If you’d like your controls or libraries reviewed, please don’t hesitate to ask ARBP, or myself, or both, to review them.

The Real Studio download package comes with several hundred example projects.  These examples range from very useful to downright useless (in my opinion) but they’re there for people to explore and use.  So in other words, the example may or may not be all that helpful depending upon your skill level.

So my question of the day is why are these part of the download package/installer and not available in a special section of the Real Software website?  It would save on download sizes and it would become a centralized location for Real Studio examples.  Ideally, anyone could contribute to this list.

When we started ARBP and added the Source Code Repository, this was the intention.  I wanted it to be the Planet Source Code of Real Studio projects.  The ARBP source code repository has over a hundred projects and gets a fair amount of traffic and downloads.  The drawback is that few people contributed to it and the older projects are really showing their age.  The other drawback is that it’s NOT Real Software and despite only needing an account to use it a lot of people shy away.

The leading argument against such a page on Real Software’s website are the Real Studio users themselves.  There is a tendency for Real Studio users to complain (loudly) when the examples don’t work.  They are justified, in my opinion, since examples in the download package should work with the version of Real Studio in the download package.  To me, if it’s in the download package it implies that it works implicitly with that version of Real Studio.  Unfortunately, that’s not how it works and sometimes leaves new users with a bad taste in their mouths.

A projects repository web page doesn’t have this problem as the person uploading the project sets the version of Real Studio it was created with and perhaps what operating system and adds some tags to it or something like that.  How cool would it be to upload the project file(s), have an RS web app scan it, pull out the keywords and make it part of a searchable system?  Of course it would allow other users to vote and leave comments.

I post a fair bit in the Real Software forums.  Often times I point to the relevant information the poster needs in the Real Software wiki or to various 3rd party developer websites.  I could see a projects page doing something similar and allow me to link to the project that would help the poster out.

Another thought would be to make this a Web Edition application since essentially we’re talking about a web app that’s a front end to a database.  Perfect place for a WE we app in my opinion.

Could ARBP do this?  Of course they could and it was discussed, in-depth, at the Atlanta conference in March.  They could do it – I have no doubt since they have some pretty smart people in ARBP – I just don’t think ARBP should be the one doing it.  I’m arguing that Real Software is a better and more logical entity to host this thing.

The Real Studio community isn’t as large as Visual Basic – that’s just simple math.  You could argue that a mere percentage or two of users would ever contribute to the projects page and that probably true.  However, assuming that Real Software sticks around for a few more decades, I would argue that one contribution a month is more than what we have now and more examples are better.

What say you?

Real Studio doesn’t have database binding like Visual Basic 6 but it’s not a real big deal.  If anything, the lack of binding makes the code more explicit (i.e. easier to read) and you don’t have to go hunting through control properties to find table and field names.  The Real Studio database classes are generic so it doesn’t matter, generally, what database you’re connecting to.  The drawback to the lack of binding and the generic classes is that it does lend itself to creating the same code over and over and over again.

Because of the nature of Real Studio many users tend to put their db code into the form (window) and tie it to controls.  This leads to spaghetti code with the database specific code all over the place and makes changes to your database harder.  Seth has done two presentations at ARBP conferences 2009, 2011 and introduced attendees to ActiveRecord that we’ve used for years now.

Active Record is a very simple, and limited Object Relational Model (ORM) system.  It allows us to create REALbasic classes that the IDE knows about.  It’s not exceptionally strong with the relational data, or large blobs, but it can be programmed to handle it.

In a new project we’re converting an existing Visual Basic 6 project with roughly 25 tables and several tables have over a hundred fields each.  Using conventional means it would mean having a database editor open so I can copy and paste field names all the time.  However, using ActiveRecord we created the classes (we have a utility to do this) and now the IDE knows the table and field names.  This makes coding very fast and they’re is no worrying about spelling errors and there’s no longer any issue of what the data type is because the class knows what it is.  This is nice since the compiler will pick up any many errors that may not usually find until runtime.

