Electrical Engineering & Electronics Design

For a GUI application (on a PC) the best is Microsoft Visual Studio using C/C++ and/or Visual Basic.

However this is NOT for an Embedded Microcontroller (MCU) but for an embedded Microprocessor (CPU) !!

The distinction is critical since an embedded MCU 'typically' does not use an Operating System (OS) - it can optionally use a Real Time Operating System (RTOS).

An embedded CPU typically and almost always uses an OS.

An embedded MCU is limited on Flash memory and RAM, but does include on-chip peripherals, whereas a embedded CPU has huge storage and RAM and today also have multiple cores; as well as operating well over 300 MHz (the maximum limit for most MCUs).

Before deciding on what to use, understand do you want an embedded MCU or embedded CPU, then choose the OS or RTOS (if required) and then choose your development tools. This includes the Integrated Development Environment (IDE) as well.

FYI most younger engineers use the term ROS instead of RTOS.

Also case models for each are as follows :

Embedded CPU (using ARM A-series CPUs) :

Beagle Board

Raspberry Pi

ODroid

Liberaro

others are like iMX.6, iMx.7, iMX.8

MIPS

Intel

AMD

Embedded MCU :

Arduino (Atmel ATMega series)

Cortex M-series (M0, M1, M3, M4, M7)

8051

MSP430

Thanks for the input Steven, sorry for the late reply

Maybe I should make my situation and question clearer.

My C & C++ programming is not bad OK.

I normally work with STM32 M3 cortex usually maple mini and Atmega such as Arduino mini or pro simply to make projects and prototype development cheaper. I integrate these with my normal electronics circuit design work.

I use the Arduino interface for most of my programming simply because I find it easy and fast. However I am now evolving over to mbed or Keil for more in depth and faster MCU project development.

I have been using QT to design GUI interfaces and control MCU's by serial communication although I found this software has a heavy price tag and is time consuming with poor support that I need to look for alternatives.

I have been considering looking at GTK or even others like matlab that do not have such heavy restrictions or price tags attached.

I need to make custom PC GUI windows with pre programmed buttons that then control the MCU of choice via a direct serial port or other connection. Custom PC GUI windows example picture below. I need to then turn these in to a standalone exe program that can be put on a disk or stick then uploaded and used on anyone's computer.

I have messed around with CPU's RPI and others but I don't want to confuse the issue with CPU's just yet.