveCode development team. This provision of dedicated Technical Account Managers is part of the continued development of the LiveCode language and is designed to make it even more accessible.
A wiki for user-authored documentation: http://richmondsrevolution.pbwiki.com/.
Standalone applications written in LiveCode can run on the above, as well as Windows 3.1 and Windows Vista (with limitations).
LiveCode deployment packs start at $99 for a one-seat, personal use license, including LiveCode development for iOS. Commercial iOS development packs begin at $499. Additional deployment and service packs are available based on project, platform, users or other requirements. LiveCode service packs are offered for specific development environments, professional and commercial requirements, and educators, including universities and K-12 classrooms.
LiveCode
The LiveCode programming language is a commercial cross-platform rapid application development language inspired by Hypercard's programming language HyperTalk.The language was first introduced in 2001...
cross-platform development environment (formerly the Revolution programming language) for creating applications that run on iOS, Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
, Linux
Linux
Linux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
, Mac OS X
Mac OS X
Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
and Solaris
Solaris Operating System
Solaris is a Unix operating system originally developed by Sun Microsystems. It superseded their earlier SunOS in 1993. Oracle Solaris, as it is now known, has been owned by Oracle Corporation since Oracle's acquisition of Sun in January 2010....
.
History
LiveCode began as an expert IDE for MetaCardMetaCard
MetaCard was a cross-platform, commercial GUI toolkit. MetaCard included an IDE and had its own language, MetaTalk. From the MetaCard Corporation website: "The MetaTalk language has all the features common to third-generation languages like C/C++/Java but has a much simpler syntax."All the Metacard...
, a development environment and GUI toolkit originally developed for UNIX
Unix
Unix is a multitasking, multi-user computer operating system originally developed in 1969 by a group of AT&T employees at Bell Labs, including Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, Brian Kernighan, Douglas McIlroy, and Joe Ossanna...
development and later ported to support Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
and Mac OS
Mac OS
Mac OS is a series of graphical user interface-based operating systems developed by Apple Inc. for their Macintosh line of computer systems. The Macintosh user experience is credited with popularizing the graphical user interface...
compilation. Runtime Revolution Ltd acquired MetaCard in July 2003 and released subsequent versions under the Revolution brand.
MetaCard built on the success of its predecessor HyperCard
HyperCard
HyperCard is an application program created by Bill Atkinson for Apple Computer, Inc. that was among the first successful hypermedia systems before the World Wide Web. It combines database capabilities with a graphical, flexible, user-modifiable interface. HyperCard also features HyperTalk, written...
. Both HyperCard and MetaCard utilized an English-like language that arguably was easier to learn than BASIC.
The language has been known by several names including Transcript, RevTalk and as of November 2010 "LiveCode". The entire product including the IDE is now officially referred to as LiveCode. The iOS version is available as of December 2010, with the Android and Server Versions under development.
Environment
The LiveCode environment consists of a powerful and easy to use programming languageProgramming language
A programming language is an artificial language designed to communicate instructions to a machine, particularly a computer. Programming languages can be used to create programs that control the behavior of a machine and/or to express algorithms precisely....
, formerly called Transcript, an IDE framework, and an engine, which are all used together as a Rapid Application Development solution for cross-platform
Cross-platform
In computing, cross-platform, or multi-platform, is an attribute conferred to computer software or computing methods and concepts that are implemented and inter-operate on multiple computer platforms...
development. It natively supports both older PPC based Mac OS X targets and the newer Intel based Mac OS X; LiveCode was the first third party development IDE to support Mac OS X on Intel.
LiveCode projects can be deployed as standalone applications or as LiveCode Player files. LiveCode Player files utilize the LiveCode Player as an external runtime
Run-time system
A run-time system is a software component designed to support the execution of computer programs written in some computer language...
.
The IDE allows building of graphical user interface
Graphical user interface
In computing, a graphical user interface is a type of user interface that allows users to interact with electronic devices with images rather than text commands. GUIs can be used in computers, hand-held devices such as MP3 players, portable media players or gaming devices, household appliances and...
by dragging controls into a visual environment, with interactive feedback and modification of existing and custom properties through property inspectors. The LiveCode control palette includes both native application controls (edit fields, menus, buttons, operating system specific dialogs) as well as media controls such as a movie player and support for direct control over audio, text-to-speech, transparency and blend modes of all visual objects and more.
Although LiveCode generates cross-platform applications, it is still possible to add operating system specific features. For example, it is possible to utilize Quartz
Quartz (graphics layer)
Quartz specifically refers to a pair of Mac OS X technologies, each part of the Core Graphics framework: Quartz 2D and Quartz Compositor. It includes both a 2D renderer in Core Graphics and the composition engine that sends instructions to the graphics card...
graphical features of Mac OS X, execute VB Scripts on Windows, and run UNIX shell applications.
LiveCode can support third-party media such as QuickTime (including Quicktime VR) and Flash. The development environment is used to develop software applications more quickly than traditional languages and the company has successfully grown a consultancy business designed to bring software to market in very short time periods. This is promoted under a Challenge RunRev banner where the company claims it can take on virtually any software development project and do it faster in the LiveCode language than any other programming language.
The company is supported by a number of investors including Mike Markkula
Mike Markkula
Armas Clifford "Mike" Markkula, Jr. is an American entrepreneur who was an angel investor and second CEO of Apple Computer, Inc., providing early critical funding and managerial support...
who originally invested in Apple Computer Inc in 1976 and brought that company to market.
