Software to create desktop application. Advice needed?

14 years ago

If all you need to support is Windows, I recommend you get one of the (free) Visual Studio "Express Editions" for Windows: Microsoft Visual Studio Express - Build cutting edge Windows applications

There are three language packages available: Visual Basic, C#, and C++

Visual Basic might be a bit easier for you, but C# is probably a better choice overall.

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Manfred Ekblad

14 years ago

Originally Posted by senderbot

I'm interested in setting up a simple software application that would run on a windows based pc.

Can someone tell me what software would be best for this type of thing? I'm hopefully looking for something open source. This would just be a part time hobby type project so I'm not looking at spending much money on development tools.

It really depends on what kind of application you want to create. There are lots of options, not only the "pure" programming languages. There is a whole bunch of tools that will automate some of the programming tasks for you, depending on what kind of software you want to create.

If you want to learn programming, then I recommend that you try a bit of everything before you make up your own mind. They (programming language + IDE) are all good and bad in some ways.

VB.NET/C# is a good start if you want to create a simple application and learn some programming basics at the same time.

What kind of application will you make?

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Loren Woirhaye

14 years ago

I have this: Tiger Software Express - Home Page
It's made by a Warrior. Cool guy. It can do a lot and it's
way easier than Visual Express, but also a lot more limited.

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Bellthorpe

14 years ago

I make all of my desktop applications using Euphoria. It's an easy language to learn, especially if you stick to the tried and proven (but older) version 3.X.

But a word of warning. If you've not programmed before, this will take you a long time to make a bug-free, user-friendly desktop application that works.

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agraj1

14 years ago

Yeah, you can easily develop software for you in visual Basic it is so easy you can easily make forms and maintained database with it and other options are
C++, C#, C language.

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senderbot

14 years ago

Hi,

Thanks for the answers so far guys. I've looked at Tiger Software and Euthoria with interest as I had seen similar products in the past.

There is a software developer that creates desktop applications using PHP - Its called PHPBuilder. Has anyone used this before?

Cheers

Max

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NenadR

14 years ago

I really have my doubts about PHPBuilder. PHP was never designed for writing desktop applications, and I have serious doubts about its speed when running in a desktop enviroment, not to mention things like memory handling.

As a beginner in programming, I would actually recommend staying away fro VB.NET, and I would recommend looking into something like Python or Groovy. It really all depends on what you want your application to do.

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senderbot

14 years ago

Originally Posted by NenadR

As a beginner in programming, I would actually recommend staying away fro VB.NET, and I would recommend looking into something like Python or Groovy. It really all depends on what you want your application to do.

I'm actually looking at teaching myself programming just as a hobby. I'd like to have the ability to create simple applications for myself.

As an example I'm looking at building software that watches my websites, checks to see if specific text is there and if it isn't it emails me. I know this already exists in the form of online uptime services but I'm a geek at heart and I fancy getting into learning how to do that kind of stuff.

I'm currently learning php/Mysql but now also want to look at learning desktop app programming.

Cheers

Max

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NenadR 14 years ago

Well, PHP is a good start, but there is a bunch of stuff you will have to unlearn when you switch to desktop programming. I would recommend looking at Python or Ruby, especially if you are doing it for yourself. I am a Java programmer, but would not recommend it for getting started.

good luck!
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- simpleonline1234 14 years ago
  
  I personally use Visual Basic 08......I took a class on it back in college but forgot everything I learned so I'm having to relearn the info....it really does depend on what you want to to do....if your wanting to do things that are pretty much the same over and over type things then iMacros, Ubot or WinAutomation is great to create macros for you....VB has come long way in the past....
  
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TrueStory

14 years ago

Also if you don't want to blow money on Visual Studio

Check this out SharpDevelop - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

this is like HTML Kit to Dreamweaver

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Number_5 14 years ago

I've always tried to learn the hard things first, but for someone who just want to write some simple apps in Windows, VB.NET would be the way to go. You'll hear a lot of people complain about having to "relearn" how to program when going from VB to something else, but that's not really true. Programming basics don't change from language to language, only the syntax.

Of course, if you start out on VB, you'll later find that other languages don't hold your hand nearly as much, but they are all worth learning. I normally would suggest Python for a good beginning language, but when most people start out, they want to see GUI results. Getting GUI results from Python without a lot of reading, isn't easy for a beginner.

