Recommendations For Windows and Mac Deployment (Mono?)

[Auguy]

This may not be the best forum for this, but thought I would start here. I have been asked to develop a small system that prints, tracks, and reports on bulk fuel deliveries to run a Mac network. I do not presently own a Mac. I would like to use .Net to create this app. To date I have done all of my .Net using vb, but am willing to learn C or C# for this project. I do have an old VFP version of the system that I basically have to duplicate. On the surface it seems like Mono will do the trick because this system is fairly simplistic and it would allow me to deploy it to both Windows and the Mac. If I cannot use something like Mono because there is a large learning curve or other problems then this project will probably not support me buying Mac equipment or software. I hope some of you out there have had some experience with Mono or other cross platform tools. A few of my questions/concerns are:
1. Does Mono even make sense, other options.?
2. Is there a large learning curve?
3. What database should I use (mysql seems like the way to go because it is available on both platforms)?
4. Can I use the same db calls for both Windows and Mac?
5. Will I need a Mac to compile it to run on the Mac?
6. One piece of this project involves consuming a web service to send financial transactions to a credit company and receiving the confirmation. Am I going to be able to do this on both Windows and Mac?
7. Some of my research suggested the Mono screens on the Mac did not look very good (maybe this is old information).
8. What difficulties or pitfalls are there?
9. Any other suggestions or comments are welcome.
10. Any other development tools to get this done (Servoy)?


Auguy
Sylvania/Toledo Ohio

 

[Auguy]

Sorry to bring this up again, but does anyone have any thoughts?

Auguy
Sylvania/Toledo Ohio

 

[TomSlayton]

Hi Auguy,

I haven't used Mono, but you might try FileMaker it has Windows, Mac & iPad support.

Best,

Tom

 

[Auguy]

Thanks, I am looking into FileMaker. Trying to find out a bit more about the costs as this will have to be developed on a pc and run on a Mac network. Also concerned about functionality like filling fields when a user makes a selection in a combo box, consuming the web service, etc. I've done some reading on FileMaker and some "experts" say it is too restrictive in what you can do. This project is basically like an invoicing system with a header and detail tables, customer, items, terms tables, etc. Do you have any idea if the code is similar to FoxPro or .Net coding?

Auguy
Sylvania/Toledo Ohio

 

[TomSlayton]

Sorry Auguy no, I haven't done any FileMaker programming. There is a forum though, you might try there.

Best,

Tom.