Question New to C#. Wanting to build an app "from scratch". Where would you start?

[C#AppBuilder]

Hi. I am new to C#. I have 1 year of programmign experience in Powershell. Well it's a scripting language but you get what I mean. I've only ever used Python and Powershell.

Anyway I've built an "app" in Powershell (script -> .exe with PS2EXE then created an installer for it with InnoSetup) that changes the current BitLocker PIN and works 100% bug-free. It has a beautiful interactive GUI using WPF that I really like. But I find this lame coz it's not a proper app developed eg in C#.

I want to redo it in C# using the same BitLocker Modules I used in PS to begin with. But since I've never done C# and don't know much, where would you start? I have specific goals regarding the language and only want to do 3 apps for myself.

I looked into this GitHub - roman-miniailov/BitlockerManager: Bitlocker manager for .Net Framework and I tried to use it as the base app but for some reason it wouldn't run in VS.

How would you guys go about it?

 

[Skydiver]

I tried to use it as the base app but for some reason it wouldn't run in VS.

What behavior are you seeing?

 

[C#AppBuilder]

What behavior are you seeing?

It wouldn't run which doesn't make logical sense to me. Mind you tho, I am a complete newb to C# and would really love to create the 3 apps for myself translating from Powershell into C# so to speak. I did make sure to import the NuGet Package

 

[Skydiver]

You need to be more descriptive about "wouldn't run".

Is there an error message? Do you see a console window flash and go away?

 

[C#AppBuilder]

I have been programming in Powershell for a year. Now I want to learn C# with the exclusive intention to create apps for myself.

Experienced pro or hobby devs, how would you go about achieving this goal? What would be the best strategy?

 

[Skydiver]

Best strategy is to first learn the language is to learn the language ... on it's own. Then learn the libraries/frameworks/APIs that will you need to support the specific needs of the app you are planning. Repeat the previous step for other apps.

Based on your other thread, the issue you are struggling with is that you are trying to learn the language and the library/API at the same time.

 

[C#AppBuilder]

Lovely, thank you so much.

Best strategy is to first learn the language is to learn the language ... on it's own. Then learn the libraries/frameworks/APIs that will you need to support the specific needs of the app you are planning. Repeat the previous step for other apps.

Based on your other thread, the issue you are struggling with is that you are trying to learn the language and the library/API at the same time.

If you are an app dev, can you tell me, please, how long it took you to develop your first app that had a nice interactive GUI? Ngl I made this app in Powershell.

When I say app, since this is Powershell, I mean it's a script compiled into an exe with PS2EXE. Then I just created an installer for it with InnoSetup and extended the installer script: added a check for the AppID in the Registry so if the app has already been installed and you try to install it again, the installer will throw an EM and abort itself. Also, you need a PIN to uninstall it.

See, I want to do the same kinda projects but this time, I want to do it the proper way: a language like C#, with its own dll files, folders, etc etc, like every other proper app; not a sorry excuse of an "app" like what I've shown above, even tho it does work 100% bug-free and does what it has to do.

 

[Skydiver]

Merging this back into your other thread, because your question has devolved back into how to develop an app, rather than how to learn a language.

 

[C#AppBuilder]

Merging this back into your other thread, because your question has devolved back into how to develop an app, rather than how to learn a language.

OK but can you answer the questions?

 

[Skydiver]

If you are an app dev, can you tell me, please, how long it took you to develop your first app that had a nice interactive GUI?

I wrote my first GUI app back around 1982 on an C-64 using BASIC. I was 12 years old. It took me about 3 hours to get the basic UI going, and then additional 12-20 hours to do tweaks. At that time there were no mice available to control the GUI. It was all using a joystick and/or keyboard.