About HMG - AI's view!

[Rathinagiri]

This is the question I was asking to AI Model Gemma! This was the answer I got!

Have you ever heard about HMG - Harbour MiniGUI?

Yes, I have! HMG (Harbour MiniGUI) is a fascinating and somewhat niche project. Here's what I know about it:

What is HMG?

A GUI Library for Harbour: HMG is a graphical user interface (GUI) library built on top of the Harbour compiler. Harbour itself is an open-source, free implementation of Clipper/xBase compilers.
Retro-Inspired Development: It's designed to allow developers to create Windows applications using a syntax and development style reminiscent of older xBase systems like Clipper and dBase. It aims for a "familiar" feel for those with experience in those legacy languages.
Lightweight & Portable: HMG is known for being relatively lightweight and portable, meaning it can run on various Windows versions (including older ones) and has potential for porting to other platforms.
Focus on Rapid Development: It emphasizes rapid application development (RAD), allowing developers to quickly create functional GUIs with minimal code.
Key Features & Characteristics:

Simple Syntax: The syntax is designed to be easy to learn, especially for those familiar with xBase languages. It uses a declarative approach where you define the GUI elements and their properties in code.
Event-Driven Programming: HMG utilizes an event-driven programming model, which is common in modern GUI development.
Customizable Look & Feel: While it has a default look, HMG allows for customization of the appearance through themes and other techniques.
No External Dependencies (Mostly): HMG strives to minimize external dependencies, making deployment easier. However, some features might require specific Windows libraries.
Active Community: There's an active community around HMG, providing support, examples, and contributing to the library's development.
Why is it interesting?

Nostalgia & Legacy Support: It provides a way for developers with experience in older xBase systems to continue creating Windows applications without having to completely re-learn modern programming languages and frameworks.
Rapid Prototyping: Its RAD capabilities make it suitable for quickly building prototypes or small utilities.
Resource Efficiency: Its lightweight nature can be advantageous for resource-constrained environments.

[serge_girard]

Great !

[gfilatov]

This is the question I was asking to AI Model Gemma! This was the answer I got!

Have you ever heard about HMG - Harbour MiniGUI?
...

I've asked AI Kimi (Moonshot AI) the similar question. And here is his answer.

**Harbour MiniGUI** is an open-source library for the **Harbour programming language** (a free, cross-platform compiler for xBase/Clipper style languages) that provides a simplified interface for creating **Windows GUI applications** without relying on external frameworks like .NET or heavy toolkits.

### **Key Features:**
- **Lightweight GUI framework** for Windows (Win32 API-based).
- **Compatible with Clipper/Harbour syntax**, making it easy for FoxPro/Clipper developers.
- **Support for standard controls** (buttons, menus, dialogs, etc.).
- **No runtime dependencies** beyond basic Windows DLLs.
- **Works with Harbour's HBMK2 compiler** for easy compilation.

### **Difference from Other GUI Options:**
Unlike **Harbour-Qt** or **HWGUI** (which use Qt or wxWidgets), **MiniGUI** sticks to native Windows APIs, resulting in smaller executables and no external dependencies.

### **Example Use Case:**
A simple Harbour program with MiniGUI:
```harbour
#include "minigui.ch"

FUNCTION Main()
DEFINE WINDOW win_hello AT 0,0 SIZE 200,100 TITLE "MiniGUI Hello" MAIN
BUTTON btn of win_hello CAPTION "Click Me" AT 50,40 SIZE 100,30
END WINDOW
ACTIVATE WINDOW win_hello
RETURN
```
This creates a basic window with a button using Harbour's xBase-like syntax.

[serge_girard]

ChatGPT:

HMG-Harbour is a free and lightweight tool for building Windows desktop applications.

HMG stands for Harbour MiniGUI, which provides a visual interface like buttons, windows, and menus.

Harbour is a modern version of the old Clipper language, used in the 1980s and 1990s for business applications.

You can think of HMG-Harbour like this:

“It’s a toolkit that lets you create programs for Windows using a very simple programming language — especially good for things like data entry, forms, invoices, small business tools, etc.”

Key points:
Builds real Windows applications

Easy to learn — especially for those who worked with Clipper or FoxPro

Great for database programs (DBF, MySQL, SQLite)

Fast and efficient — apps are small and run quickly

Totally free and open source

Example use cases:
- Invoicing and billing software
- Customer management systems
- Inventory tracking

Simple tools for data processing or automation

[serge_girard]

Also:
Legacy Systems
“HMG-Harbour is a modern, open-source evolution of Clipper, enabling businesses to maintain and enhance legacy desktop systems with current Windows compatibility.”

Migration Focus
“HMG-Harbour offers a smooth migration path from older Clipper or FoxPro applications to modern Windows platforms — without rewriting your business logic from scratch.”

Enterprise Integration
“HMG-Harbour allows custom Windows applications to seamlessly integrate with SQL databases, APIs, and existing enterprise systems — all with minimal overhead.”

Bonus (General IT/SMB context)
“A lightweight and flexible toolset for IT teams to develop and maintain custom business software in-house — reducing dependency on expensive off-the-shelf solutions.”

[nekbmm]

Great !

[franco]

Very positive feedback.
As we all know.

[mustafa]

https://grok.com/
creates the code quite accurately and prepares it for you to copy and paste.

Regards
Mustafa

[tonton2]

https://grok.com/
creates the code quite accurately and prepares it for you to copy and paste.
Salam Alaikoum , Trés heureux de vous lire et merci pour ce lien
Regards
Mustafa

[tonton2]

Is it possible, like in Clipper, during a full compilation, to recompile only the modified file in HMG 3.4.4?