New User with an odd request

[Crankie Frankie]

Greetings.

Sorry if I am posting this under the wrong thread, I didn't know where was appropriate for this request.

Background:
I am a 4D (4th Dimension) developer. It's a cross platform client server database which has an IDE built right in to the development environment. You can use it to compile a data driven client server Application for either a Mac or a PC.

Problem:
I have to migrate to MySQL. Although I am looking forward to implementing MySQL, I am having a hard time duplicating the IDE environment from 4D in my MySQL's workflow environment. Being that I am new, I would like to ask you for your experience in what I should do, where I should go or what I should adopt.

I am interested in the following,
Something that would help me build standalone Applications that get data from MySQL, something that helps me build forms, spawn processes and help me integrate the experience within the OS, whether Mac or Windows. Handle variables, Arrays, Pointers and server communications.

I am pretty smart, pretty versed in reverse engineering or adapting to complexity; ease of use is not really a criteria. What I want are recommendations for products that would help me do this. Products-suggestions should be considered Industry Standard and have a large user-base. Also if you know of any forums which could help me with my endeavor, I would greatly appreciate those suggestions too.

Thank you in advance for your candid opinion.