MacRuby & HotCocoa
Tasty Apps for OS X
Thilo Utke 2009

Overview
About - Web developer - macruby - - Upstream - Alex - Web developer - WebApplications - doningtext
- forex-metal - In business for a while - bootstrap - Paper-C - fast - rails - ruby - reliable - testing - rspec
- cucumber - ruby - reliable - macs - ruby - rails - text mate - fast - plugins - gems - tools - interesting
techs - iphone - mac - tools - Objective-C - features like ruby - smalltalk - more code - Hello World
Example - not so fast - unlike ruby - dropped it - heard about macruby 0.3 relase - on top of Obj-C -
get curious - less code - on Mac - with Cocoa - major API - Desktop Applications - More like ruby -
liked it - Its from Apple! - from - RubyWrapper for NSObject 2001 - Integration with ProjectBuilder (IB
2002) - 2006 Laurent Sansonetti - 10.5 shipped with OS X - 2008 MacRuby shall replace RubyCocoa -
RubyCocoa is a scripting Bridge - Syntactic Sugar - Syntax Mismatch - 2 Object Graphs - Green
Threads vs. native Threads - Ruby 1.8 and ObjectiveC - Standard Libs Broken - Slow!!! - Mismatch like
String != NSString => more Code - Picture - Ruby first Class Citizen - MacRuby - Ruby 1.9 - Native
Threads - Matches better with Obj Syntax - Faster - Tighter Integration with Obj-C - Share Base classes
- Share Infrastructure - GC - MacRuby 0.5 - the best Ruby for Mac - In Development - NO GLI - Share
IO - On top of LLVM - Doing optimizations - Calls Obj-C - class/methods/obj all Obj C - show Methods
- No more libffi but uses a new C-dispatcher - Picture! - Show Mixing MacRuby with ObjC - Compiles
Code JIT - soon AOT - other Platforms - iPhone? - IB integration! - Framework - main_rm - Outlet -
Action - Delegates - Like ActiveRecord Callbacks - but fixed names - you tell who handle it - first
responder - Delegate for Application - Show Random Number Gen with IB - Code Obj-C/MacRuby-
All the things I’d like to talk about.

Outline
Intro
Objective-C Encounter
Apple - Ruby
RubyCocoa
MacRuby 0.5
MacRuby <-> Obj-C
Interface Builder Integration
Back to Code with HotCocoa
Impact

I’m a WebDeveloper.

UPSTREAM
My Company

Alexander Lang, also Founder and Owner of Upstream

Wrote CouchPotato. Talks about Ruby Libs for CouchDB

We did Community, Productivity, Finance and Educational Websites. Our own product is
doingText.com

Rails enabled us to build WebApps really fast.

Text
I love Ruby!

To be fast and deliver reliable applications, we build software with test first.

New libraries, gems and technics keep WebDevelopment interesting.

Boring!!!!
www.flickr.com/photos/ipom
Still I get bored easily, so I play with new technologies.

Thats why I have an iPhone.

That’s why Alex has an iPhone.

That’s why we play with couchDB.

That’s why I thought Obj-C might be interesting.

SmallTalk
Ruby Obj-C
Ruby and Obj-C have a common ancestry.

Ruby Obj-C
Reflective
Dynamic
Garbage Collection
Object Oriented
Characteristics they have in common.

Ruby Obj-C
Closures
FFI, C-Ext C-SuperSet
methodname(1,2) method: 1 name:2
Interpreter Compiler
Things that differ.

Grabbed this book to start with Obj-C.

First Objective-C App
@interface Foo : NSObject
{
IBOutlet NSTextField *textField;
}
- (IBAction)gerneate:(id)sender;
- (IBAction)seed:(id)sender;
@end
@impelemtation Foo
- (IBAction)generate:(id)sender
{
int generated = (random() % 100) +1;
[textField setIntValue:generated];
}
- (IBAction)seed:(id)sender
{
srandom(time(NULL));
[textField setStringValue:@\"Generator seeded\"];
}
My first Obj-C code with header files, types, many braces and semicolons.

o_0
Felt like back in C programming class. Thrown Obj-C away.
Yes, Ruby spoiled me.

