How to run a Windows Forms project on Linux
I know I know, there are better ways than windows Forms, but i have a project which works with files and i want to know how it is possible to run the .exe file so the openfile dialog works on linux too. I know that .exe files are not 100% supported, but there are workarounds like wine or bottles. But how can I make Wine or Bottles or any application so that it gives me a legit open file dialog that works for Linux and it shouldn´t be something that is a open file dialog for windows on Linux. I asked some people and they told me mono would be a great option, but I don´t know.
54 Replies
The only way is to run it with an emulation layer like Wine
As Windows Forms (you can read its name), is for Windows exlusively
Yes I know, but I want to know if I could be able to work with the files on the linux system with my windows Forms code too with wine
or with bottles
Is there any setting for that?
Or is it generally impossible
For openfiledialog .. I wonder if you can use P/Invoke and make your own wrapper for it
wdym?
I don´t understand, could you pls simplify it for me, thx 🙂
Actually .. Nevermind. Since that would mean you need to at compile-time check the target OS, which in this case you cannot do as its windows-only
Otherwise you could've had a preprocessor that checks the target OS and if the OS is linux then you call a certain API of the OS to open the file dialog
So what might be a solution?
In this case it can't since you cannot compile WinForms for Linux so the preprocessor would be pointless as Target OS will always be Windows
https://gitlab.winehq.org/wine/wine/-/wikis/Winelib-User's-Guide
In few words - you should create thin Wine builtin-dll, that acts like a bridge between ABI of your PE binary and ABI of native Linux Library. Then you should link your code against this wrapper. For Windows distribution you can provide "wrapper" with empty stubs. Such approach allows you to use one binary for your plugin, that will use wine-specific functional wrapper DLL on Linux and stub DLL on Windows.https://stackoverflow.com/questions/39574355/is-it-possible-to-call-native-linux-api-from-a-windows-application-running-in-wi For me it sounds a little too complex and I'd rather just rewrite the program in for example Avalonia which is crossplatform and very similar to WPF If the code is separate from the UI then porting it should be fairly straightforward
Well I have to tell you I am only capable of only making a script in windows Forms and Unity and I have tried avalonia and I can´t really code on it, but I will learn it someday, but for now I want to find out if there is an easy solution to my problem
My Target OS was Linux, I want to run a windows Application that uses a windows Open File Dialog, But it needs to be a Linux Open File Dialog, My Problem - When I compile the Project into an .exe and run it on Bottles it uses the windows Open File Dialog
As others have said, Mono might be the easiest
But then I can´t assure that my Project will work
That is my fear
or will it work?
Worth to try, just keep it in a version control system such as github and you can revert at any time
So that means I have to download mono on my Linux operating system and then run it per mono that I have to download where?
GitHub
GitHub - modern-forms/Modern.Forms: Cross-platform spiritual succes...
Cross-platform spiritual successor to Winforms for .NET 8+ - modern-forms/Modern.Forms
Still in early stages, but if you want to eat your cookie and have it too, this comes the closest
You can check parity status here, to see if it'll work for you: https://github.com/modern-forms/Modern.Forms/issues/25
wow, I will check that for sure
Do you know any YouTube Tutorial? I can´t seem to find one
if there is none I will have a proper look into the github
And how can I make my project into a modern Forms Project?
oh, I found out that I need decompile - that explains everything
found how to make my application
you shouldn't need to decompile anything if you have the source code
yeah I know
This is the first time I feel like i found something handy, thanks a lot - i will look into it furhter and check if my application can be made with it 🙂
Actually - how can I install nuget packages?
And why is it so hard to make a openfile dialog?
huh?
probably by using the tools in your IDE, and it's no harder than making any other dialog
i'm guessing your difficulty is in finding one someone already made for you
nonono I already made one myself but it doesn´t work
afaik the winforms file dialogs are built into the windows shell itself
I made a open file dialog - the one like the explorer
you know - when you selsct a file on a website
actually I thought I needed it but it turns out i don´t - yeah I can make some mistakes 😕
so what do I have to do - just copy the code?
Well it doesn´t work
copy what code and to where?
