1. Chapter 2: The Visual Studio .NET Development Environment
Visual Basic .NET Programming:
From Problem Analysis to Program Design

2. Getting Started with VB .NET
Visual Studio .NET can be used for
Visual Basic
Other programming languages
Start application. Go to:
Start menu -> (All) Programs -> Microsoft Visual Studio .NET -> Microsoft Visual Studio .NET
Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design

3. Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design

4. Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design

5. Creating a Project Using Visual Basic .NET
Collection of files related to a VB .NET application - show them what is in the folder – all the files that come with a project.
Template:
Pattern for creating a specific type of application
When creating a new project:
Must identify type of project as Visual Basic
Identify template (Windows or Console Application)
Specify project name and location
Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design

6. Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design
Practice again
Start up project in bold.
Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design

7. Understanding How VB .NET Organizes Your Programs
Solution Explorer window
Shows hierarchical arrangement of items
Properties window
Contains information about file properties
File names:
Use .vb extension
Named Module1.vb by default
Write code in module1.vb
Code is color coded
Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design

8. Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design
Using the Text Editor
Provides standard text-editing capabilities
Also provides:
Color-coding
Code indentation
Code completion (IntelliSense feature)
Comment
Statement included for documentation purposes only; not read by the compiler (computer)
Starts with a ‘ (e.g., ‘this is a comment)
VB .NET automatically generates some code
IntelliSense – drop down menus with suggestions
How to do comments
Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design

9. Using the Text Editor (continued)
IntelliSense
Helps you complete lines of code by matching words
Recognizes partial class and method names
Suggests possible matches for name you are typing
Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design

10. Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design

11. Displaying Line Numbers
Go to Tools (on the menu bar)
> Options -> Text Editor folder
> Basic Subfolder
Click the Line Numbers checkbox
Click OK
Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design

12. Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design
Renaming Module1.vb
Assign descriptive names to programs you write
Should rename from default names
Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design

13. Compiling And Executing a Visual Basic .NET Program
Select Debug from the menu bar
Click Start Without Debugging
If there are errors:
Message box displayed
Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design

14. Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design

15. Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design

16. Using the Visual Form Designer
Windows application
Runs in Windows environment
Visual form editor:
Windows Form Designer
Can select icons representing various components
Place and arrange components on window
Code is automatically written to match visual form
Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design

17. Creating a Windows Application
Use Windows Application template – show code
Use Layout toolbar
To control appearance and position of components
The form’s grid
Helps layout components
Not visible when application runs
Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design

18. Customizing the Appearance of a Form
Handle
Use to resize objects
Pointer changes to double arrow
Resize form by clicking and dragging handle
Modifiable form elements:
Size
Background color
Title
Name
Position
Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design

19. Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design

20. Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design

21. Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design
The Text property does not change the name of the form. The Name property does.
Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design

22. Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design

23. Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design

24. Adding Components to a Form
Use Toolbox
Hidden window on left side of main window
Double-click toolbox items to add to form or drag them to the form
When adding buttons
Must identify action that will take place when button pressed
Once the button is placed on the form, double-click the button to reveal the code for it
Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design

25. Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design

26. Adding Form Components (cont.)
Drag and drop a LABEL from the Toolbox to the form
Rename it from the Properties window
(see next PPT slide)
Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design

27. Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design

28. Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design
Drag and drop a BUTTON
Name it; add code
Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design

29. Exploring the Debugging Tool
Debugger
Helps you isolate errors
Breakpoint
Flag that tells debugger to temporarily suspend execution of program at a particular point
Can view information about program
May help determine source of problem
Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design

30. Getting Started with the Debugger
Intended to help identify errors in program that occur while program is running
Cannot help to find coding/syntax errors that prevent program from being built successfully
(Review Syntax errors)
Helps find logic errors
HOWEVER does not fix them for you
Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design

31. Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design
Setting Breakpoints
Position cursor in code window
Right-click
Select Insert Breakpoint from popup menu
Program execution is suspended just before line of code where breakpoint is set
Execute program in debug mode
Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design

32. Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design

33. Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design

34. Exploring the Help Facility
Help features:
Search for help on specific item
Browse table of contents
Scroll through alphabetized index of topics
Dynamic help
Identifies help topics in response to actions
Displays topics depending on currently selected window or item
Context-sensitive help
Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design

35. Exploring Context-Sensitive Help
Invoke by pressing F1 key
Obtain help on virtually any
Keyword
Component
Window
Other element of VB .NET
Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design

36. Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design
Summary
Visual Studio .NET
Set of software tools that helps you code, debug, and test a system as you develop it
Provides many options that allow you to customize appearance of screen and the tools
Uses hierarchical arrangement of solutions and projects to organize programs
Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design

37. Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design
Summary (continued)
The VB .NET text editor
Supports color-coding, indentation, and code completion features
Compile and execute VB .NET program
Using options on Build and Debug menus
Visual form editor
Visual development tool
Generates code from forms
Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design

38. Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design
Summary (continued)
Debugger
Tool that helps identify problems
Help facility of VB .NET provides many options for accessing help
Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Problem Analysis to Program Design