Introduction to VB.NET

1. Introduction to VB.NET Tonga Institute of Higher Education

2. Programming Basics • Program / Application – A set of instructions that a computer uses to do something. • Programming / Developing – The act of creating or changing a program • Programmer / Developer – A person who makes a program • Run / Execute – The act of using a program • Source Code – Code written in a programming language by a developer. • Every program was created by someone • Computers use special languages • Programmers use special languages to create or change a program

3. Introduction to Visual Basic .Net • Visual Basic .Net (VB.Net) is a programming language created by Microsoft. • http://msdn.microsoft.com • Many programmers use VB.Net • VB.Net is an object oriented language.

4. Impact on Visual Basic 6.0 • Visual Basic 6 is old technology • Visual Basic 6 will still be used for many years to maintain existing programs • The future of Visual Basic development is Visual Basic .NET

5. Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) • IDEs are programs designed to make programming easier. • Graphical Interface is intuitive • Program management is easier • Source code is easier to read • Errors are easier to fix • Too many features to list! • You do not need an IDE to create a program. But they are very helpful. • There are a few different IDE’s for VB.Net. But most VB.Net developers use Visual Studio .Net. (VS.Net)

6. First Look at VS.NET Options you can look at Allows you to customize your IDE Different windows you can use

7. Setting Up Your Environment • You cannot save files to the C Drive • You must save files to the P Drive • We want to organize our files on the P Drive • Use good names • Keep related files in the same location • To tell VS.Net to use your P Drive • Start VS.Net • Go to Tools -> Options • Go to Environment -> Project and Solutions • Change Visual Studio Projects Location to your folder on the P drive. (You may create a new folder if you click the Browse button) • Click OK button

8. Demonstration Setting up VS.Net

9. Class Exercise • Start VS.Net • Setup VS.Net to save to a directory on your P drive

10. How to Make and Run a Program • Create a new project • Click on Projects tab • Click on New Project button • Enter “HelloWorld” as the name of the new project. • Make sure that the Windows Application template is selected. • Click the OK button • Start the application • Click on Debug -> Start menu item

11. Demonstration How to Make and Run a Program HelloWorld

12. Class Exercise • Create a Windows Application • The name of the Windows Application is HelloWorld • Run the program

13. Solutions and Projects • Examples of how Solutions and Projects work together • Molisi Management Solution • Customer Project • Financial Project • Manager Project • Homework 1 Solution • Program 1 • Program 2 • Homework 8 Solution • Big Program • Solution – An organizer for projects. • A solution can contain many projects • Project – An organizer for a program. • A project can include many files.

14. Make sure the correct item Is selected Solutions and Projects • To make a new solution, go to File -> New -> Blank Solution • A solution can contain many projects • To make a new project, go to File -> New -> Project • A project can include many files. • The same window is used for creating Solutions and Projects

15. Make sure your project is saved in the correct folder Can choose to add to the current solution or create a new solution Projects • There are many different kinds of project we can make. • This class focuses on Windows Applications

16. Best Practices • Keep your Solution and Project names simple and descriptive • Good Examples: Assignment5, Bank, Customer • Bad Examples: ILoveYou, IMissYou, INeedYou • Don’t use spaces in your names

17. Demonstration Creating Solutions and Projects

18. Adding Forms to a Project • A form is a window • To add forms to a project: • Solution Explorer -> Project Name -> Right Click -> Add -> Add Windows Form • Enter the name of the new form

19. Adding Projects to a Solution • To add projects to a solution: • Solution Explorer -> Right Click -> Add -> New Project • Select the project type • Enter the name of the new form

20. Demonstration Adding Forms to a Project and Adding Projects to a Solution

21. Setting Startup Projects • A solution may contain more than 1 project • To tell Visual Studio .NET which project should be started when the solution is run: • Solution Explorer -> Project Name -> Set as Startup Project

22. Setting Startup Objects • Often, your project has more than 1 object that can be started • To tell Visual Studio .NET which object should be started when the program is run: • Solution Explorer -> Project Name -> Right Click -> Common Properties -> General -> Startup Object

23. Demonstration Selecting a Startup Project and Selecting a Startup Object

24. Stumbling Blocks • You can’t change properties when a program is running • If you rename a file, make sure you keep the .vb extension • Make sure you’re saving to the P drive

25. Class Exercise • Create a solution called MyFirstSolution • Create 2 projects inside MyFirstSolution • Each project will have 2 forms • All 4 forms will have different colors • Practice Running each different form

26. Behind the Scenes - 1 • All files are stored on the computer • The location is determined by your settings • 2 Folders exist • Bin – Contains the files needed to run the program • To give the program to someone else, copy these files to their computer • The running the .exe file will begin the program • Obj – Contains the files needed to debug (fix) the program • These are useful when fixing errors in a program • When you start the application this way: Click on Debug -> Start menu item, files are automatically created for you in both folders

27. Demonstration Creating, Deleting and Executing Files Behind the Scenes

28. Behind the Scenes - 2 • All files are stored on the computer • The location is determined by your settings • Solutions and Projects use different files • Solutions • <SolutionName>.sln • <SolutionName>.suo • Projects • AssemblyInfo.vb • <ProjectName>.vbproj • <ProjectName>.vbproj.user • The organization of the files is determined by the order that you create the solutions and projects in

29. Demonstration Viewing Solution and Project Files

30. Behind the Scenes - 3 • The organization of the files is determined by the order you create solutions and projects: • From a clean start: • If a solution is created first, a folder is created • The solution’s name is the name of the folder • The solution’s files are inside this folder • If a project is added to the solution, a folder is created inside of the solution folder • The project’s name is the name of the folder • The project’s files are inside this folder

31. Demonstration File Organization when Solution is Created First

32. Behind the Scenes - 4 • The organization of the files is determined by the order you create solutions and projects: • From a clean start: • If a project is created first, a folder is created • The project’s name is the name of the folder • The project’s files are inside this folder • The solution’s files are also inside this folder

33. Demonstration File Organization when Project is Created First

34. Class Activity • What will happen for these different solution / project creation scenarios?

35. Continuing Work on a Program • Always open your Solution or Project file. • Solution files: .sln • Project files: .vbproj • Some files depend on other files. If you only open a .vb file, your references may not be correctly setup. Therefore, your application may not work. • If you open a project file without a solution file: • The solution files are automatically created • You will be asked to save the files when you exit VS .Net

36. Demonstration Show how Solution files are automatically created

37. VS.NET Windows - 1 • How do we write programs? • Write the code • Fix any errors • Bug - An error in a program • Debug – The act of removing errors from a program • Many windows are available to help you create code and debug your programs better

38. VS.NET Windows - 2 • Solution Explorer • Shows all the projects in your solution • Shows all the files in each project • ToolBox • Allows you to add controls to your form • Properties • Allows you to change object properties • Task List • Shows all current syntax errors • Tracks pending changes and additions to code • ‘Todo • Right Click on column header and go to Show Tasks to change what is displayed

39. Demonstration VS.Net Windows

40. Managing Your Windows Docked Windows • Windows can dock in different parts of your screen • Many windows docked in the same location are organized with tabs • The pin allows you to choose whether you want the windows to hide when you are not using them • Only show the windows you want to use! Tabs

41. Demonstration Managing Windows

42. VS.NET Features • Outlining • #Region “RegionName” • #End Region • Intellisense • Helps you choose the word you want to type • Ctrl + Space • Autocode • Creates code automatically for you • Use ComboBoxes in code view • Lines to Separate Methods

43. Demonstration Other VS.Net Features