Programming Language Suggestions

A

AzBat

Agent of the Bat
Legend
I'm looking to do some very basic script-like Windows programing. The last language I've done work in(and prefer the most) was Perl in UNIX. However, I've also programmed in C, Pascal and BASIC(not visual) as well. Pascal is neat and I've always enjoyed it, but haven't used it in over 13 years. Anyway, I was wanting to get something similar to Visual Basic, but I don't want to spend any money on the tools. I want a total freeware package that will also allow me to compile my code to a single .EXE file. No interpreters or virtual machine environments for me. The language doesn't have to be complicated or full featured. I just want to draw/design simple window forms and do simple tasks like in DOS batch files or PERL scripts. Somebody had suggested WinBatch and looks like something that would fit my requirements, but it's not free and I'm not spending any money on it. LOL I was hoping somebody here would have some suggestions. Thanks in advance.

Tommy McClain
 
Davros said:
the stuff like batch files + a single question ect makes it diffucult to know a good language to recommend they all seem to complex for what you want

perhaps windows script
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...43-7E4B-4622-86EB-95A22B832CAA&displaylang=en

ps: if you love pascal (i did) its now called delphi and is free
http://www.codegear.com/downloads/free/turbo

or
visual c++, c# and basic free
http://www.microsoft.com/express/download/
Click to expand...

Thanks for the suggestions! Hadn't thought Microsoft would have any free tools. As for Delphi, that sounds great. It would be nice to be able to stick to a language that's similar to what I've done before so Pascal or Perl would be ideal. In my own searching, I found RapidBatch. The free version would probably do almost everything I want, but the Professional Edition($25) would give me the compiler. At $25 I couldn't complain too much.

As for the complexity, I'd like for it be as complex as doing Perl programming. I'm not scarred by it. I'm just a cheap bastard. LOL ;)

Tommy McClain
 
actually you have the windows scripting host included in windows, so you can make some .vbs files in notepad and run them with a mere double click on any windows install.
(there's a msblah.dll.vbs virus spreading on USB drives, conveniently run by autorun.inf with admin privileges on most PCs :))

you can check autohotkey, it's totally free and has about a million features
http://www.autohotkey.com/
 
Blazkowicz said:
actually you have the windows scripting host included in windows, so you can make some .vbs files in notepad and run them with a mere double click on any windows install.
(there's a msblah.dll.vbs virus spreading on USB drives, conveniently run by autorun.inf with admin privileges on most PCs :))

you can check autohotkey, it's totally free and has about a million features
http://www.autohotkey.com/
Click to expand...

Thank god I have autorun disabled...
 
AzBat said:
As for the complexity, I'd like for it be as complex as doing Perl programming.
Click to expand...
Man.. First you said "very basic script-like Windows programing", which made me think of AutoIt. Then you go and say you want it as complex as Perl?! I mean, you could do almost anything with Perl (although, that's not to say it's the best tool for any job). If you're comfortable with it an know how to accomplish what you want to do, why not? Personally, I find myself using (wx)Python for many tasks I would have used Perl for previously. It's a pretty easy transition.
 
NovemberMike said:
Thank god I have autorun disabled...
Click to expand...

and it can't even easily be disabled with XP home out of the box (but there's TweakUI). not that XP pro is much better, few people know about gpedit.msc. I wonder how's the situation in Vista (and what would do that virus on a limited user, both in XP and Vista)
 
Blazkowicz said:
and it can't even easily be disabled with XP home out of the box (but there's TweakUI). not that XP pro is much better, few people know about gpedit.msc. I wonder how's the situation in Vista (and what would do that virus on a limited user, both in XP and Vista)
Click to expand...

Thank god I'm running Server 2003...
 
Blazkowicz said:
actually you have the windows scripting host included in windows, so you can make some .vbs files in notepad and run them with a mere double click on any windows install.
(there's a msblah.dll.vbs virus spreading on USB drives, conveniently run by autorun.inf with admin privileges on most PCs :))

you can check autohotkey, it's totally free and has about a million features
http://www.autohotkey.com/
Click to expand...

