Setting up an Application Project

The simplest way to create a new Murl Engine project is by using the Dashboard. The command Create Project opens a dialog window where you can enter the project name along with other information:

Create Project Dialog

• Template: Project template for the new project.
  • default: Minimum default project.
  • lua: Minimum Lua based project.
• Main Directory: Main directory for the project.
• Sub Directory: Sub directory for the project.

Both directory names (Main Directory and Sub Directory) need to be assigned a value because the project files use relative file paths to the tools and libraries of the Murl Engine. Therefore it is important that the project directory is placed two levels above the murl directory.

By pressing the Create Project button a new project is created. The created directory hierarchy looks like this:

[PATH_TO_MURL]
    Dashboard.app
    murl
    tutorials
    projects
        games
            MyProject

Directory Structure

The following sub directories can be found in the project directory:

MyProject
    binaries
    data
    documents
    project
    resources
    scripts
    source

This default directory structure has proved to be very useful in many projects. You are therefore advised to keep the structure.

source

The source directory contains the source files of the project (C++ files and header files).

MyProject
    source
        my_project.cpp
        my_project_app.cpp
        my_project_app.h
        my_project_logic.cpp
        my_project_logic.h

data

The data directory is used to store all data files and assets for the project e.g. images, sounds, animations etc. The packages sub directory contains the resource directories and resource packages. Usually other sub directories are used as well like e.g. original for storing files in their original file format.

MyProject
    data
        packages
            main.murlres
                graph_camera.xml
                graph_main.xml
                graph_materials.xml
                package.xml
            main.murlpkg
                startup.murlpkg

project

The project directory contains the individual project files for the different platforms and IDEs. One Xcode project is provided for iOS and one for OS X. For Windows individual projects for Visual Studio 2008, 2010 and 2013 are available. Individual command line scripts (bash scripts and batch files) for the Gnu Make build tool are provided for Android and Linux. The scripts utilize the common Makefiles in the common directory. So those Makefiles are shared between the Android build and the Linux build.

MyProject
    project
        ios
            xcode
                my_project.xcodeproj
        osx
            xcode
                my_project.xcodeproj
        win32
            vs2008
                my_project.sln
                my_project.vcproj
                my_project.vcproj.user
            vs2010
                my_project.sln
                my_project.vcxproj
                my_project.vcxproj.filters
                my_project.vcxproj.user
            vs2013
                my_project.sln
                my_project.vcxproj
                my_project.vcxproj.filters
                my_project.vcxproj.user         
        common
            gnumake
                module_my_project.mk
                project_my_project.mk
        android
            gnumake
                build_all.cmd
                build_all.sh
                build_debug.cmd
                build_debug.sh
                build_release.cmd
                build_release.sh
                clean_all.cmd
                clean_all.sh
                clean_debug.cmd
                clean_debug.sh
                clean_release.cmd
                clean_release.sh
                generate_key.cmd
                generate_key.sh
                install_debug.cmd
                install_debug.sh
                install_release.cmd
                install_release.sh
                make.cmd
                make.sh
        linux
            gnumake
                build_all.sh
                build_debug.sh
                build_release.sh
                clean_all.sh
                clean_debug.sh
                clean_release.sh
                make.sh

resources

The resources directory contains additional platform dependent resources like icons, launch images etc.

MyProject
    resources
        android
            drawable
                icon.png
            ...
        ios
            Icon.png
        ...

scripts

The scripts directory contains command line scripts for the project.

MyProject
    scripts
        atlas_config.xml
        atlas_generator.cmd
        atlas_generator.sh
        pack_resources.cmd
        pack_resources.sh
        set_dir.cmd
        set_dir.sh
        set_env.cmd
        set_env.sh

documents

The documents directory can be used for concept descriptions, ToDo lists, feature lists, app descriptions etc.

MyProject
    documents
        concept.txt

binaries

After a project has been built successfully, the created application file can be found in the binaries directory.

MyProject
    binaries
        android
            release
                my_project.apk
    win32
        vs2013
            Debug
                my_project.exe
        …