PHP Pro but VB Newbie Needs Advice

[phoenixx]

I'm a virtual pro when it comes to PHP and MySQL, but now I would like to put together a business suite as a windows application.

My questions are few but major...

1. Where is the best site to learn VB for windows if you have NO knowledge of VB?

2. What is the best FREE software to use... I don't want to spend a dime to learn or start building apps (couldn't afford it anyway).

3. What are the best free installers and ways to encrypt the software for mass distribution with individual user keys... (in php it would just be in the programming and database)

4. What is the best db to use for apps that will rely on 100% data being kept on a data storage server w/ no local information resident on the user's PC.

5. Finally, while I know it's a long shot.... are there any quick methods to transfer PHP apps to VB??? The application I'm building will have several hundred php files (if you count all of the .inc files) so I know it may not be possible.

Any help or advice is appreciated.

[conipto]

I'm a virtual pro when it comes to PHP and MySQL, but now I would like to put together a business suite as a windows application.

My questions are few but major...

1. Where is the best site to learn VB for windows if you have NO knowledge of VB?

Depends what you're looking for.. if you've got the time, see my next post..

2. What is the best FREE software to use... I don't want to spend a dime to learn or start building apps (couldn't afford it anyway).

Visual Basic 2005 Express Edition - Free DL from MS, fully functional, fully liscensable. Also, if you register it (free) you can download something called "Build a Program now!" which is a pretty good tutorial to making a program, and goes from the ground up.

3. What are the best free installers and ways to encrypt the software for mass distribution with individual user keys... (in php it would just be in the programming and database)

.NET Software is compiled to Intermediate Language (MSIL) So it's quite easy to decompile. however, there are things like Dotfuscator that can obfuscate the IL and make it difficult, and I believe there's some way to prevent ILDASM (MS's IL Decompiler) from working.. Someone posted it a while back.

As for installers, The free version of VB 2005 doesn't have any decent support for installers, but Inno Setup is a very popular script based installer.

4. What is the best db to use for apps that will rely on 100% data being kept on a data storage server w/ no local information resident on the user's PC.

For VB.NET, there are entire classes optimized for SQL Server. You can also get SQL Server Express for free as well.. Though lots of folks don't like SQL Server.

5. Finally, while I know it's a long shot.... are there any quick methods to transfer PHP apps to VB??? The application I'm building will have several hundred php files (if you count all of the .inc files) so I know it may not be possible.

Not that I know of.

[Hack]

Welcome to the forums.

Learning the fundamentals of VB.NET shouldn't be that difficult. Here is a quick Google search that I did on tutorials.

In addition, we have a VB.NET forum section here in which you can post any questions regarding how to do something with this language and there are a number of our members quite versed in this development platform that would love to help out.

[mendhak]

Since you are coming from a PHP background, I would suggest C#, since it is closer in syntax and structure to PHP/Java. It will help your learning curve, you'll only end up having to learn the concepts involved, like OOP and POO.