Designed GUI of TIL Loader

Today I used Python, PyGtk and Glade to design the form (screen layout) of the TIL Loader. I have already implemented the TIL Loader in Delphi. The next step is to translate it from Object Pascal (Delphi) into Python.

I now have both Linux and Windows installed on my home computer. I installed the Mozilla Thunderbird email client, which is now working. Also I successfully modified the "grub.conf" file to boot up Windows by default. So things are moving along nicely.

Installed Linux

Yesterday and early this morning I burned the DVD and installed Linux on my home computer. It went (surprisingly) fairly smoothly. There are still 3 issues outstanding:

1. I want to change the boot loader's default operating system from Linux to Windows.
2. Every time I log in to Linux, I must remove and reinsert the Bluetooth thing so I can use my cordless mouse/keyboard. Luckily I can use one of the USB ports on the front of my computer to make this task easier.
3. I can receive but not send email. I emailed tech support but this is still an issue. I intend to ditch my email client and download Mozilla Thunderbird.

I guess the next order of business would be for me to get busy learning the Python programming language and PyGtk, in both Windows and Linux environments.

Ordered XO Laptop

I just invested $400 in my Treenimation project, by ordering an XO Laptop (and donating one at the same time). So there's no turning back now, I'm committed to learning Python, PyGtk, Sugar, and Linux (or I will have wasted all that money). The next steps are to translate my TIL Loader into Python, and then install Linux/Sugar on a separate partition on my home computer. Later I must bring my computer to work so I can install our development tools on it (so I can work from home, only going in to the office on Mondays and Wednesdays).

All in Python

Please disregard my previous post. I am not going to use Delphi to implement part of Treenimation. Instead, I am implementing both the Windows and Linux versions of Treenimation in Python. This month I intend to acquire an XO Laptop, which I will use to test the Linux version of Treenimation. The To-Do list in my previous post, Working from Home, is still valid, except I can skip Step 4 (I don't need Partition Magic).

Dual Treenimation Versions

I plan to implement the Treenimation Runtime in Python for both the Windows and Linux versions. However, I intend to maintain 2 versions of Treenimation Builder (the part that lets you create your own games): the full Windows version will be written in Delphi, and the less feature-rich Linux/XO version will be written in Python.

Implementation Phases:

1. Translate TIL Loader from Delphi to Python
2. Install Linux/Python/PyGtk/Sugar etc.
3. Port TIL Loader from Windows to Linux
4. Implement Windows version of Treenimation Runtime using Python/PyGtk
5. Port Treenimation Runtime to Linux
6. Implement Treescript Compiler using Delphi
7. Implement Linux version of Treescript Compiler using Python
8. Add animation capability to Treenimation Runtime using PyGame
9. Implement Windows version of Treenimation Integrated Development Environment (TIDE) using Delphi
10. Implement more limited Linux version of TIDE using Python
11. Start building the Treenopolis web site (City of Games) for Windows/Linux
    

So after Phase 6 is completed, Windows users will be able to create games (using the text editor of their choice), and XO users will be able to play those games, but won’t be able to create their own games until after Phase 7 is completed.

I’m still in the early stages of learning Python. It seems like a nice language but it’s a lot different from the Object Pascal/Java/C#-style languages that I’m used to. The Treescript Compiler is perhaps the hardest part of Treenimation to implement. Being able to use a familiar tool (Delphi) for that job seems less intimidating to me. That's how I rationalize it, anyway.

Phase 4 is a big job. Maybe by the time I complete that phase I will be confident enough in Python to ditch Delphi and just use Python to implement Treenimation Builder.

Working from Home

Yesterday my boss approved my request to work from home 3 days a week, and only go in to the office on Mondays and Wednesdays. So now I'll have a lot more time to work on Treenimation. But before I start working from home, I must set up my home computer with all our development tools, as well as install a Linux partition so I can develop the Linux version of Treenimation along with the Windows version.

I'm almost finished reading the Python tutorial, and this weekend I hope to begin translating the part of Treenimation I call the TIL Loader from Object Pascal into Python.

