CrossBox
A CrossBox Server is used to facilitate building and debugging Elements projects on operating systems other than that used by the developer. For example, a developer working on Windows might want to debug a Mac or Linux app, or a developer working in Fire on Mac might want to run an application on a Windows or Linux host for debugging.
Depending on your target platform and IDE, different build and deploy scenarios will involve CrossBox. CrossBox comes in two versions:
CrossBox 1
Classic CrossBox Server ("CrossBox 1") runs on Mac as a standalone application, and is used solely for building and debugging Cocoa apps on Mac, iOS and tvOS, from a Windows-based development environment.
CrossBox 2
CrossBox 2 works via SSH and is (currently as of Elements 9.0) used only for Island projects, to run them in Linux or Windows (from a Windows PC or a Mac). CrossBox 2 no no longer requires running a custom app on the target machine, and instead uses SSH. (SSH is available on Linux and Mac by default, and for Windows we will be providing a light-weight SSH server you can run, in Elements "Intrepid Class".)
In the long run (Elements "Intrepid" and later), we will expand CrossBox 2 to facilitate remote debugging for all target platforms (e.g. including .NET and Java applications), as well as have it replace the use of CrossBox 1 for Cocoa projects.
CrossBox in Visual Studio
The following table shows how CrossBox is involved for various project types when working in Visual Studio (on Windows). Only Cocoa projects need a remote connection to build, all other platforms (including Island/Linux) build and link locally. For obvious reasons, both Cocoa and Island/Linux projects debug remotely.
| Platform | SubPlatform | Build | Debug | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| .NET | local | local | .NET projects build and run locally on Windows | |
| Java | Plain | local | local | Java projects build and run locally on Windows |
| Java | Android | local | Java projects locally on Windows | |
| Cocoa | macOS | CrossBox 1 | Need a Mac to build and will debug remotely | |
| Cocoa | iOS | CrossBox 1 | Need a Mac to build and will debug remotely | |
| Cocoa | tvOS | CrossBox 1 | Need a Mac to build and will debug remotely | |
| Island | Windows | local | local | Build and run locally |
| Island | Linux | local | CrossBox 2 | Build locally, debug remotely |
CrossBox in Fire
The following table shows how CrossBox is involved for various project types when working in Fire on a Mac. Here, all platforms (including Island/Linux and of course Cocoa) build and link locally, and only Island/Linux projects debug remotely.
| Platform | SubPlatform | Build | Debug | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| .NET | local | local | .NET projects build and run locally on Mac | |
| Java | Plain | local | local | Java projects build and run locally on Mac |
| Java | Android | local | Java projects build locally on Mac | |
| Cocoa | macOS | local | local | Cocoa apps build and run locally on Mac |
| Cocoa | iOS | local | locally attached iOS device | Cocoa apps build locally on Mac |
| Cocoa | tvOS | local | locally attached Apple TV | Cocoa apps build locally on Mac |
| Island | Windows | local | Support coming in Elements "Hokule'a Class" | |
| Island | Linux | local | CrossBox 2 | Build locally, debug remotely |