Corona SDK PROs and CONs

Getting Started Newbie Questions
#1

Hi guys, I haven’t develop an app for corona SDK in a while I have been more focus on web development. I am trying to build a app for my online radio station and I would love to use corona SDK fast development speed to finish the app in the next couple of weeks. But I want my radio station to play in the background of the user phone when they close the app, the last time i check before corona was completely free I would not play apps in the background. and stream out side audio. I see some plugin to stream audio I don’t want to use that because I have to pay 17 yr  for it. So I am wondering if I could use Corona Native to achieve this. Or is it better for me to go native. I already know some android but don’t have no experience with IOS development. Corona would be great to use because I would write once and run on both platforms. 

Thank You

 Sean 

#2

Can you please add some line breaks in future posts. WOTs are hard to read and answer.

Tip: A clear question will get a clear answer.

PROS

  • Free.
  • Highly functional
  • Robust
  • Good community.
  • Excellent docs.
  • 1000s of examples here and on the web
  • Stable
  • Easy to use
  • It’s really 2D so you don’t need to know 3D concepts.

CONS

  • No, WYSIWYG editor.
  • Engineering team is small, so new features must be added based on best estimates of value first.

Responses To Specific Statements

  • I’m pretty sure you can continue to play music in the background from another app or the built-in music player.  There are threads on the forums about this, but it may take some searching to find them.
    • I am not saying Corona apps can run in the background.  That is not an official feature. You should assume all Corona apps suspend and sleep when not in the foreground.
  • Pay 17 yr?  Didn’t understand.  However, as far as paying for marketplace items… Are you saying ( warning flippant questions follow ):
    • You wish there were no marketplace where community members could share their free or paid alternative solutions?
    • You think folks shouldn’t charge for their hard work?
    • You think Corona should make all features for free, regardless of value in general to community at large?
      • Earnest response: This is the only point where I’d give some leeway.  By all means you should choose an engine/SDK based on features.  If Corona can’t do what you need it can’t do what you need.  That said, I think it is a far better solution than most other engines for 2D work.

Please post back if you’re question was not answered.  Meanwhile, if I spot them I’ll post back with links to the ‘playing music in the background’ issue.

#3

Found one post so far.  Be sure to read all responses as there are disclaimers: https://forums.coronalabs.com/topic/72172-background-music-from-other-apps-again

#4

Just to be 100% clear. Corona does not officially support running in the background. Can you launch the Apple Music App? Sure. Can your Corona app play audio in the background. Not officially. There is an assumption that any Corona display items be in the foreground for them to work.

To be 100% clear on a second point. We have API’s that can read a file from a URL and start playing it before it completes downloading. When we stay streaming this is what we are talking about. However if you have a feed that produces continuous audio, not a distinct file, then no, we cannot play those types of continuous streams.  

It may be possible to do this with native. iOS does internally support background audio and using some non-documented, non-supported API’s you may be able to get audio to play in the background since no UI is needed. However if you want to have a mini-player on the lock screen, you will want to do native builds for this.  Android will of course be considerably different for this. We certainly don’t have those hidden API’s for background audio available on Android.

You will have to be the one to decide how much common Lua/Corona code your app can share before you decide if you want to pursue using Corona Native, or just go 100% native to do what you want.

Finally plugins in the marketplace come in three types: free, a one time only fee, and annual fees. I’m assuming you’re talking about a plugin with an annual fee. As long as you are providing updates to your app, you would need to be subscribed to the plugins.  17 years is a long time to plan to manage an app in the app store.

You should always figure the cost-benefit analysis for any thing you choose to pay for vs. doing the work yourself. If a plugin costs you $20 a year, how many of your work ours does it take to cover $20 of your time?  Does the paid item (plugin, artwork, audio etc.) save you more than than you’re paying for? Then it’s worth it to buy the plugin so you can spend your time on things you specialize in.

