Linux_Fan Posted June 20, 2003 Report Share Posted June 20, 2003 Hello, I 'm using MD Linux for a little while and become more familiar with in using it. Now that I understand Linux a little bit more I want to start to write my one applications (small ones for start). What is de best programming language to start with, inclusive with a GUI? In my case this is KDE. Also want to know where I can get it/download it. I have (some) experience with C/C++, Basic and Pascal, but all in a Windows environment. I have MD Linux 8.0 with KDE 2.2.2; system is an AMD Athlon 1300 MHz with 512 MB. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tyme Posted June 20, 2003 Report Share Posted June 20, 2003 In KDE, if you want a GUI, your best choice is QT. Supposedly it's somewhat similar to C++....or atleast I've heard that....let me find you a link to a tutorial, I know there was one somewhere here....there it is: http://doc.trolltech.com/3.2/tutorial.html addition: this link may be a bit more helpful: http://doc.trolltech.com/3.2/how-to-learn-qt.html That should give you a half decent start :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtweidmann Posted June 20, 2003 Report Share Posted June 20, 2003 AFAIK Linux code is mainly done in either C or C++, then for the GUI you use a GUI toolkit. This is not exactly the same as a programming language, as it usually only handles the interface stuff. GNOME uses GTK and KDE uses QT, but there are others as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fuzzylizard Posted June 20, 2003 Report Share Posted June 20, 2003 If you already have experience using C and C++ then start there. The only thing you really need to know about is gcc -- the C compiler, and for C++ you can use g++. There, now you are ready to do some very basic C/C++ programming. If know Pascal and have ever used Delphi then I suggest you check out Kylix from Borland. It is an IDE for Delphi and C++ for Linux. Biggest Suggestion: If you really want to start programming on Linux then I suggest you get a copy of Beginning Linux Programming by Wrox publishing. This book will introduce you to an array of different programming languages and techniques for linux. It centres mainly on C programming and multi-threaded programming and client server programming, but this is a big part of programming for linux. However, it also has chapters on gui programming using GTK along with programming in TCL and Perl. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
static Posted June 20, 2003 Report Share Posted June 20, 2003 Qt (I found) to be very confusing. If you like C / C++, try out KDevelop *if you have any ms visual C++ experience. If not, I STRONGLY recommend Borland's Kylix 3 open edition, available free on their site. With this you can very easily program GUI apps (works exactly like VB but uses the pascal language) AND the best part is your code will compile in windows with Delphi (also from Borland, not free). Write app once, use in either linux or windows!! Just remember - if you start the app in delphi for windows, be sure to go to File >> New... >> CLX App - otherwise you get a VCL app which is windows specific (can't be easily ported to linux via a simple re-compile) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gowator Posted June 20, 2003 Report Share Posted June 20, 2003 This really rocks. I havn't actually done anything serious in it, just a few interfaces but its a real nice IDE. Actual language wise its hard to say becuase it depends on the task. I have my personal favorites and I'll go through why but that might not be applicable to you. For database access I tend to lean towards PERL with DBI and DBD:Oracle. This is becuase I already knew perl when i was looking for what to write this in. PHP is very good for database access but its server based whereas perl is client server.... IF I was building a website connecting to a database I'd do it in php but I'd have to learn. For general interface, like to the above I stick with perl because it's easier to integrate witrh the dastabase access and good to prototype. Using glade as a IDE for this is pretty good although not as sophisticated as KDevelop/Qt you can pretty much start from scratch and learn as you go along. I still haven't needed to RTFM for glade.....wheras the Qt stuff will never work until you do RTFM. I think it might be easy but I didn't have the luxury of finding out. You can prototype your glade stuff in perl/python and then port to c++ very easiliy afterwards. Its amazing what can be achieved with a bash or csh script. Everything has a use. For games etc. obviously you'll want c/c++ All round I find perl is pretty flexible and not the best at anything. You can use it like a turbo bash script but you could just write the whole thing in c to make it faster. You can use it to access a database and its flexible in this respect but for a website php rocks. If its an oracle server then jsp is even better! Interfaces etc. same thing, but tend to comile them in C later, glade thoughtfully provides a makefile.... If your used to Delphi then obviously start with kylix... I don't know python but I believe its got the same strenghs as perl... I keep sticking with it becuase whatever I need to do someone else has already done most of the work for me .... check out the list of libaries and funtions at www.cpan.com Before anyone says the port of the