Xanadu for Xojo Web Framework

Xanadu makes developing Xojo database driven Web Apps easier for everyone, especially for FileMaker developers with coding experience.

Xojo Web Apps run and are hosted on Mac, Windows, Linux, or even Raspberry Pi computers. People can access the Web App use their browser on just about any device.

How does Xanadu make it easier?

In the Overview video below, we show how to easy it is to add a database field to an existing Web Page. With Xanadu, all you need to do is drag a control, like a TextField, to the page and set its Table Name and Column Name. When Xanadu loads the fields, it looks at the page and makes a list of all of the controls, finds the data, and then sets the fields. When the person clicks out of the field, Xanadu saves the field data. There's no longer a need to write code to simply set or save data in each field.

Without Xanadu, you would have to manually make a list of all the fields, query the database, and then write code to set each control on the page. Next comes saving the data which would more code written to get the value of each control, then update the database with the data. That’s not a huge amount of work for one field, but multiply that out by 20 or more controls and it becomes a job. Let's now assume that all the code is up and running and you need to add a few fields to the page. That means updating the code to load and save each field. Xanadu does all that work for you!

Why do I need Xanadu?

We've been developing with FileMaker and Xojo since the 1990's. We love both platforms but the FileMaker price increases and licensing changes in versions 13, 14, and 15 have made FileMaker Pro and FileMaker Server extremely expensive. So we looked into what it would take to build a FileMaker like solution in Xojo. It took some time, but now we have an excellent foundation for building Web Apps that can scale.

While we really love Xojo's development tools, their forums, and the amaingly responsive Xojo Team, the cost of Xojo is excellent as well. Xojo's pricing is developer based and Apps built with Xojo are royalty free. That means that the developer buys Xojo and users of the developed App don't need to purchase anything else.

Xanadu, XDC Edition

At the Xojo Developer Conference, We demoed Xanadu and wanted to share the source code. Just fill out the form below and we'll email you a download link. After you unzip the file and have Xojo running, open the project file and hit run! Don't forget to check out the next generation below. :)

Xanadu, The Next Generation

Since XDC, Xanadu has drastically changed how it works. Xanadu now works with either SQLite or MySQL and can work with Xojo's supported databases without much work. Each field type, like WebTextFields, have been subclassed to make adding functionality easier.

Videos

Check out the videos below to learn about how Xanadu works to make working with databases easier.

$300 per Developer.

• Free limited email support.
• Full unlimited support at our hourly rate, paid in advance.
• Free upgrades for one year.
• Xanadu has a few requirements which are listed below.

Getting Started with Xanadu

Xojo, MBS Xojo Complete, and MBS Xojo DynaPDF have an endless evaluation modes. You can purchase them when you are ready.

• Download and Install Xojo: http://www.xojo.com/download/
• Download MBS Xojo Complete Plugin: https://www.monkeybreadsoftware.de/xojo/plugins.shtml
• Copy the MBS Plugins into the Xojo Plugins Folder.
• Launch Xojo.
• Download the Xanadu Project and 'database.SQLite'.
• Open and Run the Project file with Xojo.
• Once the App Compiles and Runs, the App will Launch and a Browser window will open.
• Login with the user name 'hal' and password 'hal'.
• The Contacts Page will show how the interface works.
• The Other Page will show an on screen keypad and the HTMLViewerControl.

Requirements

• Requires Xojo to test and compile.
• Requires several MBS Xojo Plugin parts. We highly suggested MBS Xojo Complete.
• Requires the MBS Xojo DynaPDF for printing to PDF. DynaPDF is included in the Xojo Complete download, but is licensed separately.
• Web App Deployment and Browser Requirements: http://developer.xojo.com/system-requirements

Deployment

Xojo Web Apps can be run on Mac, Windows, Linux, or Raspberry Pi computers as either a standalone or cgi app. Standalone Apps have everything included and only need to be launched to make them accessible. CGI Apps can be run on web hosting providers, but we prefer standalone apps.

Future Plans

• Audit Log to work in Sqlite or MySQL [IN PROGRESS]
• XanPDFMaker to use gPDF to make using font styles easier.
• On Save, compare the controls with the database data. If different, ask the user to revert or save.

Questions and Answers

History

About Xojo

We love the Xojo platform. Not only is the development environment very affordable, but it's also powerful, easy to use, and the Xojo Team is very accessible. Time after time, Xojo has responded to new features and bug fixes in a quick and open fashion. It's a pleasure to work with Xojo!

Xojo is free to evaluate for an unlimited amount of time so you can run and debug. Purchasing Xojo allows you to compile, deploy, and distribute your Apps. Since Xanadu is a Web App, all you need is Xojo Web: https://www.xojo.com/store/

About Monkeybread

Monkeybread has been creating plugins for Xojo for as long as I can remember: - Monkeybread's MBS Plugin for Xojo is an amazing plugin for Xojo with over 59,000 functions: http://monkeybreadsoftware.de/ - Monkeybread's 'Web Starter Kit' has a ton of code to help you get started with Xojo Web Apps. Try out the demo: http://monkeybreadsoftware.de/xojo/WebStarterKit/