Help for a GUI Newbie??

[Guy Macon]

I suggest crossposting to these two groups:

comp.lang.basic.powerbasic,alt.lang.powerbasic

Some systems don't get alt.lang.powerbasic.

Answer below.

Hey guys.... My first post here, but I've had PB/CC for over a year, and for
my scientific programming needs, it was great... Rather than upgrading from
Vers 3.2 to 4, I decided to go with PB/WIN 8 and join the real world. Life
is a bit different in GUI-land....
I have an atmospheric dispersion program that I've written and now converted
from PB/CC to PB/Win by replacing all the print and input statements with
text and input boxes, but then I started messing with the address book file
in the samples in PB/Win 8. I think I've got it all set up to input my
parameters for a "stacked deck" (for any old guys out there), and I'm now
working on tweaking the data structures to match up with the original
program.
OK, so here's the question...... I can take the sample programs and after
spending a lot of time playing with the programs, I can get them "fixed" to
do what I want, BUT... is there some sort of tutorial that will get me into
the fundamentals of what all of this stuff really means? I've got a degree
in physics with a CS minor, but it was back in the FORTRAN is everything
days.... Back then, assembly language was cool... provided you understood
what it was "really" doing. Any suggestions on reading material that would
fit well with PB/Win that you could recommend???

In my opinion, the books that you can buy from PowerBASIC are the best
place to start.

[Blue Flash]

Thanks Guy!

did the cross post, only got an answer so far in this one. I appreciate the
info though.... I'll go take another look at the PB site.

Post by Guy Macon
comp.lang.basic.powerbasic,alt.lang.powerbasic
Some systems don't get alt.lang.powerbasic.
Answer below.

Hey guys.... My first post here, but I've had PB/CC for over a year, and for
my scientific programming needs, it was great... Rather than upgrading from
Vers 3.2 to 4, I decided to go with PB/WIN 8 and join the real world. Life
is a bit different in GUI-land....
I have an atmospheric dispersion program that I've written and now converted
from PB/CC to PB/Win by replacing all the print and input statements with
text and input boxes, but then I started messing with the address book file
in the samples in PB/Win 8. I think I've got it all set up to input my
parameters for a "stacked deck" (for any old guys out there), and I'm now
working on tweaking the data structures to match up with the original
program.
OK, so here's the question...... I can take the sample programs and after
spending a lot of time playing with the programs, I can get them "fixed" to
do what I want, BUT... is there some sort of tutorial that will get me into
the fundamentals of what all of this stuff really means? I've got a degree
in physics with a CS minor, but it was back in the FORTRAN is everything
days.... Back then, assembly language was cool... provided you understood
what it was "really" doing. Any suggestions on reading material that would
fit well with PB/Win that you could recommend???

In my opinion, the books that you can buy from PowerBASIC are the best
place to start.

[Scott Wyatt]

What exactly are you looking for, in terms of help? GUI issues or data
issues? It wasn't clear from the post I read.

- Scott

[Blue Flash]

Hmmmm... I guess I'm in a position where I probably don't know enough to ask
the right question. In my old FORTRAN days and in the earlier compiled
BASICs, (aka DOS-type applications), it was a simple matter of printing a
question, input for getting the answer (or just input from a file).

I guess the "simple" example address book program that came with PB/Win 8
would be a good example of what is losing me. While most of the commands
are easy enough to look up in the programming reference, there are a number
of calls to functions that aren't defined in the programming ref or in the
program itself. Don't know where the heck they came from, what they really
do... Seems as though there are some "magic" commands out there... I can
tweak it and make it work for me, but it's still a mystery as to what is
really going on.......

I am considering going back to school to work on a BS and MS in CS, and from
a quick look at the methods that are used in the example programs, my old
"DOS" version with a print and an input now have become a page of code. Is
there a "PowerBASIC for Dummies" beginners-level book that can take me
through the basics so I can really understand what is going on at the lower
level? With my physics background, I have a hard time with the "zen" thing,
and really want to get a good handle on the low-level version of what is
REALLY happening...... Does that make sense?

thanks for the reply.... hope this one isn't as mixed up as the first
request.

