User Interface Creation Tools
 

Heyas,

I have been using Linux for about a year now, I have dual booted with Windows XP the entire time because I felt there were tools I needed that I only had on Windows. However, now I am thinking about taking the dive into Linux alone.

However, there is one last thing I'd really need of Linux. I am working witha friend to make a 2D tile-based engine in C++ and SDL. It is basically just a learning experiance to get started with graphics programming. We wanted to use Visual Basic to easily(or rather, quickly) make a simple map editor.

Now, the more I use Linux to more I'd like to stick with it and try to develop this project on it. However, the only thing I need is some sort of way to develop the interface for the map editor in Linux. I know VB is a Windows-only thing, however I would think there shoudl be some type of tool that is along the same lines as VB. I know we could just develop it in C++, but that would lead to to map editor taking almost as long as the engine itself to develop. So, we would prefer to be able to use a simpler tool, if it is possible.

Any suggests would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Chris

edit: Ehhh, I just realized that I posted this in the Software forum, when I probably should have been put into the Programming forum. I had two broswer windows opened and used the wrong one. Sorry about that.

I've not tried this, so I don't know how good that is:

http://sourceforge.net/projects/vb4linux/

How does exactly your map editor works?. Because depending how straight forward that is, it should not be so hard with C or Java...

Well we haven't actuall planned anything out with the map editor yet. However, I've done some thinking and to begin with it was pretty much going to be a point and click type thing with a save, load, and new option.

Essentially, it will load the tile set from a file. Then you click the tile and then click where to place that tile on the blank map. Then save it when your done. Nothing too incredibly difficult. I'll probably add a few other things such as teleporters and stuff, but we want ot keep the editor fairly simple.

I will check out that vb4linux thing. I've actually never programmed in Java at all before, but I suppose that is a possible way to go if it isn't to difficult ot do what we are looking to do. Thanks for the reply.

I see, something like RPG-Maker editor? Wow, that's going to be really cool :). Pygame is a wrapper for SDL. It makes life really easier. Maybe you could code the game in C++ and SDL and make a simple, fast editor with Pygame (or maybe the hole game, pygame is really sweet). You program pygame using Python language, which is quite simple and very powerful :). Take a look at pygame, download some examples (Gamelets) and see if it could be what you seek!

Good luck with the project!

Hehe, I forgot about RPG-Maker, but yes, the map editor will probably be like that, just simpler. pygame is a good idea. I remember reading about that a while back, and I learned a little Python when I first got into programming.

Does Python compile code into executable files or does it just interpret the code as it goes? I think I remember it not created executable files, but rather you compile the code and it runs right then and there. Since I am fairly certain you do not create exectuable files with Python code, to distribute the map editor, I would just supply the source code, and whoever was to use it would then put it through the python compiler on there machine, correct?

I will read up on Python again tommarrow and take a look at pygame as well. Also, I was doing some research of my own and I came across QT Developer. Would this be something like what I am looking for as well? It looks like it has an interface similar to VB, however I have not tried using it yet, so I am not sure if it is actually as simple as VB is to use or not.

Thanks for the replies so far. I am still open to more ideas if anyone has any. I'll look them all up tommarrow after school and figure out which to go with.

Thanks,
Chris