A Dashcode project without a Dashcode project package

Question

Dashcode keeps source files in a ".dcproj" project file, which is really a package to OS X, which in turn is actually nothing more than a directory structure. I'd like to continue to use Dashcode but without the "convenience" of the ".dcproj" structure. Why? I want to...

1. check the source code into Mercurial
2. use TextMate when developing the non-GUI parts of the code
3. eventually build and deploy platform-specific customizations of common core code (i.e., have multiple projects share some common source

I can deploy the Dashcode project into a directory and then do all of the above. But once I do, I likely cannot return to Dashcode, which is quite handy for visual stuff. A more flexible solution would enable me to tell Dashcode where the code is and to read/write it there, not in a ".dcproj" package.

Answer 1

I haven't heard of anyone doing this - but it would cool because checking a dashcode project into source control is a total pain in the neck (I'm Versions for SVN and it totally chokes on dashcode - I don't think its Versions' fault - but who knows..)

I'm finding dashcode quite good for GUI stuff, but its just a neglected product, so there are lots of things that are sort of developer hostile in it.

So here is how I'm using dashcode now:

I use dashcode for GUI layout.

I publish to www_cache_dashcode

I have my custom javascript files in www_client

I then have a little make file that copies everything from www_cache_dashcode to www_client www_client is under version control, but I exclude/ignore the files that are copied in from www_cache_dashcode

www_cache_dashcode is not under version control

my dashcode project is under version control, but I only rarely update it because there is ALWAYS a conflict. (I'm sure its somehow my fault - but whatever).

Hope this helps, JJ

Answer 2

One thing to remember, but i am still looking at this to gauge the effect, is that Dashcode will generate code. This can be switched of and on. menu > View/Stat Code Generator or View/Stop Code Generator.

Apple do not say a lot other than "Because the canvas generates HTML and CSS automatically for you, you may want to turn its code generation off if you’re tweaking elements by hand. To turn off the automatic code generator, choose View > Stop Code Generator. When you’re finished tweaking values by hand, you can turn the code generator back on by choosing View > Start Code Generator."