motion-firebase

A RubyMotion wrapper for the Firebase SDK.

Adds more rubyesque methods to the built-in classes.

For a Ruby (MRI) Firebase wrapper, check out https://github.com/derailed/bigbertha.

Installation

The motion-firebase gem ships with "freeze dried" copies of the Firebase framework. This way we can guarantee that the version of motion-firebase is definitely compatible with the version of Firebase that is included. As new features get announced, we update the gem.

Also, it means that installation is easy! When you compile your RubyMotion project, the Firebase SDK gets included automatically.

motion-firebase 3.0

Lots of changes in this version: <3.0.md>

SDK

Initializing a Firebase object
    Firebase.new(url)

    # it's common to set a global firebase URL.  Set it in your app delegate,
    # and calling `new` will use that default URL.
    Firebase.url = 'https://your-app.firebaseio.com'
    Firebase.url  # => 'https://your-app.firebaseio.com'
    Firebase.new

    # these all work, too:
    Firebase.url = 'your-app.firebaseio.com'
    Firebase.url = 'your-app'
    Firebase.url  # => 'https://your-app.firebaseio.com'
Getting references to children locations
    firebase[path]
    firebase[]  # childByAutoId
    firebase['fred']  # childByAppendingPath('fred')
Writing data
    firebase << { key: 'value' }
    # => firebase.childByAutoId.setValue({ key: 'value'}), returns the new child

    # Since firebase works with simple objects, this is equivalent to
    # => firebase.childByAutoId.setValue({ 'key' => 'value'})

    # set value
    firebase.value = value
    firebase.set(value)
    firebase.set(value) { 'completion block' }
    firebase.set(value, priority: priority)
    firebase.set(value, priority: priority) { 'completion block' }

    # set value of child node
    firebase['first_name'] = 'fred'  # childByAppendingPath('fred').set('fred')

    # remove value
    firebase.clear!
    firebase.clear! { 'completion block' }

    # priority
    firebase.priority = priority
    firebase.priority(priority)
    firebase.priority(priority) { |error| 'completion block' }

    # "updating" is used to update some children, but leaving others unchanged.
    # (set, on the other hand, replaces the value entirely, so using set with a
    # hash will remove keys that weren't specified in the new hash)
    firebase.set({ first_name: 'motion', last_name: 'fireball' })
    firebase.update(last_name: 'firebase')  # only updates last_name, first_name is left unchanged
    firebase.update(last_name: 'firebase') { |error| 'completion block' }
    # for comparison:
    firebase.set(last_name: 'firebase')  # first_name is now 'nil'
Attaching observers to read data

Events can have the value of:

:child_added, :added, FEventTypeChildAdded
:child_moved, :moved, FEventTypeChildMoved
:child_changed, :changed, FEventTypeChildChanged
:child_removed, :removed, FEventTypeChildRemoved
:value, FEventTypeValue
    handle = firebase.on(event_type) { |snapshot| 'completion block' }
    handle = firebase.on(event_type) { |snapshot, previous_sibling_name| 'completion block' }
    handle = firebase.on(event_type,
      completion: proc { |snapshot, previous_sibling_name| 'completion block' },
      disconnect: proc { 'completion block' }
      )
    handle = firebase.once(event_type) { |snapshot| 'completion block' }
    handle = firebase.once(event_type) { |snapshot, previous_sibling_name| 'completion block' }
    handle = firebase.once(event_type,
      completion: proc { |snapshot, previous_sibling_name| 'completion block' },
      disconnect: proc { 'completion block' }
      )
Detaching observers
    firebase.off
    # => firebase.removeAllObservers

    firebase.off(handle)
    # => firebase.removeObserverWithHandle(handle)
Priority and Limiting
similar-to-yet-different-than "ORDER BY" and "LIMIT"
    firebase.start_at(priority)
    # => firebase.queryStartingAtPriority(priority)

    firebase.start_at(priority, child: child_name)
    # => firebase.queryStartingAtPriority(priority, andChildName: child_name)

    firebase.equal_to(priority)
    # => firebase.queryEqualToPriority(priority)

    firebase.equal_to(priority, child: child_name)
    # => firebase.queryEqualToPriority(priority, andChildName: child_name)

    firebase.end_at(priority)
    # => firebase.queryEndingAtPriority(priority)

    firebase.end_at(priority, child: child_name)
    # => firebase.queryEndingAtPriority(priority, andChildName: child_name)

    firebase.limit(limit)
    # => firebase.queryLimitedToNumberOfChildren(limit)
Managing presence

SOO COOL! Play with these, you can easily create a presence system for your real-time app or game.

    Firebase.online!
    Firebase.offline!
    Firebase.connected?  # returns a Firebase ref that changes value depending on connectivity

    # or you can pass in a block, this block will be called with the connected
    # state as a bool:
    handler = Firebase.connected? do |connected|
      if connected
        # so awesome
      end
    end
    # you should turn it off when you're done, otherwise you'll have a memory leak
    Firebase.off(handler)

    # so what you do is get a ref to the authenticated user's "presence" value.
    # Then, on_disconnect, set the value to 'false'.
    firebase.on_disconnect(value)  # set the ref to `value` when disconnected
    firebase.on_disconnect(value) { |error| 'completion block' }
    firebase.on_disconnect(value, priority: priority)
    firebase.on_disconnect(value, priority: priority) { |error| 'completion block' }
    firebase.on_disconnect(nil)
    firebase.on_disconnect(nil) { |error| 'completion block' }
    firebase.on_disconnect({ child: values })
    firebase.on_disconnect({ child: values }) { |error| 'completion block' }