MacRuby 0.3
Heard about MacRuby with the 0.3 release.

First Objective-C App
class Foo
attr_writer :text_field
def seed(sender)
@text_field.StringValue = \"Generator doesn't need to be seeded ;)\"
end
def generate(sender)
@text_field.StringValue = (rand(100) + 1)
end
end
Same Obj-C Tutorial App with MacRuby.

\\0_0/
Header files, types, braces, and semicolons are gone. Much less code. Yeah!

It is from Apple!

Apple wants Ruby to be a
first class citizen
on OS X
Where that comes from.

2001
Ruby extension for NSObject
and NSClassFromString function
by Hisakuni Fujimoto

2002
RubyCocoa Project
Ruby 1.6.7 on OS X 10.2

2005
Ruby 1.8.2 on OS X 10.4
For a long time nothing happened.

2006
Laurent Sansonetti from Apple
joined RubyCocoa
Things started to move.

2007
Ruby 1.8.6, Rails, RubyGems
and RubyCocoa
on OSX 10.5
Big move

RubyCocoa
Frameworks
App Std Lib Obj-C
Ruby Code GC GC IO GCC
Bridge
MRI 1.8 Obj-C Runtime
RubyCocoa Architecture

RubyCocoa
Use Objects from Obj-C in Ruby and vice versa
Syntax matching
[Class initWith:(type) p1 other:(type) p2]
Frameworks
Class.initWith_other(p1, p2)
Extending/Inheriting/Overwriting
App Std Lib Obj-C
Access to C-Structs
Ruby Code GC GC IO GCC
Bridge
MRI 1.8 Obj-C Runtime

RubyCocoa
Messaging between Obj-C and Ruby is slow!
Frameworks
App Std Lib Obj-C
Ruby Code GC GC IO GCC
Bridge
MRI 1.8 Obj-C Runtime

RubyCocoa
Two Object Spaces
\"Hi\" != @\"Hi\"
Green Threads vs. Native Threads Frameworks
App Std Lib Obj-C
Ruby Code GC GC IO GCC
Bridge
MRI 1.8 Obj-C Runtime
RubyCocoa can run only on the MainThread.
Ruby needs patching to allow to work with the Obj-C runtime.

RubyCocoa
Duplicated infrastructure
Frameworks
App Std Lib Obj-C
Ruby Code GC GC IO GCC
Bridge
MRI 1.8 Obj-C Runtime

RubyCocoa
Duplicated libraries
Ruby’s causing hang ups
Frameworks
App Std Lib Obj-C
Ruby Code GC GC IO GCC
Bridge
MRI 1.8 Obj-C Runtime

Thanks to RubyCocoa for some cool apps, like GitNub.

2008
MacRuby
shall replace RubyCocoa
in the future
The appearance of MacRuby

2009
MacRuby gets popular
Ruby 1.8.7, Rails 2.3, RubyGems
and RubyCocoa
on OSX 10.6
Community starts to grow.
Gets buzz, because it for example faster than YARV.
Appears more in screencasts/conferences.
Apple Stayes true to ruby

MacRuby 0.5
App Std Lib
Frameworks
Ruby Code
Obj-C
LLVM
JIT/AOT GC IO GCC
Obj-C Runtime
MacRuby architecture

MacRuby 0.5
Object => NSObject
RubySpecific extensions
App Std Lib
Frameworks
Ruby Code
Obj-C
LLVM Same Primitives
JIT/AOT GC IO GCC
Obj-C Runtime

