Hi

Most desktop languages, like Visual BASIC, will allow interaction with the Internet and with web-based API's.

Another route you may want to consider is Adobe Air. It allows you to build a desktop application using technologies you may already be familiar with, like HTML, JavaScript and Adobe Flash.

Bill

I use c#.net but its the same interface. Simply add a new windows form project and add the 'web browser' control and you can manipulate in code.

For scraping you may want to look at the 'http request' and 'http response' objects.
I use those in my scraper apps I create. You can also use the web browser object though.

I use Delphi and Objective-C (Objective C is for Mac Applications) to write my Desktop applications and for the web portion I use PHP. If you want to learn to do these style applications I suggest learning a C style language like C, C++, Java, etc.. This will make learning most other major languages easier because they have similar syntax. (PHP and Perl are very easy to pick up if you know C) Do not waist your time with Visual Basic. It's a terrible language (no offense), it inherently teaches bad programming techniques. And I don't suggest learning Delphi, the only reason why I use it is because I've worked with Pascal since high school.

I would probable suggest starting out with Visual C++ or Visual C# if you want to write Windows Applications for Mac I would Suggest learning Objective-C (Mac's come with Xcode on the installation CD which is the compiler you would use on a Mac 99% of the time) Both will make it easy to learn PHP for web applications since they have similar syntax.

-Brad

If you're brand new to programming, and this is a project for business, this project would be better outsourced. It's a fair amount of work no matter what language or toolkit you use.

I think it's great that you want to learn to write code yourself! I just don't want to see you take this project on as a first project, get swamped and discouraged about learning to code. Kind of like a cross-country drive when you really should lurch around the parking lot a bit more.

Since this is for programs you want to sell, you need to think a bit about the market. Do you want to have a single program that will work on both Windows and Mac? If so, that might rule out Objective-C. It's wonderful on the Mac but as far as I know, there's no runtime for Windows.

Another question is how much you expect to outsource development. If you think that's important, you might like to choose a more popular language like anything based on C, Java, or PHP. If you pick something "exotic" like Lisp, it could be brilliant but when you need help, the world's ten experts may all be busy for the next decade.

The popular languages have plenty of really mediocre coders, but you can also find experts when you need them.

By the way, VB 1 through 6 are thoroughly obsolete. VB.Net is still current and it's a great choice for many business applications.

Brad, I used Delphi a few years ago at work and really liked it a lot. I'd used Pascal in high school and college so it was easy to move to Delphi. Is the development environment still around? I haven't kept up on it since Borland spun it off.

most of development languages can be used for this proposal
Delphi , VB , C , C++ , Pascal , Java , .NET Platform including the C# , VB.NET and C++.net .
its all depend on your needs
most of those languages are OOP " Object Oriented Programming " which mean its a little bit hard to learn couze you need to learn the concept of the OOP First .
for you if you really a newbie in the development world i recommend that you start with Delphi its a little bit easy language to learn

I started out on vb then went to delphi. And i must say i love delphi much better. I can spit out an app then vb to me. I also code in some other languages but dephi is prob my most fluent one. I recommend for a newb to go to delphi. The only issue is resources for delphi are limited to those that live in the US

I would recommend you use C#. You can do many internet functions in a desktop app with that language.

Can embed Web Browser control into the .NET Windows Forms

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Hi,

microsoft/exPress is free Express versions of the .NET development platform.... This is runs on the .Net

.net is bet for desktop application

But if you mean a desktop application looking web app, try checking extjs.

Thanks to all who contributed to the thread, I now decided on one way to go and that is Visual C#. I am using Microsoft Visual C# Express Edition and it is what I had in my mind.

With its "windows forms application" project I am able to create the things I want.

You make also take a look at Chilkat HTTP component, as an alternative for WebRequest or WebClient. And yes C# or VB.NET are the best langs for that kind of projects, but be prepared for at least 1 month of studying, and get some C# or VB book for beginners.

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With this kind of requirement, .Net is the way to go. I have developed a similar desktop application used by my company's clients in sort of updating a remote server. VisualBasic.Net is just pure awesome!

Shame all these replies and only one mention of Adobe Air. Everyone seems to like to make things so freakin complicated heh

Market Samuri is Adobe Air, and it is the best keyword/seo tool out there for niche finding/promoting

Here's what I'll do...

I'll create a custom web application hosted somewhere on the net. Let's say it's mywebapp.com. Users would need to login to it. And then, to make it a desktop application, I would create a custom browser application that has no toolbars, address bar, buttons, etc... and the browser limits the browsing to mywebapp.com only!

To create a browser like that, you can use something like HTML Executable - Website and Ebook Compiler Software ... there options on how you want the browser to behave, buttons, etc... compile a new browser and distribute it.

Let me know if this works out for you.

Adobe Air?

Oh someone mentioned it already. If you are not hardcore programmer I would look at Adobe Air. User friendly, relatively easy to use and is designed to integrate with Internet various protocols. And its fun, from what I heard anyway

I vote for PowerBuilder! (ducks the eggs and rotten tomatoes)

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You can't go wrong with C# if you're on Windows and want to develop web based desktop software. Its got a nice WebRequest class that will allow you to create almost any scraper, pinger etc and the GUI part is really easy to create thanks to the GUI designer.

VB.net might be easier at first but you'll be better off in the long run with C#(easier maintenance, reusability etc).

Definitely recommend Adobe Air!

Use Adobe Air, you write code once and it runs on many platforms. The UI library is good and there is reasonable library support. Embedded browser objects are a piece of cake. Code is written in Actionscript3 with layout in MXML. You can buy the Adobe IDE or leverage your own with the now open source library. The new Flash Builder replaced the older Flex Builder and encompasses Flash and Flex, Air is the desktop libraries within Flex.

May be it's the software that you want.
"Design rich Web forms and apps that run as fast as desktop apps. Professional developers can extend Alpha Five using open JavaScript libraries, the X basic or SOL languages, Genies and X dialogs, the Report Builder, the Security Framework, over 1000 built-in functions, and more. Programming skills are optional with Alpha Five v10."
I would recommend you to use it

You must rebuild the entire application regardless of language websites you choose.If you do not know how to program,you need to hire someone to do the job.You need one of these. NET, Java, or perhaps.The only phones will be the data even if you move from Access to SQL Server when the access is not intended to be used as a web interface.

hi,
I think .NET platform will suit you very well and you can write your desktop application in Visual Studio or C#.

But the easy way is to use Adobe Air which i am sure you will be familiar.

Thanks

you can try adobe air..it use actionscript and you can also make it into a web application with some minor tweaks

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I think the age of the thread doesn't count. I arrived to it through a google search and g didn't warn me about the age of it. In fact, new development tools are released from time to time, that's why i don't understand why others should not keep on sharing things here.

If anyone is still looking for something like this then - depending on exactly what you want to do - an HTML 5 web app running "offline" on the desktop could also work. It's likely to be a lot easier to program too.

Won't suit every application though.

Visual basic with C#. Has a drag and drop interface for the desktop app design. Pretty much all languages will have some way of interacting with http.

Well, As per view you should use ASP.net or PHP. Making web based desktop software is easy. You can even use Wordpress and CMS. Wordpress comes with lots of plugins and also open source.

you design a website with application style like Desktop