programming language recommendation

[giles]

Hi all,

I've just joined this forum and was wondering if you give me a recommendation for a programming language?

I've created an application using a scripting language within a filemaker database. I'm keen to explore it's migration to a more versitile / powerful language. My app is based around a small database displaying a series of questions and recording the users answer. The choice of the next question is governed by a ongoing score based on these responses.

The graphical appearance is important (as its being developed for children with attention difficulties) so I'd like to incorporate web type animations, roll-overs, mp3's, progress bars if at all possible (or something similar). I'd be really grateful for any recommendations for an appropriate language.

I'm skimming C++ but am aware that it may well take some time to become proficient enough even for my little program ... oh yes, did I mention that the pressure's on to migrate as soon as reasonably possible? (so I'm wondering if there may be some half-way house that gives a more sophisticated scripting language, but allows me to roll something out before too long)

You've probably guessed that I'm a newbie to this, with little idea of the options & advantages between the various languages so I would appreciate any help you can give me

Thank You
Giles

[AlPhA]

Do you have any goals or future projects in mind?

[vegaseat]

I recommend Visual C# .Net. You can pick up the whole package for less than $100 (amazon.com). You need Windows on your computer, preferably XP and a good amount of free disk space.

It is easy to bring in graphics, color and sound through the various components in the builder. There are some C# code snippets here on DaniWeb. Of course, you will have a learning curve to overcome, but the effort is much less than with C++

[tonakai]

i think, for multimedia stuff, i suggest macromedia products, like flash. I did some small things with flash, it has a good scripting language called actionscript, and has very good visual. you can play sounds, do animations with ease,
also you can do these with other products of macromedia but i have no idea about them. also i don't know the price.

[Iron_Cross]

Meh, flash isn't good for long term stuff. That's just my opion. I like flash for little cartoons and games and stuff, not applications.

http://www.daniweb.com/tutorials/tutorial16923.html
Read that.

[Ghost]

I think you should try Java. It may appear difficult at first, but try reading this book: Java in Easy Steps. It's published by Barnes and Nobles. It breaks down Java really well.

[server_crash]

I would say Java; if you look around you'll notice a lot of classes are being taught in Java. I guess this is because it helps in mastering OO design, and best of all, it's user friendly!

[Phaelax]

I too, would say java. I've learned c++ off and on for years before doing java. With the documentation given with java, learning on your own once you've gotten started is so much easier than c++. And getting started is free! Not to mention Java's automatic garbage collector.

[kc0arf]

Hi,

I am curious why you want to leave Filemaker behind... it is a great database application, and does a lot of neat things.

Christiana

[server_crash]

and does a lot of neat things.

So does java?

[MarkKnutson]

If you want to crank out a lot of functionality and don't want to spend too much time learning details, its hard to beat visual basic. Maybe c#, I haven't used it--like a bran cereal, it is better for you than VB, but I don't know how hard it would be for someone to learn from scratch.

I have done a fair amout of java and would never willingly do a gui (swing) app with it. Between the extreme slowness and the complex behavior of the layout managers, not ready for prime time.

Plus java is a pain in the butt to roll out for windows PCs. People really hate the dos window that comes from a command line start, and you can use javaw, but if you want to set environment variables first, it still creates a dos window.

I wrote a C++ program to launch the java/swing, but to say it can be done is not to say it should be done.

I just re-read the original post--animations, mp3s, swing? Not gonna happen.

[Phaelax]

I just re-read the original post--animations, mp3s, swing? Not gonna happen

Why not? I made an iTunes clone in java using swing. Over 126k songs loaded into it with full dynamic searching and I think it's actually faster than the original Apple iTunes. iTunes's response time seems slow once your file count reaches a certain limit.

[BunnyDoom]

I hope this post doesn't get lost in the replies... :/

I have about the same question...See, I need to make a form and possibly database online. Very extensive. Big big project.

This form must:

- have the ability to alter different entries based on the information put into one. For example, the "Customer Name" field must alter the "Company Name" and "Company Address" fields.

- fill out different pages that can be printed off.

In addition, if at all possible, I would like to:

- be able to create a separate "array" document (or perhaps a database) so that I don't have to clutter up my main page with a bunch of information. I won't be the last person working on this, and I want to make it as user friendly as possible. (would also like to find a way to have these arrays update themselves. I want the user to be able to enter new information without any problem, and then I don't want to have to go in and manually change things.)

- be able to store the data in the form before allowing it to be printed off as different pages.

Now, C#, VB.NET, PHP, and ASP have all been reccommended to me for this project, but...I wasn't quite this specific when I asked, and I'm afraid that I'm asking too many questions on my other forum... :P

As it stands, I plan to try to use PHP certainly (since, from what I can remember of Perl (which, as far as I know, is PHP's little sister) these database-ish things can be accomplished using this) and perhaps C# (if I can't do everything I need/want to using PHP alone). I'm just looking for information regarding whether these languages will be effective, if there are better languages for what I'm trying to do, and any other advice, really...You know, any advice other than "Hire somebody", 'cuz I'm too stubborn for that :mrgreen:

Thank you!!!

[QB45]

Hello. For a beginners language I would suggest QBASIC (QB) 1.1 or 4.5 (1.1 is free but 4.5 costs a little. I got my QB45 for free somewhere...). Java was difficult for me to get into at first, same with C and C+. QBASIC is easy as it uses really simple commands.

[Scottg1989]

Yeah i guess it all depends on what its doing:

C/C++/C#: Large applications/powerful applications (games?)
Visual Basic: Small - Medium applications / low level games
Actionscript (flash): Web development / cartoons / interactive movies
Java: Not really sure on specifically what, but can be implemented into lots of things (web pages, etc.)

Also, if you are just getting into programming, some of the lower level languages such as turbo pascal (very old I know), and yabasic can help teach some of the fundamentals of programming.

[rar1942]

I am partial to Clarion, myself. It's pricey, but will do almost anything to anything by way of a database (Currently I am using it to write to Oracle....) and does not require SQL expertise to use effectively.

[hollystyles]

It doesn't matter what language, do as many as you can. Get a good "in 10 minutes" or "for beginners" book and get going. That's for starters just have fun.

The different languages are for us (dumb ass humans) the computer don't care, all it knows about is the presence or absence of voltage and that's it.

Only by trying several langauges will you begin to understand and learn how to become a craftsman. Read read read, join forums like this one, read LOTS of other peoples code.

Read WIDELY you need to know the history of computers (their hardware and software) and you need to learn a little maths. You can avoid it to start with but you are going to have to come to terms with the concept of bytes, hexidecimal blah at some stage because beneath all that BASIC stuff is a million layers of precariously balanced abstraction that WILL let you down very often.

It will take a while to do all that but don't let that put you off. Just don't waste time agonising over which language to start with it really doesn't matter.

[rar1942]

This is very true and correct - and, having learned one (at least if it is a procedural language) makes more easy to add on because the principles don't change even if the syntax does.

Over the years in the industry (around 40....) I have learned about ten assemblers, several different dialects of COBOL, Basic in many environments, RPG (YUCK!), and some folks have never heard of, like InterComm, DataShare, DataBus , ReXX, various sorts of JCL, and others that I have forgot along the way. Learn it , learn it well and then branch out. Without Assembler you can't hope to learn what the machine is actually doing - but any more I file that knowledge under things I can afford not to know, and devote my time to producing what the end-user actually needs.

[Covinus]

id say java. creating complex app is easier than other oo language. in terms of GUI java has one of the best and widely used today.

best way to learn java would be the Object oriented first approach.