Complete Idiot's Guide to Visual Basic 6 (The Complete Idiot's Guide)

Clayton Walnum, Alpha

ISBN:078971812X, Edition: , 1998-12-01

Price: $19.99

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Visual Basic 6 - Table of Contents

Introduction

About the Authors

Part I—First Steps

Chapter 1—An Introduction to Programming: A Walk on the Wild Side

The Surprising Secret

Why Learn to Program?

What’s a Computer Program?

Programming Languages

The Programming Process

Is Programming Easy?

Chapter 2—Cranking Up Visual Basic: What Does This Thing Do?

Starting Visual Basic

Starting and Loading Projects

The Parts of the Visual Basic Window

The Code Window

Menus and the Toolbar

Chapter 3—Creating Projects: This Stuff Really Works!

Three Programming Steps

Step 1: Creating the User Interface

Adding the Program Source Code

Creating Your Program’s Executable File

Part II—Writing Basic Program Code

Chapter 4—Variables and I/O: A Programming Secret Revealed

Computer Programs and I/O

Variables

Variables and Input

Declaring Variables

Labeling Your Text Boxes

Fun with Input and Output

Chapter 5—Visual Basic Mathematics: It’s Easier Than You Think!

Variables and Math

Beyond Addition

Order of Operations

Data Types

Mixing Data Types

Chapter 6—Strings and Text: A Frank Textual Discussion

Joining Strings

The Length of a String

Extracting a Substring

Finding Substrings

Changing Case

Converting Numbers to Strings

Chapter 7—If, Then, and Else: Decisions, Decisions, Decisions

Program Flow and Branching

The If/Then Statement

Multi-Line If/Then Statements

Relational Operators

Logical Operators

The Infamous GoTo

Chapter 8—Select Case: Another Way to Decide

Introducing Select Case

Digging into Select Case

Digging Even Deeper

Ranges and Select Case

Chapter 9—Looping with For/Next: Counting the Computer Way

The For/Next Loop

Adding the Step Clause

Using Variables in Loops

Chapter 10—Looping with Do, While, and Until: Around and Around We Go

The Do While Loop

The Do Until Loop

The Do/Loop While Loop

The Do/Loop Until Loop

Chapter 11—Arrays: Tricky Problems with Clever Solutions

An Introduction to Arrays

Using a Variable as a Subscript

Control Arrays

String Arrays

Chapter 12—File Handling: The Ol’ Data I/O Shuffle

Steps in Accessing a File

Opening a File

Saving Data to the File

Closing the File

Trying It Out

Loading Data from a File

Appending Data to a File

Chapter 13—Procedures and Functions: Breaking Things Down

The Top-Down Approach to Programming

Using Procedures

Variable Scope

Using Functions

Chapter 14—Printing: Your Own Edition of Hard Copy

The Printer Object

Printing Multiple Pages

Positioning Text

Chapter 15—The Art of Bug Extermination: Raid for the New Millennium

Program Debugging

Stepping Through a Program

Watching Variables

Part III—The Elements of Visual Basic Windows Programs

Chapter 16—Controls and Objects: There’s a Difference?

Thinking About Objects

Thinking About Controls

Chapter 17—Methods, Properties, and Events: An Object’s Inner Workings

Introducing Properties

Setting Properties

Introducing Methods

Calling Methods

Introducing Events

Writing Event Procedures

Chapter 18—Forms and Containers: Places to Put Controls

The Form Object

Form Properties

Using Form Properties

The AutoRedraw Property

The ForeColor Property

Form Methods

Form Events

Part IV—Writing Windows Applications

Chapter 19—Button Controls: Clicking Your Way to Success

Command Button Controls

Command Button Properties

Command Button Methods

Command Button Events

CheckBox Controls

CheckBox Properties

CheckBox Methods and Events

OptionButton Controls

OptionButton Properties

CheckBox Methods and Events

Chapter 20—Text Controls: Computers and the English Language

Label Controls

Label Properties

Textbox Controls

Textbox Properties

Textbox Methods and Events

Chapter 21—List Controls: It’s the User’s Choice

ListBox Controls

ListBox Properties

ListBox Methods and Events

ComboBox Controls

ComboBox Properties

ComboBox Methods and Events

Chapter 22—Scrolling Controls: Getting from Here to There

Scrollbar Controls

Scrollbar Properties

Scrollbar Methods and Events

The Promised Sample Program

Chapter 23—Graphical Controls: Get the Picture, Dude?

Line Controls

Line Properties

Line Methods and Events

Shape Controls

Shape Properties

Shape Methods and Events

PictureBox Controls

PictureBox Properties

PictureBox Methods and Events

Chapter 24—The Timer Control: Tick, Tick, Tick, Tick...

The Timer Control

Timer Properties, Methods, and Events

A Single Timer Event

Digging In

Multiple Timer Events

Playing the Game

Digging In (Reprise)

Chapter 25—Message Boxes and Dialog Boxes: Your Program Speaks Out!

The Message Box

Message Box Icons

Message Box Buttons

Message Box Titles

Putting It All Together

Chapter 26—Menus: Great Selections at a Great Price

Introducing Menu Bars

Visual Basic’s Menu Editor

Responding to Menu Commands