FUNDAMENTALS OF VISUAL BASIC LANGUAGE

                             

                                  INTRODUCTION

Visual Basic is a high level programming language evolved from the earlier DOS version called BASIC (beginner All-purpose Symbollic instruction Code). Over the years , different software companies/groups produced different version of BASIC, such as Microsoft QBASIC , GWBASIC,IBMBASICA.

       Visual Basic is an event-driven programming language. This is a sharp and obvious divergence from the primitive known version of BASIC. Programming is done in a text-only environment in earlier versions of Basic whereby programs are executed sequentially. However,in visual Basic, programming is done in a graphical environment. Visual Basic is a tool which enables you to develop Windows (Graphical User Interface-GUI) applications which have familiar appearances to you.

                         STARTING VISUAL BASIC

There are three main ways of starting/launching Visual Basic, viz:

1.  Double-Click “Visual Basic 6.0” icon on the windows desktop provided it is available on the desktop.

2.  Click the windows Taskbar “Start” button; select the “All programs” option; and then find “Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0” (or whatever version available on your system) in the cascade menu system.

3.  Double-click “VB Basic project File” with the extension .VBP or .MAK in a My Computer Window, in which case, the project will be loaded into Visual Basic at the same time as it is started.

             FEATURES OF VISUAL BASIC

Visual Basic has some distinguishing features that make it a fast and good choice for program development. These are :

·       Full set of objects – you ‘draw’ the application

·      Lots of icons and pictures for your use

·      Response to mouse and keyboard actions

·      Full array of mathematical, string handling, and graphics functions

·      Can handle fixed and dynamic variable and control arrays

·      Sequential and random access file support

·      Useful debugger and error-handling facilities

·      Powerful database access tools