VB.net and C#.net together?

I am looking to learn both, but over a grand for Visual Studio doesn't seem
like an appropriate way to do it. Has anyone here used the standard version
of either of these languages? Can you install them both without problems? Am
I going to be missing anything important, especially with regards to Acad
development?

Thanks,
Gordon

 

I'm almost certain you can download a trial version from the Visual Studio
..NET site. At least you can get a feel for the software for a month or so. I
would also take some books out of the library and do some reading before I
did anything else. Of course your choices should also be based on other
criteria such as your experience with previous incarnations of these
languages. I personally feel that the bundle you get with VS .NET is well
worth the 'grand'. I have previous versions of both software packages. I've
made the mistake of purchasing the products individually before realizing
what Visual Studio package was. Since I didn't upgrade those old packages
but rather bought them outright your welcome to one of the CD's if you want
it. Contact me if your interested in the older versions. If you have your
heart set on .NET you may not want to bother.

Best regards,

Dale

 

Dale, thanks for the info. I have some VB/VBA experience, and with the
writing on the wall I want to learn VB.net. That said, I have heard that
VB.net is different enough from VB6 that it is worth thinking about learning
C# instead. As for pricing, I am working the office into the idea of more
in-house development, and I figure a cost of just over $200 is an easier
sell than over a grand, especially since they don't yet appreciate the
value. If I can do some cool things this year I would budget Visual Studio
upgrade for next year and probably get the OK.

Best,
Gordon

 

Gordon,

If all you want is to get an IDE that works and allows you to learn the new
languages maybe try this:

http://www.icsharpcode.net/OpenSource/SD/Default.aspx

It is free and open source!

Microsoft made the C# and VB.NET languages free to the public...all you need
to develop in either of these languages is the .NET SDK. The downside is
that you have to code EVERYTHING!!! Plus side is that you learn the ins and
outs of the laguage.

I agree with Dale though, if you can...get the VS.NET Professional.

Thanks,
Ron

 

I tried really hard to like that product but it's too buggy, lacks
features and has a painfully long cycle between releases. Any of the
Microsoft IDEs make a much better choice, especially when you consider
the standard versions of each only cost $99.

--
There are 10 kinds of people. Those who understand binary and those who
don't.

http://code.acadx.com
(Pull the pin to reply)

 

While I don't know if they can be installed side by side, I do know that
your ability to develop for AutoCAD will remain uneffectec by your
choice of Standard or Professional.

As for learning two languages at once: why? The .NET Framework is huge
and represents a major paradigm shift for VB/A programmers. That alone
is reason enough to choose one language or another.

Frankly, I'd recommend you start with C# so as to avoid the confusing
"looks the same but acts different" syndrome many VB programmers are
running into. If you choose VB.NET, forget everything you ever learned
and smack yourself when you find yourself thinking "this is just like
VB".

I got tired of whooping myself so I switched camps.

--
There are 10 kinds of people. Those who understand binary and those who
don't.

http://code.acadx.com
(Pull the pin to reply)

 

languages. I personally feel that the bundle you get with VS .NET is well

For about the same price, you might as well pick up a MSDN Professional
level subscription. $1199 w/$110 rebate for DVD media ($899 renewal-
upgrade)


--
Darren J. Young
CAD/CAM Systems Developer

Cold Spring Granite Company
202 South Third Avenue
Cold Spring, Minnesota 56320

Email:
Phone: (320) 685-5045
Fax: (320) 685-5052

 

If you're going for a totally new language why not try C++? All you need is
a text editor, a good tutorial, a compiler, and some time. Learn the basics
then go out and buy MS C++ to develop for AutoCAD.

The best text editor around:
http://www.vim.org/

Free C++ tutorial:
http://www.programmingtutorials.com/cplusplus.aspx

Free Compiler:
http://tinyurl.com/3f86g

A GPL C++ GUI: (I'm sure there's plenty of other ones but this is the first
one that came up in a google search)
http://www.bloodshed.net/devcpp.html

 

And as long as you're getting teeth cleaned, why not get a root canal?

Seriously though, C++ is a whole other level of programming requiring formal
study and lots of time. Then you get to stack the ObjectARX API on top of
all that. That's entirely too big an investment for all but professional
programmers and avid hobbyists.

--
There are 10 kinds of people. Those who understand binary and those who
don't.

http://code.acadx.com
(Pull the pin to reply)

 

I'm not trying to start a flame war or anything but.....I don't see the
point in learning a programming/scripting language that locks you into
something. Be it a program or an OS. That's pretty much why I bailed on lisp
and went to VBA. At least with VBA I could use it in other MS office
applications.

By learning any dot net programming language you're locking yourself into
the dot net framework and you're also locking yourself into Windows. This
might not be a bad thing for you or whoever else, but at my age (23) I still
have roughly 50 years of work ahead of me and who knows where I'll be in 5,
10, 20 years. I'd like to be able to tell a potential employer that I have
the ability to write code for any platform. And the only way I see to
achieve this is through perl, C/C++, PHP, and Java.

You are correct however; if you don't have the time to really get into it
then it's probably not the best route to take.

 

If you're going to rule out .NET, don't do it on this basis. One of the
main goals of .NET is to unlock programmers from specific implementations of
language and OS. Windows is currently the only desktop OS that I know about
with a functioning CLR, but there is a compact runtime available for
portable devices such as cell phones and PDA's. There are also opensource
projects underway to create managed runtimes for OS's other than windows.
It won't surprise me at all to see "professional" managed runtimes created
for all of the major OS's sometime in the future.

http://www.jasonbock.net/dotnetlanguages.html
http://www.go-mono.com/