I hope this is ok - need a programmer

[JSt0rm]

Hey all. A friend of mine needs a programmer to transfer a windows program to osx. This software was used on the movie avatar and is getting a good bit of press in the small professional community it is targeted at. The code is probably pretty simple as it is basically a note taking organizational type of software that interfaces with a more complex program. I don't want to go into too many details on a public forum and my interests in this is as a friend helping a friend so the details of the business arrangement would be between the 2 of you. Thanks for your time and please feel free to pm me with any questions.

 

[Ken g6]

I'm not really a GUI programmer, and I have no experience with OS X, so I'll just suggest your friend try the app under Wine before going to the trouble of having it rewritten. Good luck!

 

[Gamingphreek]

I'm not really a GUI programmer, and I have no experience with OS X, so I'll just suggest your friend try the app under Wine before going to the trouble of having it rewritten. Good luck!

This.

Regardless of whether the program is using .NET or MFC (<-Antiquated) as the base programming API, the GUI's will require a full rewrite.

Furthermore, you say this is a note taking program that interfaces with another program. If the DirectX libraries were used, that whole aspect will require a complete rewrite into something such as OpenGL.

You really need to have a good reason to do application porting because of some of these difficulties. Is there a particular reason he really wants to go to OSX? Marketability? Just because?

 

[sourceninja]

If he is looking to sell his product, wine is not the way to go. It has a stigma. An easier way might be to port it to something with common ground, say python/C/C++ with wxwidgets or qt. Then it will be fairly trivial to support OSX, Windows, or Linux. Providing of course your product wasn't using something like directX.

 

[Gamingphreek]

If he is looking to sell his product, wine is not the way to go. It has a stigma. An easier way might be to port it to something with common ground, say python/C/C++ with wxwidgets or qt. Then it will be fairly trivial to support OSX, Windows, or Linux. Providing of course your product wasn't using something like directX.

Good point about QT. I haven't used it, but a couple of my friends swear it is one of the most amazing things ever

OP: GTK is another pretty good GUI for your friend to look at if he is porting it.

-Kevin

 

[JSt0rm]

Marketability is the main reason for porting the software to osx (its a app for people in the film industry). I think he is looking for someone to do this work for hire (I think there is potential at this stage for &#37; stake but like I said before I have no idea about the business aspect of the deal) so if you guys know of any really good guys who would want to entertain looking into this it would be great

As i said it was used on Avatar so its got a good buzz about it already. It just needs access the the huge mac base that work in the film industry before I would say its totally "sellable". This is the kind of thing that saves time and money for who needs it so the price will reflect that

 

[JSt0rm]

oh and thanks for all your suggestions everyone. At this stage all info is welcome.

 

[Cogman]

Really, it is the more complex program that is going to kill you. If the more complex program hasn't already been ported to OSx, you might be running into some big difficulties. (like how you are interfacing with the app. If it is just straight command line, you might be fine, but all hell will break loose if you are using a DLL type interface or ANY windows API calls)

Like others have suggested, I would go to a cross platform GUI system, such as GTK, QT, wxWidgets, ect. Personally, I would chose the GTK and QT over wxWidgets. (wxWidgets has a slow clunky feel to them).