RunRev hosts an annual developer conference, which is normally held in the USA. However, it was held in Edinburgh, Scotland from September 1–4, 2009. The opening public keynote address was by Dr Robert Cailliau
Robert Cailliau
Robert Cailliau , born 26 January 1947, is a Belgian informatics engineer and computer scientist who, together with Sir Tim Berners-Lee, developed the World Wide Web.-Biography:...
co-developer of the World Wide Web, with around 150 delegates in attendance. The 2011 conference will be held in April in San Jose, California.
On 11 November 2009 in San Francisco, the company officially launched version 4.0 of the Revolution programming language (renamed LiveCode in November 2010), officially bringing the revTalk language to the web.
In late 2009, the company launched the RunRev Partner Program giving all people programming in the LiveCode language the opportunity to work more closely with the core LiveCode development team. This provision of dedicated Technical Account Managers is part of the continued development of the LiveCode language and is designed to make it even more accessible.
Documentation
LiveCode contains a built-in help system.A wiki for user-authored documentation: http://richmondsrevolution.pbwiki.com/.
Platforms
LiveCode runs on:- Mac OSMac OSMac OS is a series of graphical user interface-based operating systems developed by Apple Inc. for their Macintosh line of computer systems. The Macintosh user experience is credited with popularizing the graphical user interface...
, Mac OS XMac OS XMac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
- Windows 9x/NT/2000/XP, Vista, and 7
- the following UNIX variants:
-
- FreeBSDFreeBSDFreeBSD is a free Unix-like operating system descended from AT&T UNIX via BSD UNIX. Although for legal reasons FreeBSD cannot be called “UNIX”, as the direct descendant of BSD UNIX , FreeBSD’s internals and system APIs are UNIX-compliant...
or BSDI - HP-UXHP-UXHP-UX is Hewlett-Packard's proprietary implementation of the Unix operating system, based on UNIX System V and first released in 1984...
10.20 or later - SGI IRIXIRIXIRIX is a computer operating system developed by Silicon Graphics, Inc. to run natively on their 32- and 64-bit MIPS architecture workstations and servers. It was based on UNIX System V with BSD extensions. IRIX was the first operating system to include the XFS file system.The last major version...
5.3 or later - LinuxLinuxLinux is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open source software development and distribution. The defining component of any Linux system is the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released October 5, 1991 by Linus Torvalds...
Intel 1.2.13 ELF or later - AIXAIX operating systemAIX AIX AIX (Advanced Interactive eXecutive, pronounced "a i ex" is a series of proprietary Unix operating systems developed and sold by IBM for several of its computer platforms...
3.2.3 or later - SolarisSolaris Operating SystemSolaris is a Unix operating system originally developed by Sun Microsystems. It superseded their earlier SunOS in 1993. Oracle Solaris, as it is now known, has been owned by Oracle Corporation since Oracle's acquisition of Sun in January 2010....
2.5 or later (also 2.3 and 2.4 for SPARC systems only) - SunOSSunOSSunOS is a version of the Unix operating system developed by Sun Microsystems for their workstation and server computer systems. The SunOS name is usually only used to refer to versions 1.0 to 4.1.4 of SunOS...
4.1.x or later - iOS for iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch
- FreeBSD
Standalone applications written in LiveCode can run on the above, as well as Windows 3.1 and Windows Vista (with limitations).
Current editions
LiveCode deployment packs are available for mobile devices, Windows desktops, Mac OS X desktops, Linux desktops, and popular Web browsers on Windows, Mac and Linux including Internet Explorer, Safari, Chrome and Firefox. LiveCode has pre-release deployment options available for server environments and additional mobile devices available for review.LiveCode deployment packs start at $99 for a one-seat, personal use license, including LiveCode development for iOS. Commercial iOS development packs begin at $499. Additional deployment and service packs are available based on project, platform, users or other requirements. LiveCode service packs are offered for specific development environments, professional and commercial requirements, and educators, including universities and K-12 classrooms.
See also
- LiveCode
- Transcript
- revTalk
- HyperCardHyperCardHyperCard is an application program created by Bill Atkinson for Apple Computer, Inc. that was among the first successful hypermedia systems before the World Wide Web. It combines database capabilities with a graphical, flexible, user-modifiable interface. HyperCard also features HyperTalk, written...
- HyperNextHyperNextHyperNext is a freeware visual software development system aimed at beginner programmers that runs on Macintosh and Windows computers. It was inspired by HyperCard and includes a GUI having controls such as buttons and listboxes, and an interpreted English-like programming language. HyperNext also...
External links
- RunRev website
- www.runrev.info Sample scripts and error database for LiveCode
- Mirye Software Publishing using LiveCode
- Valentina for Revolution website
- NativeDoc Source code documentation extension for Revolution. (Doxygen/JavaDoc compliant)
- NativeGeometry Advanced Geometry Manager extension for LiveCode
- Economy-x-Talk.com Installer Maker Plug-in for LiveCode
- FmPro Migrator Converts FileMaker layouts into LiveCode cards.
- RevJournal.com Articles, tips, tutorials and other resources for LiveCode developers
- RunRevPlanet.com Components, Tools and Resources for LiveCode
- WebRing RunRev sites linked together
- RevDevelop.com Components, Tools and Resources for Revolution. Links Directory
- Revolution Mentoring Mentoring services and information for Revolution
- revClever Help, Information and Tutorials for Revolution
- theworcestersource.com A multi-platform tree view library for RunRev
- www.runrev.com RunRev for iPhone banned by Apple, RunRev embraces Android (10 May 2010)
- LiveCode Editor's Choice MacUser awards LiveCode its Editor's Choice Award, January 2011)