7 replies to this topic

[locutus]

Hi all,

I came across this community searching form some beginner programmer's advice, so I was hoping that here I'll meet some people who could offer me a few tips I need.

I am familiar with programming (mostly Java, a little C++, and bit of web programming, e.g. Actionscript), as I learned it at college. So I do understand basic concepts of object oriented, programming, etc. My question is how and where to start to try to code a simple Windows app?

Actually I am basically a graphic designer and 'till now I had no aspirations to do programming, but in a failed attempt to search for a simple Windows e-mail notifier I decided to try to code one up from scratch.

Basically, I want a little app that silently runs in the tray and gives notifications of POP3 mail, as well as Gmail and Hotmail. I don't want no mail client abilities like reading, deleting or answering, just notifying. I came across and tried out 5 or 6 applications i found (like PopTray or PopPeeper), but all of them had some disadvantages or unneeded features.

Maybe you guys could recommend some resources for me to start with this little quest of mine, since I have no idea how to start.

Thanx!

Edited by locutus, 22 November 2011 - 08:59 AM.

[RhetoricalRuvim]

I don't have much experience with POP3 or anything, except for socket programming and HTTP. I don't have much experience with graphics programming, either. But what I do know, you can use Win32 API - socket programming, graphical device interface (GDI), and other functions - to do those things; you'll need some effort to do that, though. If you use Windows socket programming, you'll have to learn a lot about how things work.

I had to learn how HTTP works, for example, before I could write a server. As for graphics programming, I am mostly familiar with Win32 GDI programming, and user32 functions (those in user32.dll; used for making windows, buttons, edit boxes, etc.).

But a lot of what you would do depends on the language you're going to use.


P.S. By the way, "Thanx" is actually spelled "Thanks" .

[locutus]

Thank you for the reply. I am aware that I'll have to learn a lot...that's why I'm asking for advice on where to start. As I said, I'm familiar with C++ and Java, and maybe i'm a little more experienced with Java.

P.S. I know how thanks is spelled, even if I didn't know, I have the spellchecker :) ...but that's kind of common written slang, isn't it? You'll forgive me as I am not a native English speaker.

[wim DC]

Make it yourself easy and do this in c# and not C / C++
Building a GUI is simple (drag & drop), and as far as the mail checking goes:

Pop3Client email = new Pop3Client("user", "password", "mail.server.com");
email.OpenInbox();

while( email.NextEmail())  ....

It won't get any simpler than this.

2nd option should be Java. Bit more learning for GUI
(You can drag & drop as well (certainly with netbeans and intelliJ IDE + I assume there's a plugin for eclipse:confused:)... I don't think it's that common to drag & drop GUIs for Java though.)
and slightly more code for the mail checking, but not too bad.
See Java Mail POP3 Client : Email Client*

[locutus]

That's interesting, wim DC. Is it really simple like that? I'm affraid I never even saw anything get done in C#, what IDE should i use? I guess the other option is to try NetBeans and work in Java, since we used NetBeans in college and I'm already familiar with it.

[wim DC]

locutus said:

That's interesting, wim DC. Is it really simple like that?

I don't know :D I don't really use C# I'm more into Java.
For C#, as for VB, your only IDE option will be "visual studio"

[RhetoricalRuvim]

I know this is a bit off topic, but how do you read an email in C#?

[AKMafia001]

This is how to send.