Ogre GUI - iOS and LGPL

[caseybasichis]

Given the static linking required for iOS, are LGPL gui libraries for Ogre workable on iOS?

What GUI library would you choose for iOS. I have a significant amount of 2D gui stuff to build to overlay on top of the 3d and I want to find the best options.

Thanks,
Casey

[aleroy]

I looked over so many, but never found one that I liked. There just aren't many that officially support iOS. The one I liked the best was libRocket (http://librocket.com/. You might also try taking a look at the GUI comparison wiki page: http://www.ogre3d.org/tikiwiki/Comparis ... =Libraries

I'm currently making my own. It's essentially just a C++ wrapper of the native iOS libraries, namely UIKit. Unfortunately, it's still too early to release what I have. When I have more time, I'll move it all into a proper project and put it up on GitHub.

[caseybasichis]

Drats. You uikit project sounds rad.

I was eyeballing that comparison chart all day yesterday.

CEGUI is what I am leaning towards, as it has an MIT license. On their board it was suggested it works with iOs but isn't supported -- temptation and foreboding. MyGui seems like the next best bet, they claim iOs compatibility but they have that LGBL bit going on, so maybe they have a way around the issue.

rocketlib looked interesting, but i worried about its robustness. More than 50% of the app is going to be 2d gui and the html bit seems sketchy, but perhaps that fear is unwarranted?

[d000hg]

MyGui seems like the next best bet, they claim iOs compatibility but they have that LGBL bit going on, so maybe they have a way around the issue.

Could you explain what you mean by this, what is the issue?

[caseybasichis]

My understanding is that one needs to static link to compile an ios app and static linking gpl or lgpl code forces the code into the gpl. I want to be able to release the project commercially at some point but it very unclear where the boundaries are with getting all this on ios.

[d000hg]

Oh I see. Have you asked on the MyGUI forums about this specific issue - since Ogre has moved from LGPL maybe MyGUI might too, or they might make a special exception for iOS.

I am very interested to use MyGUI on iOS too so if you post on the MyGUI forum put a link here for any others who want to add their support!

[aleroy]

Drats. You uikit project sounds rad.

If you'd like to help me with it, I'll go ahead and put it up on GitHub. I have most of the core stuff completed. The rest is mostly wrappers for the concrete controllers: UIScrollView, UIPageViewController, UITableViewControl, etc. I'm hoping to finish that part over the next few days. From there it will need testing, tweaking, additional features, repeat ... and that's the part I could use help with. Oh, and making a nice presentable distribution package (documentation, samples, etc).

[caseybasichis]

I'd help if I could.

I'm a composer and all my programming experience has been fly by night. I'm in an odd bind where I rely on my own software written in a terrible language and its in the throes of death by terrible programming, so I'm remaking it on the phone and learning c++ in the process.

It's surprising to see the lack of options for iOS given the market. I was thinking that relying on video game tech to handle the gui would be a well traveled route.

[aleroy]

Ahh, no worries then.

I learned C++ the same way. There are several good books that can get you started in C++. The intro-level texts are all pretty much equal. I suggest finding one that speaks to you. But, there two books out there that are, IMO, essential to learning C++. The first addresses the most commonly used strategies for solving problems with code; it's more of about programming in general, but all the example code is C/C++ (and some SmallTalk). The second provides effective solutions to the more common C++ caveats.

Design Patterns: Elements of Reusable Object-Oriented Software, 2nd Edition by Gamma, Helm, Johnson, & Vlissides (aka GoF, group of four).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Design_Patterns

Effective C++, 3rd Edition: 55 Specific Ways to Improve Your Programs and Designs. by Scott Meyers
http://www.aristeia.com/



Anyways, back on topic, I'll make an announcement as soon as I have a release my GUI project.

[d000hg]

I just thought you'd be interested in this: http://redmine.mygui.info/repositories/ ... ngeLog.txt

----------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------- Version 3.0.1 ------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------
-- License --
- in LGPL added exclusion for static linking for possibility to use MyGUI in apps for iPhone
- all Media except some files created not by MyGUI dev tean is licensed under MIT now

However, I am stuck how to get MyGUI compiling for iOS... the CMake script generates a regular Mac project. Anyone who tried MyGUI on iOS... how do you get it to build?

[caseybasichis]

Thats exciting news. I was actually watching all of the MyGui video's on youtube lastnight trying to decide if I should chance it with MyGui or go with LibRocket (which I am loathe to do as I can't stand css)

I'm still waiting on some parts for the mac so I'm on winx64 at the moment. I'd love to hear how you progress with MyGui on the phone goes.

[jacmoe]

Would be more exciting if they licensed MyGUI under MIT, wouldn't it?

[d000hg]

If it lets me use the code commercially then I couldn't care less personally

[caseybasichis]

If this is a precursor to more official iOS support? If so, will things like multitouch be likely to be included in the library or is that something that is best dealt with separately anyway?

[DanielSefton]

I wouldn't waste your time integrating MyGUI until it has real support for touch-based devices. These are some of the problems I came across: http://www.ogre3d.org/addonforums/viewt ... 17&t=14690

I just use UIKit for all 2D UI and Gorilla for UI in 3D space.

[caseybasichis]

Do you know of any resources to follow in integrating those with ogre?

I'm trying to avoid appkit because I've started the project on windows.

What do you think of Gorilla? I was watching youtube videos for it last night. I need a very tight packing of controls, is that possible with gorrila? All the demo's look very simple.

[DanielSefton]

Well Gorilla isn't a GUI as such, it just renders 2D atlases, but there's a new library called Gui3D that you should check out which is based on Gorilla and adds basic controls. I'm currently in the process of integrating that.