Benefits of working from home:

1. More time to work on Treenimation
2. Save money (don't need a car)
3. Less hassle (won't have a car to worry about)
4. More environmentally friendly (no more driving to work)
5. Healthier lunches (fewer McDonald's/Wendy's meals)
6. More exercise (going for walks in my neighbourhood)

To Do List:

1. Go to http://www.laptop.org/ and find out which version of Linux they recommend
2. Find out space requirements of Linux, Python, PyGtk, Sugar, etc.
3. Download Linux and burn it onto DVDs
4. Buy Partition Magic
5. Back up my home computer's data onto a CD
6. Make partitions for Linux and Windows XP
7. Install Linux at home
8. Bring my computer to work (it already has Delphi 4)
9. Copy C:\Bdev (over 10 GB) from my work computer to my home computer
10. Step 9 will take several hours
11. Install Delphi 6 and all our development tools
12. Take computer home (sometime in November)
13. Start working from home 3 days a week
14. Install XO Laptop emulator on Linux partition
15. Translate TIL Loader from Object Pascal into Python
16. Port TIL Loader to Linux/Sugar/XO Laptop
17. Apply to OLPC for web hosting

Navigation Keys

There exist 3 text-entry modes in the Treescript code editor:

1. Free Form
2. Structure Editor
3. Code Menu

Pressing Esc toggles between Free Form and Structure Editor modes. Typing a question mark (?) enters Code Menu mode (except within comments and string literals; to enter Code Menu mode from inside those, press Ctrl+?). Pressing F1 displays context-sensitive help in all modes.

Structure Editor: a bottom-level token (e.g. a keyword, identifier, operator, or constant) or an entire list is often highlighted. Using the Shift key in conjunction with the Up/Down Arrow keys, it is possible to select more than one token/list at a time.

• Esc - enter Free Form mode
• Up Arrow - go to previous list element
• Down Arrow - go to next list element
• Left Arrow - go to parent list
• Right Arrow - go to first child element (if none, display text cursor following current bottom-level token)
• Shift+Up/Down Arrow - select a range of tokens/lists
• Printable Char. - insert token/list, display text cursor
• Backspace - undo insertion of previous printable char.
• Delete - delete current token/list
• Enter - display text cursor, insert space after cursor
• Space - display text cursor, insert space before cursor
• Ctrl+Enter – if at end of line, append blank line (otherwise break line into 2 lines)

Code Menu: a popup menu above or below text cursor (and including text cursor) is displayed. The contents of this menu include all valid code elements in the context of the text cursor (ignoring anything after the text cursor).

• Esc - show/hide code menu
• Up Arrow - move selection up
• Down Arrow - move selection down
• Left Arrow - go to parent code menu (if none, exit Code Menu mode)
• Right Arrow - go to lower-level code menu
• Enter - go to lower-level code menu (if none, select current menu item, and display new code menu following token/list just inserted)
• Space - go to lower-level code menu (if none, select current menu item and exit Code Menu mode)
• Printable Char. - incrementally select matching menu item
• Backspace - undo operation of previous printable char.
• Question Mark - exit Code Menu mode

Hello, World!

Several weeks ago I used Delphi (a tool I have been using at work for 11 years) to program the very first part of Treenimation to be implemented: the TIL Loader. Later I created my OLPC project wiki, and I was advised that I should use Python instead of Delphi to implement Treenimation. Yesterday I downloaded/installed Python, PyGtk, and Glade, and wrote my first Python Hello-World-style program. This little program displays 2 buttons. If you click on the 1st button, it displays its label in the main Python window (the shell). If you click on the 2nd button, it changes the label of the 1st button to a different value. If you click on the 2nd button again, it changes the 1st button back to its original value. This afternoon I'm going to go through the Python tutorial and learn the basics of Python programming. Soon I'm going to translate the TIL Loader into Python, and then I'm going to apply to OLPC for web hosting.

One Laptop Per Child

Treenimation has 2 target platforms: Windows and OLPC (Linux). OLPC is a project which aims to distribute millions of $175 laptops to schoolchildren in developing countries. Each laptop is equipped with Linux, Python (a free programming language), and wireless peer-to-peer networking. So kids can use Treenimation to create their own board games, and play them with their friends. Every OLPC project has an OLPC wiki. Please click on Treenimation to visit my wiki.

Welcome

Welcome to Mike's Treenimation blog. I am Mike Hahn, the founder of Treenimation.net, which is the future home of the Treenimation software tool (now under development). Treenimation allows you to create web-based (real-time) and email-based multiplayer board games. Subsequent versions of Treenimation will add support for games with 2D animation (and ultimately 3D animation). Treenimation is based on a powerful yet easy-to-learn, object-oriented, built-in scripting language called Treescript. Non-programmers can create drag-and-drop games, and both novice and advanced programmers can use Treescript to add functionality to these games. Treenimation will run on both Windows and Linux platforms.

This blog is meant to document the design process and implementation process of Treenimation. I have been working on the design process of Treenimation (albeit very sporadically) for over 10 years. Recently I have begun to implement Treenimation for Windows, using Python and PyGtk.