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Considering a new programming language after years with Visual Basic

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  Considering a new programming language after years with Visual Basic wrong.address.1@gmail.com - 2016-02-16 05:45 -0800
    Re: Considering a new programming language after years with Visual Basic Jerry Stuckle <jstucklex@attglobal.net> - 2016-02-16 09:36 -0500
    Re: Considering a new programming language after years with Visual Basic Gary Peek <peek@industrologic.com> - 2016-02-16 11:21 -0600
      Re: Considering a new programming language after years with Visual Basic wrong.address.1@gmail.com - 2016-02-17 11:40 -0800
    Re: Considering a new programming language after years with Visual Basic James Wang <jwang25610@gmail.com> - 2016-02-17 01:09 -0800
      Re: Considering a new programming language after years with Visual Basic wrong.address.1@gmail.com - 2016-02-17 11:38 -0800
    Re: Considering a new programming language after years with Visual Basic James Harris <james.harris.1@gmail.com> - 2016-02-17 10:07 +0000
      Re: Considering a new programming language after years with Visual Basic wrong.address.1@gmail.com - 2016-02-17 11:44 -0800
        Re: Considering a new programming language after years with Visual Basic James Harris <james.harris.1@gmail.com> - 2016-02-18 00:03 +0000
      Re: Considering a new programming language after years with Visual Basic Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn <PointedEars@web.de> - 2016-02-17 23:46 +0100
        Re: Considering a new programming language after years with Visual Basic James Harris <james.harris.1@gmail.com> - 2016-02-18 00:08 +0000
          Re: Considering a new programming language after years with Visual Basic Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn <PointedEars@web.de> - 2016-02-18 08:26 +0100

#16433 — Considering a new programming language after years with Visual Basic

I would appreciate any advice on this matter. I have been using Visual Basic (VB6, very little VB.net) for a long time and now need to move to another language.

I have probably 20000 lines of code and 25-30 GUI forms in Visual Basic, containing engineering mathematical calculation routines, and plots of various kinds.

Which language should I start learning? I have been told by a few people to consider Python. Is PHP a good option? Are there better options? VB.net does not sound like a good idea.

Is Python dependent on Microsoft? Can it run only on Windows? Can I create a *.exe file containing everything that I can give to my colleagues without a huge installation procedure?

Thanks for any advice.

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#16435

On 2/16/2016 8:45 AM, wrong.address.1@gmail.com wrote:
> I would appreciate any advice on this matter. I have been using Visual Basic (VB6, very little VB.net) for a long time and now need to move to another language.
> 
> I have probably 20000 lines of code and 25-30 GUI forms in Visual Basic, containing engineering mathematical calculation routines, and plots of various kinds.
> 
> Which language should I start learning? I have been told by a few people to consider Python. Is PHP a good option? Are there better options? VB.net does not sound like a good idea.
> 
> Is Python dependent on Microsoft? Can it run only on Windows? Can I create a *.exe file containing everything that I can give to my colleagues without a huge installation procedure?
> 
> Thanks for any advice.
> 

This is a question only you can answer.  This newsgroup is about PHP, so
you will get answers about PHP here.  If you want other languages, you
need to ask in the proper newsgroup.

Whether another language is good for you depends a huge amount on what
you're doing, what you plan to do and what requirements you have for the
language.  It also depends on what you're willing to spend learning a
new language - some languages are more powerful than others, but require
more time and effort to learn.

The best way to make a decision is t first determine exactly what you
need, then look for languages which fit those needs.  For instance, PHP
normally runs on a web server or command line, but does have integration
with GTK+.  This may or may not work for you.

The bottom line really is that only you can make that decision.  No one
can make it for you.  But if you list your needs, people can tell you if
a language will fit those needs or not.

-- 
==================
Remove the "x" from my email address
Jerry Stuckle
jstucklex@attglobal.net
==================

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#16436

On 2/16/2016 7:45 AM, wrong.address.1@gmail.com wrote:
> I would appreciate any advice on this matter. I have been using
> Visual Basic (VB6, very little VB.net) for a long time and now need
> to move to another language.

Do you know about  www.powerbasic.com ?

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#16473

tiistai 16. helmikuuta 2016 19.21.47 UTC+2 Gary Peek kirjoitti:
> On 2/16/2016 7:45 AM, wrong.address.1@gmail.com wrote:
> > I would appreciate any advice on this matter. I have been using
> > Visual Basic (VB6, very little VB.net) for a long time and now need
> > to move to another language.
> 
> Do you know about  www.powerbasic.com ?

No. What are the advantages/disadvantages?

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#16437

MathWorks Simulink?

On Tuesday, 16 February 2016 13:45:53 UTC, wrong.a...@gmail.com  wrote:
> I would appreciate any advice on this matter. I have been using Visual Basic (VB6, very little VB.net) for a long time and now need to move to another language.
> 
> I have probably 20000 lines of code and 25-30 GUI forms in Visual Basic, containing engineering mathematical calculation routines, and plots of various kinds.
> 
> Which language should I start learning? I have been told by a few people to consider Python. Is PHP a good option? Are there better options? VB.net does not sound like a good idea.
> 
> Is Python dependent on Microsoft? Can it run only on Windows? Can I create a *.exe file containing everything that I can give to my colleagues without a huge installation procedure?
> 
> Thanks for any advice.

