architecture suggestion needed
Hi:
I would appreciate some suggestions on what programming language and/or tools to use for the a few projects in hand.
Basically the requirements of my projects are:
1. There will be an interface for users to provide inputs and run the programs.
2. There is a database at the backend where all the data needed is stored.
3. After user press some button, the output will be some numbers, data tables, and more importantly, graphs and bar charts, etc. The program should also allow user to push another button and export the output to a file if they want to.
I am free to choose whatever programming languages or tools to use. I have some experience with core java but have found java interface (AWT, SWING) isn't that easy to work with. In the paste I have been using Excel/VBA to do the work. The advantage of this is that output is right in the same file as the UI. And the user could save a copy of a particular run if he likes. But personally I don't like VBA so much thinking it isn't such an "advanced" programming language (or I am just not used to it?). I have done a little bit of C# before and found it is pretty convenient for GUI. But, would it be easy to output graphs/charts and have those output exported to a file?
Anyway, this is an open end question. Any suggestions and thoughts about the architecture to use would be very much appreciated. Thank you.
I would appreciate some suggestions on what programming language and/or tools to use for the a few projects in hand.
Basically the requirements of my projects are:
1. There will be an interface for users to provide inputs and run the programs.
2. There is a database at the backend where all the data needed is stored.
3. After user press some button, the output will be some numbers, data tables, and more importantly, graphs and bar charts, etc. The program should also allow user to push another button and export the output to a file if they want to.
I am free to choose whatever programming languages or tools to use. I have some experience with core java but have found java interface (AWT, SWING) isn't that easy to work with. In the paste I have been using Excel/VBA to do the work. The advantage of this is that output is right in the same file as the UI. And the user could save a copy of a particular run if he likes. But personally I don't like VBA so much thinking it isn't such an "advanced" programming language (or I am just not used to it?). I have done a little bit of C# before and found it is pretty convenient for GUI. But, would it be easy to output graphs/charts and have those output exported to a file?
Anyway, this is an open end question. Any suggestions and thoughts about the architecture to use would be very much appreciated. Thank you.
ASKER
1) this is going to be a desktop application.
2) the application will be placed in a folder on the server that is accessible by everyone in the company.
3) probably a couple of forms will do the trick.
4) database is SQL Server
Thanks.
2) the application will be placed in a folder on the server that is accessible by everyone in the company.
3) probably a couple of forms will do the trick.
4) database is SQL Server
Thanks.
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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ASKER
Is it a good idea to use C# as interface, while using java as business logic layer? i.e. Is it easy to invoke java program from C#? What if the result being outputed from java is a data set/ table? I am considering this because I am more familiar with java than C#, but of course this can be changed by working on more C# projects.
Are there tools out there to help building interface with Java?
Are there tools out there to help building interface with Java?
ASKER
Our company has SQL Server 2005 installed.
C# has tools that interoperate with SQL Server pretty seamlessly. There are DataSet wizards, and TableAdapters that let you create typed DataSets that are pretty handy if your schema doesn't change frequently.
Bob
Bob
ASKER
yeah, I kind of remember there are DataGrids that I can use to output whatever comes out of a query in one shot which is pretty cool. But how about graphs and bar charts? Are there readily available tools or plug-ins I can use to produce them easily?
ASKER
And how about exporting result sets and graphs to a file, Excel, maybe?
1) Integrating with Excel can be kind of tricky
2) While I haven't used it (I use Dundas . NET charting), I have heard of a free charting tool for .NET:
Chart FX Lite for .NET - Free .NET Charting!
http://www.softwarefx.com/sfxNetProducts/cfxLiteForNet/
3) 2005 has the DataGridView to display data in a grid, and can be bound to a DataTable, or any object that implements the IList interface.
Bob
2) While I haven't used it (I use Dundas . NET charting), I have heard of a free charting tool for .NET:
Chart FX Lite for .NET - Free .NET Charting!
http://www.softwarefx.com/sfxNetProducts/cfxLiteForNet/
3) 2005 has the DataGridView to display data in a grid, and can be bound to a DataTable, or any object that implements the IList interface.
Bob
ASKER
I got it. Thank you Bob.
2) What are your deployment requirements?
3) Is this going to be a simple GUI, or does it have complex requirements?
4) What type of database are you working with (SQL Server, Access, Oracle, ...)?
bob