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Subject: Re: [OT] windows GUI programming question (VB/MFC / WTL / .NET)?

Author: Daniel Clausen

Date: 05:37:01 01/15/04

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On January 15, 2004 at 08:24:21, martin fierz wrote:

>i have a general windows GUI programming question, here's the motivation for it:
>i wrote a checkers interface which is similar to winboard - basically just a
>single board window that you can resize, with a toolbar and a status bar. it's
>written in plain C, using the windows API. you could say, this is windows
>programming at it's most basic level (if you disregard consoles for the
>moment...); maybe that was the way to go in 1995 but not in 2004.
>
>i have many ideas on how to improve that interface - but i think my programming
>technique (plain C + win32 API) is simply unsuitable for more complex
>interfaces. as an example of what i would like my program to be like, take
>anything from arena over chessbase to the visual studio environment - i would
>like it to include multiple window panes which can be resized and displayed or
>hidden. fancy interfaces also allow docking/undocking and individual window pane
>arrangement. my ideal checkers interface does not need to be too fancy, let's
>say something like arena with split windows which you can resize and add/remove
>panes.
>
>question: what kind of development tool(s) should i use for such purposes, given
>that
>(i) i know C but not C++,
>(ii) i am over 30 and don't learn things as easily as earlier,
>(iii) programming is just a hobby for me, and i don't have large amounts of time
>to learn something new,
>(iv) i don't develop commercial software, so i don't want to pay large amounts
>of money for a development tool.
>
>so the ideal tool for me is probably easy to learn, easy to use, free, and
>somewhere close to C.
>
>should i...
>...forget C and use visual basic?
>...learn C++ and use MFC?
>...forget about MFC and use WTL?
>...forget about MFC and WTL and use .NET?
>...forget about all of this and use XYZ?
>...forget it all because i'm too old and don't have enough time/energy to learn
>something new?
>
>any opinions are appreciated!
>  martin

If multi-platform support of your GUI is a potential goal for you, maybe QT
could be something for you. Just an idea - I don't have direct experience with
this toolkit. (I know people who use it like it very much though) Since it's an
object-oriented framework (to my knowledge) C++ knowledge could be important
though.

Sargon



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