The unoficial Protean IDE free edition thread

I didn't intend to start this thread, but I had to because the commenting sytem at the Protean web site is removed. I waited for an official thread to pop up, but none did, so... well... here I am.


Anyways, if you look at ProteanIDE.co.uk, Protean, the amazing IDE for Blitz Basic, has been released for free and with source.

Thank you, Rob, for everything that you have done with Protean. You went completely out of your way to keep the IDE alive and to give away, for free, something that you have been working on for years. That is truly commendable.

Now, let's keep this IDE rolling! It more than deserves it.

Free!

I didn't know that. Massive respect due. I'll feel a bit guilty now in downloading it - sniff.

Respect!

I've been using Protean for about 2 years now and its been a tremendous boon. Just sorry to see that it won't be further developed.

[EDIT] This message was meant for another thread - oops!

eh?

EDIT: He edited his post.

I'm surprised he didn't keep some sort of donate button active, but oh well. Leech away =]

Please don't leech the source unless you plan to use it - we don't want his bandwidth dropping out too early.

"eh?

EDIT: He edited his post. "

Dang! i was hoping nobody noticed!

I've used it for a year, it's better that the Blitz IDE. Can be a bit slow loading up large projects and other things can slow down. Also the find in files (for projects) is broke, shame this never got fixed. Any volunteers.

Well in it's current state you are better off making a new IDE as you need compona syntax box. The version Rob used was far more fully featured than the version you can get now hence you will not be able to compile this and source forge won't touch it.

It will take a significant text engine re-write.

Why do I get ...

Unable to compile source code

g:\vorboils\base.bbb

when I actually trying to compile g:\vorboils\vorboils.bbb?

incorrect project setup? I had that error a while a go and can't remember. Actually have you set Blitz Plus as your default compiler in the options?

Nope! I have Blitz3d setup as instructed!

Its the default too - this is driving me nuts!

I had a play and its knackered, I wrote a short program and tried to compile it, and it just give an error... And I set all the paths correctly too! Mmmm, something to do with a .bbb file (Whatever that is!)

Uninstalled it, and it leaves all the icons and stuff in the system... Bit messy!

But, its for nowt, so who can really complain! :)

The same thing happened to me. I set up Blitz3D, set it as default, but that error occured. I found out that the project file was configured to use the BlitzBasic compiler (which I don't have). To fix this, just select the root item in the project manager, and click Project->Properties. Then there should be a compiler selection in there somewhere, where you can set Blitz3D as default. It also seems that this problem was causing lots of keywords to be skipped by syntax highlighting, but that's all fixed for me now that I selected the Blitz3D compiler from the project properties window.

Anyway, everything else is working perfectly :). I'm amazed at the amount of detail and number of features put into the Protean IDE.


Definitely.

Thanks for the kind feedback guys.

First off One Eyed Jack, it's not a write off, the SyntaxBox is COMPLETELY free now. The problem is much more to do Menu/Layout controls SandDock and SandBar (read the readme with the source for more info on that issue). Source Forge "wont touch it" because I refused to release it under GPL, SF wont touch any CC licence.

No it won't compile straight out the box, it was never intended to, (see licence issue in readme). This was just a way to get the source out there.

If there are issues with the free version that stop you COMPILING under B3D/BPlus/B2D, I will fix those and issue a new release. Other issues like the find and replace someone else can have a crack at.

Also make sure you've updated your definitions, and that (if you you are using projects) you have the correct version selected in the project properties. There was always some confusion over how that worked.

Anyway, good luck to anyone who takes the project on.
The comments on the site should still work, drop me a line there if you need quick help, or just email me. I've left the site mostly functional, so that if anyone manages to update the source, they can leave information there.

Seeya!

Would that include the bug I had with the paid version where it hard-reset my PC every time the debugger did anything ( including debuglog, as I recall. ) If so, it's good to know that the bug will be fixed, just a same it had to wait until I could have got it for free instead of paying for a program I could never use.

I don't think the debuglog qualifies as a compiling bug.

The problem you describe sounds like it would be extremely difficult to track down, since it does not occur on my computer, and many others obviously (how can you track down bug when it never happens on your computer?). Maybe now that the source code has been released, someone who is experiencing similar problems can try debugging it by themself.

w00t. Truely is a wunnerful IDE. Glad I didn't pay for it earlier!

Please don't selectively misquote me. I said "including debuglog" not "limited to debuglog".

I think the inability to compile anything which might require use of the debugger ( including any error ) for fear that it will hard-reset your computer ( and more often than not you can kiss goodbye to all the code you were working on at that point too ) qualifies as a compiling bug myself, but then I've always been a fussy type.


Pay for it, wait years, then fix it yourself! Even better!! No, I think I'll pass.


I know how difficult it is to track down bugs you don't experience. I have several released software products out there and have successfully tracked down a range of bugs which I could never repeat on any of my own machines. Even so, sometimes you just can't do it, but you try.



Well I do it by getting in touch with the person who reports the bug and asking them for the information I think I might need to investigate further. It's been about eighteen months since I reported the bug and haven't had any emails yet.

Thats the spirit Laeronai, take someone hard work and insult it!

He worked hard on this, it's a shame he is giving it away for free.

If you had, maybe Rob would still be developing & supporting it.

It very generous of him to release it as-is for free now -- "glad I didn't pay for it" sounds rather nasty.

It is rather nasty, but Rob has stopped working on Protean for other reasons than financial. I doubt one extra sale would have changed things.

Oops.. I'm sorry. That was a typing mistake. I meant to say:

I don't think the debugger qualifies as a compiling bug.


Oh... you didn't mention that before. I thought the error occured when the debugger was activated. If the error occurs when you compile anything that requires the use of the debugger, then that definitely qualifies as a compiling bug. I'm sorry I misunderstood.

But either way, it's still a bug, and a really bad one. Unfortunately, Protean IDE is obviously not being supported anymore, though I don't know why. Whatever the reason, releasing the Protean IDE's source code is better IMHO than just letting it die. But that's just my opinion.

No problem, and I absolutely agree that releasing the source code is better than letting it die. I am not one of these people who gripes about prices being cut or things being given away for free when they paid for it. I think regardless of support, it's Rob's program and I wouldn't have objected if he had released it for free a week after I bought it. It's absolutely his right to do that.

I just thought it was a bit rich when people who download the free version are told they might get a few bug fixes for compilation bugs when I was left unable to use it for eighteen months after buying it and no such offer was made to me. Even so, I don't actually expect anything to come of it. I just felt obliged to say something.

I've been using this for a day or so and must say it's pretty complete but I'm going back to Visual Blitz. I just find it much easier to locate my functions.

But awesome work and even cooler that it's been released to the community - many thanks!