PC Interface

[Ioannis]

I'd like to offer to my clients a PC software in order for them to be able setting parameters on a board (either a PIC populated or other circuit, it does not matter). The target board will use RS-232 to communicate to PC.

I am not very good at any new Visual Studio. My Visual Basic or C knowledge is not enough to complete such a task. I used to do some small programs in Visual Basic 6 long ago, but this is too old IDE now.

Any other idea to offer a graphical interface? Maybe there is a more graphical IDE to make such a program.

Thanks,
Ioannis

[Demon]

I used Visual Studio 2022 for my interface tests recently.

https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/downloads/

I was just about to get back on doing more development in that area.

Start a thread in Off-topic, and we can discuss at length what you need. I should be able to help you get code code working.

[Ioannis]

Thanks Robert.

Topic moved.

Now, the Interface should have drop down menus that the user would select. Most of the fields are predefined and not inserted by user.

For example select Serial Port, select parameters of port and Open it to communicate to the board.

Then in the IDE, select various fields like 8 Power levels: 0 to 7. Or select one of 12 bandwidths 12,5KHz, 25KHz etc.

Sure if the number is integer, like the power level, user can just enter the nuimber and if wrong, prompt to correct it. But with 12.5 etc it is prefered to have it from a list.

That is the idea mainly.

On the ancient VS6 I was able to produce a stand alone executable. Now the new Studio produces other types of files (manifests etc), that are neither installers nor stand alone executables. Also the environment has changed so much that it is difficult to follow.

I wish there was a simpler one to get the job done and not have a year of learning curve...

Ioannis

[Demon]

I'll check my PC. I'm sure I found a tutorial.

Edit: this is where I'll start reviewing vb community.

I remember this guy being my #1 reference.

https://www.picbasic.co.uk/forum/showthread.php/26593-New-project-MSFS-C-USB-interface?p=154229#post154229

[Ioannis]

Thanks for that. I review it in the past but is a bit complicated for me. I guess I am too old to do that...!

Maybe there is a simpler environment to build an executable with few drop down selections.


Something like this https://www.electronic-software-shop.com/lng/en/electronic-software/profilab-expert-40.html

Ioannis

[Demon]

Look at tutorials for Winform using BASIC specifically. It's in VB community, and probably as simplified graphical interface you can get, for FREE.

https://youtu.be/zJqKVWkrXRQ?si=Bq_b_f44Oxm0L4NV


You wouldn't have to get back into C, C++ or C#.

There's most likely commercial tools to do the same, but MS has a proven track record.

EDIT: I had to use C++ because the interface tool for MS Flight Sim had C++ interfaces available.

[Demon]

If you want something else, I'd start googling for "simplified gui generator software".

Like: https://retool.com/pricing

Interesting comments here:
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskProgramming/comments/w9strt/best_way_to_make_a_quick_simple_gui_app/

More discussion here pushing for Winform:
https://www.reddit.com/r/csharp/comments/udggj2/new_to_net_whats_the_easiest_way_to_build_a/

and here:
https://forums.freebsd.org/threads/looking-for-an-easy-gui-builder.72104/

and here:
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2071661/what-tools-to-choose-for-developing-a-simple-gui-application


So far, I don't see one software standing up above the crowd, except for Winform.

[HenrikOlsson]

I used Visual Basic back in the good old VB6 days. When .net came along it got complicated. They removed the built in serial port control which made it a lot harder to use. In later versions they put it back. But what was always an issue for me was the portabillity of the application developed. I was never able to have it produce a single executable or an installer (with all needed dependencies) that was easy to deploy on someone elses computer. For ones own use, where you run what you develop on the machine where it's being developed it doesn't matter.

PureBasic looks interesting (I have not tried it).
Claims to generate single, 32 or 64bit executable without depending on multi gigabyte frameworks, runtime interpreters and what not on the "customer" machine. A bit old school perhaps but if you liked VB6 as much as I did perhaps PureBasic will do the thing.

[Ioannis]

Thanks Henrik.

Will have a look at that.

Ioannis

[Ioannis]

If you want something else, I'd start googling for "simplified gui generator software".

Like: https://retool.com/pricing

So far, I don't see one software standing up above the crowd, except for Winform.

OK, thanks Robert. Seems also a possibility.

Ioannis

[amgen]

how about a brief description of what you want to do..... maybe we could do some parts and share some experiences... I made this visual basic thing a while back and somehow it still works..... communicates with my pic over wifi network and doing serial comms was pretty easy.9792

[Ioannis]

Yes, seems OK. But I guess on your own machine (as Henrik stated).

But were you able to make an installer for third party to have it installed on new PC? or even a stand alone executable file to distribute without any worry for DLLs and other crap files?

Ioannis

[Ioannis]

This is one of tools that I'd like to emulate having some of the features hiden from the end users and others fixed at some value.

9793

Ioannis

[amgen]

But were you able to make an installer for third party to have it installed on new PC? or even a stand alone executable file

So, haven't used MS visual studio for a while, but usually they make it 'somewhat' backwards compatible. There was an option to make the app I made a "Click Once" installation all in one file. I put it on several windows 10, 7 and 8 machines without a problem. There were no DLL's I needed to deal with. That click once allowed for easy updates just by version of your program so if you added some function, it would ask if you wanted to update kind of automatically. Also I think that for any windows program it may require some version of the .net library and windows lets you know if some files are needed and it can automatically download them. I also think windows always looks to see if the required files are on your machine to run this or that program. The visual studio TOOLBOX has most all the functioning you could need..... along with some libraries for comms. I never tried to use a USB function, it was too complicated for me but with those virtual comm ports, and usb to usart converters it was way easier to set up communications.

9794

[Ioannis]

Thanks,
Ioannis