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#16472

keskiviikko 17. helmikuuta 2016 11.09.37 UTC+2 James Wang kirjoitti:
> MathWorks Simulink?
> 
> On Tuesday, 16 February 2016 13:45:53 UTC, wrong.a...@gmail.com  wrote:
> > I would appreciate any advice on this matter. I have been using Visual Basic (VB6, very little VB.net) for a long time and now need to move to another language.
> > 
> > I have probably 20000 lines of code and 25-30 GUI forms in Visual Basic, containing engineering mathematical calculation routines, and plots of various kinds.
> > 
> > Which language should I start learning? I have been told by a few people to consider Python. Is PHP a good option? Are there better options? VB.net does not sound like a good idea.
> > 
> > Is Python dependent on Microsoft? Can it run only on Windows? Can I create a *.exe file containing everything that I can give to my colleagues without a huge installation procedure?
> > 
> > Thanks for any advice.

Simulink and Matlab would make me too dependent on a commercial provider. Besides, it is probably not very cheap either. And if I create a *.exe, I suspect the users might also need the licenses. But please feel free to correct me.

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#16441

On 16/02/2016 13:45, wrong.address.1@gmail.com wrote:
> I would appreciate any advice on this matter. I have been using Visual Basic (VB6, very little VB.net) for a long time and now need to move to another language.
>
> I have probably 20000 lines of code and 25-30 GUI forms in Visual Basic, containing engineering mathematical calculation routines, and plots of various kinds.

IIRC VB forms are designed graphically. In other languages you create 
GUIs by function calls. It's a better way but you might find it takes 
some getting used to.

> Which language should I start learning? I have been told by a few people to consider Python. Is PHP a good option? Are there better options? VB.net does not sound like a good idea.

Python is a well-designed language that you can use for lots of 
purposes. If you want to learn a language that you can use in the future 
after you convert the code you mention above, then Python would not be a 
bad choice. It is also arguably a good migration path from any form of 
Basic.

That said, Python can be used in complicated ways. To understand it well 
will take a lot of time. Some people write Python code that is very hard 
to decipher. (True in many languages but normally discouraged in those.)

Also, I don't think you will find many sites where Python runs on the 
server. For server-side scripting you may want to use PHP.

> Is Python dependent on Microsoft? Can it run only on Windows? Can I create a *.exe file containing everything that I can give to my colleagues without a huge installation procedure?

Python is not dependent on Microsoft or Windows. Yes, you can make the 
code into a .exe but of course that exe will only work on Windows.

For more info try comp.lang.python.

James

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#16474

keskiviikko 17. helmikuuta 2016 12.07.45 UTC+2 James Harris kirjoitti:
> On 16/02/2016 13:45, wrong.address.1@gmail.com wrote:
> > I would appreciate any advice on this matter. I have been using Visual Basic (VB6, very little VB.net) for a long time and now need to move to another language.
> >
> > I have probably 20000 lines of code and 25-30 GUI forms in Visual Basic, containing engineering mathematical calculation routines, and plots of various kinds.
> 
> IIRC VB forms are designed graphically. In other languages you create 
> GUIs by function calls. It's a better way but you might find it takes 
> some getting used to.

Aren't there IDEs which allow you to create GUIs graphically? Can one specify the size, colour, font, visibile/invisible for each object on the form?

> 
> > Which language should I start learning? I have been told by a few people to consider Python. Is PHP a good option? Are there better options? VB.net does not sound like a good idea.
> 
> Python is a well-designed language that you can use for lots of 
> purposes. If you want to learn a language that you can use in the future 
> after you convert the code you mention above, then Python would not be a 
> bad choice. It is also arguably a good migration path from any form of 
> Basic.
> 
> That said, Python can be used in complicated ways. To understand it well 
> will take a lot of time. Some people write Python code that is very hard 
> to decipher. (True in many languages but normally discouraged in those.)
> 
> Also, I don't think you will find many sites where Python runs on the 
> server. For server-side scripting you may want to use PHP.

My work is more related to engineering calculations, so at best, I would want to show a few numbers or a plot on some client, but mostly I will prefer stand alone *.exe's.

> 
> > Is Python dependent on Microsoft? Can it run only on Windows? Can I create a *.exe file containing everything that I can give to my colleagues without a huge installation procedure?
> 
> Python is not dependent on Microsoft or Windows. Yes, you can make the 
> code into a .exe but of course that exe will only work on Windows.

Why can't one create a *.exe for Linux or Android? Or are those files called something else on Linux or Android?


> 
> For more info try comp.lang.python.
> 
> James

Thanks for your response. I am mostly getting positive feedback for Python. Still a few small questions.

Is it easy to do matrix operations in Python? Or do I need to write subroutines like in Visual Basic?

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#16481

On 17/02/2016 19:44, wrong.address.1@gmail.com wrote:
> keskiviikko 17. helmikuuta 2016 12.07.45 UTC+2 James Harris
> kirjoitti:
>> On 16/02/2016 13:45, wrong.address.1@gmail.com wrote:

...