The client was ecstatic after the conversion since he figured that would have taken about 20 hours to convert the VB6 code into something useable in RB.  Instead, between our utility and ActiveRecord it took me less than 4 hours.  So now instead of spending all the time getting classes ready, we’re doing the real work of connecting up the UI to a set of data aware classes.

Another feature that was added was to flag the developer if a field is in the database that isn’t in the class.  How many times do you add a field to the database (or a coworker does) and you forget to hook it up.  This doesn’t happen using ActiveRecord.  You can have class properties that aren’t a field, but if you delete a field property that’s been used in the application the compiler will flag you on it and that’s very useful too.

ActiveRecord makes extensive use of Shared Methods so that all of the database code for that table is access from that class and that class only.  It has a number of methods built-in such as getting a list of rows (in array form) and finding a record by the primary key.  It’s easily extensible.

Like I said earlier, it’s not perfect.  It doesn’t handle relational data at all, but it can be modified to do so.  Large blobs can slow it down, but in the few times this has been a big deal we’ve implemented ‘lazy loading’ where we don’t load that particular field until we ask for it.

We have a single tutorial page up for it now at the main website.  We’ll eventually turn this into video tutorials and we’ll demonstrate it in more video’s.  It’s an MIT style license so feel free to use it.  If you have additions and suggestions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

More information, and downloadable classes can be found at http://www.bkeeney.com/realbasic/activerecord

My Briefs article is titled When a Handshake Just Isn’t Good Enough – Why A Contract Is Necessary where I relate about how a recent client stiffed me out of some serious money owed to me.  Of course I didn’t have a contract with him because of the referral and the connections this client has with Real Software and the RealBasic community.  Learn from my mistake and always have a contract in place before doing work!

And, as always there’s a plethora of good information and reviews in the magazine and I highly recommend getting it.  It’s not just for beginners as there is good information for all skill levels.

Let’s go back to the 2008.  That was the last year that Real Software held the REAL World conference in Austin, Texas.  I begged Real Software to let me have a meeting at 8:00 AM to hold an organizational meeting for a REALbasic users group of some sort.  I was surprised at the turnout and the Association of REALbasic Professionals (ARBP) was born.  http://www.arbp.org

Starting ARBP has been a job of persistence and overcoming inertia.  Since we started with nothing: no organization, no leaders, no website, no expectations, we really had no idea what we were going to be when we grew up.  Thankfully I was supported by an awesome group of dedicated individuals that really helped push the organization, and me, along.

In three years, ARBP has hosted two conferences.  The first was in Boulder, Colorado in 2009 and the second was in Atlanta, Georgia this past March.  Both of those conferences were recorded and are available for ARBP paid members.

Besides helping organize both events I’ve spoken at both of them.  So has my #1 employee, über programmer, Seth Verrinder.  Seth has been with us for three and a half years and has been an awesome addition to the team.  Without him, we wouldn’t be as successful as we are.  Between the two of us we’ve also written a fair number of the tutorials, newer projects in the source code repository, and articles.

Sharing code with the community is great way to contribute.  Many of us ‘old timers’ have a library of code just sitting around that would contribute to the community and help people just starting out with Real Studio.  Think about adding your source code to the ARBP Source Code Repository.

Speaking of training, in late 2009 I was contacted to do some video training for Real Studio.  They only wanted about eight hours of video and I felt that I couldn’t do the language or the IDE justice in that short amount of time.  But it did start my creative juices flowing and now I have over 30 hours of Real Studio video training material available at http://www.bkeeney.com.  That 30 hours comprises over 110 separate videos including most of the common Real Studio controls for both desktop and Web Edition.  Most videos come with a project file that you’re free to use in your own projects.  I have two complete series where I start at the beginning of a project and follow it through to the end.  Needless to say, I’ve been very happy with the results and the comments I get from users are very encouraging.

