What would be the best language for this idea?

kasitl · Grasshopper Joined: 28 Jul 2007 Posts: 3

Ok, I know enough html to make a quaint site, just enough css to be able to Frankenstein some example code into customized work, and have made some programs in RPG Toolkit (though, never did finish a game.... ^^;;), but I've been wanting to learn an actual programing language for a while now. I have a specific idea in mind for a program I want, but I'm not sure which language to pick.

What I need my program to be able to do, is layer four animated .gif images on top of each other, and hang out in the lower corner (right preferably, but I'd also like a left corner version so I can have two going. Or maybe drag-and-drop, if that's not too hard to program). They must be able to be transparent, and sit on top of all programs. Transparency is extremely important, otherwise I could just do my idea in HTML.

When right-clicked, I need it to give me some options to change the .gifs the layers use, and some other options (help, about, exit). One option needs to change the directories that two layers pull from (example: If I pick option Blob, then layers 2 and 3 need to pull from Blob's directory; be ideal if layer 2 could pull from Blob/Folder within Blob/). However, some layers need to pull from a specific directory 100% of the time. I also need to be able to set the layers to display nothing.

I also want an option called "Sequence", that, if set to an option other than Custom, clears all the layers and runs a specific image. If that option gets changed to Custom, then the other layers need to pull up specific defaults.

It would be great if it could remember the last setting when closed and re-opened, but it's not necessary.

I realize that with four layers that have animation, this program could be a potential ram-hog, but my laptop's not too shabby and it's primarily for my use. Also, two of the layers would have very little animation, if any, most of the time, and one of the layers with heavy animation wouldn't always be used. The layer that would have the most animated use would have fairly subtle animation, so most of it would be stationary.

I'm thinking that one of the C languages would probably be best, but I'm not sure which one to use for this goal.

If what I'm describing seems rather vague, I could whip up a mock image or two that could better explain what I mean. I have a very clear goal in my head, but I'm trying not to say too much about the specific point of the program. >.<

Using a PC with XP installed.

Ankou · Posted: Sun Jul 29, 2007 5:18 pm Post subject:

Are you looking to do this online (in a webpage) or is it some desktop app you're looking to make?

If it's online there's a lot going on and no one language will work you'll need to use HTML/CSS - for placement and layers, (maybe) java script - for showing/hiding images and/or layers, and some server side language if you want to manipulate the images (I like PHP but the choice may depend on what you want to actually change in the image and what libraries are available for the language -- oh and of course what languages are available to you).

kasitl · Grasshopper Joined: 28 Jul 2007 Posts: 3

No, I'm already capable of doing it in HTML, but that's not what I want to do.

You know those programs that stick Christmas lights around your screen? Something more like that. I realize it probably has to be C or C++ (or that newfangled C# I've seen people mention lately), but I'm not sure which would work better for this.

Ankou · Posted: Mon Jul 30, 2007 11:12 pm Post subject:

Gottcha. Well you'll probably have to wait for someone else to come along to help you then. I don't keep up with a lot of the newfangled languages. I'd imagine you could go with any number of them, but as for which would be best, I couldn't tell ya (sorry!).

WannaBe · Wiggles Joined: 22 Oct 2004 Posts: 714 Location: CA

would this be for Windows, Linux, Mac OS?

There are lots of languages to choice from, that all act a little different, do something a little better (or worse).

c/c++ is probably best for portability, speed, and no dependencies; but can be difficult to learn/use. There is a lot of free IDE's and compilers.

c#/vb.net/j#/c++ managed (.NET/Mono) is great for OOP, and RAD development. Visual Studio Express is free for any use but the IDE has less features than the priced versions. Down fall is it requires the .NET Framework (1.1, 2.0, 3.0 or 3.5). (Mono [is not a Microsoft product] is a version of .NET for Linux support and is starting to get good resources)

VB6 is old, out dated, but is still capable for programs. There is no support and hard to find online to buy. (It requires the VB6 runtime)

Java, I have never used it, or researched about it but a lot of people like it will a lot of people hate it. (also has many free IDE's)

C/C++ is the most used for it having much of no limit to any type of app function but I never learnt C/C++ because it is not an RAD type language.

There is also a lot of Basic syntax remakes like RealBasic, and I think it has Windows, Linux and Windows support.

(RAD is rapid application development)

natriss102 · Posted: Sat Aug 11, 2007 9:16 pm Post subject:

Google told me RAD stood for Radiation absorbed dose. I had a feeling that didn't fit.

WannaBe · Wiggles Joined: 22 Oct 2004 Posts: 714 Location: CA

Seems you have to look way down the list:

kasitl · Grasshopper Joined: 28 Jul 2007 Posts: 3

Ok, thanks for helping, guys. ^_^

I signed up for an Intro to Programming class at school, and if I keep the class my teacher is willing to let me work on my idea in the class. It's Visual Basic though, not C__, but hey, at least it's something, right? ^^ And it'll open up the other programming classes to me as well... ^^

Ankou · Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 9:41 pm Post subject:

The first languages I was taught were Q/BASIC - even at that time the language was out of date (was it ever IN date?

).

Really it doesn't matter - honestly, I feel, the best reason for early programming classes is to get familiar with the proper methods to good programming. Once you have that down then it's all about syntax and language familiarity.

So even if you're going to be taught Visual Basic make sure that you focus more on learning proper programming techniques. After that it's just about learning the syntax to the language you're interested in.

Good luck!