[Mithras]

I use Project Builder every day for command-line C and C++ apps, and recently a few simple Cocoa projects. It works great and I love it.

However, the bulk of what I do is PHP, Perl, and shell scripts, often in complex arrangements - with some PHP, a folder full of images, a default 'settings' textfile, and a couple of compiled C apps that I hand-drag from the ProjectBuilder 'build' folder. (yes, I do know I can autoinstall those with some PB settings). I don't have any separation between the script sources as I work, and the whole package as it should be arranged to install on a site.

When I want to deploy, I just copy over and tarball my working test site. When I want to back up the source for the whole kaboodle, I have both the working test site, plus some other folders with source code for the C apps, original Photoshop images, etc. It's pretty messy and all gathered by hand.

I'd love to be managing these projects better. I know a little about CVS and other versioning systems, and that seems like part of the answer, if a little complicated. I'd love to be editing the scripts in ProjectBuilder, then click 'Build' and have it copy the files into the right place, compile any C tools needed, and have it all look like a fresh install.

Anyone have any advice or experience doing this? Or any recommendations of packages I should be using other than Project Builder?

thx, mithras

[Rickster]

You could write a shell or perl script that does all this and add it to your PB project as a Shell Script Build Phase.

[sahara]

I've been adding php files to my Project Builder projects so that when I build, they are copied into the resulting package. Then my application executes the bundled php files as part of the application code using individual shell calls to command line php (php -f "path-to-bundled-php-file). You can also use php -r "some php code" if you want to edit your php code in the same window as the rest of your application code. This works pretty well.

[LordJavac]

I am curious to know if there is a mechanism for adding more language support to PB. For instance, could we write a syntax module for Python, Perl, Ruby, PHP or whatever?

[msykes]

This recent article posted by Apple might be of some interest...

<a href="http://developer.apple.com/internet/macosx/phpappledevtools.html" target="_blank">http://developer.apple.com/internet/macosx/phpappledevtools.html</a>

[Mithras]

Thanks a bunch for that link. The guy that writes those Apple Internet Developer articles rocks; every new article he puts up has exposed new layers of functionality for me. Not to mention the superbly clear writing style.