As I know WinXP had not equipped VB as default. I suppose for Vista VB.Net is more suitable. You might to change you source VB6 source code getting applied components and libraries for VB.net.

Do you need to run existing VB applications? Microsoft does say their runtime for Visual Basic 6 is Vista Compatible. Search for "Visual Basic 6 Runtime", it should be free of charge.

Porting to .NET is more involved:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/cc302016.aspx

Hello tcorn137:

it seems from the statement below from Microsoft that VB6 is included in Vista.

Hope this helps?

Support Statement for Visual Basic 6.0 on Windows^®Vista^™and Windows^®Server 2008 ^™

Update: February 2008

Executive Summary

The Visual Basic team is committed to "It Just Works" compatibility for Visual Basic 6.0 applications on Windows® Vista™ and Windows® Server 2008 ™.
The Visual Basic team's goal is that Visual Basic 6.0 applications that run on Windows XP will also run on Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008. The Visual Basic team is also committed to the Visual Basic 6.0 development environment running on Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008. As detailed in this document, the core Visual Basic 6.0 runtime will be supported for the full lifetime of Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008, which is five years of mainstream support followed by five years of extended support (http://support.microsoft.com/gp/lifepolicy).

Technical Summary

Visual Basic 6.0 is made up of these key deliverables:

• Visual Basic 6.0 IDE [Integrated Development Environment]
• Visual Basic 6.0 Runtime -- the base libraries and execution engine used to run VB 6.0 applications
• Visual Basic 6.0 Runtime Extended Files – select ActiveX control OCX files, libraries, and tools shipping with the IDE media and as an online release

The Visual Basic 6.0 IDE

The Visual Basic 6.0 IDE will be supported on Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 as part of the Visual Basic 6.0 Extended Support policy until April 8, 2008. Both the Windows and Visual Basic teams tested the Visual Basic 6.0 IDE on Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008. This announcement does not change the support policy for the IDE.

The Visual Basic 6.0 Runtime

The Visual Basic 6.0 runtime is defined as the compiled binary files originally included in the redistribution list for Visual Basic 6.0. These files were marked as distributable in the original Visual Basic 6.0 license. Examples of these files include the Visual Basic 6.0 runtime library (msvbvm60.dll), controls (i.e. msflxgrd.ocx) along with runtime support files for other major functional areas (i.e. MDAC).

The runtime is divided into the three groups:

• Supported Runtime Files – Shipping in the OS: Key Visual Basic 6.0 runtime files, used in the majority of application scenarios, are shipping in and supported for the lifetime of Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008. This lifetime is five years of mainstream support and five years of extended support from the time that Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008 ships. These files have been tested for compatibility as part of our testing of Visual Basic 6.0 applications running on Windows Vista. Note: the list of files shipping in Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, and Windows XP are nearly identical and redist requirements for applications should be nearly identical. One key difference is TriEdit.dll was removed from Windows Vista and later versions.
• Supported Runtime Files – Extended Files to Distribute with your application: extended list of key controls, libraries, and tools that are installed from the IDE media or from Microsoft.com to the developer machine. Typically the VB6 IDE installed these controls to the developer machine by default. The developer still needs to redistribute these files with the application. The supported version of the files will also be made available online targeting summer of 2008.
• Unsupported Runtime Files: Some files have either fallen out of mainstream support or they were never included as a part of the runtime redist (e.g. they were included in \Tools folder on the IDE media to support legacy VB4/VB5 applications or they were 3^rd party controls). These files are not supported on Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008; instead they are subject to whatever support agreement applies to the media they were shipped with. These files have been tested to work on Vista as part of our application compatibility and testing process, but this implies no warranties around support and servicing. In some instances, later versions of these libraries are supported. Details on backward compatibility or migration to supported versions are provided below.

The Visual Basic 6.0 runtime has been tested for compatibility between Windows XP and Windows Vista / Windows Server 2008 with a goal that applications work similarly on these operating systems. As with any release of the operating system, there may be differences in functionality that will require modifications to your applications. These differences will be addressed on a case-by-case basis via normal support channels. Any issues that are found will be documented on the Visual Basic Support site (http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/vbasic/ms789193.aspx).

Thank you for the time to answer. It appears I was not clear in my request. I do not have Visual Basic. There was a form of quick basic that was supplied in Windows 98.

I am looking for the equivalent in Vista.

Some tech books written in the late nineties have cd roms filled with basic applications. I am looking at some in aircraft design. These were supposed to run with Win98. I am trying to find out how to use them now. I have a laptop computer with Microsoft Vista Premium on it. I would like to put these programs and apps to work. Any ideas how to continue.

Thank You,

Tom Cornell

Hello tcorn137:

Forgive me, I have not used 'Basic' in a modern computer. I used it or, 'played' with it around the time Sir Clive Sinclair was making them, but they were little more than toys then.

