Why Autoit instead of VB? For Novice

[meatsack]

I apologize if this is a uninformed question. I want to automate how I use win xp. So I am wondering if Autoit is for me. I suspect that Autoit has a greater range of features than VB, but since I am just starting out I don't have the information to say either way. It does seem much better, more powerful than autohk. Where am I wrong in the following assumptions?

Autoit--------------------------Visual Basic

free-------------------------- Expensive 100.00

learning curve weeks------------learning curve months

send keys-----------------------send keys

recording macro-----------------?

skillful user employable?-------skillful user 40k salary to start

user base 1,000s----------------user base millions

lifespan years------------------lifespan decades

useful lifespan years?----------useful lifespan decades

skill transferable?-------------no need given size of VB

learning resources?------------learning resources, texts, pain & unpaid support lots

os dependent--------------------os dependent

Am I missing any important analysis?

Edited January 16, 2010 by meatsack

[Richard Robertson]

AutoIt can do anything you want it to, as can VB. VB has a few peculiarities such as a runtime being required (few people don't have this by now) and is no longer being actively developed. AutoIt has no runtime and is still being updated (just got an update within the last day or so).

This board alone has some 34000 members, who are users of AutoIt. There are even more who don't have forum accounts. AutoIt is used in many businesses now due to the speed in which many tasks can be accomplished. AutoIt can be considered a Rapid Application Development (RAD) platform.

AutoIt was originally designed to automate installers and similar things. Now it can automate clicking and typing to almost any window. As it is, few languages have built in tools for automation, which is what AutoIt is used most for.

[meatsack]

Thanks so much for your response.

AutoIt can do anything you want it to, as can VB. VB has a few peculiarities such as a runtime being required (few people don't have this by now)

Here is a rudimentary comparison

Autoit--------------------------Visual Basic 9.0

free----------------------------Expensive 114.95

NO runtime hassle---------------Major hassle downloading external runtimes

more nimble & responsive

to user community---------------very resistant to change

quicker to fix errors, bugs-----fixes only after hue & outcry?

learning curve weeks------------learning curve months

send keys-----------------------send keys

recording macro-----------------?

skillful user employable?-------skillful user 40k salary to start

user base 1,000s----------------user base millions

lifespan years------------------lifespan decades

useful lifespan years?----------useful lifespan decades

skill transferable?-------------no need given size of VB

learning resources?-------------learning resources, texts, pain & unpaid support lots

os dependent--------------------os dependent

How many months till I can know enough to manipulate and or automate simple application features of other programs compared to say using sendkeys with VB? How transferable are my autoit skills to vb C++ java perl python etc. And are there any linux equivalents or does autoit have a goal of porting to linux?

[Jos]

I wouldn't even consider comparing VB with AutoIt3 because in my mind they aren't in the same league.

AutoIt3 is a scripting tool for process automation where VB typically is used for writing applications.

VBScript might me something to compare it with in stead of VB.

Jos

[UEZ]

And you have ONLY a small exe with AutoIt...

UEZ

[famaes]

How many months till I can know enough to manipulate and or automate simple application features of other programs compared to say using sendkeys with VB? How transferable are my autoit skills to vb C++ java perl python etc. And are there any linux equivalents or does autoit have a goal of porting to linux?

It took me less than a week to do basic automatations. VB takes a bit longer.

You can learn more advanced AutoIT operations in a few weeks.

I have learned basic automations to others with the AU3Record in just 2 hours time.

[Zibit]

well isnt that the beauty of autoit ? You can learn advanced scripting in short time and it is more faster and better than VB.

[omikron48]

Programming skills are transferable to any programming language, provided that there are functional equivalents for processes between the two. Your skills should be based on algorithms and design rather than specific bits and pieces of code, that would make your knowledge independent from your programming tool.

The beauty of AutoIt is that it already has a library of functions which make automation tasks easier to implement. For those functionalities which are not readily available, AutoIt provides ways to access and utilize them.

[Shafayat]

What is most amusing about autoit is that it gives you HUGE power but cuts off all the stuffs you do not need to know to get started. While vb tries to do the same but miserable fails. In vb you can do all that you can do in autoit but through a lot of trouble and visually no speed gain or other advantage.

Besides, vb is not being developed any more. So, at some point you are going to get stuck. So did I.

So, I started learning autoit. It is a great rapid application builder that shows what needs to be showed and hides what needs to be hidden. Besides, it is extendable by Activex, windows dynamic link libraries and even you can run assembly code if you absolutely need it.

And lastly, I find vb guis terribly ugly.