What sort of work do we do with Real Studio?  Well, it varies all the time since we’re a consulting firm.  In the past year we’ve done major updates to professional athletic training system (we did version 1 as well), updates to teleprompting software (we did the version 2 rewrite), major work a Web Edition project for an underwriting company, fixed some right-to-left language support in an existing Real Studio app, updates to a veterinary management app, and updates to credit repair software.

From-scratch projects include a PDF viewer/annotation/organizer app, a military strategy simulator, a family genealogy organizer, a front end user interface to a serial lightning detection device, a neurological test for patients with brain damage, a proof-of-concept app for a Mac OS X computer to talk to a electronic keyboard that uses a proprietary ethernet protocol, and a Web Edition app to share URL’s among registered users.  Most desktop projects are cross-platform.

On top of all that, we’ve created a number of smaller, proof-of-concept/training projects for folks that want to do something specific in RB but don’t have the time or inclination to learn it on their own.  These projects are actually kind of fun since they’re very specific and allow us to explore a control or API that we’ve not spent much time on without having to worry about the nit picky details of a full-blown application.

I’m very picky on how I organize documents (I am an engineer after all) so every now and then I go through the older directories as a refresher.  We’ve done a LOT of projects over the years and not one of them is similar to another one.

So how do I find the clients?  At this point we’ve been doing Real Studio consulting for a long time and a lot of long-term clients keep coming back for rewrites and major new additions.  I’m very happy about that as the relationship is already in place and they trust us.  It’s an awesome feeling.

Believe it or not, the video training has been a nice addition to our consulting business.  The progression is that people sign up for the videos and then after a couple of weeks (or months) they send us an email asking if we are available for work.  Because of the videos we already have a ‘relationship’ even if I’ve never talked to them before because they see how I work with Real Studio.

I’m also a member of the Real Studio Consulting Referral Program https://secure.realsoftware.com/store/consulting.php.  It currently costs $495 for twelve months and $295 for six months.  It’s worth it.  By the time a potential client sends in their information to the Find a Developer Page at https://secure.realsoftware.com/support/consultants.php they’ve already decided that Real Studio is what they’re looking for.

At one Real World I said being part of the Referral Program is “like shooting fish in a barrel”.  I still believe that.  The cost is insignificant.  One very small project and it pays for itself.  If you want to start working with Real Studio on a full-time basis, this is the place to start.

One last note on ARBP.  I’m happy, and a little sad, to say that today is my last official day as leader of the organization.  Tonight is our board meeting where a new board will take over and a new president will lead ARBP into the future.  I’m still on the board as Treasurer (assuming no one else wants it) but the day to day stuff will no longer be in my hands.  I urge you to volunteer as it’s a great organization that is always looking for help.  You don’t have to be a Real Studio expert (or professional) help out.

So those are the current chapters in the BKeeney Software Real Studio story.  What sort of projects are you working on?  How are you finding work?

It has been my honor and privilege to help birth ARBP and lead it these past two and a half years.  It is time for me to pass the baton to new leadership and see how the organization grows from here.  I’ve helped organize two conferences as well as get the organization going and I’m ready to relax for a while (though I’m sure you can’t get rid of me that easily).

I hope that you consider helping the organization out.  The more individuals we have helping spread the word, the better it becomes.  I’m sure I’ll post more details later.

Despite my initial misgivings about the location, most conference attendees gave it a big thumbs up for a convenient location.  Being 10 minutes from the airport made it easy for everyone to get there.

Geoff Perlman, CEO of Real Software, showed us some upcoming UI changes to the Real Studio IDE that I think everyone will like as it eliminates some mousing.  Of course I will have to reserve judgement on it until I actually use it 8 hours a day, but from the sneak peak he gave us it will be a nice change.

Real Software also presented some of their insights into Web Edition and Paul Lefebvre did a followup session showing a Web Edition application in action.

The sessions were interesting.  I always learn something in a session even if it’s in a topic that I think I know rather well.  My own session on Reporting tools for Real Studio seemed to be well received (at least no one threw anything at me) with the Roth Software folks showing me some upcoming features in their product, RSReport, that made me very excited.  Can anyone say ‘runtime interaction’ in your reports?

