Difference between revisions of "Visual Basic"
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| + | ==Navigation== | ||
| + | [[computing]]: [[software]]: [[programming]]: [[Visual Basic]] | ||
| + | ==Overview== | ||
[[Microsoft]] [[Visual Basic]], often abbreviated "VB", is a computer language and [[IDE (programming)|IDE]]. The latest version is VB6, which seems to be no longer (or minimally) supported; VB6's successor, [[VB.NET]], is apparently a rather different language and not entirely backward-compatible. | [[Microsoft]] [[Visual Basic]], often abbreviated "VB", is a computer language and [[IDE (programming)|IDE]]. The latest version is VB6, which seems to be no longer (or minimally) supported; VB6's successor, [[VB.NET]], is apparently a rather different language and not entirely backward-compatible. | ||
| − | ==Features== | + | ==Reference== |
| − | * Language | + | * {{wikipedia|Visual Basic}} |
| + | ===Features=== | ||
| + | * of the Language | ||
** Event-driven | ** Event-driven | ||
** Supports object-oriented programming (although it is essentially method-based, and also does not support inheritance) | ** Supports object-oriented programming (although it is essentially method-based, and also does not support inheritance) | ||
| Line 7: | Line 12: | ||
** Supports required definitions, i.e. the compiler will give an error if you use an undefined variable | ** Supports required definitions, i.e. the compiler will give an error if you use an undefined variable | ||
** Supports variant-type variables which can store any data type | ** Supports variant-type variables which can store any data type | ||
| − | * IDE | + | * of the [[IDE (programming)|IDE]] |
** Function fill-in popups which show: | ** Function fill-in popups which show: | ||
*** all arguments needed by a function, subroutine, or method | *** all arguments needed by a function, subroutine, or method | ||
*** which argument you are currently filling in, based on cursor position | *** which argument you are currently filling in, based on cursor position | ||
*** Listing of available fields/methods: on typing the name of an object plus ".", a list of defined fields and methods will pop up | *** Listing of available fields/methods: on typing the name of an object plus ".", a list of defined fields and methods will pop up | ||
| − | ==Pros== | + | ===Pros=== |
Good for writing business applications where correct implementation of somewhat complicated logic is more important than speed or elegance of design. | Good for writing business applications where correct implementation of somewhat complicated logic is more important than speed or elegance of design. | ||
| − | ==Cons== | + | ===Cons=== |
Many programmers consider using VB for development to be sort of like eating candy for dinner, for reasons that I can't think of at the moment. It does tend to allow a lot of a programmer's mental muscles to atrophy through inactivity, however. | Many programmers consider using VB for development to be sort of like eating candy for dinner, for reasons that I can't think of at the moment. It does tend to allow a lot of a programmer's mental muscles to atrophy through inactivity, however. | ||
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Place a treeview control on page 1 of an SSTab. Set page 2 as the default. If you want to resize the SSTab to fill the form and resize the treeview to fill the tab, you run into problems because the treeview's location (mainly the "Left" field) isn't set properly until page 1 is displayed, and there doesn't seem to be any systematic way of determining when its location data is correct. The treeview's "visible" property is set True even though it isn't actually visible. (Perhaps the SSTab is setting the Left field to a weird value in order to hide the treeview?) | Place a treeview control on page 1 of an SSTab. Set page 2 as the default. If you want to resize the SSTab to fill the form and resize the treeview to fill the tab, you run into problems because the treeview's location (mainly the "Left" field) isn't set properly until page 1 is displayed, and there doesn't seem to be any systematic way of determining when its location data is correct. The treeview's "visible" property is set True even though it isn't actually visible. (Perhaps the SSTab is setting the Left field to a weird value in order to hide the treeview?) | ||
| − | == | + | ==Notes== |
