Visual Studio vb.net windows forms application advice

[tazzatime]

Hi

Anyone out there familiar with producing Windows Forms Applications in vb.net in Visual Studio.

I am fairly new to Visual Studio but am rewriting an existing application for a customer using Visual Studio.
The existing application uses different frontend technologies talking to a backend database that I am very familiar with.
I have already created a framework which will allow me to reuse a lot of the backend code in the new application.

I was hoping to spend some time with someone who has produced Windows Forms applications before to get some guidance.
I could do with some guidance on things such as:-
Structuring the application (e.g. whether to create many executables with few forms, or few executables with many forms
Moving between executables
Etc

Ideally I would like to spend a few hours face to face with someone. I am happy to travel (I am based in Leicestershire).
I can bring a couple of laptops, which will allow me to show the existing application that I am replacing, and a simple working example of my method of replacing.

What I am hoping for is input and advice on how best to structure the replacement.
I will gladly pay for the time taken.

Thanks
Tazzatime

[CountZero23]

Don't use VB.NET - it will be impossible to find anyone to maintain the application. Strongly suggest using C# as an alternative.

Ideally, you'll be using a SPA web app rather than a forms application.

If you want to stick to Forms then I'd suggest getting up to speed on Pluralsight and a doing a few courses such as this one.

https://www.pluralsight.com/courses/windows-forms-...

You can get a month free's subscription with a MS Azure Dev Ops account.

Good luck!

[rustyuk]

You have selected quite an old development platform which is not really supported by Microsoft anymore.

If you need to create a Window Application I would investigate WPF (using C#)

[SwissJonese]

rustyuk said:

You have selected quite an old development platform which is not really supported by Microsoft anymore.

If you need to create a Window Application I would investigate WPF (using C#)

^^^ this, much quicker in WPF too.

[tazzatime]

I hear what you are all saying re use of vb.net and windows forms.
But there are some strong reasons in this case to make that the proposed method.
Are there really no developers out there that have recently (ish) used this?

[Scabutz]

tazzatime said:

I hear what you are all saying re use of vb.net and windows forms.
But there are some strong reasons in this case to make that the proposed method.
Are there really no developers out there that have recently (ish) used this?

I hope you don't me saying but are you sure you are up to this job? You say for a customer so presumably someone is paying you for this? I appreciate there is a learning curve with new technologies but the questions you have asked are very basic and you seem to be starting from scratch.

Tell me to Foxtrot Oscar and its none of my business if you like but I am concerned that you agreed to do some work and wont be able to do it. Do you have a contract in place?

[tazzatime]

Scabutz said:

I hope you don't me saying but are you sure you are up to this job? You say for a customer so presumably someone is paying you for this? I appreciate there is a learning curve with new technologies but the questions you have asked are very basic and you seem to be starting from scratch.

Tell me to Foxtrot Oscar and its none of my business if you like but I am concerned that you agreed to do some work and wont be able to do it. Do you have a contract in place?

Thanks for your concern and telling me how basic my questions are, an answer to the questions would have been more useful but never mind.
I have been a developer for over 30 years, and have never failed to deliver a project.
As a developer I have never shied away from learning new things, I think it goes with the territory.
In the last 2 days for example I managed to get a windows form in vb.net to handle obtaining oauth2 access and refresh tokens from HMRC for Making Tax Digital vat returns. To begin with I did not where to start, should I have run away from that requirement because 'I was not up to the job'?

[GeordieSPG]

I can only echo everyone else's comments. It's madness writing new software in vb.net forms. Madness!

If you're going to learn a new skill, learn C#. Do it in WPF with binding. If you're a vb.net wizard, use vb.net.

If you are happy to bumble through writing it in a (pretty much) deprecated language, then go right ahead. Support will be less forthcoming as people just don't use it anymore...or ever. For technical help, use Stack Overflow, Microsoft forums, code project.

[plasticpig]

Not sure how anyone describe VB as a dead language. I know Microsoft are splitting off from parallel development with C# but it's the fifth most popular programming language at the moment. C# is 7th.

