Selecting product, Measurement Studio

[kikoLlan]

I am developing a Control System interface and I had been thinking about using C# and .NET to design it.

I would like to use the measurement Studio on it. We have the license for measurement studio c++, but not for C#. Do you think that work with C# and the measurement Studio for C# is really better than use visual c++ and measurement Studio for c++?

Thanks a lot,

Pd: Sorry, but my English isnt good.

[drohacek]

When you say that you don't have a license for C#, do you mean that you don't have Measurement Studio 7.0 or later? Measurement Studio does not license .NET separately from C++, but .NET support was not yet implemented in Measurement Studio 6.0.

There is not a straightforward answer to your question about whether C# is better than C++. It depends greatly on what application you want to develop and your own personal level of expertise in each language and the framework that you'll be developing on (MFC vs. .NET Framework). In general, I think most people find it easier to use C# and the .NET Framework than C++ and MFC. Regarding Measurement Studio, the .NET class libraries and the C++ class libraries offer equivalent functionality for GPIB, VISA, DAQ, Dat
aSocket, and analysis. The Measurement Studio .NET user interface controls are more flexible and extensible than the C++ user interface controls. I think that most people find the .NET user interface controls easier to use than the C++ user interface controls, but this is again a matter of opinion.

[kikoLlan]

Yes, We have Measurement Studio 6. I think that could be a good idea to improve our license to Measurement Studio 7.0, isnt it?

I have some experience with Builder C++ and Java, but I am really interest in use .NET framework and C# in future. I think that this project could be a good chance to start with it.

If I use the .NET framework, C# and Measurement Studio 7.0, could I work with classes from a old program write with visual C++? That isnt very important for my new project but can be useful.

Thanks for the first answer (fast and really good) and more thanks a lot,

Kiko Llaneras

[drohacek]

We recently released Measurement Studio 7.1, so if you upgrade, you'll get that version.

If you use the .NET Framework, C#, and Measurement Studio, you will not be able to work with the C++ classes from C# because C++ classes are not usable from C#. Furthermore, we did not make an effort to keep the APIs consistent between the .NET controls and the C++ controls. The differences between C++/MFC and C#/.NET Framework are so great that had we attempted to make the .NET control APIs similar to the C++ control APIs, the .NET API usability and feature set would have suffered a great deal. There is definitely a learning curve to move from C++ to C#, but I personally think that it is worth it unless you need features that only C++ offers.

To he
lp you learn C# and .NET, I recommend Applied .NET Framework Programming, by Jeffrey Richter.

To help you learn the new Measurement Studio APIs, the Measurement Studio help has a set of concept topics that describe how to use the APIs. You, of course, can also use this forum as a resource for learning about the APIs.