I decided to make my own Dev-C++ "clone", in C++ using wxWidgets.
Actually, the idea began as a "Hello world app", but i got hooked and I decided to replicate the Dev-C++ menus. I managed to do it in around 5 hours. As I found it easier than I thought, I asked myself: Why not remake Dev-C++ using C++?
My goal is to Turn Dev-C++ into a "100% C++" product, so we can stop depending on 3rd party apps like Delphi for its development (besides, there are more C++ programmers than Pascal programmers).
Using a multi-tier approach for the design, implementing it won't be much hard:
The first tier will be the UI
The second tier will be the dev-c++ specific routines (including event messaging, project/options config, etc)
The third tier will be the low-level routines used by the second tier (opening files, managing paths, debugging, etc).
I want to invite all C++ developers who would like to participate in this, and eventually make it a cross-platform product.
With wxWidgets, i think that building the full interface won't be much of a hassle (I plan to use Scintilla as the editor).
Please answer and share your opinions. Should I make this a separate Sourceforge project, or what? I'm a newbie at project management.
Thanks.
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Migrating Dev-C++ from Delphi to C++ would be a total new rewrite. You probably understand that it is a very long project to develop and would require a lot of efforts.
What would be the pros of doing this rewrite into C++ except maybe getting a couple of new developers to participate in the project ? I am really wondering if it would worth all the efforts needed to have a C++ version with at least as much features as the current Dev-C++ has.
Greetings,
Colin Laplace
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Anonymous
-
2004-09-21
Thanks for answering.
The main advantage I see would be Linux portability. Having such a great tool depending on the Delphi VDL, is IMO, risky.
Regarding the conversion, the really tricky part is the saving of the configuration and "status" into files... I have planned to do a direct copy of your "save config" unit - just to keep the data files (compiler options, projects) compatible with dev-cpp.
The rest, yes it would be a major rewrite. Of course it's a long-term project, but I feel it's convenient, if not necessary.
My aim is eventually having a FREE cross-platform RAD environment. Currently there is none. I've seen a couple of "RAD tools", but didn't meet my expectations (user-friendliness), Dev-cpp is much better ATM.
Anyway. With one RAD tool, we could encourage windows programmers to start writing Linux apps. This is a dream i've had since years ago (dethroning Microsoft). And IMHO Dev-Cpp is like a strategical point in this war. I already saw is a wxwidgets resource designer that someone was going to merge into Dev-Cpp. So, the logical next step is making the whole thing cross-platform.
Perhaps you could share some UML diagram of how devcpp was made. Since there are LOTS of C++ programmers out there, i'm sure someone could volunteer. The project could be split in smaller goals, so that a programmer would simply write a given module. I don't know, you could post a "bounty" or something. Do you suggest me applying for a new Sourceforge project and inviting people to join?
If you would like to refer to this comment somewhere else in this project, copy and paste the following link:
Hi guys.
I decided to make my own Dev-C++ "clone", in C++ using wxWidgets.
Actually, the idea began as a "Hello world app", but i got hooked and I decided to replicate the Dev-C++ menus. I managed to do it in around 5 hours. As I found it easier than I thought, I asked myself: Why not remake Dev-C++ using C++?
My goal is to Turn Dev-C++ into a "100% C++" product, so we can stop depending on 3rd party apps like Delphi for its development (besides, there are more C++ programmers than Pascal programmers).
Using a multi-tier approach for the design, implementing it won't be much hard:
The first tier will be the UI
The second tier will be the dev-c++ specific routines (including event messaging, project/options config, etc)
The third tier will be the low-level routines used by the second tier (opening files, managing paths, debugging, etc).
I want to invite all C++ developers who would like to participate in this, and eventually make it a cross-platform product.
With wxWidgets, i think that building the full interface won't be much of a hassle (I plan to use Scintilla as the editor).
Please answer and share your opinions. Should I make this a separate Sourceforge project, or what? I'm a newbie at project management.
Thanks.
Hello,
Migrating Dev-C++ from Delphi to C++ would be a total new rewrite. You probably understand that it is a very long project to develop and would require a lot of efforts.
What would be the pros of doing this rewrite into C++ except maybe getting a couple of new developers to participate in the project ? I am really wondering if it would worth all the efforts needed to have a C++ version with at least as much features as the current Dev-C++ has.
Greetings,
Colin Laplace
Thanks for answering.
The main advantage I see would be Linux portability. Having such a great tool depending on the Delphi VDL, is IMO, risky.
Regarding the conversion, the really tricky part is the saving of the configuration and "status" into files... I have planned to do a direct copy of your "save config" unit - just to keep the data files (compiler options, projects) compatible with dev-cpp.
The rest, yes it would be a major rewrite. Of course it's a long-term project, but I feel it's convenient, if not necessary.
My aim is eventually having a FREE cross-platform RAD environment. Currently there is none. I've seen a couple of "RAD tools", but didn't meet my expectations (user-friendliness), Dev-cpp is much better ATM.
Anyway. With one RAD tool, we could encourage windows programmers to start writing Linux apps. This is a dream i've had since years ago (dethroning Microsoft). And IMHO Dev-Cpp is like a strategical point in this war. I already saw is a wxwidgets resource designer that someone was going to merge into Dev-Cpp. So, the logical next step is making the whole thing cross-platform.
Perhaps you could share some UML diagram of how devcpp was made. Since there are LOTS of C++ programmers out there, i'm sure someone could volunteer. The project could be split in smaller goals, so that a programmer would simply write a given module. I don't know, you could post a "bounty" or something. Do you suggest me applying for a new Sourceforge project and inviting people to join?
current dev-c++ can be compiled for linux. The problem is that no one is working on it.