Thanks for the suggestion. I came across that one before, but thought it was only a macro/key/mouse type scripting language. I've looked at it closer and it looks like it could do the job. Looks like I'm going to have to download a few of them to figure out which one's better suited. Thanks again.

Tommy McClain
 
Zaphod said:
Man.. First you said "very basic script-like Windows programing", which made me think of AutoIt. Then you go and say you want it as complex as Perl?! I mean, you could do almost anything with Perl (although, that's not to say it's the best tool for any job). If you're comfortable with it an know how to accomplish what you want to do, why not? Personally, I find myself using (wx)Python for many tasks I would have used Perl for previously. It's a pretty easy transition.
Click to expand...

Sorry about the conflicting requests. Part of me just wants something simple like a batch scripting language, but the other part of me would rather put that time investment into something where I could do more complex things. If I'm going to learn a new language, I'd rather it do everything I want to do with it.

Anyway, thanks for the AutoIt and Python suggestions. I've come across AutoIt in my quest and it could do the simple stuff I'm wanting to do. Looks like I'll have to play with it before I make a decision. As for Python, I've heard of it, but never looked into it. If it's anything like Perl I might be interested in it. Thanks again.

Tommy McClain
 
Python is the correct answer. Scripting: yes. Lots of modules: yes. Capable of building large apps just as well: yes.
 
Compiles to a single .EXE file : No

My first Python program
You may now bow before my l33t skills
 
Last edited by a moderator:
AutoIT can do some pretty gnarly stuff if you want to, and it can be compiled to a standalone EXE. Has plugins for damn near anything, to include DLL links. Features 32-bit and 64-bit "compilers", and comes standard in UDF so it works in multilingual Windows installs and hardware.

Been doing a LOT of AutoIT code in the recent months; it's been very handy for rewriting some ancient batch-based scripts and is a much better option than HTA's for an easy app that needs an user interface while not being dependant on Windows Script Host being in perfect working order.
 
Zaphod said:
Man.. First you said "very basic script-like Windows programing", which made me think of AutoIt. Then you go and say you want it as complex as Perl?! I mean, you could do almost anything with Perl (although, that's not to say it's the best tool for any job). If you're comfortable with it an know how to accomplish what you want to do, why not? Personally, I find myself using (wx)Python for many tasks I would have used Perl for previously. It's a pretty easy transition.
Click to expand...

I haven't used wxPython much, but so far it's been easy to develop a GUI. With Python you can supposedly create a exe file with py2exe, but I haven't tried it myself.
 
3dcgi said:
I haven't used wxPython much, but so far it's been easy to develop a GUI.
Click to expand...
Yeah. Several of the GUI toolkits are (supposedly) pretty easy to work with in Python. I just never (ever since my early Perl days) felt comfortable with the 'Tk-look' and stumbled across wxWidgets when looking for a cross platform replacement. Tons of documentation/information around and wxGlade is a pretty good GUI designer too.
 
Nowadays, every copy of Windows comes with free C#, JScript, and VB compilers. They're good languages to do some simple programming and scripting.

Just look in C:\Windows\Microsoft.Net\Framework\v2.0.50727 if you've got the .NET Framework installed (it's there by default on Vista, and it's on Windows Update for XP/2003).

csc.exe -> c# compiler
jsc.exe -> Javascript compiler.
vbc.exe -> Basic compiler.

msbuild.exe -> project builder.

Note you have full .NET Framework support, which includes all the GUI libraries and stuff, so you can in fact pretty much write full blown apps with just the built in stuff, and all the docs are on msdn2.microsoft.com.

If you want a free integrated development environment, you can grab Visual Studio Express Edition, which comes in VB, C#, XNA, and C++ flavors.

http://www.microsoft.com/express/
 
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