MonoDevelop: MonoDevelop is a free GNOME IDE primarily designed for C#
and other .NET languages. MonoDevelop makes it easy for developers to port .NET
applications created with Visual Studio to Linux and to maintain a single code
base for all platforms. It supports Linux, Windows and Mac OSX.
The main features of MonoDevelop:-
- Multi-Platform.
- Support for ASP.NET projects, allowing web
projects can be built and tested on XSP.
- Class Management.
- Code Compilation.
- Built-in Help.
- Add-ins.
- Support for MonoTouch and Mono for
Android.
- Support for version control and source
editing.
- Integrated Debugger.
The History of MonoDevelop: The
MonoDevelop application is based upon a previous open-source IDE called
SharpDevelop (also known as #develop).This was a C# and VB .NETdevelopment
environment available as a free download. Its source was taken and ported to use
the GNOME toolkit (Gtk+) framework and to use the Mono development platform for
compilation. It's not the only IDE available to you, Although you could continue
to use #develop, you could use the command line and a GUI editor, or you could
use a commercial offering such as X-develop.
Introducing the MonoDevelop Layout: MonoDevelop consists of a main
application window and a number of internal windows and tabs that present
various pieces of functionality.
Figure 1.1: Exploring the MonoDevelop layout
- The Menu: The menu represents the
functionality available to you through the IDE, with elements becoming
enabled or disabled as appropriate.
- The Toolbar:The toolbar
represents commonly used pieces of functionality that, like a keyboard
shortcut, are presented on the toolbar for ease of use. Whilst the toolbar
cannot be customized in the current version of the IDE, you can add useful
tools to the Tools menu through an option within the File-> Preferences
menu. This allows you to reference external tools that can then be launched
from within the MonoDevelop environment.
- The Main Source Window: The
main code window (or windows, if more than one source file is open) displays
a particular source file that you have either opened or created. Each source
file has a tab associated with it, showing the name of the file. If you open
more than one source file, then more than one tab will display, providing
you with the ability to switch between source windows with the click of a
button.
- The Solution Explorer: The Solution
Explorer uses the same technique as the main code window, allowing you to
see different views of your solution by simply clicking the tab that denotes
the view you want to see.
Figure 1.2: Solution Explorer
The Task window shows actions that need to be resolved; the most common
use for this window is that if compilation fails, the window lists the tasks
related to the errors found in the code.
Finally, the Output window shows the results of any output that may
derive from an action within the IDE. For example, if you compile a source file,
then the progress and results of this will display in the Output window.
Creating a Project
The first step in using your IDE is to create a project that can then be used to
target a specific application type, compile the source files contained within
it, and build the target executable.
The first step is to create your solution, that is, combination of files. Select
File-> New Solution/Project from the menu. The New Solution dialog box will
open. You need to select the type of project you're creating, so in this
instance select C# and then choose C# Console Project from the options
available.
Figure 1.3: Using the New Solution dialog box
You'll need to assign a name for the combine file, a location on your file
system, and any subdirectory you want to use.
When you are ready, click the New button on the dialog box, and your combine
solution will be created.
You should see a screen similar to the one below:-
Figure 1.4: Viewing an empty solution
What's a Solution Used For?
Solution acts as a container for your project files. A solution is typically
split into one or more projects that define a deliverable element. In addition,
the concept of a project not only acts as a container for files that are used
within the solution but also stores other attributes that are used to build the
target. These attributes are usually represented by parameters that can be given
to the compiler; for example, the /target option dictates the target type for
its output. Therefore, a solution is your friend; if you select the assembly
solution type, you can expect this to automatically apply the /target:library
option.
Adding Project Files
So, you have your solution created with a single project called NewProject,
although at the moment no source files are present. Let's add a single source
file that represents the application. You can achieve this in a number of ways:
You can choose the Add Files icon depicted in Figure:-
Figure 1.5: Adding a project file
The Add New File dialog box will display, showing a list of support languages in
the left pane; after selecting your chosen language, you'll see a list of
recognized file types on the right side. In below figure , you can see that I've
selected C# as the language and Empty File as
the file type.
Figure 1.6: Selecting the language and file type
Configuring your Target Output
Once you've added your file, you have some control over your project's options.
The Project Options dialog box (available too from the context menu after
right-clicking) allows you choose which files you want to compile and how,
although at this stage you have already decided to build a C# console project
and so should leave these options.
Figure 1.7: Setting the Mono project options
Building Your Target
Once you have created your solution, added a project, and included the necessary
file, you are ready to compile the main application source code and build your
target executable. As usual, you have a number of options. You can choose
Build-> Build All or Run-> Debug. In this example, this will compile the console
application using the source file added. If the process is successful, it will
leave an executable on disk. After you have chosen to compile the project using
one of these methods, the Outputwindow should show the results of the
compilation process, as shown in Figure 1.8.
Figure 1.8: Viewing the successful build results
Testing your Target
Finally, you've created the project, added the source file, and successfully
built your first application using MonoDevelop.You can now test this by
selecting Run-> Run or by clicking the "Run" icon and a separate window appears like this ,as shown in figure:
Figure 1.9: Viewing the output from the Hello world application
You've now created a basic MonoDevelop solution that holds the single "Hello
World" project. This in turn holds a single C# source file called "Hello
World.cs" and when compiled, forms a console based executable that outputs the
string "Hello World!" to the standard Output window.