Version Control

Hello John,

It's not an easy question for sure. I am not a user of any version control program, except GIT, which I use sometimes for some projects, basically, with Github and the Github desktop program. I am not sure if the integration of any version control can help, since we can directly use any version control program that we wanted, maintaining the programs separated. For example, I can imagine to use Github for desktop for certain app: so we have the best of AB, and, the best of Github for desktop.

The previous generation of AB save some "history" of the changes, but using our own method, to say like that. I did not implement something similar in AB2, maybe because in AB we are talking about a single file, and, AB2 uses various files to store the app and the app's views stuff, so may I consider more difficult (in terms of the time that saving something twice can take) than in the previous AB generation.

Maybe I can try to save a similar "history" of changes in AB2, even if we deal now with various files and not a single one. But again, I am not sure about... finally, we can decide to made backups manually (with the help of some BAT file, for example, maybe the Build programs options in the app can help here, since can invoke some programs before and after build the app), or may using an external program like Github for desktop.

I think this can be the best... probably the integration of GIT is not suitable for use for a majority of users of AB (included me...)... and the integration can be for sure less nice than if we use directly something like Github for desktop. So why not to maintain the things separated? Why to try to emulate something like Github for desktop? We already have such program... and can use it for free... and probably I never can reach that kind of integration in AB, so...

Please, let me know what you think about. Certainly maybe implement something like the "history" of changes which we have previously in the previous generation of AB can be good, maybe enhancing it in some way, since in the previous generation of AB we can see the "history" of changes saved in the disk, but, that's all,... we can't restore a previous version from AB, for example. But again... my bet is to made the possible backups in our own ways... backups are good for sure, and, maybe just copy the app directory can be good, or may using something like Github for desktop or a similar program.

Hi All,

I am using bitbucket and sourcetree for the projects I do with AB. There is absolutely no hassle in using version controls for AB as it stores its data in xml format I easily can follow the changes and commits on sourcetree. Only one thing, since AB updates the store date each time you hit save, when you work with a team on the same file it is a source of conflict, but a very easy one to resolve. hope it helps

Hello Amin,

Thanks for your answer. You are right, the ModifiedDate entry in the XML can cause some non desired issues, and, since it's not really used... I will to remove it from the XML in both the previous generation of AB and the current generation of the product too. I will change this and prepare new releases of the products to fix the possible issue with version control programs.

Update: It's done. Both the previous generation and the current generation of AB has been upgraded in order to avoid the "ModifiedDate" entry in the project's XML file. I hope this can help in order to use version control programs with AB. Thanks Amin for the suggestion.

Hello to all,

Just for your information, the current DecSoft App Builder generation add the ability to maintain app backups in a similar way than the previous generation of the product already do. Take a look here for more information and anyway upgrade your AB copies.