What program should I use to create a user interactive executable that would output JavaScript, PHP etc. code?

Question

What I would like to do is develop an executable, such as a little VB form that comes with a little palette with different items that have classes in Internet Explorer, (Such as a textbox). When the user drags that textbox from the palette onto the form the HTML code would be written into a file. I have seen these express programs that Microsoft has put out for free which is pretty cool. The problem is that I was looking over the Visual Web Developer and I see that it can do many things like Dreamweaver but I am not sure if it is cabable of creating a .exe file such as one that I am looking to build. Could someone guide me in the right direction? Would the Visual Basic express edition do? Or perhaps I am digging to deep and ASP.NET could somehow dynamically generate the code for a textbox. How then could I give the user an option as to like change the color of the background to blue? Then have that code output? I again could envision a little palette where a person could choose a color and press a button that says "background" and have the output tags for a blue background put out. Any leads would be really appreciated.

Thanks,

Brian

Answer 1

Hello,

You are looking for creating an Application. Take a look at Microsoft Express Studio C#. which is Free!
http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/express/visualcsharp/

The exact same way you do in dream weaver could be created using C# Application or even VB .NET. Relatively simple drag and drop IDE which allows the user (yourself) to make quick elegant and nice applications by simply dragging controls (like a textbox) to your form (like your current application workspace)

When you compile that application, it will produce an "exe" executable. Take a look at the following simple Windows Application tutorial after you download the Microsoft Express C# 2005:
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/360kwx3z(VS.80).aspx

If you follow that tutorial (which is very easy to follow) at the end you will make something nice :) Later on, if you want to make that application an web application, you can split and modularize your code to ensure separation of content. For instance, applying a SOA pattern (facade like). For instance you want to create an online registration thing. So you create a project of type (class library) where it will compile it as a single DLL (Dynamic Linked Library ) which will contain all the functionality, and your main class whichever it is going to be (either webapplication or standard windows application) could reference that dll that you made (class library). And you can abstract your application to deal with two different UI (web/app) but one library (functionality)

It is a very neat and promising language! Very nice to learn!

Good Luck

Answer 2

C++