./miniruby -e 'p Array.new.methods(true, true)'
[:\"sortUsingFunction:context:\", :\"exchangeObjectAtIndex:withObjectA
tIndex:\", :removeAllObjects, :\"getObjects:range:\", :\"containsObject
:inRange:\", :removeObjectsInRange, :removeObjectAtIndex, :removeLas
tObject, :\"replaceObjectAtIndex:withObject:\", :\"insertObject:atInde
x:\", :addObject, :\"countByEnumeratingWithState:objects:count:\", :ob
jectAtIndex, :count, :mutableCopyWithZone, :copyWithZone, :classFor
Coder, :finalize, :hash, :isEqual, :sortUsingDescriptors, :filterUs
ingPredicate, :initWithContentsOfURL, :initWithContentsOfFile, :sor
tUsingSelector, :\"removeObjectsFromIndices:numIndices:\", :removeObj
ectsAtIndexes, :\"replaceObjectsAtIndexes:withObjects:\", :\"insertObj
ects:atIndexes:\", :\"sortUsingFunction:context:range:\", :\"initWithOb
jects:count:\", :initWithCapacity, :removeObjectsInArray, :\"removeOb
jectIdenticalTo:inRange:\", :removeObjectIdenticalTo, :\"removeObject
:inRange:\", :removeObject, :\"removeObject:range:identical:\", :setAr
ray, :\"setObject:atIndex:\", :addObjectsFromArray, :\"replaceObjectsI
With the extra second argument set on true, you can see the Obj-C methods.

MacRuby 0.5
Generate Obj-C calls for Ruby code
Intermediate Representation (IR)
App Std Lib
Optimization Frameworks
Ruby Code
JIT compiler to execute code
GCC
LLVM ~ 3 x faster than YARV
JIT/AOT GC IO LLVM
AOT compiler very soon
Obj-C Runtime
LLVM = Low Level Virtual Machine

MacRuby 0.5
Generate Obj-C calls for Ruby code
Intermediate Representation (IR)
App Std Lib
Optimization Frameworks
Ruby Code
JIT compiler to execute code
GCC
LLVM ~ 3 x faster than YARV
JIT/AOT GC IO LLVM
AOT compiler very soon
Obj-C Runtime
AOT Compiler might allow to build for the iPhone. The garbage collection is still an open
question.

VM_DUMP_IR=1 ./miniruby -e 'p \"Hello RailsWayCon!\"'
\"Hello RailsWayCon!\"
IR dump ----------------------------------------------
; ModuleID = 'Roxor'
define i64 @0(i64 %self, i8* %sel) {
MainBlock:
%0 = tail call i64 (i8*, i64, i8*, i8*, i8, i32, ...)*
@rb_vm_dispatch(i8* inttoptr (i64 4309091648 to i8*), i64 %self, i8*
inttoptr (i64 4308940784 to i8*), i8* null, i8 0, i32 1, i64
34360384192)
; <i64> [#uses=1]
ret i64 %0
}
declare i64 @rb_vm_dispatch(i8*, i64, i8*, i8*, i8, i32, ...)
------------------------------------------------------
How the IR in LLVM looks?

MacRuby 0.5
One runtime
App One Lib
Std object space
Frameworks
Shared infrastructure
Ruby Code
Multithreaded Obj-C
LLVM
JIT/AOT GC IO GCC
Obj-C Runtime
No GIL is needed.

MacRuby 0.5
MacRuby is not fully functional yet.
Not installable around 85% RubySpecs passes.
You can play with miniruby.

MacRuby 0.4
“Stable” version

Using Frameworks
#import <Cocoa/Cocoa.h>
framework 'Cocoa'
Require a framework

Calling Obj-C Methods
[dog makeNoise:@”wuff” level:6];
dog.makeNoise “wuff”, level:6
dog.makeNoise “wuff”, :level => 6

Defining Methods for Obj-C
- (id) makeNoise:(NSString)noise
level:(NSInteger)level;
def makeNoise(noise, level:level)

Using Structs
NSPoint(0,1)
NSpoint.new(0,1)

Pointer
NSError* error;
//MacRuby 0.4
error = Pointer.new_with_type('@')
//MacRuby 0.5
error = Pointer.new(:object)
Pointers are often used as a means for output parameters, mostly for error handling.

alloc & init
[[NSMutableArray alloc] init]
Array.alloc.init == Array.new
Array.alloc.initWithArray([1])==
Array.arrayWithArray([1])

Use Ruby from Objective-C
//Possible
id dog = [NSClassFromString(@\"Dog\") new];
[dog bark]
//Safer
id dog = [[MacRuby sharedRuntime]
evaluateString:@\"Dog.new\"];
[dog performRubySelector: @selector(bark:)];
Ruby Parameters are always objects, careful when passing primitives!

