Cross-platform SDK and HTML5 tools for mobile app development
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Using the MoSync IDE

The MoSync IDEThe MoSync Integrated Development Environment (MoSync IDE) is the main development tool in the MoSync SDK. We have added many useful tools and features to the standard Eclipse base, making the MoSync IDE a great environment for developing a wide range of apps for mobile platforms. In the guides below we take you step-by-step through each of the features special to the MoSync SDK.

After you have installed the MoSync SDK and started the MoSync IDE, we suggest you take our quick tour of the IDE — it highlights many of the important features that we have added and gives you links to more in-depth resources.

IDE User Guides

  • A Tour of the MoSync IDE

    The MoSync IDE is based on Eclipse. We've made several modification to Eclipse to make it a great tool for cross-platform mobile application development, plus of course added some unique MoSync features! In this guide we will take you on a whirlwind tool of the IDE, and give you pointers to more detailed descriptions of each feature.

  • Creating Projects from Templates

    This guide shows you how to create a new application project in the MoSync IDE and describes the project templates that are available to you. It also introduces the concepts of projects and workspaces. We have templates for various types of C/C++ projects, and templates for hybrid HTML/Javascript/C/C++ projects.

  • Importing the Examples

    The MoSync SDK comes with dozens of example apps in its /examples folder that demonstrate the use of its Libraries and API functions. Here we show you how to import the example applications into the MoSync IDE. For a description of each example application, see the Example Applications overview.

  • Organising Your Workspaces

    Workspaces are useful for organizing projects. For example you can use them to working with different versions of projects, or as sandboxes. Here we describe how to create workspaces and switch between them.

  • Build Configurations and Settings

    Through MoSync Eclipse IDE, builds can be set to start automatically or started manually. The project's build configuration (Release, Debug mode, etc.) specifies the compiler, packager, and linker build settings, and memory allocations. Here we describe the options available to you, and the effect of various build settings on the output packages.

  • Setting Application Permissions

    Some mobile devices (particularly Symbian and JavaME devices) require that your application has permission to access functions and services like Bluetooth, camera, contacts, Internet access, OpenGL, push notifications, sensors, and file storage. The MoSync SDK makes it easy to grant access to such services and functions.

  • Platform and Device Profiles

    MoSync comes with a comprehensive set of device profiles to help you deploy your applications to the widest possible range of mobile devices. Each device profile defines the characteristics and capabilities of a single mobile device. Device profiles are used by MoSync's MoRE emulator and during the build process to dynamically tailor the application to a particular device.

  • Scanning for a Device

    MoSync makes it easy to scan for nearby devices and connect to them using Bluetooth. Once you have connected to your device, you will be able to send your application to it over Bluetooth.

  • Emulating a Device

    The MoSync IDE ships with a default emulator, MoRE, that can emulate most devices in MoSync's device/platform database and includes multitouch emulation. You can also use native emulators from the IDE, like the Android Emulator and iPhone/iOS Simulator, and run your application in those too.

  • Sending to a Device

    Once you have scanned for a device and selected it (see Scanning for a Device) you can send your application package to it via Bluetooth. Alternatively, if your target device is not Bluetooth-enabled or cannot be detected, you can transfer your package to it via a cable or via a web server. For iOS devices there is support for sending it directly to the device. Here we describe all these methods.

  • Importing Projects and Files

    Here we show you how to import projects and files into MoSync. We give detailed instructions on how to import existing MoSync projects, and some information about importing other resources like archives, files systems, preference settings, breakpoints, launch configurations, and team project sets.

  • Finalizing and Packaging Applications

    One of the MoSync SDK's great strengths is that you can use it to build your one application into the different packages you need for hundreds of mobile devices. The MoSync SDK builds the executable packages, ready to be transferred to the devices (or ready for finishing in Visual Studio and Xcode), based on the target platform/device profiles you have selected.<--break->

  • Compilation, Linking, and Assembly

    Pipe-Tool is MoSync's code transformation engine. It combines the functions of a code linker and assembler, and performs code verification, optimization and dead code elimination to produce highly optimized outputs for each of the target platforms.

  • Using the C/C++ Debugger

    The MoSync SDK includes a powerful  debugger that makes it easy to step through C/C++ code running on the MoRE Emulator and get an overview of the state of your program as each statement executes.

  • Debugging JavaScript in the MoSync SDK

    The MoSync IDE features a fully-featured debugger for JavaScript code. You can set breakpoints in your code, install and run your application package on a device, and then see the code as it executes in the MoSync IDE. To use the debugger you need to use the Debug build configuration when building your package.

  • Application Profiling in the MoSync Emulator

    The MoSync SDK 2.6 includes an application profiler which can output performance statistics whenever you run the MoRE emulator. That makes it easy to track down performance issues and optimize your application.