Covert Windows based application to web interface

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Hi all, I hope someone can offer some guidance.

Our company created online reservation software for guest houses/hotels/bed and breakfasts, etc.

This software stores information on a local Firebird database and when synchronized, sends the information to our server online so that when clients make reservations online, they see the latest information with regards to availability.

We would like to convert basically the entire application to a web interface, so that our clients navigate to a web page, log in and have access to their information; instead of using a windows based application. Benefits of this are being able to access their info from anywhere as well as the ease of updates to the database, etc.

As I am not very 'developmentally' minded, I need some help with this.

Even my basic knowledge tells me that there is no application that can do this due to the different modules in the software. The information I am looking for is with regards to people. What sort of developers would we need, what would be the best languages, basically any advise on the move from Windows based to web based.

Thanks and regards,

Kyle

Posted 10-Jan-11 3:41am

Kyle Frandsen

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#realJSOP · Answer 1 · 2011-01-10T04:37:00

Solution 6

I'd recommend Silverlight. It provides amuch richer experience that is desktop-like, yet delivered via the web. It works on any Windows box that has the approrpiate browser plug-in (most browsers). Debugging during development is also very easy.

Posted 10-Jan-11 4:37am

#realJSOP

Comments

Espen Harlinn 10-Jan-11 10:51am

5+ It's a lot more work - but the user experience should be better for web users - obviously depending on the developers.

Currently I have the feeling that many developers are trying to deliver SilverLight SaaS (Software as a Soup) based solutions. The soup is based on adding ingredients (i.e. frameworks and libraries) until about 90% of the code is about framework interaction, 5% sheer incompetence, while only 5% has anything to do with the task at hand.

So while I think SilverLight is a good choice - you really need to be careful about the developers. Choose experienced people with a proven track record. For some reason the latest and greatest seem to attract either the best or the worst developers ... You'll find a number of the greatest here on CodeProject :) - and they are developing frameworks, and they are good at it ...

**R. Giskard Reventlov** · Answer 2 · 2011-01-10T03:53:00

Other than in the most general way a very difficult question to answer without knowing more about your software.

You would need web developers and, as a .Net man I would recommend using Asp.Net/C#. However, you should also look at other languages and technologies all of which will produce an excellent website and which need to be chosen based on your specific need/developmental tastes.

The first thing you should do is to employ someone who can analyse what you have already done and recommend/document the viability and the steps needed to convert the application to be web based. Then you would need to assemble a team and get them to carry out the work.

Again, without knowing much more about what you do and what you need you will require between 1 and n developers, DBAs, team leaders, etc, etc., really no way to know with the information provided.

I'm sure others will give different answers and you may be able to put together a plan from any or all of them to help yourself.

**Dalek Dave** · Answer 3 · 2011-01-10T03:56:00

Solution 2

It is difficult.

You can't do a direct transposition, it will require a rewrite.
If the app is designed right, then you can create a web UI that uses the same logic as the app.

Posted 10-Jan-11 3:56am

Dalek Dave

Valery Possoz · Answer 4 · 2011-01-10T04:02:00

Solution 3

Hi,

to a certain extend it seems that it is possible to do what you want, have a look at this article it might help you.

Converting WinForms => Web Forms using CodeDom[^]

Valery.

Posted 10-Jan-11 4:02am

Valery Possoz

Nish Nishant · Answer 5 · 2011-01-10T04:10:00

Since you said it's an online app, I assume there are some webservices (even simple TCP chat based ones) running on a server and the desktop clients connect to those. That means you already have some level of UI vs backend separation, so writing a web based client app that consumes the same services may not be too hard a task.

A good approach would be to do this in stages. Select a few important modules and implement just those. So for example, leave the user management/admin stuff out and just do some basic client tasks in the first web app version. See how that goes, and then slowly add more functionality until the web app does everything the desktop app can.

It will be a good idea to have people in the team who've worked on both desktop and web development.

Espen Harlinn · Answer 6 · 2011-01-10T04:10:00

Hi Kyle,

Take a look at DevExpress XAF[^]. From personal experience I can say that it will probably allow you to get the job done in record time, and I'm not an employee of devexpress.

This is exactly the kind of application that the framework was made for.

As an added bonus you get both a Windows Forms and an asp.net solution.

If you are not careful - you might not be done until lunch on Wednesday :)

The links below leads to a series on how to use XAF to develop a project management application.
XAF – Project Management Application #10[^]
XAF – Project Management Application Index[^]

There many similarities between a booking system and a project management system.

Regards
Espen Harlinn

Steven J Jowett · Answer 7 · 2011-01-10T05:20:00

Assuming you have a good N-Teir design for your Windows based project, then you should only need to redevelop the User interface and maybe modify the data layer slightly. Other than that you should not need to touch the Business Logic layer.

If your existing project is not N-Teir in design, then now is the time to make in so.

Covert Windows based application to web interface

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