Using VB .NET and PHP

[Undead_Mercenary]

Alright I figure I'd mind as well get some IT opinons on this. I'm in my second week of my co-op and I'm trying to decide exactly how to do my assigned task. Basically, a couple fellow class mates did a PHP script for the company I work for, and another student did a VB .NET program.

The PHP script reads a text file containing telemetry data about a specific aircraft (different wind variables, altitude, etc) flying on a specific course. It then shows the data in a couple tables and uses Google Map features to draw the planes trajectory on the map.

The VB .NET program lets users have access to the Iridium Network (from what I understand, it's used mainly for GPS/telemetry data storage) through an email client and can download information about a specific aircraft.

So basically, I need to combine the two to offer (probably) an online service to the companies that purchase these aircraft probes (that's what the company sells FYI). Bad enough I have to pick apart through someone elses code, but also combine the functionality of two different languages? It's a challenge.

So I researched some possible options, and so far, I've found two. One is to implement the core functionality of the VB program into VBScript. The other is to use .NET's COM Interop to create a .NET component and then use it through PHP (sounds iffy, but this site says I can do it: http://www.peachpit.com/articles/articl ... 27291&rl=1)

Any thoughts? The head honchos are currently gone for the week down in Texas, so I'd like to have some sort of idea available when they return.

[Undead_Mercenary]

Well so far Xor suggested either I convert the PHP into ASP.NET, or convert the VB.NET into Perl. I checked into some stuff, and man it won't be a walk in the park. I don't think I can do the second option because as far as I know, the email client that was purchased works specifically in VB (and I'm sure they will want to use it after paying for it).

The first option isn't any better. I should have mentioned in the first post, but it's written in AJAX, so it has PHP, XML and Javascript. The toughest parts are the functions used to draw diagrams of specific points on the Google Map (check out their site here).

While both seem like daunting tasks, I am always up for the challenge if they are my only options. I just want to make sure before I go full force into conversion-mode that there aren't any easier options.

[Archangelus]

I know without getting into an insane amount of detail, you won't be able to answer this, but are you able to convert the VB.NET functionality into a PHP app? There are a lot of pretty cool classes and extensions out there for PHP that provide a lot of functionality. That being said, I know you can't do everything.

So, not to sound like I'm a meeting at work, but the first thing I would do is to write down your functional and design requirements for each application/service and then see what your options are. You have a lot of background in C (if I remember correctly) and PHP. Look into utilizing those talents in meeting the requirements. If you need any help trying to decide if something can be done in PHP, let me know. I can't promise anything, but I'll help as much as I can.

[Undead_Mercenary]

Basically I just need to get the core functionality of the VB program online: accessing the Iridium Network via an email client/engine. The rest of the program can be easily implemented in Ajax. Although the email engine (called SEE4VB) can be used in a couple different languages, PHP isn't one of them. Do you know of a way to use a SMTP/POP3 client to access this network? I have no experience with email stuff at all.

Here's a link to the company that designed the email engine: http://www.marshallsoft.com

[midnightservice]

well merc here is som good news check out ajax.net and you will loce lif a lot better. second there is a php.net also and bothn are free. Also for email client in vb.net its really simple to implement for free by using the namespace system.web.mail and going from there. If i was u i would dump all information from the php code it is gathering into a sql or mysql dbase and then use vb.net to read that information back out. this way you only have to code the portion to read the info. not try and convert theres into yours. They ahve created the wheel for you, you just have to give it some mag wheels.

[Undead_Mercenary]

Hey, SQL! That sounds like a great idea. Thanks guys, hopefully I can start some actual coding next week.

[Undead_Mercenary]

Alright, is there a way to run a server-side .exe with PHP? I ask because I wrote a simple VB.NET program that attempts to connect to a SQL database and run a Select statement. I'm having problems just getting connected though, and it seems that the port used to connect to the SQL server blocks remote access. I tested the same thing in a PHP script, and it only worked when I uploaded it to the server's ftp (I tried it from the college's ftp). Anyways, I want to see if the program can connect if it is executed on the server, but I can't seem to find a way to do that.

If there isn't a way in PHP, is there a way in a different language?

[Archangelus]

Look at the PHP Command "exec". You should be able to do it via that.

[Undead_Mercenary]

I've been trying to use that command since yesterday, but no luck. I do exec("start programName.exe");, along with 10 other variations, but it always fails. I've set execution permissions for both the php file and the .exe, but still nothing. Also, the .exe and .php are located in the same folder on the ftp.

What am I doing wrong?

EDIT: You know what, for the moment, just forget it. I had a meeting with the owners this morning about what exactly they wanted me to do. I thought I needed to use the AJAX script and the VB .NET, but they said it's perfectly fine to use them only as examples. So if I wanted to, I could do everything from scratch, a clean slate.

This will definetly be the largest and most complex project I've ever done. Fortunatly, I won't be as constrained by time as I first thought (my co-op is only for 4 months). And it definetly is a relief that I can use whatever means I think are best (instead of being forced to use what's already been made).

Should be very interesting.