Need Help Identifying A Language

[spiritualfields]

I downloaded an application for my own personal use, and am quite impressed by the GUI associated with it. I don't know if it was written in a .NET language or native C++. If the former, I don't know if the GUI is a Windows Form or whether it was done with WPF. If written in C++, I'm imagining that MFC was used, but what type of view I can't figure out just from looking at the filenames. None of the dlls or other files in the folder for the app have .NET or Framework in the filenames, and to download and use the app I didn't need to verify that I had .NET installed on my computer. So I'm guessing it's a native application written in c++ and MFC. Here's a screenshot:



There's 8 windows on this particular screenshot. The 3 windows on the left, by clicking on their items, will change what the user sees in the remaining window space, depending on the selection. The 3 windows on the left are always there, and what shows up elsewhere varies according to what's selected in these 3 permanent windows.

What I'd like to know is a best guess as to what language this was written in. If you think that it was written with MFC, what is the best way to start off an MFC project (what options to select in the wizard) that would allow a programmer to arrange windows side by side like this so seamlessly in a gui?

[Paul McKenzie]

That program could have been written in 'C' with no C++ or MFC (not likely, but still could have been done).

Use Spy++ to see what class those windows are, then you can make your conclusion on what framework (if any) created those windows.

Regards,

Paul McKenzie

[spiritualfields]

Hmm ... using Spy++ shows that the the framework is .NET (WindowsForms10 is the top namespace for the controls). Yet the only requirements listed on the site's web page is: "System Requirements: Any computer that runs Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7)

Edit: I'm assuming that a WindowsForm10 namespace is .NET...maybe not?

[Arjay]

Edit: I'm assuming that a WindowsForm10 namespace is .NET...maybe not?

It is. With regard to .Net not listed as a requirement. I would speculate that this program has a setup program and the setup program detects whether .Net is already installed and installs it only if necessary.

No need to list .Net as a requirement if the setup program handles it automatically.

Btw, if the program uses .Net 2.0 Vista and Win7 already have it installed. XP probably has it as well in some of the service packs.

At any rate, there's a good general lesson to be learned here - let the setup program handle the details.