System Configuration: Macintosh

Some of these configuration steps may need to be performed each time you package. Once done, follow the Package Steps.

Macintosh Configuration

• Install Git
• Clone the Parallax-IDE repository
• Checkout the repackage branch
• Install NodeJS
  • https://nodejs.org/en/ Used v6.10.3 LTS as of this writing.
• Using the console, create a folder for packaging
  • $ mkdir ~/Projects/ParallaxIDEPkg
• Create a subfolder for the app contents
  • $ cd ~/Projects/ParallaxIDEPkg
  • $ mkdir app
• Using Finder, copy the drivers and package subfolders (from the local Parallax IDE repository's repackage branch) into the packaging folder ~/Projects/ParallaxIDEPkg
• Using Finder, copy the release files from the latest Parallax IDE build into the packaging folder's app subfolder ~/Projects/ParallaxIDEPkg/app
  • The Parallax IDE release files consists of:
    • _locales (folder)
    • assets (folder)
    • fonts (folder)
    • icons (folder)
    • background.js
    • bundle.js
    • index.html
    • manifest.json
• Initialize packaging root folder for node:
  • $ cd ~/Projects/ParallaxIDEPkg
  • $ npm init
    • Enter "parallaxide" for name
    • Enter proper version for version
    • Enter proper description for the project (can be found on the Chrome Web Store page)
    • Enter "background.js" for the entry point
    • Choose the default answer for most of the rest of the attributes
      • Except license - enter "MIT"
  • This will create a package.json file that is required for node operations.
• Update the app subfolder's manifest.json file to include details the build settings.
  • Adjust details (some are variables that don't work in this context)
    • Update the name attribute's value to be "Parallax IDE"
    • Include a new attribute, companyName: "companyName": "Parallax Inc.",
    • Update the description attribute's value to be "Write, compile, and download code to your Parallax Boe-Bot Robot or custom BASIC Stamp microcontroller-based electronic creations."
  • Find the app section (should be near the end), locate it's ending '}', add a comma ',' after it followed by the build and window sections below

      "build": {
        "appId": "com.parallax.parallaxide",
        "outputPattern": "${NAME}-${PLATFORM}-${ARCH}",
        "win": {
          "icon": "icons/icon.ico"
        },
        "mac": {
          "icon": "icons/icon.icns"
        }
      },
      "window": {
        "icon": "icons/icon128.png"
      }

• Here's an example of the entire manifest.json file:

  {
    "name": "Parallax IDE",
    "companyName": "Parallax Inc.",
    "description": "Write, compile, and download code to your Parallax Boe-Bot Robot or custom BASIC Stamp microcontroller-based electronic creations.",
    "version": "0.12.0",
    "manifest_version": 2,
    "default_locale": "en",
    "permissions": [
      "serial",
      "unlimitedStorage",
      "syncFileSystem",
      "storage",
      "usb",
      {
        "usbDevices": [
          {
            "vendorId": 1027,
            "productId": 24577
          },
          {
            "vendorId": 1027,
            "productId": 24597
          }
        ]
      }
    ],
    "icons": {
      "16": "icons/icon16.png",
      "48": "icons/icon48.png",
      "128": "icons/icon128.png"
    },
    "app": {
      "background": {
        "scripts": [
          "background.js"
        ]
      }
    },
    "build": {
      "appId": "com.parallax.parallaxide",
      "outputPattern": "${NAME}-${PLATFORM}-${ARCH}",
      "win": {
        "icon": "icons/icon.ico"
      },
      "mac": {
        "icon": "icons/icon.icns"
      }
    },
    "window": {
      "icon": "icons/icon128.png"
    }
  }
  

• Install nw.js
  • $ npm install nwjs --save-dev
• Install nwjs-builder-phoenix
  • $ npm install nwjs-builder-phoenix --save-dev
  • This will create a node_modules folder with many node libraries, including nwjs-builder-phoenix
  • It may finish with a few warnings; this is okay.

Package

After configuration (above), follow the Package steps.