There are some pretty decent VB to C# conversion to tools out there so moving to C# in the future is not a massively big deal if required. I agree with everyone else that WPF is a far better bet than WinForms. Particularly if you want to implement MVVM or MVP design patterns.

[denisdoran]

tazzatime said:

Thanks for your concern and telling me how basic my questions are, an answer to the questions would have been more useful but never mind.
I have been a developer for over 30 years, and have never failed to deliver a project.
As a developer I have never shied away from learning new things, I think it goes with the territory.
In the last 2 days for example I managed to get a windows form in vb.net to handle obtaining oauth2 access and refresh tokens from HMRC for Making Tax Digital vat returns. To begin with I did not where to start, should I have run away from that requirement because 'I was not up to the job'?

I have been using vb.net for development for many years now.
I converted a system written in Cognos PowerHouse to vb.net with an SQL database.
However, I am now struggling with the Making Tax Digital. I would be very interested if you could give me some details of how you have done this in vb.net.

[tazzatime]

denisdoran said:

I have been using vb.net for development for many years now.
I converted a system written in Cognos PowerHouse to vb.net with an SQL database.
However, I am now struggling with the Making Tax Digital. I would be very interested if you could give me some details of how you have done this in vb.net.

Hi
I would be very happy to show you how I have done this. Have you done much with Windows forms and vb.net, if so then an exchange of knowledge would be mutually beneficial.

Where are you geographically?

Edited by tazzatime on Sunday 3rd February 13:14

[denisdoran]

tazzatime said:

denisdoran said:

I have been using vb.net for development for many years now.
I converted a system written in Cognos PowerHouse to vb.net with an SQL database.
However, I am now struggling with the Making Tax Digital. I would be very interested if you could give me some details of how you have done this in vb.net.

Hi
I would be very happy to show you how I have done this. Have you done much with Windows forms and vb.net, if so then an exchange of knowledge would be mutually beneficial.

Where are you geographically?

Edited by tazzatime on Sunday 3rd February 13:14

The system I converted consists of several modules: Sales Order Processing, Sales Ledger, Purchase Order Processing, Purchase Ledger, Stock Control and Nominal Ledger.
Each module contains several forms.
So I have quite a lot of experience. I am based in Suffolk

[tazzatime]

denisdoran said:

The system I converted consists of several modules: Sales Order Processing, Sales Ledger, Purchase Order Processing, Purchase Ledger, Stock Control and Nominal Ledger.
Each module contains several forms.
So I have quite a lot of experience. I am based in Suffolk

I am in Leicestershire, so not too far away. I think getting together would be a good idea.
We should take this to private messaging, can you send me a pm via this site and we can discuss a plan

[denisdoran]

tazzatime said:

I am in Leicestershire, so not too far away. I think getting together would be a good idea.
We should take this to private messaging, can you send me a pm via this site and we can discuss a plan

Sounds like a good plan, However I'm new to this site and I'm not sure how to pm you?

[tazzatime]

denisdoran said:

Sounds like a good plan, However I'm new to this site and I'm not sure how to pm you?

Click on my user name (tazzatime) on the left of one of my posts, then click 'email me'
In the message include your normal email address and we can take it to there.
Cheers

[denisdoran]

tazzatime said:

Click on my user name (tazzatime) on the left of one of my posts, then click 'email me'
In the message include your normal email address and we can take it to there.
Cheers

Tried it but got this message:
Sorry, the email service isn't available to new members for the first 24 hours
Perhaps you could pm me.

[tazzatime]

denisdoran said:

Tried it but got this message:
Sorry, the email service isn't available to new members for the first 24 hours
Perhaps you could pm me.

Tried to pm you but got the message:
Sorry the recipient doesn't permit emails

Check that you have 'Member email' ticked in your profile.
If you already have then I guess it is the 24 hour barring that is the issue, and we could sort this tomorrow.

[denisdoran]

tazzatime said:

Tried to pm you but got the message:
Sorry the recipient doesn't permit emails

Check that you have 'Member email' ticked in your profile.
If you already have then I guess it is the 24 hour barring that is the issue, and we could sort this tomorrow.

OK, try again

[tazzatime]

denisdoran said:

OK, try again

pm sent

[denisdoran]

Got it, I will respond tomorrow.