Overview

REALbasic is a Macintosh-based software development tool ideally suited to the programming novice or non-programmer who needs to build simple applications. REALbasic shields the user from the more complicated aspects of programming. For the Macintosh user, REALbasic continues the theme of drag-and-drop operations with recipe-style instructions on how to make a program work. Programming is accomplished by opening the REALbasic environment and dragging a tool (icon) into the window editor. This creates an object, for example, an open file operation. The details of this object can then be adjusted and tested, and then the next object added, and so on. Code and programs generated by REALbasic are active in the environment for debugging and modifying. The code is not just interpreted, but actually compiled and running within the application. The code can also be saved as a stand-alone application. REALbasic applies an object-oriented approach without the user having to learn a completely different way of thinking (a criticism sometimes leveled at C++ and Java).

Using the package is reasonably straightforward with the familiar GUI, and point-and-click operations require only the occasional piece of code to be entered. The application provides a very easy way to make programs that have typical graphical interfaces. For example, menu screens, submenus, pull-down links, and handling routines for keyboard or mouse inputs are all immediately available and require only configuration for use. More complex data manipulation and serious numerical operations are available, but they require greater use of the code editor. Fonts can easily be adjusted with the properties window. For those long waits during number crunching, several indicators allow the user to decide between coffee or an early lunch. Optionally, one can generate Windows executable code, but some caution has to be exercised. I compiled the Macintosh sample calculator program for Windows and, while it worked, the calculator displayed on the Windows computer was tiny, and the numeric keypad could not access it.

How Long Did It Take to Learn to Use It Productively?

With my programming experience in C, Basic, and Fortran, and very limited Visual Basic, it took a little time to get used to the feel of the interface and the style of object-oriented programming. The main screen seemed very crowded at first with several windows present, but within 10 minutes I was happily working through the tutorial manual. It took me about two hours to get through the text-editor tutorial; a novice should allow more time for familiarization.

Product Quality

Customizability

Very good, as you would expect from any programming language. The windows in the interface can be customized - for example, font size, color, and arrangement on the screen. Project templates can be created and saved to allow quicker development for similar projects.

Ability to Program in Scripts, Add Extension Modules, etc.

There are many extras that can be added into the programs and the environment, for instance, Apple scripts for executing Macintosh-related functions and third-party plug-ins for dealing with proprietary database access. I did not test the plug-ins, as they are very specific applications.

Ability to Import and Export in Different File Formats

The software can read in Visual Basic projects and convert them to REALbasic. Some code conversion is required, but this may be minimal. The applications generated (as well as the development environment) can access many different file types and data sources. These include text, PICT, JPEG, database, QuickTime, and binary file types. Since Apple is providing support for PDF (Adobe portable-document-format files) in Mac OS X, I was disappointed that these files could not be accessed directly, but perhaps this problem will be remedied in version 3.

Useful or Unusual Features

The autocode-completion mode in the text/code window is extremely useful. It means that larger variable names need not be avoided, because once you begin typing a name, REALbasic suggests the remainder of it. REALbasic also provides an additional check that the parameter has been defined. The software allows creation and manipulation of the resource fork in a relatively painless fashion. The predefined classes of objects permit reasonably economical programming. For the more experienced user, these classes can be modified. Macintosh toolbox calls are also supported, and the few that I tested functioned correctly.

Limitations

Installation of all the additional files takes up a large chunk of disk space, and the program itself seemed to be buried too many levels deep in the folder. When I copied it onto the disk, I brought it further forward to a parent directory, but one could equally create an alias and place that on the desktop. The style of programming presented in the tutorial guide was more of a "recipe book" approach, without detailed explanations. While this may be good for providing a specific solution (text editor in the tutorial), it has limitations for the novice user. If you have a specific programming need, it may be hard to jump straight into that area without wading through a large amount of material. It encourages programming by modifying other projects and code (perhaps this is the way we all program anyway?).

Comparisons with Similar Software

REALbasic is comparable to Visual Basic, but the latter is for a different platform. The other major integrated development environment for Macintosh is Metrowerks CodeWarrior, but CodeWarrior is for the experienceed programmer. It allows much more flexibility with its code-lined interface and permits more powerful projects that require access to more machine-level functions for completion. REALbasic is for the programmer who wants to complete a simple project relatively easily without delving into too much code. Some file manipulations that are quite tricky in CodeWarrior are simple in REALbasic. The closest analogy is possibly with HTML code generation, for which, originally, programming was done with lines of code in a text editor. More recent tools are object based and generate the code underneath, in a layer not normally seen by the person using the software.

Technical Support and Documentation

Support is extensive. All the printed matter is also available in an electronic version on the CD, and the language reference is accessible from the built-in help menu. The printed documentation is spiral bound for durability and includes a large developer's guide with good and clear introductory remarks. This should be the first book opened. There is also a small tutorial book with an easy-to-follow programming example (and explanations that are not fantastic) that the novice user will probably use like a recipe book, and a large language reference guide (which the ordinary user will look at only occasionally).

The use of consistent icons in the text margins of the documentation is very helpful for finding the beginning of a new concept or procedure. The Web site is a clearinghouse of information and includes sample programs made with REALbasic. Also available from the site are all documentation, the latest version of the software, and even online tutorials! Technical support is available by email, telephone, or fax. An active user group and several mailing lists are an additional source of information. I did not require any support for installation or programming, and I suspect that the FAQ, and other help pages, would take care of most needs.

Target Users

The program is intended for Macintosh users who are first-time programmers, Windows users familiar with Visual Basic who have changed platforms, and experienced programmers.