Which compiler & IDE best for developing chess GUI?

[mrerk]

I am looking for free compiler and IDE suitable for developing chess GUI. I prefer C or C++ language and Win32 API. Which are the best free compiler and IDE for developing chess GUI?

Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

[mihaiv]

For C++ and Win32 API the most appropriate option is Visual Studio. There is a free Express Edition of Visual Studio. But the win32 api is quite hard for GUI. MFC helps but is not as feature rich as other options.
If you want a more feature rich and and portable GUI toolkit Qt seems like a good option.
From my experience the easiest option to get something graphical fast is C# and Windows Forms.
In my open source applications I used C/C++ and GTK (yes, it also works fine on windows although not easy to set-up). Mingw is the open source C++ compiler system that works on windows (includes ported GCC compiler).

If you want to make it work fast and eventually use 3D graphics stick to C++. It is much harder to get this 2 features working properly in more modern languages like C#, Java, Python and friends.

Tell us something about your project. I am also kind of planning to make an open source chess GUI .

[mrerk]

Hi Mihai,

Most people agree that VS Express is a better solution. It is a very nice programming application but lacks MFC. Okay, I don't mind it and I will try to study “Learn to Program for Windows in C++” that comes with VS Express. I think it is about Windows APIs in C++ language! I hope it is helpful. If I am not satisfied with VS Express, I will try Qt under LGPL but only for developing non-commercial applications. That's okay with me. I don't plan to develop applications for money though.

I am interested in developing a powerful interactive deep analysis chess application for correspondence chess players (I am a correspondence chess player who plays with computer chess mostly.) It is similar to one called Idea that comes with rybka aquarium, but I hope to make a better and nicer one. Despite I have some basic experience in programming as an amateur programmer, I have enough patient and time and I will develop an application slowly step-by-step. However, meanwhile I am studying C++ language in order to refresh my knowledge. Anyway, I have some experience in MFC, C++, C, Java and little Assembly.

Why I decided to develop a chess application a few days ago was that the staff at chessok from Russia never responded to me when I decided to buy one Rybka 4 Aquarium. Too bad.

I have visited your weblog and I saw your picture about you. You look a nice guy. Anyway, I am more than happy to share new ideas with you about chess GUI programming! Good luck.

[mainsworthy]

Hi I know Mihai can produce good stuff with what hes adviseing! wow, Im going to look into c# i think

I made a GUI for my own engines in blitzplus , its the BASIC Languauge, so easy to use, and very powerfull graphics abilities, png transparency etc... you can download my GUI free from Leo site:

http://wbec-ridderkerk.nl/html/details1 ... orthy.html

I made my own engines work quite easy,the only snag I got was from other types of engines not being able to catch commands from lots of spam, but It may have been my mistake. its quite cheap to buy and is digital download from

http://blitzbasic.com/

other chess GUIs have been created there in 3D etc..


please send me a link to what you do? and test out my gui, I can give you instructions on useing my gui with your engines if you would like?

Mark

[Dann Corbit]

For the GUI, one of the dot net languages will definitely be easier and quicker than C++.

For any heavy lifting, write a C++ DLL to do the job.

[jshriver]

Hi Mihai,

Most people agree that VS Express is a better solution. It is a very nice programming application but lacks MFC.

It's been probably 5-8 years since I touched VS but does VC++ still exist? If so sounds like the perfect solution for C++ on windows for GUI dev.

-Josh

[mrerk]

Hi Mihai,

Most people agree that VS Express is a better solution. It is a very nice programming application but lacks MFC.

It's been probably 5-8 years since I touched VS but does VC++ still exist? If so sounds like the perfect solution for C++ on windows for GUI dev.

-Josh

You can download Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Express at the website http://www.microsoft.com/express/Windows/. It is free but it lacks MFC and maybe some other features. For more information click http://www.microsoft.com/express/suppor ... t-faq.aspx