Microsoft Visual Basic .Net Programming for the Absolute Beginner

by Harbour, Jonathan S.

• ISBN13: 9781592000029
• ISBN10: 1592000029
• Edition: CD
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-09-20
• Publisher: Cengage Learning Ptr

Summary

If you are new to programming with Visual Basic .NET or upgrading from Visual Basic 6.0 and are looking for a solid introduction, this is the book for you. Developed by computer science instructors, books in the for the absolute beginner series teach the principles of programming through simple game creation. You will acquire the skills that you need formore practical Visual Basic .NET programming applications and will learn how these skills can be put to use in real world scenarios. Best of all, by the time you finish this book you will be able to apply the basic principles you've learned to the next programming language you tackle.

Table of Contents

Introduction	xviii
PART 1 Introduction to Visual Basic .NET	1	(138)
Getting Started with Visual Basic .NET	3	(38)
Project Preview---Guessing Game	4	(1)
What Is Visual Basic?	4	(3)
Programming Languages	5	(1)
Rapid Application Development	5	(1)
Database Development	5	(1)
The Graphical User Interface	6	(1)
Introduction to VB.NET	7	(1)
Writing Code	7	(13)
Greetings to the World	9	(11)
Chapter Project---Guessing Game	20	(19)
Creating the New Project	20	(3)
Understanding Windows Forms	23	(1)
Using the Control Toolbox	23	(16)
Summary	39	(2)
Overview of Visual Studio .NET	41	(28)
The Languages Spoken by Visual Studio .NET	42	(6)
Visual Basic .NET	44	(2)
Visual C# .NET	46	(1)
Visual C++ .NET	47	(1)
Visual J# .NET	47	(1)
Support Libraries	47	(1)
Introduction to the .NET Framework	48	(2)
The Importance of Software Standards	48	(1)
Emerging Technologies	48	(1)
Writing ``Really'' Reusable Code	49	(1)
Object-Oriented Standards	49	(1)
The Visual Studio .NET Development Environment	50	(17)
The Visual Studio .NET User Interface	50	(15)
Customizing the User Interface	65	(2)
Summary	67	(2)
The Basics of a Graphical User Interface	69	(42)
Project Preview---Tic-Tac-Toe	70	(1)
Graphical User Interfaces---The Big Picture	70	(5)
Multi-Tasking and Multi-Processing	72	(3)
Forms and Controls	75	(5)
Adding and Removing Controls	76	(3)
Naming Controls	79	(1)
Moving and Resizing Controls	80	(1)
Setting Control Properties	80	(1)
The Standard Dialogs	80	(12)
Using the MsgBox Function	82	(8)
Using the InputBox Function	90	(2)
Chapter Project---The Tic-Tac-Toe Game	92	(17)
Creating the New Project	94	(1)
The Main Form	94	(3)
Building the User Interface	97	(4)
Writing the Source Code	101	(8)
Summary	109	(2)
Forms and Toolbox Controls	111	(28)
Introduction to Windows Forms	112	(6)
Understanding the Windows Forms Engine	113	(4)
Windows Messages and Event Procedures	117	(1)
Programming the Toolbox Controls	118	(18)
Basic Controls	118	(9)
Slider Controls	127	(3)
Listing Controls	130	(4)
Container Controls	134	(2)
Summary	136	(3)
PART 2 Programming Fundamentals in Visual Basic .NET	139	(94)
Variables and Data Types	141	(32)
Project Preview---Typing Tutor	142	(1)
Variables of All Types	142	(2)
What Is a Variable?	142	(1)
Using Variables	143	(1)
Learning the Data Types	144	(11)
Listing of Data Types	145	(1)
Choosing a Data Type	146	(1)
The Variables Program	146	(4)
Assigning Values at Declaration	150	(2)
Variable Objects	152	(3)
What's So Special about Strings?	155	(5)
Declaring and Using Strings	156	(1)
Modifying Strings	156	(4)
Chapter Project---The Typing Tutor Program	160	(11)
Creating the Project	161	(1)
Building the User Interface	161	(10)
Summary	171	(2)
Branching Statements and Program Logic	173	(24)
Project Preview---The DiceWar Program	174	(1)
Learning about Program Logic	174	(5)
What Is a Branching Statement?	175	(1)
The If...Then Statement	175	(3)
The Select...Case Statement	178	(1)
Understanding Subroutines	179	(2)
Using Subs and Functions	180	(1)
Returning Values with Functions	180	(1)
Chapter Project---The DiceWar Program	181	(13)
Running the Program	181	(3)
Designing the Project	184	(4)
Writing the Source Code	188	(6)
Summary	194	(3)
Number Crunching: Mathematical and Relational Operations	197	(22)
Project Preview---The Math Quiz Program	198	(1)
Mathematical Operators	198	(7)
Basic Number Crunching	199	(4)
The Simple Math Program	203	(1)
Advanced Number Crunching	203	(2)
Random Numbers	205	(1)
Creating Random Numbers	206	(1)
Relational Operators	206	(4)
Object Relationships	207	(1)
Relational Operators	207	(3)
Chapter Project---The Math Quiz Program	210	(7)
Designing the Project	210	(4)
Writing the Source Code	214	(3)
Summary	217	(2)
