blog 2.0 Development: Mac OS X

[Lee 84]

Every since we first introduced PeerWeb DC++ in 2005 one of our main goals has been to provide cross platform support and distribute our program to Linux and Mac OS X users. This article focuses on Mac OS X development and offers users a chance to test the future of ApexDC++ 2.0. We will publish a progress update on Linux development separately. 

 

Back in 2010 we announced an integration with OpenCandy to monetise installations and provide a stable base for our cross platform development. Due to this we were able to advertise a job for porting our program to wxWidgets (a cross platform GUI tool kit) and eventually hired Gevorg, who has years of wxWidgets experience and regularly submits patches back to their development team. His experience has been a valuable asset to the project and we are now in a position to show off our progress for the first time:

 

ApexDC++ 2.0 running on Mac OS X Mountain Lion - Click to enlarge

The DC++ base library has always been Linux friendly due to the contributions made by the LinuxDC++ project. This meant our main focus has been getting the interface up to scratch and working on all major operating systems. During this phase we have decided not to include a few features/options present in 1.5 that we feel are not used as frequently, which has helped with the overall resource consumption compared to 1.5. Some other features that aren't present haven't been forgotten about and are in our development tracker for us to tackle in the future.

 

Comparison between wxWidgets (2.x) / WTL (1.x) branch activity - Click to enlarge

 

Impressed? Good. We are asking for dedicated Mac OS X users to come forward and reply to this post to receive exclusive access to our development channel. These lucky few will be responsible for testing the recent changes our developers have committed to the wxWidgets branch on a regular basis (see above, we commit changes often!) and report it in our tracker or directly to the development team. We supply you with login details to our private testing hub where you can provide feedback and discuss future features. Furthermore, these testers will help us make the decision on what left over features from 1.5 should be ported over before the general public get hold of it.

 

Think you're up to the task? Reply to this post with something interesting and we may get you in. Otherwise wait for that public beta release.

[hansdampf 0]

Cant wait to get ApexDC for Mac! EiskaltDC++ is too buggy for chat functions. Shakespeer is ok, but a bit confusing.

Looking forward to get a exclusive access ;P

 

Btw: When do you think about a public beta release?

[Neolo 1]

Omg!!! I want it, want it, want it!!!!!     

[600WPMPO 0]

As a regular Mac user for years & an Apex DC user (on windows), I would wish to be a part of the testing team for this upcoming Mac version.

[zulithe 1]

Mac user reporting and I am very interested in testing this version and giving feedback. I use macs at work and windows at home, I enjoy ApexDC++ on the windows side and there is nothing approaching its quality for mac. it would be great to be able to use it.

 

I can only test Mon - Thurs, barring special circumstances, so I hope that is not an issue.

 

Screenshot looks good btw

[balder 1]

I would like to echo Lee's comments and say this is a great achievement   I have been with apexdc++ (peerweb++) probably since about the time of it inception or not long after.  In my time i have been in the support forums, tester, donator and also naively tried to do some of the dev at one point.  I was also one of the members always actively pushing for a linux client.  That was until the time the the project managed to make some leg-way in developing a linux client, when i unfortunately dropped of the planet.

 

Over the years lee has asked me to get involved again and i have stopped by made some promises and vanished again.  I guess one of the reason this was easy to do was because the project was moving on very well without me.  Then a few months back possibly the end of last year lee came to me with a working linux client (beta), i was excited but when i got it i realised i still had no where to run it, my linux machine is pretty much headless and i now have a mac.  That said i did test it out and was impressed.  it was on my list of things to work on.  

 

Then lee sent me the following 

6:47:29 PM Lee: http:///Screen-Shot-2013-04-07-at-17.06.48.png
Changed status to Idle (6:51:14 PM)
Changed status to Available (6:51:44 PM)
6:53:18 PM john : what am i looking at?
6:53:24 PM Lee: apex on mac?
6:53:38 PM john : oh yes nice
6:53:44 PM Lee: i know you are unfamiliar with GUI's but come on

 

So yes i have now managed after many years to run apexdc on my laptop with a gui*.  It is nice to be back and any mac users will be lucky o get a chance to test this.

 

 Thanks Lee, Crise, Gevorg and anyone else that has helped make this happen.

 

*for anyone interested im using ncdc on my server but it dose not support segmented downloading .  its ncurses but if you run irssi you might be interested in ncdc.

[aksharamala 0]

would love to test it...and am waiting eagerly for the release. i used the other clients available for mac and they are buggy and too slow compared to the apex I use on windows for the same network....I don't know if the slow issue is only with me...or every other mac user...but I hope apex for mac brings up speed and style.....and as I said, would love to try it...

 

akshay

[Lee 84]

Thanks for the responses so far! I will try to find some time to generate the invites tomorrow and send them out to everyone.

[Lee 84]

Invitations have been sent. Good luck people!

[cheetahman 0]

User of OS X would love to test it regularly

[bogdanwww 0]

May I get an invite too? Thank you! 

[friese 0]

I want it, too

[Lee 84]

User of OS X would love to test it regularly

 

 

May I get an invite too? Thank you! 

 

 

I want it, too

 

You guys are in. Check your PM's.

[rajadeep 0]

Hello

I have been a user of Apex DC++ on my PC for quite some time now... Currently engaged in a head banging session with EiskaltDC++ to get it working properly on my macbook ... I was wondering weather I too could volunteer my service as a Tester for Apex for OSX(which btw I think is a wonderful idea)...

Rajadeep

[khonakr 0]

hey,really great job guyz ! Wish u luck! 

 

I am a mac os user + a long tme windows Apex dc++ User and Fan ..

Would love to test it !  

[ZPK 0]

Wait beta.......

[socialbreakz 0]

Hi Lee,

 

could you please send me an invite too?

 

Thanks!

[Lee 84]

Hi Lee,

 

could you please send me an invite too?

 

Thanks!

 

There you go.

[khushang88 0]

There you go.

Using Apex since a long time and need to have it on mac, an invite please

P.S. Shakespeare not working that well 

[harshadsosa 0]

Hey!!!! grt to hear abt apex dc on mac ....eagerly waiting for it.....could pls send me an invite too......grt work guyss...even i wanna test it.

[filintad 0]

Hello Lee and hello Apex Dc++ Team,

 

could you please send me an invite mac dev version please?

 

Thank you

[sangamgupta 0]

been a regular mac user for over 7 years. Actually running windows over Parallels in my mac to use Apex . Would love to test this out.,

[thewastedkid 0]

Hello developers, i used this soft on my windows for almost 6 yrs and always used another program on my mac. I always wondered why are the developers of this soft aren't developing one on mac. And today i found about this forum. So being better late than never, being a developer myself i would like contribute to your project. I would sincerely like to test your software on Mac. 

[massitux 0]

Hi, I'm a mac user and I would be very much interested in this project .. What if you could try this .. release I am willing to act as a tester if needed .. I am currently using Eiskaltdc + +
 

Lee..

could you please send me an invite mac dev version please?

 

Thank you,
best regards
Massimiliano

[Lee 84]

Hi, I'm a mac user and I would be very much interested in this project .. What if you could try this .. release I am willing to act as a tester if needed .. I am currently using Eiskaltdc + +

 

Lee..

could you please send me an invite mac dev version please?

 

Thank you,

best regards

Massimiliano

 

Of course Massi. Welcome to the team.