Getting started for Dummies

[lagi]

Hi,

I'm not a newbie and Ive programmes Cobol, Fortran and Pscal from University , through machine code and nearly all the mainstream stuff in between - I got into C using Small C from Doctor Dobbs Journal.

I haven't had any problem with ANY other language on Windows creating a form with a Button that puts your own "hello world" into the field on click or does anything.

I have created a "hello world" withing a form with the button and field writing to the console using a start function found on the forums (with difficulty)
----------------------------
error XS1558: 'Functions' does not have a suitable static Start method
Compilation failed (1 error)
--------------------------

I presume the start function starts the "event loop" in Foxpro parlance.

Try as I might (ok 2 hours) I cannot compile a version that runs the form without getting compilation errors.

Delphi's "two way" code , VFPs snippets etc made sense without reading any documentation I just can't see how to do this withouit a SIMPLE project we can download and tear apart.

I would suggest a part of the forum where we can share code Ala Powerbasic (yeah ive used that as well o0n machines with 256K of memory and a floppy drive )

Maybe I can't see the wood for the trees or I a have lost it in my Old age - I hope it's the former

I know I will get my AHA moment - but I don't want to drown first - any help appreciated.

Kindest Regards Lagi

[wriedmann]

Hi Lagi,

again me <g>. To start, install XIDE (yes, it has Greek origins) and play with the samples in there.
Maybe they are a bit VO-inspired, but should help to get started (and yes, some of the samples have not Greek origin).

Wolfgang

[lagi]

Hi Wolfgang,

I did play with the samples but all of them write to the console - which is not a problem to do.
What I need is a helping hand of creating a form with controls - which I have done ) that I can compile and run (which I haven't yet mastered)

I went on your site and looked at all your downloads and I can't see anything that does that.

p.p.s.

I'm not looking at winforms but just XIDE

The first thing I write in any language is a simple contact list (after the obligatory hello world) - and keep expanding it as I learm more about the libraries/frameworks/environment.

I cannot see anything like that and I never use VO I jumped ship to Foxpro.

KIndest Regards Lagi

p.s.

I can see there is a great deal of power in XSharp and I would like to get to a position where I feel I can subscribe and help move it on.

p.p.s

I'm not interested (yet) in winforms but just usingg it as I did Foxpro through the Form editor

[wriedmann]

Hi Lagi,
currently X# has 3 choices for GUI:

• VO GUI compatible (senseless if you are not coming from VO)
• Windows Forms aka WinForms - native .NET Framework
• Windows Presentation Foundation aka WPF - native .NET Framework

For VFP forms support you have to wait, but I would play with WinForms at the moment.
In XIDE you can select "New Application" from the context menu. There is a "Basic X# Form Application" on the X# tab page, and a "WinFormsDBF" application on the samples page.
Wolfgang

[lagi]

Ok Thanks.

I found my Problem - I was creating files within the project from the file menu.

It is not obvious that to get the "samples" we had to press project/create new/new application

All the other stuff is obvious to the "old timers" in the XSHARP/VO community but not for someone coming into as a neophyte.

Maybe when I have got a bit forther and have some time I will have to write it - But for IDIOTS not dummies because that's how I feel at the moment.

I would have found it say in an hour or so more of going through the menus - but I would suggest that many who have not got an affinity to XBASE wouldn't bother - I could be wrong ... and hope that I am but you could be losing a few people from the C#/.Net/Delphi community who have no "skin" in the game.

I use Livecode but it is easy to get into and so is Xojo without too much searching.

Thanks again

Lagi

p.s. While I'm on this is there any way of creating Mobile Apps using the .net framwork/visual studio/mono in tandem with XSHARP - not a problem if not but it would be nice.

[wriedmann]

Hi Lagi,
I'm pretty sure the author of XIDE, Chris Pyrgas, will step in here.
Normally he is very fast adding requested enhancements (and maybe I'm one the those requesting often new things).
Wolfgang

[Chris]

I have not tried doing mobile apps for many years now, but in general the only thing needed is using the correct references (dlls) when compiling. So maybe create a mobile app in c#/VS, take note of the references that get automatically added and add the same ones in a XIDE app, that should work out of the box. Then it will be relatively simple to create a mobile app template based on that, for easily creating new ones.