TiShadow provides Titanium developers the ability to deploy apps or code snippets live across all iOS and Android devices.
There are three parts to TiShadow: the TiShadow server, TiShadow app and TiShadow CLI for deploying full applications.
Have a look at the following video to get any idea of how to use TiShadow and what it can do. (Outdated)
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. (Also outdated but more recent)
TiShadow is built on node.js and is required.
TiShadow can be installed via npm using the following command:
sudo npm install -g tishadow
Alternatively you can install TiShadow from the source:
git clone https://github.com/dbankier/TiShadow.git
cd TiShadow/server
sudo npm install -g .
Since the TiShadow app is not in the App Store or Google Play, clone the
code and run/install as you would any Titanium project.
NOTE: I will endevour to update the npm package on significant changes but might lag, so if the app doesn't seem to be playing nicely install the server side from source. In general upgrade the server side and app at the same time.
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
NEW: The TiShadow Server now support 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.
Once the server is running launch the app. From the app just enter the ip address of the computer running the server and hit connect. There are also more advanced connection settings that can be used for remote server connections.
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.includeis partially supported and will work if included with the full path i.e. slash leading.- Only files in the Resources directory will 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/fontsdirectory. - 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.
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");
}TiShadow now support Jasmine BDD tests. Insipration taken from these two projects: titanium-jasmine and jasmine-titanium
Include your specs in the Resources/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 specHere 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
NOTE the new --junit-xml option.
The test results will be returned to the server output:
See the included example project.
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.
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
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.
NEW coding from the webpage now works much like the REPL and variables are stored in a sandboxed context. See the next section.
NEW The TiShadow REPL is now available and evaluates commands in a persistant sandboxed context.
To Launch the REPL enter the following command:
tishadow replWith 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 assests are relative the running app
inside the TiShadow app.
Currently only working on iOS
You can also use TiShadow to bundle an app and launch it from a web
page. You 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.
Those using vim/gvim/mvim for development might what to add these shortcuts (or similar) to the .vimrc/.gvimrc files. It adds 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
The server code uses the following and are included:
The app is built using Appcelerator's Titanium.
####iPhone/Android Copyright 2012 jordi domenech jordi@iamyellow.net Apache License, Version 2.0
The Zip Modules have been taken from other open source projects.
####iPhone Module This module was developed by Gennadiy Potatov with updates from Kosso. It is MIT Licensed and has been included with no changes to the original code.
####Android Module
This module's source was originally developed by Henri Bourcereau. It was released under an MIT License. It has been modified slightly and built for 1.8+.
Feedback appreciated.
@davidbankier