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cross platform component app suggestions — Parallax Forums

cross platform component app suggestions

rwgast_logicdesignrwgast_logicdesign Posts: 1,464
edited 2012-10-02 09:10 in General Discussion
So ive been spending the night typing all my chips into an access database mostly becuase i have access and its easy to use... im really finding that just keeping things labeled inst enough especially with a large number of TTL chips. Im thinking about adding passives too bit that seems like a huge nightmare idk..

the end result is so i can search for things i have on hand if i type cpunter or regulator ya know. I was just going to use VB6 to write a front end to this but i started thinking i really want to learn something cross platform that can easily do a gui. As it stands now i only know basic c and some assembly. Im thinking that maybe doing this in java could be a good idea so i can get into android apps, but i just really want to get this done and back to embedded codeing too, anyone have some input?

maybe theres already a free program to do this i can use that will import my access db?

Comments

  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2012-10-02 05:00
    At some point early on I learned that data bases with over 500 entries tended to be a source of continual distraction for me. So I moved on to inventory reduction.

    If you are really going to do this and do it well, get a bar code reader, print labels and a master list with bar codes -- then use that for data entry and updates. Linux has all the necessary support for bar codes for free, but the bar code reader is a bit of an investment.
  • mindrobotsmindrobots Posts: 6,506
    edited 2012-10-02 05:30
    MySQL backend and then something webbish for the front end so you can access it from anywhere - grab phone, start app, put in counters, get results.

    JSNode? HTML5? Bunches of more relevant tools out there than VB6 and Access.
  • rwgast_logicdesignrwgast_logicdesign Posts: 1,464
    edited 2012-10-02 08:44
    So I had acually thought about the Web Idea but I dont want to go that way.... Although Im hoping myspql can import an access DB.

    Im looking to learn a higher level cross platform language so I can develop this and alo front ends to a few embedded hardware designs, at the moment things like scope, logic analyzers etc. I love MS tools but windows only is not an option for me anymore... I need a RAD environment I can develop in as fast as vb6. If I really wanted I could use C and GTK since there GTK for windows now but this isnt a RAD type of solution.

    Ive heard alot about mono but i dont know C# although I suppose im going to have to learn a new language no matter what. What I would really like is some kind of visual python platform. I feel like learning java is going to make me the most versitile but once again im not sure how much of a RAD java is, it seems fairly heavy to take on while im trying to learn SPIN/PASM as best as I can along with electronics. Theres only so many heavy topics you can focus on at once, thats why im kind of trying to avoid java right now and find something A little more light weight, the other reason im avoiding java atm is becuase I want to see what oracle is going to do with it, my real interest in Java only really lies in android development to tell you the truth. Ive heard of something else called processing but im not sure if thats just more of a toy than a tool.
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2012-10-02 09:10
    I'd like to suggest the Qt UI Framework. As used by KDE on Linux. SimpleIDE and the PZST Spin tool are written uing Qt.
    Qt can be RADish in that it comes with the QtCreator IDE which has a drag and drop interface for creating your user interface layouts, buttons, forms, menus, edit boxes etc etc etc. and then you just add code to the created objects or accept and send "signals" to them.

    Requires learning C++ though. The Qt libraries are large and intidating but that's because they have everything you need. In your case SQL database connectivity classes migh be usefull. There is a lot of functionality in there that is useful for non-graphical command line programs as well. Handling socket connections, serial ports, threads, parsing XML and a whole lot more.

    Probably not harder to learn to use effectively than any other GUI tool kit, GTK Java whatever. Your finished creations will run on Windows, Mac, Linux, BSD. You can even use Qt for mobile phone apps now a days. I have Qt graphical apps running on Linux for ARM on the Raspberry Pi and other ARM boards.

    They have recently introduced QML which is basically driving Qt from Javascript which may be a lot easier to get into but I have not looked into it much.

    Start here: http://qt-project.org/
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