VB is great for tinkering and despite what some people will tell ya, it will do everything that any of the other .NET langauges will do.
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- mikeroosa 14 years ago
  
  I use C#.NET and it's really not all that difficult. Get the book called Head First C#. The Head First books are awesome for beginners.
  
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Number_5

14 years ago

Originally Posted by TrueStory

Also if you don't want to blow money on Visual Studio

I've found that Visual Studio Express will do just about anything you want. It's free. Also, you all probably know about this but Microsoft's "webspark" project gives small business Visual Studio 2010 for free. All you have to do is sign up for it and one of its partners, like Elance.

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TrueStory

14 years ago

Originally Posted by Number_5

I've found that Visual Studio Express will do just about anything you want. It's free. Also, you all probably know about this but Microsoft's "webspark" project gives small business Visual Studio 2010 for free. All you have to do is sign up for it and one of its partners, like Elance.

I haven't touched C# (or any MS languages) for several years; reason being unpopular implementation as a server side language (asp[x])

Just like ColdFusion it's mostly used for large corporate sites.

I am thinking about getting back into C# for sake of expanding my knowledge base. I used to get student subscription for MSDN from my Uni.

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TrafficMystic

14 years ago

I develop app in c# / vb / java and C++ but much prefer C#.

On the app you want to create you would simply create a windows form that can minimize to the system tray and add a timer control to say trigger 1 an hour that used a httpwebrequest object to check the web site page text and use either a simply text query on the response object ( mystring.contains(youtext) ) or the faster method of using a regular expression.

If the text is not found or the regular expression does not match you can use the inbuilt smtp classes to send your self an email message.

shouldn't take you too long to knock this up.

Regards

Steve

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NoGimmicks

14 years ago

Although I was initially tempted to suggest vb.net as the first thing to learn, upon reflection I'd actually recommend that you learn c#.

The reason for this is because php (and java) are more closely related to C as a programming language, so you'll find it easier to read/write/understand php and java etc easier if you're familiar with a C based language (which C# is).

Martin

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Number_5 14 years ago

Although everyone makes great points that VB's syntax doesn't lend well to moving to other languages, I would like to point out that a beginning programmer should learn key concepts in logic, debugging, procedural, and object oriented programming techniques, no matter which language they begin with. This is why I suggest VB.NET or C#, and I favor VB for a beginner over C#.

I suggest (and this is only an opinion, everyone has one) that you start with VB.NET. Get a good beginners programming book that uses VB as a basis. Focus on learning programming, not the language so much. When I was starting out, I was worried about the syntax and which language to start out on. I actually started with Perl. I was worried about learning the language. That's a bad way to start. I mean you have to start learning one language, but you aren't really learning the language for the sake of the language. You are learning it so you can implement key concepts of programming.
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- BayAreaSteve 14 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by Number_5
  
  but you aren't really learning the language for the sake of the language. You are learning it so you can implement key concepts of programming.
  
  One of the more salient points I've heard concerning learning how to
  program and why.
  
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MemberWing

14 years ago

I second (or third) Microsoft Development tools and C# for desktop apps.
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softomaniac

14 years ago

i think c# will be better choice for you or vb.net

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senderbot

14 years ago

Hi,

Wow guys thanks for all the replies. That has given me lots to look at.

Right now I have 2 questions -

1. It bugs me when I try to install software and it says "You need the .net framework - click here to download it now". If I learn using the Microsoft Visual Studio software with Visual Basic, will all my software require the user to download the .net framework?

2. In my searches I came across Real Basic - REAL Software: REAL Studio, Best Development Tool for Mac, Windows and Linux
This bills itself as easy to use. Has anyone any experience with this?

Thanks again for all the replies.

Cheers

Max

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Number_5 14 years ago

They will have to have the correct version of the .NET framework to run most apps that you create with Visual Studio. It's possible to create native apps which do not require the .NET framework but these are generally more difficult to create as you can't take advantage of the framework.

RealBasic was great when I tried it. The syntax, back then at least, was more like VB6 then the current VB.NET syntax. It can be used for anything you want as well as on any of the major OSs.
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senderbot

14 years ago

Hi,

Yeah that was one of the things I was reading that seemed quite good - once you learn it and create a program with it, that program can run on any OS..

Right now I'm only looking at creating software for my own use... but if it is useful it might sell and having the ability to sell it on any platform seems good.

Thanks for the freedback.

Cheers

Max

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specopkirbs

14 years ago

i would suggest visual basic is the way to go from here bud

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Software to create desktop application. Advice needed?

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