installer and RPMDRAKE to perl was a disaster (IMHO) but Mandrake maintain its more maintainable. It comes down to what you wanna write, will you maintain it etc. You should check out the extra tools available in linux for collaborative development like CVS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest stodge Posted June 20, 2003 Report Share Posted June 20, 2003 QT is NOT similar to C++. The two are completely different entities. QT is a GUI library that provides an Application Programming Interfac (API) for developing graphical applications. C++ is a development language. I believe that applications that use QT have to be written in C++. The other major GUI API for Linux is GTK, which can be used with C applications. You can use any language you can think of to develop under Linux; Pascal, C, C++, Java, Lua, Python, Perl, Pike etc. It all depends on what type of applications you want to develop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarah31 Posted June 20, 2003 Report Share Posted June 20, 2003 not only is not like C++ but QT is pure POS. don't like it. stay away from perl it may be nice to use and easy to work with but it is a horrible, lazy language. write once read never. i suggest C or even C++ (even though i find C++ a cumbersome language to deal with compiling wise) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest stodge Posted June 20, 2003 Report Share Posted June 20, 2003 Mdk 9.1 includes C and C++ support through the Gnu compiler. You can therefore use kdevelop (which at the moment is an awful piece of software) to write and compile C/C++. You could also install Free Pascal (freepascal.org), or check the installation CDs for RPMs for it. You might find some at rpmfind.net for Mandrake if you can't find it on the CDs. Perl is a horrible language to look at; I think it's ugly myself but I haven't needed to use it before. It all boils down to what you want and what you like. I personally don't have a problem with developing with C++, but that's just me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linux_Fan Posted June 20, 2003 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2003 A lot of reaction, but also different meanings and preferences. The main stream is either C++/Qt or Kylix(pascal). Is this right? What I'm looking for is an IDE, in which I can write, compile, link, run and debug an application. It must be (littlebit) friendly to use/work with and for free of course (just for the hobby). Just to write common application, nothing in particalar. The IDE and/or language must be for allround developement purposes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michel Posted June 20, 2003 Report Share Posted June 20, 2003 I also program in kdevelop..very userfirendly to my opinion.... you can install it bye urpmi kdevelop. The only thing I don't like about it is teh build-in debugger, but it's new, so I hope they improve it...You can just use as an option the external debuuger kdbg wich is very good to my opinion...:) this is an option in kdevelop. We have to use QT for school and once you get to know it, it's very easy(buit that's with everything :)). QT is actually C++ I believe, it provides just an interface .... It is slow I believe, but ok, this is what I heart. If you gonna program, check ou Kdevelop...., enable the externalk debugger!! And when you make an index of helpfiles install glimpse/htdig. I use glimpse, but I've seen there is an rpm for htdig for kdevelop...I'v also added the directory /usr/share/doc/HTML/en/kdevelop/ This provides you also an index of C/C++ doc-files... To be honest, I even like kdevelop more then VC++(which we can use at school). Why? You maybe don't believe me, but I find it more userfirendly(anyway for the tasks I've done). Ok, there's room for improvement, but it's very good to my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gowator Posted June 20, 2003 Report Share Posted June 20, 2003 sorry all what Imeant to say was thats why I use it. The Kdevelop includes the Qt development stuff but its a pain to create a makefile via the included stuff. It looks like if I RTFM'd it might not be so involved though. perl is cheap and cheerful but I was trying to say the reason i use it is pure lazyness and familiarity. Sometimes starting simple is good. If you use glade for prottyping gtk stuff its alo nice, I prototype first in perl but then u can redo it in c or c++ as you choose. If you take the time to look thru the source you can learn something whilst your at it.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michel Posted June 20, 2003 Report Share Posted June 20, 2003 I've read that you can use whatever license you want on the software you make with kdevelop(kdevelop itself is distributed udner GPL if I'm not mistaken)...it's free...just try it, you will eb convinced I think... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Scrimpshire Posted June 20, 2003 Report Share Posted June 20, 2003 We resent the remarks about Perl. Signed, HLPCO (Horrible, Lazy Perl Coders' Organization) :wink: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gowator Posted June 20, 2003 Report Share Posted June 20, 2003 I represent that remark :-) Lazy programmers rule, why reinvent the wheel !! Steve OLP (one Lazy Programmer) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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