Visual Basic 2008 Express Edition

hi there!

iam not quite sure whether i get it or not

but i believe that the version u have downloaded isn't that good enough or complete!

sometimes errors happen or specific benefits or "properties" get lost because of losing specific files through the downloading process,and these files are the key to use the missed benefits;

you may download it once again but from authorised source....and there are so many good sources for such program.

hope i have been helpful!

niveen, I downloaded it from the Microsoft site so I don't think there is a problem with the downloaded version - the "problem" is that I am trying to apply my fading knowledge of VB 6 to VB 2008 and it is proving difficult. I was hoping that someone could point me to a good website that might assist.

Of course I could get some else to do this for me and it would probably take all of 5 mins but if I do that that then I will not have learned anything.

Thanks for taking the time to respond.

Kind Regards

Mr. W.A Snow

Dear HoleInTheSnow,

Here is a good place to start:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_Basic

As for the Dummies series, it's called "Beginning Programming for Dummies, 4th Edition. Provides a basic refresher and gives you Liberty Basic compiler, REALbasic, Revolution and C++. Thatis by Wallace Wang.

/Ari (Orpheuse)

Orpheuse, thanks, I will check this out and look at getting myself a good book. I will let you know either way how I get on (it might take time before I have managed to complete simple task this so don't expect a response today or tomorrow)

Kindest of regards

Mr. W.A Snow

Whenever you are ready, Buddy. I look forward to it. One word of caution, things have changed a great deal since you and I were programming IBM 360 mainframes. As obvious as it is, the structure and language of BASIC has changed into something that looks like a mash up between IBM BASIC and Pascal, FORTRAN, and C.

I recommend doing the silly exercises in the book, and read the inane wording for that one gem that gives you the 'Aha' moment. As frustrating as that is, it is the only way to get up to speed. If I may suggest an approach, learn the new BASIC via functions rather than commands.

Good luck and be sure to drop me line when you're ready.

/Ari (Orpheuse)

Good answer! you actually answered the question asked instead of trying to steer the asker to another operating system or programming environment. The free VB.net is a very complete development environment and is actually easy to use. The other free .net including C++ and C# are equally good. By the way MS has good tutorial pages for these environments too. I actually worked through a couple and learned a few tricks, and I have been programming in Visual C++ for several years. Live and Learn.

Daddio926, thanks for the link. I will certainly check it out. I actually downloaded some examples where excel is being used in VB 2008 so I will try to understand what is happenning there and then apply it to my application.

I am going to have a beer now so perhaps I will get an "Aha" moment after a few.

Regards

Mr. W.A Snow

Hello HoleInTheSnow:

I Googled 'VB 2008 to use with excel files' and got the sites below. They seem to be aimed at people who have not used VB 2008 before. The top link is the site with lots of other sites. The one below is a site which you can join and seems it will answer any question you may need, that is to do with VB 2008 with Excel.

Can you let me know how you get on please, because I am thinking along similar lines.

http://www.google.co.uk/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4GGLJ_enGB294GB294&q=VB+2008+to+use+with+excel+files

http://visualbasic.ittoolbox.com/groups/technical-functional/visualbasic-l/how-to-open-an-excel-file-in-vb-1972875

babybear, thanks for the links. I will certainly let you know how I get on.

To be honest alot of the sites that I visited were probably very good and probably explained everything correctly but for some reason or other it did not sink in (maybe its because I'm thick or something - I though I would say it before someone else did ).

I have alsmost completed the task at hand in VBA but that is not what I am after. I am hoping that I will be able to apply some of the VBA ideas when I eventually find out how to open a god damn excel spreadsheet using VB 2008.

To be honest if a "real" programmer saw what I had written they would probably fall off their chair - but I am only an engineer trying to learn a bit about high level programming.

Again thanks for the assistance and I will certainly let you know how I am getting on - I hope to have it completed before Christmas (not mentioning which year !!!).

Kind Regards

Mr. W.A Snow

chrisg288,thanks for the info. I know I do not need to use VB 2008 or VB6 etc and that I could do this using VBA (currently I have almost completed what I want to do using VBA).