> Aren't there IDEs which allow you to create GUIs graphically? Can one
> specify the size, colour, font, visibile/invisible for each object on
> the form?

I don't know. If there are, and you want your code to be in Python then
the IDE will need to convert it to Python. Best ask on comp.lang.python.

...

>>> Is Python dependent on Microsoft? Can it run only on Windows? Can
>>> I create a *.exe file containing everything that I can give to my
>>> colleagues without a huge installation procedure?
>>
>> Python is not dependent on Microsoft or Windows. Yes, you can make
>> the code into a .exe but of course that exe will only work on
>> Windows.
>
> Why can't one create a *.exe for Linux or Android? Or are those files
> called something else on Linux or Android?

There are Unix/Linux executables but they normally don't have an
extension. A .exe is a DOS/Windows file.

There will be a way to package for Android. I don't know what it is.

...

> Thanks for your response. I am mostly getting positive feedback for
> Python. Still a few small questions.
>
> Is it easy to do matrix operations in Python? Or do I need to write
> subroutines like in Visual Basic?

I don't know. Again, best ask on comp.lang.python.

For general purpose programming Python is a very good choice. It has a
good logical and explicit syntax (which makes it easier to read than
languages with implicit operations). It has loads of support in terms of
library modules you can use and ways of packaging the finished product.

James

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#16480

James Harris wrote:

> IIRC VB forms are designed graphically. In other languages you create
> GUIs by function calls. It's a better way but you might find it takes
> some getting used to.

In its absoluteness, plain wrong.  I can name several programming languages 
with which you do _not_ (have to) create “GUIs by function calls”.
 
>> Which language should I start learning? I have been told by a few people
>> to consider Python. Is PHP a good option? Are there better options?
>> VB.net does not sound like a good idea.
> 
> Python is a well-designed language that you can use for lots of
> purposes. […]
> 
> That said, Python can be used in complicated ways. To understand it well
> will take a lot of time. Some people write Python code that is very hard
> to decipher. (True in many languages but normally discouraged in those.)

Non sequitur.  Because Python can be written and read like English, it is 
very easy to learn by comparison.  Which is why it is on the verge to 
replace or already has replaced Java in programming education.  That said, 
this whole discussion is off-topic here.
 
> For more

s/more/correct/

> info try comp.lang.python.

Exactly.  And general programming questions belong in comp.lang.misc, not 
any or all arbitrary programming newsgroup(s).

-- 
PointedEars
Zend Certified PHP Engineer 
<http://www.zend.com/en/yellow-pages/ZEND024953> | Twitter: @PointedEars2
Please do not cc me. / Bitte keine Kopien per E-Mail.

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#16482

On 17/02/2016 22:46, Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn wrote:
> James Harris wrote:
>
>> IIRC VB forms are designed graphically. In other languages you create
>> GUIs by function calls. It's a better way but you might find it takes
>> some getting used to.
>
> In its absoluteness, plain wrong.  I can name several programming languages
> with which you do _not_ (have to) create “GUIs by function calls”.

You'll see I did not say "all" or "most" or even "many". I decided to 
just say "other" which was non-specific enough for the purposes of the 
reply.

...

>> info try comp.lang.python.
>
> Exactly.  And general programming questions belong in comp.lang.misc, not
> any or all arbitrary programming newsgroup(s).

For general programming I would advise comp.programming. Newsgroup 
comp.lang.misc was once used for languages which were not dealt with 
elsewhere in the Big 8 hierarchy but became more about language and 
compiler design.

James

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#16492

James Harris wrote:

> On 17/02/2016 22:46, Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn wrote:
>> James Harris wrote:
>>> IIRC VB forms are designed graphically. In other languages you create
>>> GUIs by function calls. It's a better way but you might find it takes
>>> some getting used to.
>> In its absoluteness, plain wrong.  I can name several programming
>> languages with which you do _not_ (have to) create “GUIs by function
>> calls”.
> 
> You'll see I did not say "all" or "most" or even "many".

Good, because it would have been ⅔ weasel words otherwise.

> I decided to just say "other" which was non-specific enough for the 
> purposes of the reply.

Your logic is flawed.

  1. X := {x | p(x)}
  2. |X| > 1
  3. v ∈ X
  4. Y := X \ {v}
  5. y ∈ Y
  6. q(y) ≡ ∀y q(y). ∎

>>> info try comp.lang.python.
>> Exactly.  And general programming questions belong in comp.lang.misc, not
>> any or all arbitrary programming newsgroup(s).
> 
> For general programming I would advise comp.programming. Newsgroup
> comp.lang.misc was once used for languages which were not dealt with
> elsewhere in the Big 8 hierarchy but became more about language and
> compiler design.

ACK, the taglines indicate that indeed.

-- 
PointedEars
Zend Certified PHP Engineer 
<http://www.zend.com/en/yellow-pages/ZEND024953> | Twitter: @PointedEars2
Please do not cc me. / Bitte keine Kopien per E-Mail.

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