I'm going to develop a web application based on mathematics. It's going to provide stuff like canvas' showing graphs (quadratics etc.) and also provide an exercise area to test knowledge.
I am stuck as to which route to take. I haven't developed a Web Application before and I am most confident working in C# applications. I would prefer to use C# when creating this but I don't know if that is really appropriate.
I have the following routes that I could go down:
Silverlight - I haven't used this before but it seems to be the most obvious solution to me. I was wondering how hard it will be to develop an understanding of silverlight (xaml etc.)
Java, I haven't any idea about java, but I've heard it has a lot of similarities to C#.
Tclets, my university tutor said he has worked with this before and it's easier to get on the web, and very handy for gui's.
I thought I'd ask this here to get everyones opinion on which path to take, and sum up all the positives and negatives of each route.
Thanks in advance.
If you decide to go the Silverlight route the Silverlight Toolkit has some good graphing samples : Silverlight Toolkit Control Samples - which is itself a Silverlight application.
Using Silverlight is probably the closest you can get to writing a desktop application for the web. The UI is specified in XAML with the application layer in C#. The whole application sits within the Silverlight control and you can generate the menus and other navigation items you need.
It complies to a XAP file which you deploy and then reference from either an HTML page or ASP page.
If you are most comfortable with C# then I would advise developing it in ASP.NET. Heres a starting point: Creating ASP.NET Web Applications
I really can't speak to Java or Tclets but Silverlight will offer you a familiar programming model if you are most comfortable in C#. XAML requires a bit of a learning curve if you don't have any experience with it. You don't have to go 100% Silverlight though - it could be a hybrid HTML (ASP.NET) and Silverlight solution - where Silverlight could primarily be used for the graphing/charting. You could use HTML or a more sophisticated ASP.NET site for the remainder of the content.
Related
I'm browsing the net now for days, but still couldn't find what I'm looking for. Basically I'd like to develop my application interface, the GUI using HTML and CSS, with of course keeping the events, and the chance to modify parts of the layout at runtime (like a content of a div). The application is a database manager displaying visually the datas, and updating them at runtime.
IE aka using System.Windows.Forms.WebBrowser, this is what I try to avoid, it depends on the client system, stops at version 7, hard to link with the application
HTMLayout - http://www.terrainformatica.com/htmlayout/ : seems interesting, but the .net c# part, the nabu-library is dead
Sciter - http://www.terrainformatica.com/sciter/ : from the same group as HTMLayout, but couldn't really understand the integration, and I'm not sure if this is what I want - also couldn't find .net c# infos
Awesomium - http://awesomium.com/ : which really seems nice at first, but it needs .net 4 , and we have to stay at .net 2 - also it seems too much to handle, to use, and .net wiki is a little weak: http://wiki.awesomium.net/
and finally Gecko http://code.google.com/p/geckofx/ and Webkit http://code.google.com/p/open-webkit-sharp/ - but currently I'm not sure that they can be used to render the whole application, they just seem to be a WebBrowser with another engine.
Did I miss something?
Sciter integration principles are outlined here and here.
Sciter and HTMLayout both use the same integration principles and API architecture.
As of .NET wrapper, check these projects:
https://github.com/midiway/SciterSharp
https://code.google.com/p/expemerent/
Not sure if this fits your requirements but I currently use Webkit.NET http://webkitdotnet.sourceforge.net/
Essentially I use its Webkit Browser Control for the interface, store the HTML/CSS markup as variables and then I use C# to perform server-side logic, then output the results to the Browser Control (C# in this case acting in place of PHP since I am not including a portable web server with my application).
I did want to update it to achieve some newer functionality/standards so this article was most helpful.
http://peterdn.com/post/(First!)-Using-WebKit-nightly-builds-with-WebKit-NET.aspx
I have a WPF/C# application.
It contains some .XAML pages.
i would like to integrate this application into my ASP.NET/C# web application.
I want the application to show in an asp.net page.
What is the best way to do this?
I heard that I can use Silverlight.
I never worked with silverlight before. Can I do it without knowing silverlight or should I have a knowledge in silverlight before doing it?
Any help is greatly appreciated.
Thank you very much
You can either deploy your WPF application as an XBAP or migrate it to Silverlight. I'd recommend the latter because you'll get better browser/os support.
Just create a new Silverlight project and copy your xaml files into it. Probably, everything will be compatible since both frameworks have a lot in common. Silverlight is a bit more restrictive since it's a web framework, but it also has other features that WPF doesn't. If you find something that's not compatible, just search for an alternative here.
I am a student and do my work and projects in c#.. I have not experienced WEB still. The question I wish to ask is that whenever in or near future if I wish to switch onto developing WEB Applications on ASP.Net, will I experience any difference ?? excluding any syntax changes.. I mean in C# the way do Add Update and Delete Records and the calculations, will I be experiencing the same in ASP.Net??
I don't have any concepts of WEB.I want to ask you people that what do you consider the most important to learn before switching onto ASP.Net?
Guide me please.. :/
There are no differences in server-side code.
The main different is in the UI.
While Microsoft tries to maintain a UI experience similar to Windows applications using its custom controls and the designer, you need a good knowledge in HTML and CSS if you want to create complex UI tasks.
Custom controls actually generate client side code such as HTML, CSS and Javascript.
So your main challenge will be the presentation layer and how to create client side code that is well parsed on different browsers. It's more difficult than Windows' "Drag and drop" technique, but it's quite a lot more powerful.