Also good news is that we found a new board of directors for ARBP and by the end of April my presidency of the organization will be over.  It’s been a long two and a half years and it’s time for others to lead.  Putting on the conference will be it for me.  The only thing I have left is to process the videos (close to 13 hours!) so it can eventually go on the website for ARBP members to view.

More, I’m sure, in the upcoming weeks and months as I get some sleep.

Tomorrow will be an early day with breakfast and registration starting at 8:00 AM.  First up, I give a (very) brief introduction and Geoff Perlman will do his opening keynote on what’s coming up in Real Studio.  I’m looking forward to it as I’m sure there will be some surprises.

It will be a long day so I’m signing out.  Talk to you soon.

I think we’ve also done an excellent job at keeping the costs down.  We’re staying at Holiday Inn just outside of the Atlanta airport.  It’s nice and relatively new and there are a ton of new hotels in the area.  But there are few restaurants so it’s not a place to go roaming about on foot.

The family and I went down to Olympic Park and visited the World of Coca Cola and ate at a local bistro just a block away.  Olympic Park is nice and there are quite a few hotels there – including a Holiday Inn.

So, I think if I have any say in future RB conferences I’ll try to pick a more tourist friendly location.  Of course, that means it’ll probably be more expensive.

For those of you on Twitter, you can follow the events going on at that conference by searching for the tag #Real2011.

More as events unfold.

Heck, I’ve been there – I started out knowing nothing 10 years ago.  It’s part of the reason why I troll the REAL Software forums and answer questions.  It’s part of the reason why I’ve done the video training series (a couple of hours of Web Edition is coming up!) because I’ve found that I enjoy the challenge of getting to know a piece of RB as well as I can.  If I can do one thing to help someone else it makes my day.

I helped found the Association of REALbasic Professionals because I (and many others) felt that we needed an association devoted entirely to REALbasic.  In a year and half I think we’ve gotten off the ground and doing a decent, (if barely) adequate job.  Don’t get me wrong, we have a dedicated presence in the community and the website gets a lot of visits per month.  We have some content that you can’t get anywhere else and we have the largest repository of REALbasic projects outside of REAL Software itself (that I’m aware of at least).

We’ve picked up RBGarage which used to be the ONLY way to find RB classes, plugins, modules, and examples.  It’s in need of some serious updating and if I had all the time in the world I’d rewrite it using Web Edition.  Trust me, it’s on my list of things to do.  We also picked up the Windows Functionality Suite.  It’s recently been updated to work with REAL Studio 2010 R4 and above, but it’s also in some serious need of attention.   It needs better examples and documentation.  Again, it’s on my list.

We’ve organized two conferences, the first in Boulder, Colorado in 2009, and now the Atlanta REAL Studio Summit set for March 19th and 20th.  Putting together a conference is time consuming and rounding up speakers and getting the details right isn’t as easy as one would think.  But again, I’m very excited to be part of it because I know that if I get some things out of it hopefully someone else will to.

But then at time I sit back and wonder why it seems like I’m the only one who cares?  ARBP has become a part-time job – that I don’t get paid for.  We are in serious need of volunteers and replacements for officers for this all-volunteer organization.  I’m an engineer and programmer.  I’m not much of a leader – I recognize this and am ready to fade into the background for ARBP.  ARBP is in need of the next generation of leadership – people who can lead it into the future and do things better than what we’ve done.

If you think you have the ideas, vision and willpower to drive ARBP forward, I invite you to contact me.  If you can make it to the conference in Atlanta on March 19th and 20th I think that would be awesome.  Even if you don’t attend the sessions, it will be a good time to meet and greet many people that are heavily invested in REALbasic.

So maybe next time your in the forums you’ll answer a newbie’s question?  Maybe you can look at WFS documentation?  Maybe you can even help with ARBP?  Someone could use the help and maybe you’ll enjoy helping others.