| − | * | + | * To convert an integer to a [[hexadecimal]] string, you don't look in any of the obvious places (e.g. the [[Format function (VB)|Format function]]); there is a special function called [[Hex (VB function)|Hex]]. |
| + | * To convert a hexadecimal string back to an integer, you have to write your own conversion routine (as far as I can tell). | ||
| + | ==Related Pages== | ||
| + | * [[User:Woozle/VB libraries]]: some utility classes and modules which can either be used as-is or as examples | ||
==Links== | ==Links== | ||
* '''2006-10-02''' [http://www.movingtofreedom.org/2006/10/09/reformation-of-a-visual-basic-programmer/ Reformation of a Visual Basic Programmer] by Scott Carpenter; originally published in ''Free Software Magazine'' | * '''2006-10-02''' [http://www.movingtofreedom.org/2006/10/09/reformation-of-a-visual-basic-programmer/ Reformation of a Visual Basic Programmer] by Scott Carpenter; originally published in ''Free Software Magazine'' | ||
* '''2006-09-25''' [http://www.movingtofreedom.org/2006/10/03/confessions-of-a-visual-basic-programmer/ Confessions of a Visual Basic Programmer] by Scott Carpenter; originally published in ''Free Software Magazine'' | * '''2006-09-25''' [http://www.movingtofreedom.org/2006/10/03/confessions-of-a-visual-basic-programmer/ Confessions of a Visual Basic Programmer] by Scott Carpenter; originally published in ''Free Software Magazine'' | ||
Revision as of 14:34, 2 January 2007
computing: software: programming: Visual Basic
Overview
Microsoft Visual Basic, often abbreviated "VB", is a computer language and IDE. The latest version is VB6, which seems to be no longer (or minimally) supported; VB6's successor, VB.NET, is apparently a rather different language and not entirely backward-compatible.
Reference
Features
- of the Language
- Event-driven
- Supports object-oriented programming (although it is essentially method-based, and also does not support inheritance)
- Unlike older BASIC varieties, does not require line numbers; can use text as labels just as easily
- Supports required definitions, i.e. the compiler will give an error if you use an undefined variable
- Supports variant-type variables which can store any data type
- of the IDE
- Function fill-in popups which show:
- all arguments needed by a function, subroutine, or method
- which argument you are currently filling in, based on cursor position
- Listing of available fields/methods: on typing the name of an object plus ".", a list of defined fields and methods will pop up
- Function fill-in popups which show:
Pros
Good for writing business applications where correct implementation of somewhat complicated logic is more important than speed or elegance of design.
Cons
Many programmers consider using VB for development to be sort of like eating candy for dinner, for reasons that I can't think of at the moment. It does tend to allow a lot of a programmer's mental muscles to atrophy through inactivity, however.
VB is only available for Windows, so cannot be used for cross-platform development.
VB only produces GUI-based applications, and cannot be used to write text console (i.e. DOS mode) applications.
Problems
listed more or less as they come up
Place a treeview control on page 1 of an SSTab. Set page 2 as the default. If you want to resize the SSTab to fill the form and resize the treeview to fill the tab, you run into problems because the treeview's location (mainly the "Left" field) isn't set properly until page 1 is displayed, and there doesn't seem to be any systematic way of determining when its location data is correct. The treeview's "visible" property is set True even though it isn't actually visible. (Perhaps the SSTab is setting the Left field to a weird value in order to hide the treeview?)
Notes
- To convert an integer to a hexadecimal string, you don't look in any of the obvious places (e.g. the Format function); there is a special function called Hex.
- To convert a hexadecimal string back to an integer, you have to write your own conversion routine (as far as I can tell).
Related Pages
- User:Woozle/VB libraries: some utility classes and modules which can either be used as-is or as examples
Links
- 2006-10-02 Reformation of a Visual Basic Programmer by Scott Carpenter; originally published in Free Software Magazine
- 2006-09-25 Confessions of a Visual Basic Programmer by Scott Carpenter; originally published in Free Software Magazine