GUI Programming

[vick5821]

Hey, what knowledge do I need to start to create a GUI program ? For example writing a simple program that I can control my LED from my ladtop ?

 

[CocaCola]

VERY LITTLE, for basic stuff like lighting an LED on say a parallel port, if you are using a decent compiler...

 

[Harald Kapp]

I suggest you start by learning how to write a GUI based program at all. A good starting point is the free Visual Studio Express. Choose the language you prefer (basic, C++, C#). Learn how to code a program that interacts with you without connecting to your µC via USB.
Once you have manged the basic skills of GUI programming you can tackle the task of communicating with the µC.
This two-tiered proceeding alllows you to tackle the different aspects (GUI programming, communicating with µC) one after the other.

It may be a good idea to buy a USB experimental kit (like e.g. this). Make sure the kit comes with instructions and possibly sample code.

 

[vick5821]

What the kit does ?

 

[Harald Kapp]

Digital IO via USB connected to PC

 

[GreenGiant]

To make a usable GUI I would recommend either VB (Visual Basic) or Labview

Of the 2 VB would be cheaper as you can get it for free, labview is a little more difficult to get for free, plus to interface with something like that it is going to take some time and will probably be a little more difficult in the beginning

 

[vick5821]

To make a usable GUI I would recommend either VB (Visual Basic) or Labview

Of the 2 VB would be cheaper as you can get it for free, labview is a little more difficult to get for free, plus to interface with something like that it is going to take some time and will probably be a little more difficult in the beginning

I would like to learn visual C++ since I know C++ language

 

[(*steve*)]

Visual C++ is to C++ what Heinz Baked Beans is to Baked Beans.

 

[GreenGiant]

I would like to learn visual C++ since I know C++ language

Fair enough

A trick for you, if you get visual studio set it up so that the default is visual basic, the debugger for VB has line referencing where the one for C++ does not, so when there is an error in C++ and the debugger is set for C++ it just gives you a message that says "There is an error, fix it" where the VB debugger says "There is an error, fix it" and you can double click on it and it will bring you right to the line that the error is on
I discovered that in my C++ class when I used my laptop which I had previously used for VB, I was able to debug programs MUCH faster and easier than anyone else in class, even the professor

 

[(*steve*)]

C++ it just gives you a message that says "There is an error, fix it"

I use VS2010 at the moment and when it locates an error in my C++ code I can double click on the error and it positions me at the point in the code where the error was detected.

 

[GreenGiant]

We used both 2008 and 2010, and both did the same thing with errors in C++

oh well

 

[Harald Kapp]

Visual C++ is to C++ what Heinz Baked Beans is to Baked Beans.

Sorry, that's above my head. Is that a complimentg or is it derogative? I know there are arguments pro and con. But at least it is easy to get a start with visual C++.

 

[(*steve*)]

Visual C++ is just C++ made by a particular company (in this case Microsoft).

Learning "visual C++" really means learning to use the environment and the debugging tools, and microsoft's non-standard C++ bits, but that is not actually learning C++ (although it may be valuable).

I think the OP wants to start learning C++, and for that they can use some version of Visual Studio that contains a C++ compiler. Microsoft call that combination "Visual C++"

 

[(*steve*)]

We used both 2008 and 2010, and both did the same thing with errors in C++

oh well

Which errors? Compiler errors, or errors at runtime?

 

[dpenelob]

If you are on Linux, you can use the Qt toolkit and some sort of kernel driver
that allows you to control you LED or whatever you need...