Java – What language / platform would you use for a shareware / freeware desktop application

cdesktop applicationjavaqtwpf

I have a DVD cataloging application that I wrote a few years ago with MFC. Records are saved in a sqlite database, so basically it's a CRUD app. UI-wise, it has a tree view on the left, a list view (grid) on the top right, and an HTML view (embedded IE) on the bottom right. Nothing fancy.

I wanted to update the app with more features, but I've been using Java EE for the past couple of years and I realized that I wasn't productive at all with MFC. So I'm thinking maybe I should use something else to boost my productivity. Cross-platform would be a big bonus, but it's not absolutely required.

Here are the options based on my research:

Java / Swing: I can utilize my Java knowledge; great third party libraries (such as Spring for IoC and Hibernate for ORM); cross-platform. Downside is, JRE required for users; Swing seems to be in the "maintanence" mode and it's not getting much attention from Sun.
C++ / Qt: native application;
cross-platform. But I'm new to Qt so
I have to learn it first.
C# / WPF: WPF seems to be the future
of Windows GUI development and I'm
impressed by some WPF sample apps. I
have some experience with C# but I
need learn WPF. Downside is, Windows
only; .NET 3.5 runtime required.

So what would you use if you were in my situation? Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Best Answer

If you want to learn some new skills while developing this application, then C# / WPF, and LINQ in C# 3.0 is really great if you didn't have it in Java.

If you just want to get on speed, then you already answer your own question, Java / Swing. It is what you are good at.

Related Solutions

C# – How should the ViewModel close the form

I was inspired by Thejuan's answer to write a simpler attached property. No styles, no triggers; instead, you can just do this:

<Window ...
        xmlns:xc="clr-namespace:ExCastle.Wpf"
        xc:DialogCloser.DialogResult="{Binding DialogResult}">

This is almost as clean as if the WPF team had gotten it right and made DialogResult a dependency property in the first place. Just put a bool? DialogResult property on your ViewModel and implement INotifyPropertyChanged, and voilà, your ViewModel can close the Window (and set its DialogResult) just by setting a property. MVVM as it should be.

Here's the code for DialogCloser:

using System.Windows;

namespace ExCastle.Wpf
{
    public static class DialogCloser
    {
        public static readonly DependencyProperty DialogResultProperty =
            DependencyProperty.RegisterAttached(
                "DialogResult",
                typeof(bool?),
                typeof(DialogCloser),
                new PropertyMetadata(DialogResultChanged));

        private static void DialogResultChanged(
            DependencyObject d,
            DependencyPropertyChangedEventArgs e)
        {
            var window = d as Window;
            if (window != null)
                window.DialogResult = e.NewValue as bool?;
        }
        public static void SetDialogResult(Window target, bool? value)
        {
            target.SetValue(DialogResultProperty, value);
        }
    }
}

I've also posted this on my blog.

C# – MVVM: Tutorial from start to finish

Your question really seems to be asking 2 questions:

Where are some good tutorials on WPF, assuming I have no previous WPF experience?
Where are some good tutorials on learning MVVM?

Some of these resources may be duplicated in previous answers...

Tutorials on WPF

A Guided Tour of WPF by Josh Smith

I wrote a series of introductory WPF articles on The Code Project. The goal of those articles is to bring someone with no WPF experience up-to-speed enough so that (s)he can fully understand how the series’ demo application works.
Bea Stollnitz (link is to her archives) has a number of great articles on WPF.
WPF: A Beginner's Guide - Part 1 of n by Sacha Barber
WindowsClient.net WPF Training Videos

MVVM Tutorials

WPF Apps With The Model-View-ViewModel Design Pattern by Josh Smith (duplicate link already provided by Yacoder)
Jason Dolinger's presentation on the Model-View-ViewModel (link to video embedded in article)
Dan Crevier's DataModel-View-ViewModel pattern series (similar to MVVM)

Composite WPF (Prism) Resources
Though not exactly what you asked, it is the natural progression with WPF and MVVM.

Best Answer

Related Solutions

C# – How should the ViewModel close the form

C# – MVVM: Tutorial from start to finish

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