Visual Programming Using Revolution

Greg Smith brucegregory at earthlink.net
Sat Dec 3 00:19:05 EST 2005


It is my obsession to take the very simple things I do with code and 
"encapsulate" them inside a graphic for drag and drop usage later.  I 
know that not everything can be represented by a graphic, but certainly, 
if one uses the "noun" / "verb" analogy of programming with some form of 
language, the same analogy can be brought a step further by assigning 
many lines of code that describe a tangible "object" or behavior that is 
visual in nature, and assign that "thing" or that "action" in a 
descriptive picture.  It is just more pleasant and gratifying and much 
more compact. This would help programming to become the instantly 
addictive thing that will keep new users interested.  Especially with 
visually rich applications, it makes sense to program or build such an 
application with visual elements as the building blocks rather than many 
many, relatively non-descriptive words and phrases.  Even Transcript, 
with its very English like syntax is not that compact or pleasing to use 
for creating a primarily visual application.

Having spouted all of this, I must confess that I am an artist and not a 
programmer.  I'm trying to find a language that helps me create visual 
things like games, visually, not symbolically.  I have investigated 
nearly every solution currently available, and find them lacking.  The 
closest thing I ever came upon was AxelEdge by Mindavenue.  Every 
interactive thing that could be done, in 3D, could be done visually.  
And the examples were quite complex and intriguing, as well as very 
entertaining.  Unfortunately, like most visual solutions, it was too 
expensive and did not fly.  Now they are in the category of "legacy" 
software, having been swallowed up by a large Canadian cabinet making 
software company.  For a quick reference, look at some of the examples 
over at

http://www.mindavenue.com

My question is whether Revolution would be a good solution for 
developing a programming system that allowed users to encapsulate any 
piece of code inside a graphic, for drag and drop method assembly and, 
ultimately, the creation of more software.

By the way, if anyone is interested, AxelEdge 1.5 can be acquired for 
around $35.  Version 2.0 can be acquired for around $135.  I'd like to 
know what everyone thinks about Revolution for this kind of application, 
and also what they think of Mindavenue's approach to creating 
interactive experiences without programming.

Thanks,

Greg Smith




More information about the use-livecode mailing list