    # sometimes you need to cancel these 'on_disconnect' operations
    firebase.cancel_disconnect
    firebase.cancel_disconnect { |error| 'completion block' }
Transactions
    firebase.transaction do |data|
      current_value = data.value
      current_value += 1
      FTransactionResult.successWithValue(current_value)
    end
    firebase.transaction(local: false) do |data|
      #...
    end
    firebase.transaction(
      completion: proc { |error, committed, snapshot| }
      ) do |data|
      current_value = data.value
      current_value += 1
      FTransactionResult.successWithValue(current_value)
    end
    firebase.transaction(
      transaction: proc { |data| 'transaction block' },
      completion: proc { |error, committed, snapshot| }
      local: true || false,
      )
Retrieving String Representation
    firebase.to_s
    firebase.inspect
Properties
    firebase.parent
    firebase.root
    firebase.name
Global configuration and settings
    Firebase.dispatch_queue=(queue)
    Firebase.sdkVersion
    Motion::Firebase::SdkVersion  # this string is more human readable than sdkVersion

Firebase Authentication Reference

Most of the authentication methods can be called statically as long as you have set a default Firebase.url

Checking current authentication status
    Firebase.authenticated?  # => true/false
    # you pretty much always need to hold a reference to the "handler"
    auth_handler = Firebase.authenticated? do |auth_data|
      if auth_data
        # authenticated!
      else
        # not so much
      end
    end
    # turn off the handler, otherwise, yeah, memory leaks.
    Firebase.off_auth(auth_handler)
Authenticate with previous token
    Firebase.auth(token) do |error, auth_data|
    end
Removing any existing authentication
    Firebase.logout

Email/password authentication methods

This is the most common way to login. It allows Firebase to create users and tokens.

    Firebase.create_user(email: '[email protected]', password: '12345') { |error, auth_data| }
    Firebase.remove_user(email: '[email protected]', password: '12345') { |error, auth_data| }
    Firebase.(email: '[email protected]', password: '12345') { |error, auth_data| }
    Firebase. { |error, auth_data| }
    Firebase.update_user(email: '[email protected]', old_password: '12345', new_password: '54321') { |error, success| }

    auth_data.uid # is a globally unique user identifier
    auth_data.token # can be stored (in a keychain!) to authenticate the same user again later

See https://www.firebase.com/docs/ios/api/#fauthdata_properties for other auth_data properties.

Other authentication providers

Facebook authentication

This Facebook helper is a port of the Objective-C code from https://www.firebase.com/docs/ios/guide/login/facebook.html.

    Firebase.open_facebook_session(
        permissions: ['public_profile'],  # these are the default values.  if
        allow_login_ui: true,             # you're OK with them, they are
        ) do |error, auth_data|           # optional, so just provide a block.
    end
Twitter authentication

This Twitter helper is a port of the Objective-C code from https://www.firebase.com/docs/ios/guide/login/twitter.html. You should read that page to see how Firebase recommends handling multiple accounts. It's a little streamlined here, since open_twitter_session returns a block that you can call with the chosen account.

    # it's nice to be able to set-and-forget the twitter_api_key (in your
    # application delegate, for example)
    Firebase.twitter_api_key = 'your key!'

    # You must set Firebase.url=, or call open_twitter_session on an existing
    # Firebase ref.  The first step is to get the Twitter accounts on this
    # device.  Even if there is just one, you need to "choose" it here. Also,
    # you can pass the twitter api_key as an option, otherwise this method will
    # use Firebase.twitter_api_key
    Firebase.open_twitter_session(api_key: 'your key!') do |error, accounts, next_step|
      # next_step is a block you call with the chosen twitter account and a
      # firebase handler for the authentication success or failure
      if error
        # obviously do some stuff here
      else
        present_twitter_chooser(accounts, next_step) do |error, auth_data|
          # this block is passed to next_step in present_twitter_chooser
          if error
            # bummer
          else
            # awesome!
          end
        end
      else
    end

    def present_twitter_chooser(accounts, next_step, &firebase_handler)
      if accounts.length == 1
        next_step.call(accounts[0], &firebase_handler)
      else
        # present a controller or action sheet or something like that
        ... awesome twitter  chooser code ...
        next_step.call(, &firebase_handler)
      end
    end
Github authentication

Firebase doesn't provide much help on this one. I'm not even sure how to get a github access token from the user... but anyway here's the motion-firebase code based on https://www.firebase.com/docs/ios/guide/login/github.html.

    Firebase.github_token = 'github oauth token'
    Firebase.open_github_session do |error, auth_data|
    end
Google authentication

This process is more involved, and relies on the GooglePlus framework. I didn't take the time to port the code this time, but I hope someone does someday! 😄

You can read Firebase's instructions here: https://www.firebase.com/docs/ios/guide/login/google.html

    Firebase.google_token = 'google oauth token'
    Firebase.open_google_session do |error, auth_data|
    end
Generic OAuth Authentication

Usually you will use the helpers from above, but here are some lower level methods:

    # using a token
    firebase_ref.(provider, token: token) do |error, auth_data| .. end
    firebase_ref.(provider, token) do |error, auth_data| .. end

    # using parameters
    firebase_ref.(provider, oauth_token: token, oauth_token_secret: secret) do |error, auth_data| .. end
    params = { ... }
    firebase_ref.(provider, params) do |error, auth_data| .. end

    # which is a wrapper for these SDK methods:
    firebase_ref.authWithOAuthProvider(provider, token: token, withCompletionBlock: block)
    firebase_ref.authWithOAuthProvider(provider, parameters: params, withCompletionBlock: block)

    # Again, the `open_*_session` methods are even more convenient.
    firebase_ref.(facebook_access_token, &block)
    firebase_ref.(token: token, secret: secret, &block)
    firebase_ref.(github_oauth_token, &block)
    firebase_ref.(google_oauth_token, &block)