Workshop Users Windows Versions

[Rewstyr]

Hi.

I am tossing around the idea of building a simple 'IDE' for working with rulesets and extensions in an effort to learn about C#. I am curious what versions of windows (and specifically what versions of .NET to target) in use by people who may use such a tool.

How prevalent is pre-Windows 8 usage by people reading this chat?

Just curious.

Rewstyr

[damned]

Rewstyr if it makes a difference i would stick to Win10.
W7 has a mcuh larger installed base the W8.
Looking at Steams Hardware Configuration pages would give you a gaming skewed reference point.

[LordEntrails]

I use W7. Though W10 is acceptable (W8 is not).

[celestian]

Use current versions. Don't limit yourself to old farts that won't update ;)

(I say this as an old fart, cept I update).

[Bidmaron]

I cannot imagine why an ide would need Windows 10 features. If you get on the bleeding edge, the virtual and wine guys may not be able to use it.

In my own case I am a Mac guy and use win 7 in the parallels software. I suppose I will eventually have to move to 10 but I am not looking forward to it

[Zhern]

Or consider creating a plugin for Eclipse or one of the other Java-based IDEs. You won't have to mess with .NET or Microsoft proprietary wonkiness at all then.

[Rewstyr]

Hi.

The question wasn't really about what version of Windows to target, but what version of .NET to target. Using a newer .NET version may require some folks to install different .NET versions. I have been out of Windows for so long I have not kept up with how willing people are to installing new .NET libs.

Anyway, I was thinking of:
1) building a XSD based off of the CoreRPG XMLs
2) building a simple tree control that will display the directory/file heirarchy of a given ruleset/extension folder, with XML files parsed and displayed as nodes in the tree
3) allow users to add/remove/edit XML nodes and LUA code in a text edit control
* wonder if this would be useful as opposed to just spawning off YourEditorOfChoice to edit the nodes
* was also thinking instead of having a text editor for XML stuff, maybe use the XSD for a given window class to dynamically build a custom form with edit controls for all possible attributes / elements
4) Have a simple 'lookup' of existing windowclass elements that you could 'clone' from into given sub-window class
98) be able to import graphics from PDF as icons/images
99) have a way to graphically layout FG windows

As mentioned earlier this is a project to learn about C# development as I have not built actual Windows software since Windows 98.

Rewstyr

[damned]

People that are wanting to do coding are prepared to install an environment in which they can do it.
95% of FG users never contemplate diving under the hood.
4.5% do contemplate it or start and then stop quickly.
Those that continue with it tend to be determined little beggers...

What you are planning to do is not trivial but would be very welcomed.

[Bidmaron]

Some of the coders are on Macs, and I am not sure how up-to-date Wine is with .Net? Not a big deal for me because I use Parallels and am not wed to .NET version supported by Wine.

[celestian]

Hi.

The question wasn't really about what version of Windows to target, but what version of .NET to target. Using a newer .NET version may require some folks to install different .NET versions. I have been out of Windows for so long I have not kept up with how willing people are to installing new .NET libs.


Honestly I think Damned has it right, anyone that is planning to use it for work in FG will install whatever you have it written for. Is there really an issue with having multiple versions of .net? I coulda sworn I'd had multiple at some point but I dont write in .net so perhaps there is restriction.

My only suggestion, whatever is the most current stable version ;)

[damned]

You can have multiple versions of .Net in most cases.
There are always cases where something conflicts with something but generally you can run multiple versions.

[Bidmaron]

It is not the multiple versions it is that wine has to mimic windows features and I seriously doubt they can keep up with the latest .net features.

[damned]

Or consider creating a plugin for Eclipse or one of the other Java-based IDEs. You won't have to mess with .NET or Microsoft proprietary wonkiness at all then.

Doh! Mess around with a buggy as all !@!@@ Java IDE instead!

[damned]

It is not the multiple versions it is that wine has to mimic windows features and I seriously doubt they can keep up with the latest .net features.

Major releases of .Net are few and far between. 4.5 came out 5 years ago and was a big update.
Since then they are only up to about 4.7 which is a good 6 months old already (I think...)
Im no expert at this though...

[lordjeb]

IMHO as a developer... target .NET 4.5. Almost everyone has it already, and 4.6 has almost nothing that you will actually need.

[Xemit]

I'm a developer for industrial software. The majority of our customer base is Windows 7 (>90%) and .Net v4.5 will cover everybody from Win 7 to Win 10. Like lordjeb says, the newer versions of .Net don't add a lot that is 'needed'. Many may have the newer frameworks installed.

Even our new projects are targeted for Win 7 and .Net v4.5. This will work with all customers currently. We don't generally have Mac users at all, but the few that do are using VM software and running Windows 7 in their VMs without issue.

[Bidmaron]

I don’t use wine as I have said but I have to believe windows 7 and 4.5 is very viable for wine by now

[Zhern]

Doh! Mess around with a buggy as all !@!@@ Java IDE instead!

You are talking gibberish, damned! :) I don't have any issues with Eclipse, or with IntelliJ (which is what I use at work) - you must just not have the magic Java touch. My main point was something that isn't platform dependent, which would suit people on Windows, Mac, or Linux.