[SillyEddy]

I have a very small understanding of C++ and I have used it briefly in the past (mostly for test programs and to help me with my homework) and I'm sure I have a book on it somewhere, but I've since lost it.

I have an idea for a program that I want to create, and I'm looking to see if there is any language which is inherently easy when it comes to making those features.


I'm going to create a back-up program for my camera files and photos. It will recognise when there are files present in the 'camera' folder in my documents and back them up to my external hard drive. On command/logic I want the external hard drive to back up to a second device. Thus I have a master copy, a master back up and a back up backed up.

That seems fairly easy to sort out by any language, but there are a few more things that I want for it.


I want visual elements, such as selecting the input/output hard drives by a drop-down box. Or being able to control how full the hard drive can get before a warning comes up. It should have an icon in the taskbar (such as where the clock/volume, etc are. This will show the alerts) and normally run in the back ground. If possible I'll link it up to the shut-down part of Windows, so that it forces the software to back up my photos... Or with the task bar icon I will cause that to back-up and close down.



Before you say it: Yes, this is a big project for a new guy. Yes I get that. Yes, I tell people to avoid the big projects until they have a grasp on the software they're using. That is not what I'm after.

What I am after: A starting block. I know my goal, I know I need to work. I just need to confirm where ever is best to start. Could I feasibly stick with C++ or are there better solutions?

For the future: I am going towards a life of engineering. Ideally I would like to be able to create some of my own prototype CAD machines. A language which can suitably communicate with external devices and which has that sort of flexibility would be ideal. As with most things, the more complex the tasks, the more work there is to do and learn. That's fine.

Cheers

[Dark Lord of Mordor]

C++ sounds alright (I'm guessing you know your plan for it) Good luck with it

[Planto]

Stick with C++. If you use Visual Studio, you can write it as a command-line app and then integrate it with a GUI once you're done.

[Fallen]

While I have done plenty of C++, I have never done a GUI (Graphical User Interface) in it.

I might be wrong, as I really have no idea about C++ GUIs, but it might be easier to a Forms application (with GUI) in C#.NET or Java.

Feel free anybody to correct me if there are good Forms libraries for C++, though.

[Planto]

(Original post by Fallen)
While I have done plenty of C++, I have never done a GUI (Graphical User Interface) in it.

I might be wrong, as I really have no idea about C++ GUIs, but it might be easier to a Forms application (with GUI) in C#.NET or Java.

Feel free anybody to correct me if there are good Forms libraries for C++, though.

You can design Windows Forms applications with C++ in more or less the same way as with other .NET languages:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/libr...(v=vs.80).aspx

[SillyEddy]

I've been working through C++ tutorials, and all seems to be going well. Some of the later tutorials work on the visual elements and working with external files. So I'm on the right path! I've done some work on arrays, math functions, variables, statements, etc. Now on to loops.

[Psyk]

I think C# would be a good choice here. I'd say it's easier to use for this sort of stuff. Mostly because it comes with a large set of libraries, where as C++ doesn't come with anywhere near the same level of functionality built in. I'm sure there are similar libraries out there for C++, but C# makes the process more simple in my opinion.

I know in C# you can set up a FileWatcher that gets a notification when a file changes or gets added/deleted in the folder you're watching.

[ThePants999]

I agree with Psyk. More generally, as long as your OS is Windows, I'd recommend any .NET language, as you'll benefit from .NET APIs for file management.

[CJKay]

C# or C++/.NET would be your easiest way around this.

[xXedixXx]

Do you want this to be multi-platform? Or only Windows?

[Chrosson]

I was going to suggest Python until I saw the word 'visual'.

As noted, any language you can play with in visual studio is probably a good choice but I'd suggest C# over C++ simply because there's less to think about and more done for you.

[Planto]

(Original post by SillyEddy)
I've been working through C++ tutorials, and all seems to be going well. Some of the later tutorials work on the visual elements and working with external files. So I'm on the right path! I've done some work on arrays, math functions, variables, statements, etc. Now on to loops.

Nice to see someone putting in the effort and getting results - seems to be quite rare around here.

[History98]

C#