Where to start for n00bs

[snabulus]

Quick back story:  I was a big OS/2 admirer in the late 90s. I wrote some VisPro REXX apps at the time. I got a new job and wrote VB6/FoxPro then .NET apps for the next couple of decades.  I've been using Virtual Box to keep up with OS/2-eComstation-ArcaOS over the years.

Now I've been playing with C/C++ and I've successfully compiled Crowther/Woods text adventure in C on the following platforms:  OS/2 (ArcaOS 5.0), Win OS/2, DOS (OS/2), Haiku, Xubuntu Linux, ReactOS, and Win10.  I have also successfully compiled a Hello World app in C++ on all platforms.

Now I would like to make a mini-adventure in the GUI of each platform with buttons for directions, graphics, etc. OS/2 is a hard nut to crack.  I'd like to use Qt but there seems to be a learning curve with no version of QT Creator for OS/2.  I also installed Watcom C++ for OS/2 but I've seen comments that 2.0 has issues and that I should use 1.9.  Just using GCC in ArcaOS I've run into issues using CMAKE even though I have it installed.  I also have a copy of VisualAge C++ for OS/2 3.0 that I bought way back when and installed on ArcOS 5.0 that didn't run after install/reboot.

I've been spoiled by IDEs that "just work" on other platforms.  I don't mind experimenting on OS/2 if there is some hope of getting things sorted out without decades of experience.  However, I need some guidance on what I am missing out on.

Thanks,
Snabulus

[Paul Smedley]

Hello and welcome

Now I would like to make a mini-adventure in the GUI of each platform with buttons for directions, graphics, etc. OS/2 is a hard nut to crack.  I'd like to use Qt but there seems to be a learning curve with no version of QT Creator for OS/2.  I also installed Watcom C++ for OS/2 but I've seen comments that 2.0 has issues and that I should use 1.9.  Just using GCC in ArcaOS I've run into issues using CMAKE even though I have it installed.  I also have a copy of VisualAge C++ for OS/2 3.0 that I bought way back when and installed on ArcOS 5.0 that didn't run after install/reboot.

FWIW - I've built Qt-Creator 8.01 with Qt6, but it doesn't quite work yet. It is definitely the intent to get this working.

re: cmake and gcc - suggest using rpm if you're not already, and it should just work.

Cheers,

Paul.

[Andy Willis]

Hello and welcome

Now I would like to make a mini-adventure in the GUI of each platform with buttons for directions, graphics, etc. OS/2 is a hard nut to crack.  I'd like to use Qt but there seems to be a learning curve with no version of QT Creator for OS/2.  I also installed Watcom C++ for OS/2 but I've seen comments that 2.0 has issues and that I should use 1.9.  Just using GCC in ArcaOS I've run into issues using CMAKE even though I have it installed.  I also have a copy of VisualAge C++ for OS/2 3.0 that I bought way back when and installed on ArcOS 5.0 that didn't run after install/reboot.

FWIW - I've built Qt-Creator 8.01 with Qt6, but it doesn't quite work yet. It is definitely the intent to get this working.

re: cmake and gcc - suggest using rpm if you're not already, and it should just work.

Cheers,

Paul.

There is qtcreator for QT5.  I just launched it to make sure it would as it is not installed where I expected it (I guess previously I launched designer, not really an IDE user).  If you are installing using ANPM or yum, then you can install qtcreator, I can't say anything about it other than I launched it successfully. 
What happens when you try the VAC 3.0?  I do not have the workframe registered with the WPS, and do not recall how to launch the IDE from the command line.  Same with VAC 3.6.  VAC 4.0, I can launch the IDE.  Both Open Watcom and Borland's IDEs launch.

[snabulus]

Thanks Paul and Andy.  My current install of ArcaOS is pretty old and I have been hacking away installing libraries from ANPM, Hobbes, and old CDs.  I think I might just do a fresh install and try to limit myself to Yum/ANPM for development tools.  Then I will be ready for the current QT libs once Paul irons out the issues.  Andy, I was indeed able to install QT Creator from Yum (though it chose QTC 2.2.1 and QT 4.7.3 but with all of the platforms I want to support, that may actually be better). 

I am not doing device drivers so I think I will just use GCC/QT and not worry about the Watcom compiler.  I had trouble getting EPM to do syntax highlighting but I have a registered version of KON and it does fine.

That should keep me busy for a while.  I am still grinding my way through language learning, then QT's ins and outs.

I appreciate the help and hints. 

Snabulus