Is it possible to translate Oracle Forms6 application to Windows Forms (.net) ?

Question

Is there any tool that would help to move/translate appliaction written in oracle forms6 to .net ? maybe not whole application at once, but maybe modules/forms(screens) to windows forms. I know that languages are different (pl/sql vs .net) but maybe that tool could make some template and programmer would be responsible to translate business logic from pl/sql to .net language (c# for example)

Answer 1

Have a look at Forms2Net. Our company evaluated it before deciding on a different direction, but it looked pretty slick. A bit pricey, but most of the conversion tools out there are. It had many of the features you're looking for. It is able to convert much of the PL/SQL straight over, and what it can't it reports to you.

Answer 2

Chapter 17 in the TechNet Interoperability and Migration library is devoted to this topic. Money quote:

"The basic approach is feasible for the following two reasons:

1. Oracle Forms and Visual Basic user interfaces share many common elements.

2. The Oracle Forms Designer is capable to generate [sic] Visual Basic code."

Find out more.

Also, it might be worth contracting Microsoft Pre-Sales. I'm sure they will be happy, even gleeful, to assist you in your endeavours.

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Hmm, I notice I am answering your question in the title (is it possible? yes it is) rather than the question in the body which is more about tools to support the process. I think Forms2Net is the only game in town.

As a general observation, I have seen tools which do the same process for Java. They turn to produce bad, convoluted code. Because translating from the idioms of one language to another is hard. I an not casting aspersions at Forms2Net, I have never looked at it, but I think you should really consider the benefits of manual migration - better implementation, developer familiarity with code base. Of course, the scope of those benefits depends on your particular situation.