You'll notice that you can't drag and move controls the way you do with Windows apps, changing their coordinates on the screen.
HTML is not about coordinates, it's based on a certain document flow in manually defined layouts.
Don't be tempted by changing Web controls to absolute positioning, just because you think it's "easier". It's a mistake a lot of migrators to ASP.NET do, and it's generally a huge mistake that I suggest you don't fall into.
If you are talking about the difference between Windows apps and Web apps, the most important and hardest thing will be for you to grasp the page life cycle. Check here for Microsofts overview.
I guess the web and desktop applications have considerable difference. The one and most important is that when on Web there are two states of WEB application
On Server side : where we have C# code and stuff.
Client side : Where we have CSS, HTML and JavaScript doing it all for us.
Besides this HTTP which is communication bridge.
This is one big different that desktop application developer face when they switch to the Web Applications.
I will suggest you to take a look at basics of CSS, HTML and JavaScript while swiching on web applications. That really helps in log term.
First, I'd say if you look into web application, make a few quick examles with ASP.NET WebForms, and then a few with ASP.NET MVC, to learn the differences between good design (MVC with AJAX and without postbacks) and bad design (quick and dirty WebForms with postbacks and without AJAX).
Try using JavaScript on pages, and look at how postbacks reset all JS variables, and the impact that has on anything dynamic. Also look at how postbacks exponentially increase the complexity (and bugs, such as session timeouts with label text stored in session) and decrease the debugability of your application.
Take a look at JQuery, JQuery uploadify and JQuery Treeview, and JQuery DataTable, and JQuery Charts.
Add and UpdateRecords imply editing a DataTable and saving the changes.
This is the worst thing you can possibly get your hands in with ASP.NET, that is, if you want to do it properly (with the possible exception of asynchronous data processing).
If you are really passionate to dive into web application development especially ASP.NET, I would recommend the following path for a beginner to kick start with.
Start learning HTML, JavaScript, CSS
Next you could try Classical ASP. Having a know how of classical ASP will definitely be a plus, when moving to ASP.NET because, you will under stand how ASP.NET renders pages and what ASP.NET controls really does etc etc. In my own words ASP.NET is a chocolate coated version of classical ASP, I am telling this from my classical ASP experience.
Next you need to firm understanding of on how the web works and its internals. If you need you could also refresh on How Internet works and How website works (this too).
Finally you could start off with ASP.NET 2.0 and later move to advanved stuff like AJAX, MVC etc.
You could further enhance you skill by learning jQuery and some CMS (Content Management Tools) like DotnetNuke.
I've been away from building browser applications for a long time. I'm now interested in creating one for a hobby of mine. I dread having to deal with HTML, JavaScript etc. to build a high quality browser based user interface. I've got the full suite of Telerik controls. Is it possible to build a polished, somewhat feature rich browser UI while being sheltered from the archaic environment of HTML and JavaScript? I'd love to be able to simply drag-drop components, much like building a Win UI and have the exact HTML, JavaScript code created for me.
Thanks!
Since you have the telerik controls suite, I suggest you have a look at the control demos or the sample applications, to see what's possible without having to program a lot.
In my experience, you can achieve a lot without having to program javascript or HTML (when using the telerik controls). But as soon as your application gets bigger and more complex, you will want to take care of things such as ViewState optimizations or taking advantage of the client-side programming APIs of the telerik controls to optimize your app (e.g. to get a more AJAXy kind of user-experience).
My sentiments exactly, so I now fully recommend to build Web apps with Silverlight (or Flash, but I am .NET guy, so my first thought goes to SL). Using HTML/Javascript is too much work.
SO is a fantastic Web app but I cannot imagine the number of hours spent to achieve this result, especially compared to a "real" programming environment.
MVC + JQuery + Telerik will allow you to be sheltered from a very large amount of the nasty HTML/JavaScript stuff. Silverlight is an option but you'll lose very large potential audience segments that may or may not be important to you (mobile web users, for example).
As somebody else mentioned, the Telerik demos pages are your friend - use them a LOT and you can avoid much of the HTML nastiness.
Well it's kind of a newbie question but I think lots of people have problems with this.
I'm developing Windows/web application for fun, and installing them at friends' places. Most of my developing concentrates on the CRM system, but I have a big problem with showing data from DB in better, more effective and lighter ways.
Using Microsoft built-in web controls is a nice and easy way, but it doesn't answer my needs, and worse, it's not that effective as other web controls in great software and websites(Google(lol)).
I want to build my own controls(GridView, etc...). So my question is how can I do this myself?
How does Microsoft build their web controls for both web and Windows Form developing?
Thanks!
Amit
Here's the starting place for learning about creating your own web controls.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb386565.aspx
And here's an older reference, but probably a better place to start.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa710843(VS.71).aspx
And finally.... If you want to develop custom controls for Windows Forms applications...
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/6hws6h2t.aspx
Well, this can be answered several ways. Most of the nice controls are doing a lot of Javascript that is not obvious unless you look at the output. You might be interested in using JQuery plugins (or "controls"). Also, to be honest, you might be interested in persuing a new way of doing ASP.NET, which is called ASP.NET MVC. This is a very good way forward of building Web applications that utilize a lot of Web standard technologies without hiding and obscuring the details. Here's a link to that:
http://www.asp.net/mvc/