rapid application development tool for iPhone?

[steinbej]

Hi folks,

I am a longtime Palm OS user. I even dabbled in making my own Palm OS apps but only because there were software construction kits to do the work for me. (I used PDA Toolbox, to be specific.) I don't know how to write modern code. I have the iPhone SDK, I've looked through the tutorials from Apple, I know a bit of C, but even Apple iPhone programmer's tutorial "Hello World" app is extremely code intensive from my novice point of view.

So the obvious question I have regards whether any rapid application development tools have been developed for iPhone?

I guess very skilled programmers think the iPhone SDK itself is a rapid app dev tool, but I'm afraid I don't know enough to use it.

Any suggestions for basically a non-programmer to build simple apps for iPhone? I'm a physician, and all I want to do is custom build simple info-presenting apps for small specific information needs just like I had on Palm.

Thanks!
-- Josh

[JFSikora]

None that I am aware of.

[keveridge]

I'd recommend two books if you already have some C knowledge.

First, Learn Objective-C on a Mac, followed by Beginning iPhone Development (Mark Dalrymple and Scott Knaster)

They're great books and one follows the other.

I'd post links to Amazon but apparently I have too few posts to do so

[M_of_IMAK]

If you don't already have some C knowledge, I would recommend finding a local iPhone developer who can tutor you through the initial setup. I showed my brother (with no C experience) how to create a simple app in an hour. I did the same with my teenage son who developed an app for the app store. Don't despair - just dig in and look through Apple's sample apps and start from there.

[Tropical Pixels]

I'd love to know too.

[PlayCreek]

You might try something like Unity - but I didn't try it - we use our own engine

[calzone]

There is something called phonegab (phonegab .com) But they seem to have issues wirh OS 3.0, so lately lots of apps got rejected built with it.

[steinbej]

I've followed this thread and pursued the comments and products mentioned. None get me any closer to developing simple text-and-button oriented apps for iPhone like I built for Palm OS. I don't know anyone who programs for iPhone, either. I'm a physician, surrounded by other physicians and nurses and secretaries, all of whose expertise lies in medical care, not in programming.

Any new developments in iPhone rapid app development tools since I last posted?
-- Josh

PS No knowledge of C, my last programming was Borland Turbo Pascal in 1986 which predates graphical user interfaces and object oriented programming altogether, I'm afraid.

[steinbej]

Originally Posted by calzone

There is something called phonegab (phonegab .com) But they seem to have issues wirh OS 3.0, so lately lots of apps got rejected built with it.

Can you help me out? I tried the website phonegab dot com but it doesn't seem to exist.
-- Josh

[tkd27]

Originally Posted by steinbej

Can you help me out? I tried the website phonegab dot com but it doesn't seem to exist.
-- Josh

Looks like it's Phone Gap, not gab. Here's the site, looks neat: PhoneGap | Cross platform mobile framework

It looks like you can program iPhone apps using Javascript in PhoneGap. It's free and open source. Wow.