Question

I have a need to create a utility in Suze Linux. The utility will make modifications to some text files, and then use the information in those text files to program a device in the computer using a different executable which accepts command line parameters.

I am fluent in c#, but have never worked with Linux. Should I take the time to learn Gnu C++ to do this, or install Mono? How would I execute the programming utility and pass it command line parameters?

Answer 1

Is there a reason you want to restrict yourself to only C++ or C#? There are many options you could consider, for example:

For very simple tasks:

• Bash: In some cases a simple Bash script will be able to solve the task. Piping information from one process to another is a breeze, and you have the power of sed, awk, etc. at your fingertips. Another major advantage is that it is installed almost everywhere.

For slightly more involved tasks you could try a scripting language:

• Python: Easy to learn, pleasant to read. Very useful for putting together small applications quickly. You can use subprocess to communicate with other processes.
• Ruby: Similar comments to Python – a good scripting language with a clean syntax.
• Perl: Perl is very good at processing text, although personally I dislike the syntax.

Other options:

• Java: Your C# experience will allow you to learn Java quickly as it is a very similar language. Java is officially supported on Linux.
• C#: A lot of Linux users are wary of C# because it isn’t free enough, but obviously that isn’t a worry for you. It has worked fine the few times I’ve tried it. Note that Mono is not 100% compatible with Microsoft’s version.
• C++: For what you’re planning to do I personally wouldn’t recommend C++. It will solve the task though, and if you already know some C++ then I guess it is worth considering.

Obviously there are many other suitable options too.