[RESOLVED] Mono -- where to start?

[mbarton]

I've successfully converted my VB.NET project to C#.NET with sharpdevelop.

I've installed mono and would appreciate a push in the right direction because the software is very daunting for a beginner.

The goal is to get my project to run in Linux (ubuntu hopefully).

Haven't studied it thoroughly yet, I do see the "monkey guide" -- but which part of mono should I be looking at?

gtk#?

What part does the magic of converting the c# code to run on linux?

THANKS very much.

[wy125]

If you are familiar with Visual Studio you might want to have a look at monodevelop. It's a great IDE and will simplify things for you a great bit. If I remember correctly it supports VB.net.

The c# code (or any other code) runs on linux pretty much the same way it does in Windows. The code itself is not directly executed but is compiled into an intermediate language first and this runs on the CLR. Instead of running on Microsoft's CLR it runs on Mono's implementation of the CLR. In fact if you compile a .net program in windows you can (mostly) run it on linux using mono. I say mostly because Mono's implementation lags behind Microsoft's which means that the latest features that Microsoft supports may not yet be present in Mono. Check the mono page to see where they are.

But try monodevelop. I think you will find it very easy to use.

[mbarton]

Thanks -- been waiting for some feedback on this but I have to tell you, I'm absolutely LOST when it comes to mono.

I was able to convert my vb.net application to c#.net using sharp develop (which was easy as pie) and I can see the next step is to run moma, which is pretty straightforward.

(Looks like you just compile to get an exe and along with some dll files, it will analyze).

But beyond that -- I have to say that the rest I just don't comprehend.

I even looked at the beginner tutorials but (for me) it comes across as extremely vague.

I need "see spot -- see spot run".


I don't know if there's anything you can point me to.

[gep13]

Hey,

At the end of the day, the idea is that you should be able to take a Windows Application, and run it directly under Mono, without the need to do anything.

For instance, I run my ASP.Net Website, on a Linux machine using Apache and Mono, something it was never meant to be able to do, but works really well.

Have a look at using MoMa:

http://www.mono-project.com/MoMA

It will analyze your assembly, and it will tell you if you are using anything that is not supported currently in Mono.

Also, you might want to take a look at the following two links:

http://monodevelop.com/Stetic_GUI_Designer

http://mono-project.com/Guide:_Porti...s_Applications

Those should help you get started.

Hope that helps!!

Gary

[mbarton]

And what is the thing about Mono actually being a part of some distributions?

Ubuntu?

It comes with mono?


So, let's say I'm ready to go with my app -- moma gave me the "go ahead".

What exactly do I do next if I were to use Ubuntu?

If you don't mind me asking, I mean a step by step procedure?

(If it's relatively simple to tell me).

THANKS.

[gep13]

All that means is that Mono is already installed on Ubuntu. Think of this as Notepad (for instance) already being installed on Windows.

From the "Trying it Out" section that my second link goes to, just do this at a bash prompt:

mono <your application>.exe

Hope that helps!!

Gary

[mbarton]

Wow.

All of the documentation on this and that's it?

You da man.

Thanks.

[mbarton]

And one more question as I'm puzzled about this.

I know that there is more support coming for vb.net apps but for now
the exe you end up with should be compiled with C#.net -- correct?

Thanks again.

[gep13]

You da man.

what can I say

Did it work then?

[gep13]

And one more question as I'm puzzled about this.

I know that there is more support coming for vb.net apps but for now
the exe you end up with should be compiled with C#.net -- correct?

Thanks again.

Yip, just create the application in Visual Studio using C#, as you normally would, and then run it using Mono. You could, as has been suggested, develop it in MonoDevelop, but it just depends what you are more comfortable with.

Gary

[make me rain]

gep

kindly advise

is the mono supports SQL SERVER 2005 + VB.NET

i want to learn it because installing applications on linux will
and superior in performance be virus free is it true !

[gep13]

Hey,

Short answer is no, you won't be able to install SQL Server on a Linux installation. That is not the intention of the Mono Project. Rather, Mono is an off source implementation of the .Net Framework, which allows you to run .Net Applications, on Operating Systems other than Windows.

There is nothing to stop you running your application on a Linux machine, which is configured to point at a remote SQL Server, or you could use one of the many database engines which run on Linux, such as MySql.

Gary

[tr333]

If you have binfmt_misc installed, you can run Mono applications directly without having to run as "mono <program>.exe". On Ubuntu, you would install the binfmt-support package to get this functionality.

[make me rain]

gep thanks

i got it

but i want one more advise from you please
is there any extra cares to be taken if i am connecting to an remote server like connecting to local Ip / remote IP in
my connection string or while handling network failures etc..

because i never connected to an remote ip before

it is an irrelevant question to this post but i expect your help, or please redirect me to some useful articles please

[gep13]

Hey,

I am not sure that I fully understand the question?

Gary

[make me rain]

i am sorry

how to connect to a remote server
from an Linux operating system + mono supported vb.net application
is it is as same as providing the IP ( of MySQL server ) info in the connection string or else is there any extra other care needs to be taken, like handling network related errors,or any other guide lines please.

[gep13]

Hey,

Yip, it would be a case of making sure that you have the correct connection string, you can grab that from connectionstrings.com, and also making sure that you had access to the MySql Database, by default, you won't. You may have to open some ports on your firewall as well.

Gary

[penagate]

When you connect to a local SQL Server or MySQL server instance the procedure is exactly the same as connecting to a remote host. The only difference is the target address.

[gep13]

Hey,

The one thing to bear in mind is that out of the box, MySql will prevent access from external IP addresses, you will specifically have to add an exception for the IP address that is connecting, or make all external IP addresses have access. This is obviously a slight security risk, and you need to make sure that you have thought this through.

One way around this would be to have a Web Service sitting between the database and your client application, that way all requests are routed through the web service, making the surface area of a potential attack that much smaller.

Gary