Loops Arrays and Structures	219	(14)
Introduction to Looping Commands	220	(5)
What Is a Loop?	220	(2)
Iteration and Repetition	222	(1)
For...Next Loop	222	(1)
Do Loops	223	(2)
Arrays	225	(2)
What Is an Array?	225	(1)
Declaring a Variable Array	225	(1)
Understanding Arrays	226	(1)
Structures	227	(4)
What Is a Structure?	228	(1)
Filling a Structure with Variables	228	(1)
Using Structure Arrays	228	(3)
Summary	231	(2)
PART 3 Object-Oriented Programming with Visual Basic .NET	233	(90)
The Basics of Object-Oriented Programming	235	(22)
Project Preview---The Blocks Program	236	(1)
Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming	236	(6)
Overview of OOP	237	(1)
OOP Fundamentals	238	(4)
The Extraordinary Property	242	(2)
What Is a Property?	242	(1)
Creating Properties	242	(1)
Using Properties	243	(1)
Automatic Data Validation	243	(1)
Chapter Project---The Blocks Program	244	(12)
Designing the Project	245	(5)
Writing the Source Code	250	(6)
Summary	256	(1)
Understanding and Using Classes	257	(36)
Project Preview---The Pet Shop Program	258	(1)
Introduction to Visual Basic Classes	259	(7)
What Is a Class?	259	(1)
Understanding Classes and OOP	260	(2)
Encapsulation	262	(1)
Inheritance	262	(1)
Polymorphism	263	(1)
The Format of a Class	264	(2)
Creating Visual Basic Classes	266	(17)
Real-World Example---The Animal Class	267	(6)
The Dog Class	273	(4)
The Cat Class	277	(3)
The Bird Class	280	(3)
Chapter Project---The Pet Shop Program	283	(8)
Running the Program	283	(1)
Revisiting the Project	284	(4)
Finishing the Source Code	288	(3)
Summary	291	(2)
Namespaces and Visual Inheritance	293	(30)
Using Namespaces	294	(24)
Renaming the PetShop Project	294	(3)
What Is a Namespace?	297	(1)
Creating a Namespace	297	(3)
Completing the Pet Class	300	(1)
Moving the Animal Class into the Pets Namespace	301	(2)
Creating the Pets.Dogs Namespace	303	(4)
Creating the Pets.Cats Namespace	307	(1)
Creating the Pets.Birds Namespace	308	(2)
Moving Form Code into a Module	310	(4)
Form 1 Source Code	314	(1)
Completing the PetStore Project	315	(1)
Adding New Functionality to PetStore	316	(2)
Visual Inheritance	318	(3)
Creating a Reusable Form	318	(1)
Reusing the Reusable Form	319	(2)
Running the VisualInheritance Program	321	(1)
Summary	321	(2)
PART 4 Advanced Programming Topics in Visual Basic .NET	323	(80)
Graphics Programming	325	(20)
Project Preview---The Paint Program	326	(1)
Graphics in Abundance!	326	(4)
Overview of Graphics Support	328	(1)
The Graphics Object	328	(2)
Basic Graphics Programming	330	(3)
The CreateGraphics Function	330	(1)
Drawing Lines	330	(2)
Drawing Rectangles	332	(1)
Colors, Pens, and Brushes	333	(1)
Chapter Project---The Paint Program	333	(10)
Creating the Project	337	(1)
Writing the Source Code	338	(5)
Summary	343	(2)
Using Program Menus	345	(18)
Creating a Main Menu	346	(8)
The MainMenu Control	346	(2)
Customizing the Main Menu	348	(4)
Programming the Main Menu	352	(2)
Creating a Context Menu	354	(8)
The ContextMenu Control	355	(1)
Customizing the Context Menu	355	(2)
Programming Context Menus	357	(5)
Summary	362	(1)
Sequential and Random-Access Files	363	(28)
Project Preview---The Trivia Program	364	(1)
Introduction to File Processing	364	(2)
Reading and Writing Files	365	(1)
File Access Modes	365	(1)
Using Sequential Files	366	(2)
Understanding Sequential Files	366	(1)
Reading and Writing Sequential Files	367	(1)
Sequential File I/O---The ReadWrite Program	368	(4)
Building the ReadWrite Program	368	(1)
Writing the Source Code	369	(3)
Creating a Rich Text Editor---The ScratchPad Program	372	(5)
Opening and Saving RichText Files	373	(1)
Writing the Source Code	374	(3)
Using Random-Access Files	377	(2)
Understanding Random-Access Files	377	(1)
Structures---User-Defined Types	377	(2)
The Seek Method	379	(1)
Random-Access File I/O---The RandomTest Program	379	(4)
Building the RandomTest Program	379	(1)
Writing the Source Code	380	(3)
Chapter Project---The Trivia Program	383	(6)
Creating the Project	384	(2)
Writing the Source Code	386	(3)
Summary	389	(2)
Structured Error Handling and Debugging	391	(12)
Introduction to Error Handling	392	(1)
Avoid the Dreaded Exception Error	392	(1)
Trapping Program Errors	392	(1)
Writing an Error Handler	393	(1)
Try...Catch...Finally	393	(1)
Improved Error Handling	394	(1)
Debugging in VB.NET	394	(7)
The ErrorTest Program	395	(1)
Running the ErrorTest Program	395	(3)
Changing Variables at Runtime	398	(3)
Summary	401	(2)
PART 5 Appendices	403	(8)
Appendix A: Recommended Reading	405	(4)
Appendix B: Using the Book's CD-ROM	409	(2)
Project Source Code Files	410	(1)
Ready-to-Run Sample Programs	410	(1)
Index	411