Software development platforms
T Chap
Posts: 4,249
I have gotten pretty decent at REALbasic, and for general needs it can be easily programmed to accomplish everything that comes up. The drawback is that it is really limited in terms of graphics and and look and feel. They give you only a few choices for buttons for example. One nice thing about it is the ability to export almost 100% compatible PC and OSX builds, which is a requirement.
Does anyone have a suggestion as to a platform that would be a little more flexible as far as creating a more unique GUI, customizable buttons, etc, but still has a very intuitive learning curve such as RB? I have a need to develop a consumer app to accompany a physical product, and would like to have a more unique look and feel. There is still the need for multi platform builds with minimal or no mods. I have heard that you can build an app in C, but I have no experience with it to know how easy that is comparatively, or how easy it would be to do cross platform.
Does anyone have a suggestion as to a platform that would be a little more flexible as far as creating a more unique GUI, customizable buttons, etc, but still has a very intuitive learning curve such as RB? I have a need to develop a consumer app to accompany a physical product, and would like to have a more unique look and feel. There is still the need for multi platform builds with minimal or no mods. I have heard that you can build an app in C, but I have no experience with it to know how easy that is comparatively, or how easy it would be to do cross platform.
Comments
www.qtsoftware.com
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Amateur radio callsign: G1HSM
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Use Code::Blocks IDE
Use wxWidgets
C++ is probably the most useful language in existence atm. I also enjoy strait C, with much less hidden behind the scenes.
Code::Blocks is a great multi-platform IDE. On windows you should probably get the one with MingW packaged along with it. Then for the other platforms use GCC as the compiler.
Finally, for the hands down best, and native looking cross platform GUI applications, use wxWidgets.
It's not easy to jump right in to understanding everything that goes on with all of it, but that's what you should aim for IMO. Good Luck
[noparse][[/noparse]EDIT] I see you wanted a more unique interface... wxWidgets allows custom built -widgets-, which should suffice for this... but personally I think you should attempt to stick to native GUI stuff. Applications are much easier to use when they behave and look a way you expect... and just look at any older program that used their own GUI type stuff... more often than not they look icky and dated. Even my not-so-old Nvidia 'system monitor' app... with it's unique overlay... it's just icky...
Post Edited (James Newman) : 4/11/2009 4:32:23 PM GMT
The QT software is very expensive and probably to high to get ATM.
The best thing to do would probably learn C++ but that seems like a major project in itself. I will explore CodeBlocks and Widgets over the weekend and see how that goes..
-Phil
My general feeling though for any programming language, is to pick the language that's right for the job at hand... If you know how to code, you simply know how to code. You get a grasp of the basic core commands for what ever language that you are going to be using and move on from there. Each language has its pros and cons, and each language generally has the same type of flow. Many of the differences between one language verses another are simply syntax and grammar, with the exception of special commands unique to that language which may or may not help determine if that language is right for the job.
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Beau Schwabe
IC Layout Engineer
Parallax, Inc.