Rob

#5

Hi guys, Thank you for your answers. I would love to use corona native or 100% native for this project because I want to have full control over whats playing over the background. The only draw back for me to use corona is that it does not support live stream or audio and background playing of music for android and ios. Most likely native would be the best option. But I really don’t want to write an app in swift and Java separate but I guess I have to learn how to learn and work fast. 

Thank 

Sean  

#6

Can you please add some line breaks in future posts. WOTs are hard to read and answer.

Tip: A clear question will get a clear answer.

PROS

  • Free.
  • Highly functional
  • Robust
  • Good community.
  • Excellent docs.
  • 1000s of examples here and on the web
  • Stable
  • Easy to use
  • It’s really 2D so you don’t need to know 3D concepts.

CONS

  • No, WYSIWYG editor.
  • Engineering team is small, so new features must be added based on best estimates of value first.

Responses To Specific Statements

  • I’m pretty sure you can continue to play music in the background from another app or the built-in music player.  There are threads on the forums about this, but it may take some searching to find them.
    • I am not saying Corona apps can run in the background.  That is not an official feature. You should assume all Corona apps suspend and sleep when not in the foreground.
  • Pay 17 yr?  Didn’t understand.  However, as far as paying for marketplace items… Are you saying ( warning flippant questions follow ):
    • You wish there were no marketplace where community members could share their free or paid alternative solutions?
    • You think folks shouldn’t charge for their hard work?
    • You think Corona should make all features for free, regardless of value in general to community at large?
      • Earnest response: This is the only point where I’d give some leeway.  By all means you should choose an engine/SDK based on features.  If Corona can’t do what you need it can’t do what you need.  That said, I think it is a far better solution than most other engines for 2D work.

Please post back if you’re question was not answered.  Meanwhile, if I spot them I’ll post back with links to the ‘playing music in the background’ issue.

#7

Found one post so far.  Be sure to read all responses as there are disclaimers: https://forums.coronalabs.com/topic/72172-background-music-from-other-apps-again

#8

Just to be 100% clear. Corona does not officially support running in the background. Can you launch the Apple Music App? Sure. Can your Corona app play audio in the background. Not officially. There is an assumption that any Corona display items be in the foreground for them to work.

To be 100% clear on a second point. We have API’s that can read a file from a URL and start playing it before it completes downloading. When we stay streaming this is what we are talking about. However if you have a feed that produces continuous audio, not a distinct file, then no, we cannot play those types of continuous streams.  

It may be possible to do this with native. iOS does internally support background audio and using some non-documented, non-supported API’s you may be able to get audio to play in the background since no UI is needed. However if you want to have a mini-player on the lock screen, you will want to do native builds for this.  Android will of course be considerably different for this. We certainly don’t have those hidden API’s for background audio available on Android.

You will have to be the one to decide how much common Lua/Corona code your app can share before you decide if you want to pursue using Corona Native, or just go 100% native to do what you want.

Finally plugins in the marketplace come in three types: free, a one time only fee, and annual fees. I’m assuming you’re talking about a plugin with an annual fee. As long as you are providing updates to your app, you would need to be subscribed to the plugins.  17 years is a long time to plan to manage an app in the app store.

You should always figure the cost-benefit analysis for any thing you choose to pay for vs. doing the work yourself. If a plugin costs you $20 a year, how many of your work ours does it take to cover $20 of your time?  Does the paid item (plugin, artwork, audio etc.) save you more than than you’re paying for? Then it’s worth it to buy the plugin so you can spend your time on things you specialize in.

Rob

#9

Hi guys, Thank you for your answers. I would love to use corona native or 100% native for this project because I want to have full control over whats playing over the background. The only draw back for me to use corona is that it does not support live stream or audio and background playing of music for android and ios. Most likely native would be the best option. But I really don’t want to write an app in swift and Java separate but I guess I have to learn how to learn and work fast. 

Thank 

Sean