To be honest I just want to learn to use VB2008 properly/ somewhat - don't really have a master plan for becoming a VB expert. I could have easily picked some other language but since so much is written about VB I thought I would give it a bash and I have used VB 6 in the past.

Again thanks for taking the time to respond and if I get stuck with VBA then I may take you up on your offer to help.

Kind Regards

Mr. WA Snow

Visual Basic works as Object Linking and Embedding (OLE) function for using other programs, in such you may need have installed Microsoft Excel in order to link to it to use its features, this is similar to making Visual Basic a Visual Basic OLE server which supports visual editing of a database in a controlling application. OLE is implemented by Visual Basic so VB can be a client or a server. As client VB is a OLE Container , as such it can control to display linked or embedded objects belonging to server applications. The type of object depends on the server. A spreadsheet program typically provides worksheet objects and graph objects. A word processing program provides document objects. A graphics program provides picture objects. The other element implemented by Visual Basic is OLE Automation. In OLE Automation, the server application (the OLE Automation server) "exposes" its objects. Any OLE client application (OLE Automation Controller) then has access to the public methods and properties of these exposed objects. The OLE Automation Controller can control the operation of the OLE Automation Server application by manupulating the server's objects. You can use the OLE Object field type in a Microsoft Access database file to store linked or embedded OLE objects, then display those objects on a Visual Basic form, in using OLE Container control linked to a Data Control.

the example app on the MS site seems a bit complex but you may want to give it a peek. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/316126/en-us

Guest, thanks for the link. I am going to have a good look at this over the weekend (I may have a few beers aswell - but then I will probably forget what I have learned).

Regards

Mr. W.A Snow

Guest, Thanks. It kind of makes sense to me now (eventually) what I need to do. I will try out your suggestion and see what happens.

Thanks

Mr. W.A Snow

Dear Mr. Snow,

In my meandering travels I have discovered that programing today involves snippets of code strung together like beads on a chain. This encompasses things like templates as well.

Try doing a search on VBasic code examples, or VBasic tutorials, VBasic Templates, etc ...

I downloaded the example suggested by DADDIO926 IN POST #5. I gotta tell you, Bro, it looks interesting. Unfortunately it doesn't look like any version of BASIC that I've seen before. Looks more like Pascal or OS/JCL (Operating System/Job Control Language)

Look like I need to go back to spot #1 and reteach myself BASIC and specifically VBasic.

Good luck, buddy. Let me know the outcome. Especially any problems you run into.

/Ari (Orpheuse)

Orpheuse, To me VB 2008 does not look that different to VB 6 (Ok the IDE is a bit different) but it certainly does not operate the same way (as far as I recall). I though of reverting back to VB 6 but I have decided against that (for the moment).

I am still trying to get this to operate but since I have no real deadline I have decided to take my time and understand what I am doing.

I will be back with an update and no doubt further requests for help.

Kind Regards

Mr W.A Snow

My dear Mr. Snow,

You are asking questions that more than one of us want the answers to. A word to the wise: where you found information useful, give the poster a point. It only takes a second and we live for them.

Your good friend,

/Ari (Orpheuse

Dear All,just a quick update on my progress (or lack of - actually I have made progress, I know more now than I did when I started). I have ordered a VB for Dummies book as I want to get the basics right. As I am in no real rush to get this "project" completed I decided it prudent to get the basics right from the start.

When I have completed my "project" I can post the details on what I had to do if that woud be of interest to anyone. Perhaps I may be able to assist someone in the future.

I just think it important to provide some feedback as alot of people took time out to assist me and I am grateful for that.

Kindest of regards to all

Mr W.A Snow

Hello HoleInTheSnow:

I think you could get help on the site to say how to do a particular task.

But, to learn from scratch, then some kind of book or other learning tool it best. At least until you become proficient and get used to the structure of the Language?

Good luck and, yes, I think there will be others who would find your experience helpful.

Dear Mr. Snow,

I'm in the same 'boat' as you are, I think. I found the Teach Yourself Visual Basic 2008 in 24 hours by Sams Teach Yourself/James Foxall a good book. You work your way through it and you get the idea as to how to go about things quite well again.

Regards and good luck,

John.