OpenFileDialog FileSearcher = new OpenFileDialog();
FileSearcher.Filter = "xml Files (.xml)|.xml|sb1 Files (.sb)|.sb|sb2 Files (.sb2)|.sb2|sb3 Files (.sb3)|.sb3";
FileSearcher.ShowDialog();
if you're changing UI libraries i wouldn't expect you to be able to use the same code
The Problem is it doesn´t 😕
I am using Modern Forms now
but it doesn´t work
C:\Users\daiko\Downloads\Modern Converter\MainForm.cs(35,26): error CS1061: "OpenFileDialog" enthält keine Definition für "Filter", und es konnte keine zugängliche Filter-Erweiterungsmethode gefunden werden, die ein erstes Argument vom Typ "OpenFileDialog" akzeptiert (möglicherweise fehlt eine using-Direktive oder ein Assemblyverweis).
C:\Users\daiko\Downloads\Modern Converter\MainForm.cs(36,26): error CS7036: Es wurde kein Argument angegeben, das dem erforderlichen Parameter "owner" von "OpenFileDialog.ShowDialog(Form)" entspricht. - this is german, you can use a translator if you don´t know it 😕
and I just pasted the code inside the default button method
you can translate it if you want us to read it, it's an english-first server
sorry
i will do it
but it looks like you're trying to do things that don't match the actual library
You’ll have to read the library’s documentation to learn how to set the filter on the dialog.
It won’t be one-to-one with WinForms.
C:\Users\daiko\Downloads\Modern Converter\MainForm.cs(35,26): error CS1061: “OpenFileDialog” does not contain a definition for “Filter”, and no accessible filter extension method could be found that accepts an initial argument of type “OpenFileDialog” (possibly missing a using directive or assembly reference).
C:\Users\daiko\Downloads\Modern Converter\MainForm.cs(36,26): error CS7036: No argument corresponding to the required parameter “owner” of “OpenFileDialog.ShowDialog(Form)” was specified.
this is the problem - it is not mentioned
or at least I don´t find it
the library isn't polished and doesn't look like there's much documentation, so you're going to have to read the source code of the library to figure things out
😦
ok
A good way is to explore via intellisense
Look at the methods on OpenFileDialog with IntelliSense.
There appears to be an AddFilter method.
I think I found a tutorial, but I am not sure
nope it wasn´t one
ok
I will dig further into this information
ok I couldn´t find something
its very sad that there is no documentation 😦
time to learn xaml
😦
sorry but is there really no other way?
ok I found something
no other way to what? you have to pick a UI framework to learn, the one you choose is up to you
there are limited options for .NET GUIs on linux
I only learnt windows forms
that is my big problem
you're allowed to learn more than one
avalonia is basically the only solid option for linux afaik
I know and I tried it - I don´t understand it - I have to think for a sec
pls
i mean that's programming, find what tools you need to do the job and learn how to use them
I found WIndows Forms, I tried MAUI, but it didn´t work on my computer bc its not user friendly atleast not friendly enough to me - and i have tried Avalonia too, but I couldn´t manage to find a way to make a Open File Dialog there too - and now I am here, ZZZZZZ told me about the sucessor of Windows Forms and I am trying to find a easy way to make a open File Dialog, but it simply is too hard for me 😕 I am not joking - i tried everything in every single way but I can´t seem to find a easy way to make a open file dialog - its not like i am not trying 😕
targeting linux isn't helping, tbh
why?
because of what i said before
avalonia is basically the only solid GUI framework option for .NET on linux
you could use forms, or wpf, or maui, etc. if you were on windows
ok
i will try now this and if i can´t find a solution I will surely change to something easy and cross compatible
there is nothing easy and cross platform, that's my point
you have to choose
😕 well what do you prefer
avalonia
then i have to find out more about it
you can try to skip the xaml and mvvm stuff and just do pure codebehind, you might be able to skip learning some things that way
but you'll run into the same maintainability issues you'll get with winforms
ultimately there's no shortcut
ok, my plan is that i will try to get a solution with Modern Forms, as it is nearer to Windows Forms, If I succeed I will probably make a avalonia version, if not surely
does that sound good?
You can close this issue, i don´t think I need to ask more, avalonia and modern forms might be the solution to my problem
Ok, I made my Project to Avalonia and It works Thanks a lot! 🙂 I finally understand Avalonia UI 😀