LÖVE Studio [Ongoing Development]

[Mikey]

Hey guys,

I'm currently outlining a project to develop a cross-platform IDE for LÖVE projects to be developed and deployed on.

It is being developed in C++ (GNU G++) using the wxWidgets framework for maximum portability across platforms, which also provides some cool little features like draggable panes, etc. but I need to know a good list of features people would like to see...


So far the planned assortment of features include;

(Colour Key)
Black: Planned
Blue: Under Consideration
Purple: Under Development
Green: Implemented

• Syntax Highlighting support for LUA source code.
• Project management tree for quick access to any additional source code files you have in your project.
• Ability to add media files into the project management tree for easy reference to media file locations.
• Quick project-files backup system, for quick backups of a project, or to store a version of the project before beginning on an update etc.
• Automatic .ZIP (.love) file generation which will pack your source code's as well as any referenced media files.
• Keyword-Sensitive Help with a brief description.
• Integrated Help System, containing references to LÖVE module functions. (Ability to add additional modules supported)
• Multiple-Language support for internationalisation.
• Tool Palette for quick access to your favorite tools.

And a few more along the way...


Please let me know of any additional features you would like to see being implemented.


Disclaimer!!
Now, I do work full-time, and have a personal life to maintain, so understand that I will put in as much time and effort as I can to keep this on going, and when the first Release Candidate is ready for publishing, the source code will be released as Open Source so people can pick up where I left off.



All the best!

Mikey

[kraftman]

Sounds similar to something i've just started working on

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1695464/LuaEdit/LuaEdit2.1.love

I still need to finish of loading projects/media and saving files, and then add a sandbox so you can run the game directly from the code.

[nevon]

I don't mean to be Mr. Grumpypants here, but I've seen quite a few of these announcements over the years, and I have yet to see anything worthwhile come out of them. Might I suggest that instead of recreating functionality that's found in 97% of all IDEs, you submit patches or write plugins for an IDE to add those 3% that would be LÖVE-specific?

[Mikey]

The majority of the work is done.. I'm using a kind-of framework I developed a while ago... Just adding a LUA lexer, a bit of refinement on the workspace code etc.

Plus with it being a simple mechanism where LUA and media files go in a Zip file, it's a relatively simple development cycle.


Might I add - writing an environment for something like Eclipse of Netbeans wouldn't be very suitable, especially when the end-user (love-developer) doesn't need the overhaul of one of the IDE's... A simple program with portable files that does specifically what a love-developer wants would be the most effective IMO

[Robin]

submit patches or write plugins for an IDE to add those 3% that would be LÖVE-specific?

That reminds me: it might be an idea to collect LÖVE plugins for vim somewhere. I had one on my old computer, although it only added highlighting for the LÖVE API.

[bartbes]

I have a tags file for geany somewhere, I think it somehow failed to work all the time though..

[Mikey]

Currently at the development stage where I can fit in the possibility of internationalisation....

Is there any point for allowing for multiple languages to be supported? and if so is there anyone who would be willing to do some of the translation work?

My only two fluent languages are English, and Very bad English.

[nevon]

Is there any point for allowing for multiple languages to be supported? and if so is there anyone who would be willing to do some of the translation work?

Think of it this way: How hard are you going to kick yourself if you want to add localization in 6 months?

I've seen some Russian and French lovers who may be interested in a localized version.

[Mikey]

Is there any point for allowing for multiple languages to be supported? and if so is there anyone who would be willing to do some of the translation work?

Think of it this way: How hard are you going to kick yourself if you want to add localization in 6 months?

I've seen some Russian and French lovers who may be interested in a localized version.

Yeah no worries, I'll leave the option in, but will be unable to offer a perfect translation (Might have to use a generic online service for it).

[Robin]

You can let other people supply translations for their native language.