Computer Science Canada

GUI Programming (windows)
Author:  octopi [ Tue Mar 06, 2007 12:41 pm ]
Post subject:  GUI Programming (windows)
Does anyone have any recommendations for languages to (quickly) make gui apps on windows?

I've been tasked with the job of re-writting a vb application because they need to make changes to it, and no longer have the original source code. I prefer to use a different language than vb, so does anyone have any recommendations? thanks.
Author:  PaulButler [ Tue Mar 06, 2007 2:10 pm ]
Post subject:  RE:GUI Programming (windows)
What about Visual C# or Visual C++? If you know Java, learning C# is easy. I'm a big fan of open-source software, but if there is anything better for developing windows software quickly I haven't found it.

If it needs to be cross-platform, Real Basic looks cool, but I haven't tried it.
Author:  Skynet [ Tue Mar 06, 2007 2:18 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: GUI Programming (windows)
You've stumbled upon one of the only advantages of VB, heh. This goes double if the code will ever have to be modified by people who aren't primarily programmers. If you really, really hate VB...there's VC++ or VC#, depending on if you prefer C++ or Java code. You can say what you will about Microsoft, but they have some good IDEs for this sort of development.
Author:  haskell [ Tue Mar 06, 2007 2:27 pm ]
Post subject:  RE:GUI Programming (windows)
Managed C++ is not that great for quick GUI development.

I'd recommend Delphi or C#.

Delphi is basically Visual Basic, except the main language is Object Pascal, not VBA. Its drag and drop. It can be .NET or Win32.

Pretty much Delphi and C# cover all your bases(nearly). If you are good with Turing, go with Delphi(since Turing is Pascal based). If you are from a C-based background go with C#.

All three are perfectly good for your requirements.

However, C# has a free open source IDE called SharpDevelop. It is your best bet if you aren't willing to put in the money to get the other IDEs.
Author:  Skynet [ Tue Mar 06, 2007 4:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: GUI Programming (windows)
Even MS gives away IDEs. (to a limited extent, but it's probably got all the features you need)
VC# Express Edition
Author:  haskell [ Tue Mar 06, 2007 5:01 pm ]
Post subject:  RE:GUI Programming (windows)
Meh. Getting used to SharpDevelop makes it easier to move on to MonoDevelop and stuff for cross platform programs using the .NET framework(a 3rd party one of course).

Plus, SharpDevelop is extensible, so it can have anything Visual Studio has, and potentially more(don't know how to top VS as an environment though).
Author:  rdrake [ Tue Mar 06, 2007 7:04 pm ]
Post subject:  RE:GUI Programming (windows)
Visual Studio C# Express edition would do all you need if you want a quick and dirty application. Although Glade2/GTK+ and virtually any decently popular language can produce some quick and nifty results too.
Author:  Fevian [ Thu Mar 08, 2007 12:06 pm ]
Post subject:  RE:GUI Programming (windows)
Yeah. This was a good read. Helped me a bit as well. Thanks.
Author:  octopi [ Thu Mar 08, 2007 12:22 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: GUI Programming (windows)
I've gone with SharpDevelop, I'm acctually quite happy with it, even though I haven't done anything with it.

Just a few questions, does anyone know if I buid a csharp program into an exe and put it onto another computer, does it require .net framework or w/e to be installed to run? (I'm thinking back to VB programs requiring a dll with them)

Also, (I'm gonna google this shortly, but figured I'd ask here too) Does anyone know how to include files into a csharp program, in perl we could use the '__DATA__' block(at the end of the program) and include files below, then read them by opening __DATA__, Ultimatly I'm going to have to have two files, a html file, and an image file, and I'm gonna need to extract them out of the exe to a temp location. Any ideas for this?
Author:  haskell [ Thu Mar 08, 2007 2:25 pm ]
Post subject:  RE:GUI Programming (windows)
Yes, the .NET framework is required.

There are no include files, just modules you can import.

code:
#region "Imports"       
    using System;
    using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
    using System.Diagnostics;
    using System.Windows.Forms;
    using System.Net.Sockets;
    using System.Threading;
    using System.Net;
    using System.Collections;
    using System.IO;
#endregion


You don't need the #region and #endregion around it, but I just like it because it allows you to minimize it Wink.
Author:  octopi [ Thu Mar 08, 2007 4:01 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: GUI Programming (windows)
Heres a little diddy I made up (for the most part I cheated because theres a webbrowser control, but none the less its a neat program, especially if you had little kids (probally want to remove google though, or any site that links to porn))

:


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