[Scott Wyatt]

While you won't find a "PowerBASIC for Dummies," I think the larger
question for you is how to move from DOS to the Windows world of both
event-driven and (sometimes) object-oriented code.

First, PowerBASIC makes use of the Windows API. You can read the text of
the include files, if you're up to it, but I suggest any number of books
on the Windows API would be a better route. Most current languages, from
PowerBASIC and REALbasic to Objective-C on the Mac, allow you to access
the API / "toolbox" of the GUI directly.

Second, if you are thinking of updating your skills, I would look at
trying something like VB Express Edition or REALbasic Standard Edition
to see how the (partially) object oriented approach of current languages
is implemented. If you can learn VB or RB, you can adjust this knowledge
to C++, Java, C#, or Objective-C with some effort.

You can over-think programming, certainly, but it does help to see how
thing are evolving. PowerBASIC is in some ways a different beast because
it is so attached to its traditional, linear roots. I actually prefer
PowerBASIC and QuickBASIC to where we are with some code. Some things
are simply made too complex by languages.

I read the PowerBASIC reference and user manuals, cover to cover, and a
book on the Windows API for VB programmers. I now work on the Mac most
of the time, but the concept of declaring hooks to the API/Toolbox has
been valuable.

- Scott

[Blue Flash]

I think you may have hit it with that answer... it appears as though the
calls that I'm most confused with are the ties to Win API, and that seems to
be where I'm losing it .... basically, I keep having to ask... so what the
hell does THAT do??? Perhaps it IS more of a Windows API understanding that
I need instead of PowerBASIC itself. When I hit the Language reference, I
get answers that seem to mak sense, although many of the terms are still
pretty new, but I can play with it and figure it out....

by the way, although I keep referencing FORTRAN and the old BASICs, I
actually do have a lot of experience with Pascal, very limited C (prior to
C++), and Assemblers (although that would be Motorola 6502, 6800, and DEC
PDP 11.... remember those??? heheh). Also have a bit of UNIX Experience
with the old Sunstations of 10 years ago...

I agree that you can put TOO much thought into programming, but then again,
you have to at least have a handle on what is going on... at least in
general, with each call, command, etc.

Basically (no pun intended), I AM looking a trying to get current, but I am
really seriously looking at additional degrees in Computer Science...
starting with another BS, then an MS, and perhaps a career change.... Just
seems like I get a lot more enjoyment from the limited programming that I
get to do than any other part of my job...

I'll have to see what I can find for good books on Windows API, sounds like
that could be a first step. Any recommendations for a good FIRST book to
get my fee wet?

Thanks!
- Steve
--
- Steve

Post by Scott Wyatt
While you won't find a "PowerBASIC for Dummies," I think the larger
question for you is how to move from DOS to the Windows world of both
event-driven and (sometimes) object-oriented code.
First, PowerBASIC makes use of the Windows API. You can read the text of
the include files, if you're up to it, but I suggest any number of books
on the Windows API would be a better route. Most current languages, from
PowerBASIC and REALbasic to Objective-C on the Mac, allow you to access
the API / "toolbox" of the GUI directly.
Second, if you are thinking of updating your skills, I would look at
trying something like VB Express Edition or REALbasic Standard Edition to
see how the (partially) object oriented approach of current languages is
implemented. If you can learn VB or RB, you can adjust this knowledge to
C++, Java, C#, or Objective-C with some effort.
You can over-think programming, certainly, but it does help to see how
thing are evolving. PowerBASIC is in some ways a different beast because
it is so attached to its traditional, linear roots. I actually prefer
PowerBASIC and QuickBASIC to where we are with some code. Some things are
simply made too complex by languages.
I read the PowerBASIC reference and user manuals, cover to cover, and a
book on the Windows API for VB programmers. I now work on the Mac most of
the time, but the concept of declaring hooks to the API/Toolbox has been
valuable.
- Scott