XCode
MacRuby is supported in XCode.

Interface Builder
Also support by Interface Builder

Read this book to learn more about Interface Builder and XCode.

Interface Builder
Wire the GUI to your code.

OUTLETS
References to GUI elements

attr_writer :stalutation
attr_accessor :user_input

ACTIONS
Methods, which are supposed to be called on UI events.

def showSalutation(sender)
@stalutation.stringValue = \"Hi RailsWayCon!\"
end

Delegates
Specific to Ruby Cocoa and other frameworks.

def applicationDidFinishLoading(message)
// do somehting here
end
I am your delegate
Answer my Emails!
Alternative explanation: ActiveRecord callbacks with fixed names defined in another object.

With InterfaceBuilder you get very much, very fast, with very little code but rather static.
Good for small Apps, prototypes, App parts.

More control, understanding, flexibility.

Hello World MacRuby
framework 'Cocoa'
app = NSApplication.sharedApplication
window = NSWindow.alloc.initWithContentRect([0,0,200,60],
styleMask:NSTitledWindowMask | NSClosableWindowMask | NSResizableWindowMask ,
backing:NSBackingStoreBuffered,
defer:false)
window.title = 'Hello World'
label = NSTextField.alloc.initWithFrame(NSZeroRect)
window.contentView.addSubview(label)
label.stringValue = \"Hello RailsWayCon!\"
label.setEditable(false)
label.setSelectable(false)
label.setBezeled(false)
label.setDrawsBackground(false)
label.sizeToFit
label.frameOrigin = NSMakePoint((window.contentView.frameSize.width / 2) -
(label.frameSize.width / 2)),
(window.contentView.frameSize.height / 3))
window.display
window.orderFrontRegardless
app.run
No InterfaceBuilder -> lots of code

by: http://www.flickr.com/photos/myphotourl
HotCocoa. Not only a tasty drink but a smart Lib shipped with MacRuby.

HotCocoa
Ruby Wrapper for major frameworks
AppKit
WebKit
QtKit
CoreGraphics
CoreImage

HotCocoa
Constructors with smart defaults
Constants mapped to Symbols
Custom methods
Easy delegation
Constructors- Building the instances of the mapped classes using the correct class-specific
APIs
Smart Defaults - Default constructor parameters to minimize the needed parameters
Constant Mapping - Use of Ruby symbols to minimize the text and incr. readability
Custom Methods- Ruby-friendly API for commonly used methods
Delegate Methods - Ruby-friendly methods for delegating instances

Hello World HotCocoa
require 'hotcocoa'
include HotCocoa
application do
window = window(title: 'Hello World', frame: [0,0,200,60])
label = label(text:'Hello RailsWayCon!', layout: {align::center})
window << label
end
Same App done with MacRuby.

\\0_0/

Constructors with Smart Defaults
NSWindow.alloc.initWithContentRect([0,0,200,60],
styleMask:NSTitledWindowMask |
NSClosableWindowMask |
NSResizableWindowMask ,
backing:NSBackingStoreBuffered,
defer:false)
window(title: 'Hello World', frame: [0,0,200,60])

Constant Mappings
button.setBezelStyle(NSRoundedBezelStyle)
button.bezel = :rounded

Custom Methods
window.contentView.addSubview(label)
window << label

Delegate
button.target = self
button.action = 'sayHello'
def sayHello
p 'Hello!'
end
botton.on_action {p 'Hello!'}

HotCoco Documentation
Soon
see /hotcocoa/mappings
HotConsole at gitHub to play arround

Lot of work to do to understand all available OS X frameworks.

So What?
The implications of MacRuby

Movement
?

Better Tool Support
!= Apple | XCode | InterfaceBuilder
HotCocoa, Rucola (App. Gen.)
HotConsole

Mature Testing Libraries
TestUnit (working)
Mocha (working)
Rspec
Shoulda
Cucumber (GUI manipulation?)

More applications for MAC!

Thanks
Start: macruby.org
Help: MacRuby-devel on MacOSForge
Twitter: @MacRuby
Thilo Utke 2009 for RailsWayCon
Upstream-Agile GmbH (upstream-berlin.com)