Introduction

Let's say your company name is MyCompany and your project is called MyProject. You want to put most of your code for the project in a library, with a small console program to provide a command line interface to it.

Here are the steps.

Create a New Solution with Library Project

• Launch Xamarin Studio 4.2.3
• File > New > Solution
• Choose Cobra > Console Project
• Give a name like "MyCompany.MyProject.Lib" in the "Name:" field
• Edit the "Solution name:" field to chop off the ".Lib" to make it "MyCompany.MyProject"
• Leave "Create directory for solution" checked.
• Click "OK"
• Edit the class:

class Thing

    test
        pass

    get two as int
        return 2

Create Console Project

• In the solution outline, the very top node says "MyCompany.MyProject"
• Right click it and choose Add > Add New Project
• Choose Cobra > Console Project
• Give a name like "MyCompany.MyProject.Console" in the "Name:" field.
• Right click in the new project in the solution outline and choose "Set As Startup Project"
• Open Program.cobra in the solution outline and add "Console.readLine":

"""
Replace this text with a description of your program.
"""

class Program

    def main
        print 'Hello, world!'
        Console.readLine  # <--- add this

Copy the Core

I like to copy Cobra's core library to co-reside with my program. This insulates it from the environment.

• Right click "MyCompany.MyProject.Console" and choose "Options"
• Choose "Compiler"
• Make sure "Embed Run Time" is unchecked
• Add "-copy-core" to the "Cobra Arguments:"
• Click "OK"

Run It

Try running the project.

• Choose from the menu, Run > Start Without Debugging
  • If you get an error about System.Core, expand the References of the Console project in the solution outline, right click and choose "Delete".

You should see output like:

Hello, world!

    trace : t.two=2
          - at Program.cobra:14
          - in Program.main

Press "Return" to continue.

Build Files

In the file system, under the directory MyCompany?.MyProject?\MyCompany?.MyProject?.Console\bin\Debug

you will now have these files:

Cobra.Core.dll MyCompany?.MyProject?.Console.exe MyCompany?.MyProject?.Console.pdb MyCompany?.MyProject?.Lib.dll MyCompany?.MyProject?.Lib.pdb

Where to go from here

• You can now start fleshing out your library.
• You can use that library from the console program.
• You can later use that library in a web site, web service or GUI app.
• Explore the right click menus in Xamarin Studio.
• Try out some breakpoint debugging.
• If you get stuck or experience bugs, get on the Cobra discussion forums.
• If you see errors on this page, or you have additional tips, edit this page. That's the "wiki way".