Sorry for misunderstanding you.

have you had any luck with any searches you may have done? And, what is it you are after? Is it a program that is able to use Basic, an Editor or similar, in a modern computer? Is not the 'quick Basic you mention based on DOS? And am I right in thinking Vista does not use DOS?

No insult meant in anyway OK?

The basic interpreter you refer to, was also produced under the name "GW-BASIC" for non-IBM PC's. This was a pretty good free tool. Look it up under wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GW-BASIC

It is interesting that You say You got BASIC compiler with 98, as I am quite sure there were none..... Long time now MS is selling compilers separately! Perhaps You got demo version? Anyhow, there is free VB compatible BASIC You can get for FREE since it is abandonware, but former users are trying to patch it and resurrect it. So far as I know, it works with Vista without problem.....but I dont have VISTA, so I cannot say for sure. However, source of informations is reliable 100%, so You need not worry.... Go to http://gfabasic32.googlepages.com and download it, there is lot of examples, too!

One warning: Integers are 32 bits, so to have some programs work properly, convert them to Int16 or Word type.......... This tripped me pretty badlytill I find this fact :-((

Good luck with Your programs!

Marijan Pollak, IT SA/SE 1st. Class, Instructor & Team Leader

Hello tcorn137,

I went to the VB site on Microsoft and searched: using VB from window 98 with Vista (1.0 seconds)

http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Search/en-us/?query=using+VB+from+window+98+with+Vista

It has a lot of stuff on there, the notes and links are pretty short and I feel you may be more familiar with the different uses VB is used. There is three pages with over 2000 items. There is links often leading to blogs and other VB sites. I am a VB numb scull myself but think if you have not already gone to the VB site on my previous post you should, as you may find what you want there or do a similar search with specific words used that you know you want. I cannot second guess you sorry.

The sight in this post came up after I searched for ( using VB from window 98 with Vista ).

I am having runtime errors with VB so will save this page and look for what I want when I have time.

Try these two sites from Microsoft. They are after all dedicated to VB !

I think you missed his point - he is NOT USING VISUAL BASIC - believe it or not, there was a version of BASIC before VB.

Hello roberts29:

I did miss the point! I have never used basic on a modern computer. I did on the computers which were around when Sir Clive Sinclair etc were making them. But they were little more than toys really.......Sorry anyway.

Wow - Sir Clive Sinclair - now that was a real computer. I bet you've still got programs saved on cassette tape from your TRS-80 - I know I've still got some that I kept for no good reason - at least that's what my wife tells me.

Hello roberts29:

yes the 'good old days'!

Know I do not have any saved. I only wrote at most a couple of pages at a time, then altered the odd digit to allow for shorter lines or bigger squares! Nothing fancy or, that means anything.

I think the question was how to run the existing programs, not whether VB would do the job - I'm sure that VB would do the job, but I'm not sure his existing code would run under VB - I've never tried.

No offense, it's a fun discussion.

Hello roberts29:

There has to be a way round this sort of thing. I no of a few people who still use window 98 and write stuff to make the stuff work, which doesn't.......If you see where I am going?

I am not that familiar with it now as I used it a long time ago, like in the 80's. I think if he searched as I did through Microsoft, only he will know what he wants, he will find something in a kb or something. I am still searching.....

No, but I have some 8085 assembly stuff on an old 10" CPM floppy. Those were the days!

I think it was gwbasic.exe - an interpreter, not a compiler. Good for learning BASIC the language and some simple programming, but no treal good for learning how programming is accomplished today. I would agree, either shell out for the .Net or else use the VB Express.

Hello roberts29:

VB was derived from the original Basic though. So I would think the VB would do the job?

No insult intended..........

Just curious, why not start using vb? It's free from microsoft for in house development, just google visual basic express or visual studio express.

You could try a virtual PC program like this one from microsoft. You create a virtual PC on your Vista system and install Win 98. A lot of programmers use this to check for compatibilty problems with their programming. It is not hard to use. You do have to have a liscenced copy of each operating system on your PC.

Hello,

I believe that everything you need is at this link:
http://www.thefreecountry.com/compilers/basic.shtml
Find - perhaps by trial and error even - the Basic that is compatible with VISTA.

Goodluck and I hope that this helps.

QB45 or Freebasic should suit (google them).

You can try Just BASIC at http://www.justbasic.com which is a free BASIC which does work on Vista. There's a support forum too http://justbasic.conforums.com -Carl

You need DOSBox and QB45. Both are free. I do this and it works. I used to play with QBasic in the 80's when I was a kid.

Install DOSBox. Unpack the QB45 files into one folder. Run dosbox. Mount a folder to be your "hard drive" and mount the folder with the QB45 files as your A: drive. Change to A: drive and run setup. Install into the "hard drive." That's it. Yay.