BeginnersGuideToVB

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Beginners Guide To Visual Basic

What Is Visual Basic?

When Microsoft started getting hooked on GUIs (Graphical User Interfaces), with a long series of Basic interpreters and compilers behind them, they created Visual Basic. Distributed in both a DOS and a Windows version, it allowed one to write a GUI with almost no trouble at all. It is called visual because you can create the GUI just using normal drag and drop techniques, see what it looks like as you go and then VB writes the code for you. The DOS version ended with 1.0 (with a professional update) and the Windows version continues to evolve. It went through version 6 before becoming VBNET. VBDOS would still compile QB4.5 code and the professional version would compile PDS7.1 code, showing little difference in the code between QB and VB and allowing people to make the switch more easily. One of the great ideas with VBDOS is that it would use ordinary text characters to draw the interface so, even with a GUI, it would run successfully on a text-only monitor. The reason Visual Basic is so popular today is because it allows one to very quickly write applications. It manages to be a RAD (Rapid Application Development) environment by hiding all the little details and only exposing the parts that are most important to us.

What Can Visual Basic Be Used For?

What can't it be used for? Visual Basic has been used to write games, phone books, modem communications software, encryption utilities, GUIs and much more! Almost the only thing it can't be used to write is an OS (Operating System) because it requires Windows, which is the OS already. Althhough VB is sometimes considered a childish language, or even not a true programming language at all due to the required runtime, it is possible to write some great applications in it.

What Is The Syntax Like?

The commands are almost all plain English words. The syntax is very much like the way you would think while writing it.

An Example Visual Basic Program This is an example of some Visual Basic code.

'Declare a String variable
Dim Message As String
'Store Hello World in a message.
Let Message = "Hello World"
'Show it.
MsgBox Message

What Do I Need To Get Started?

You will need a copy of Visual Basic, which includes code editing and debugging tools as well as the interpreter and compiler. Visual Basic cannot be legally obtained for free, with the exception of Visual Basic 5.0 Control Creation Edition or the trial version of Visual Studio .NET.

What Does Programmers Heaven Offer Me?

Visit the Visual Basic section of the site to see articles on Visual Basic as well as sourcecode, developer tools and links to many sites, including tutorials pitched at many different levels. If you need assistance, why not post your question on our friendly and lively Visual Basic message board.