# Migrate VB.NET to ROR **URL:** \ **Category:** Rails\ **Created:** [May 12, 2009, 9:57am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/migrate-vb-net-to-ror/167756 "2009-05-12T09:57:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![GeoKid](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/71e660/32.png) [@GeoKid](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/GeoKid)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 9:57am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/migrate-vb-net-to-ror/167756/1 "2009-05-12T09:57:07Z")
Hi, We are currently hitting among ourselves to see if there is migration tool/process in place to convert a [VB.NET](http://VB.NET) code base into ROR. Essentially, our product is currently a desktop version and one of the options for us is to adapt [ASP.NET](http://ASP.NET). However, we wanted something more elegant - ROR. Any thoughts, rants, suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks in advance. Peace, Shree ---
**Author:** ![GeoKid](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/71e660/32.png) [@GeoKid](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/GeoKid)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 10:30am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/migrate-vb-net-to-ror/167756/2 "2009-05-12T10:30:33Z")
On Tue, May 12, 2009 at 6:17 AM, GeoKid [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > Hi, > We are currently hitting among ourselves to see if there is migration > tool/process in place to convert a [VB.NET](http://VB.NET) code base into ROR. > Essentially, our product is currently a desktop version and one of the > options for us is to adapt [ASP.NET](http://ASP.NET). However, we wanted something more > elegant - ROR. Any thoughts, rants, suggestions would be GREATLY > appreciated. Thanks in advance. Hi Shrikanth, The answer to this is no, because RoR uses a convention that you must follow in order to develop web apps, whereas in your [VB.NET](http://VB.NET) application you follow your own convention. The only way to convert your [VB.NET](http://VB.NET) project to RoR is to rewrite your code by hand using RoR’s conventions. There isn’t really I straight way of converting [VB.NET](http://VB.NET) projects to RoR, because you can have two developers develop two [VB.NET](http://VB.NET) applications using two different conventions. What you could probably do (I have never done this) is try to map RoR models to your legacy database. Maybe others with more experience can give you some hints as well. Good luck! Fidel. ---
**Author:** ![GeoKid](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/71e660/32.png) [@GeoKid](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/GeoKid)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 10:43pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/migrate-vb-net-to-ror/167756/3 "2009-05-12T22:43:41Z")
Hello– On May 11, 2009, at 10:17 PM, GeoKid wrote: > Hi, > We are currently hitting among ourselves to see if there is migration > tool/process in place to convert a [VB.NET](http://VB.NET) code base into ROR. > Essentially, our product is currently a desktop version and one of the > options for us is to adapt [ASP.NET](http://ASP.NET). However, we wanted something more > elegant - ROR. Any thoughts, rants, suggestions would be GREATLY > appreciated. Thanks in advance. I don’t know how this will work for you, but if I were doing this, I would sit down with the existing app and write cucumber stories ([http://cukes.info/](http://cukes.info/) ) that describe it and implement to make the scenarios pass. What that implies is that you will: 1. Install rails 2. Create a rails project 3. Install rspec and cucumber gems 4. Learn as you go how to use them As far as I know there is no VB2Rails tool. But the benefit of creating the acceptance scenarios in cucumber and implementing to make them work is you wind up with a really good set of tests that will help keep your app stable. I’d also recommend reading the rSpec Book ([Pragmatic Bookshelf: By Developers, For Developers](http://www.pragprog.com/titles/achbd/the-rspec-book) ), currently in beta. The test-first religion is an opinion shared by many in the Ruby community. Your mileage may vary. Hope this is useful info. ---
**Author:** ![GeoKid](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/71e660/32.png) [@GeoKid](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/GeoKid)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2009, 11:00pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/migrate-vb-net-to-ror/167756/4 "2009-05-12T23:00:45Z")
If the application was already an [ASP.Net](http://ASP.Net) MVC app, then somebody could develop an MVC-\>RoR tool a bit more easily. However, you have a [VB.Net](http://VB.Net) desktop application. I don’t believe there is a tool that will convert it to an [ASP.Net](http://ASP.Net) application either. The best bet is to follow a BDD/TDD process (as a previous poster recommended), regardless of whether you choose [ASP.Net](http://ASP.Net) or RoR.