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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.
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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.
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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.
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History of Programming
Languages
Machine Language

different for each computer processor
 Procedure-Oriented Languages
FORTRAN
 COBOL
 Pascal
 C
 Ada

Exploring MS Visual
Basic 6
Copyright 1999 Prentice-Hall, Inc.
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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.
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History of Programming
Languages
Natural languages
 computer
will accept a user’s native or
natural language, such as English
 Researchers continue to work in this
area
Exploring MS Visual
Basic 6
Copyright 1999 Prentice-Hall, Inc.
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Background of Visual Basic
BASIC
 Beginner’s
All-purpose Symbolic
Instruction Code
 By John Kemeny and Thomas Kurtz
 Designed to teach programming to
beginners
 BASIC language interpreter, one of
Microsoft’s first products
Exploring MS Visual
Basic 6
Copyright 1999 Prentice-Hall, Inc.
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Background of Visual Basic
BASIC


Included with DOS
QBASIC - included with DOS Version 5 subset of BASIC
Visual 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
Exploring MS Visual
Basic 6
Copyright 1999 Prentice-Hall, Inc.
9
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.
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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
Project
Explorer
Toolbox
Form
Designer
Window
Properties
window
Code Editor
Window
Form Layout
Window
Exploring MS Visual
Basic 6
Copyright 1999 Prentice-Hall, Inc.
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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
Copyright 1999 Prentice-Hall, Inc.
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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.
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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.
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MSDN Library
Topic Pane
Navigation
Pane
Exploring MS Visual
Basic 6
Copyright 1999 Prentice-Hall, Inc.
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MSDN Library
Visual Basic Documentation
 Documentation
Map
 What’s
New
 Programmer’s 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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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