1

Chapter 1 Introduction to Visual Basic

Programming and Applications
By Carlotta Eaton Exploring Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0 Copyright 1999 Prentice-Hall, Inc.

Objectives
Machine language vs.. High-level language Procedure-oriented, object-oriented, and event-driven languages Background of Visual Basic VB Integrated Development Environment Online documentation and Help features

Exploring MS Visual Basic 6

Copyright 1999 Prentice-Hall, Inc.

Application Programs
Program - detailed set of instructions for a computer to execute Application programs (applications or apps) self-contained collection of programs that perform a task for the end user Programming language - formal language used to give instructions to computers

Exploring MS Visual Basic 6

Copyright 1999 Prentice-Hall, Inc.

History of Programming Languages

Machine language Procedure-oriented languages Object-oriented languages Event-driven languages Natural languages

Exploring MS Visual Basic 6

Copyright 1999 Prentice-Hall, Inc.

History of Programming Languages

Machine Language

different for each computer processor

Procedure-Oriented Languages

FORTRAN COBOL Pascal C Ada

Copyright 1999 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 5

Exploring MS Visual Basic 6

History of Programming Languages

Object-oriented languages
Smalltalk C++

Ada

95

Event-driven languages
Visual

Basic most Visual languages

Exploring MS Visual Basic 6 Copyright 1999 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 6

History of Programming Languages

Natural languages
computer

will accept a users native or natural language, such as English Researchers continue to work in this area

Exploring MS Visual Basic 6

Copyright 1999 Prentice-Hall, Inc.

Background of Visual Basic

BASIC
Beginners

All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code By John Kemeny and Thomas Kurtz Designed to teach programming to beginners BASIC language interpreter, one of Microsofts first products
Exploring MS Visual Basic 6 Copyright 1999 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 8

Background of Visual Basic

BASIC

Included with DOS QBASIC - included with DOS Version 5 subset of BASIC 1992 - Visual Basic 1 for Windows 3 Visual Basic 4 - for Windows 95 Visual Basic 5 - for Office 97 Visual Basic 6 - for Windows 98 & Office 2000
Copyright 1999 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 9

Visual Basic

Exploring MS Visual Basic 6

Visual Basic Editions

Learning Edition Professional Edition Enterprise Edition Included in Visual Studio suite (analogy Office for programmers)

Exploring MS Visual Basic 6

Copyright 1999 Prentice-Hall, Inc.

10

Visual Basic Editions

Other Visual Basic packaging options
VBA

(Visual Basic for Applications) Windows CE Toolkit for Visual Basic Visual Basic Scripting Edition Control Creation Edition

Exploring MS Visual Basic 6

Copyright 1999 Prentice-Hall, Inc.

11

Visual Basic 6 Interactive Development Environment

Toolbox Project Explorer

Form Designer Window

Properties window
Code Editor Window

Form Layout Window

Exploring MS Visual Basic 6 Copyright 1999 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 12

Elements of the Integrated Development Environment

Application icon Major windows Form Designer Application name Form Layout Context menus Toolbox Controls Project Explorer Current project Object Browser Design view mode Properties Title bar Code Editor

Exploring MS Visual Basic 6

Immediate, Locals, Watch

13

Copyright 1999 Prentice-Hall, Inc.

Introduction to Visual Basic

Hands-On Exercise 1
Start

Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0 Open the Welcome Project Open the Welcome Form Run the Welcome Project End the Welcome Project Exit Visual Basic
Exploring MS Visual Basic 6 Copyright 1999 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 14

Get Help When You Need It

MSDN Library Microsoft on the Web Learning Edition of Visual Basic 6.0
Visual

Basic 6.0 in Action book Learn Visual Basic Now multimedia tutorial

Exploring MS Visual Basic 6

Copyright 1999 Prentice-Hall, Inc.

15

MSDN Library

Navigation Pane

Topic Pane

Exploring MS Visual Basic 6

Copyright 1999 Prentice-Hall, Inc.

16

MSDN Library
Visual Basic Documentation
Documentation Whats

Map

New Programmers Guide Samples Reference Guidebooks Component Tools Guide Data Access Guide
Exploring MS Visual Basic 6 Copyright 1999 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 17

Get Help from the CD

Hands-On Exercise 2
Open

the Calc Sample Application Run the Calc Sample Application Get Help from the MSDN Library Add a Topic to the Favorites List Search for a Definition Exit Help and Visual Basic
Exploring MS Visual Basic 6 Copyright 1999 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 18

Help from the Web

Pull down Help menu Select Help from the Web
or

www.microsoft.com/vbasic

Exploring MS Visual Basic 6

Copyright 1999 Prentice-Hall, Inc.

19

Get Help from the Web

Hands-On Exercise 3
Use

the Free Stuff Page to Update VB Install the Update (optional) Product News Frequently Asked Questions Online Support

Exploring MS Visual Basic 6

Copyright 1999 Prentice-Hall, Inc.

20

Use the Right Tool for the Job

Microsoft Office Suite

Word - word processing Excel - spreadsheet PowerPoint - presentation Access - database

OLE = Object Linking and Embedding Use Visual Basic to create a specialized, customized application
Exploring MS Visual Basic 6 Copyright 1999 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 21

Summary ...
Event-driven languages is a major improvement in programming languages Editions include Learning Edition, Professional Edition, and Enterprise Edition CD-ROM includes the MSDN Library, and many sample programs
Exploring MS Visual Basic 6 Copyright 1999 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 22

Summary
Integrated Development Environment includes
Form Designer, Form Layout Code Edition, Project Explorer Properties and Object Browser

Choose the right tool for the job Visual Basic is the glue that binds Windows objects together
Exploring MS Visual Basic 6 Copyright 1999 Prentice-Hall, Inc. 23

Practice with Visual Basic

1. Automated Teller Machine 2. Personal News Service 3. Getting Assistance While You Work 4. Pricing Information

Exploring MS Visual Basic 6

Copyright 1999 Prentice-Hall, Inc.

24

Case Studies
I Wish I Could Visual Basic Help on the Web Quick Reference Manual Planning for Disaster

Exploring MS Visual Basic 6

Copyright 1999 Prentice-Hall, Inc.

25