Learn the Visual Basic Language (How Do I in Visual Basic Express)
This page links to help on widely used Visual Basic programming tasks. To view other categories of popular tasks covered in Help, see How Do I in Visual Basic Express.
Note
If you are using Visual Basic Express Edition, some of the Help links on this page may be unavailable, depending on the options that you chose during installation. For more information, see Troubleshooting Visual Basic Express.
In Visual Basic Express
Visual Basic Express includes tools for learning programming and makes it easy.
- Creating Your First Visual Basic Program
Walks you through the process of creating a program for viewing Web pages.
- Introduction to the Visual Basic Programming Language
Introduces the key programming concepts that you'll need to create your first program.
- Communicating with Your Program's User: The User Interface
Explains the first steps in creating a typical Windows-based application.
- Programming With Objects: Using Classes
Introduces using object-oriented programming techniques in your code.
- Drawing Pictures: Using Graphics
Describes how to add your own custom graphics.
Samples
- Visual Basic Express Sample Applications
These samples demonstrate Visual Basic language concepts.
MSDN Express Library for Visual Basic Express
These are some of the more in-depth topics the Library offers to help you explore the Visual Basic language. You need to have the MSDN Express Library installed or have access to MSDN Online library.
- Program Structure and Code Conventions
Contains documentation on the basic structure and code conventions of Visual Basic, such as naming conventions, comments in code, and limitations of Visual Basic.
- Visual Basic Language Features
Provides an overview of the essential components of Visual Basic.
- Declared Elements in Visual Basic
Covers variables, constants, enumerations, structures, properties, methods, procedures, procedure arguments, function returns, events, delegates, interfaces, and classes.
- Procedures in Visual Basic
Describes Sub, Function, Property, and Operator procedures, as well as advanced topics such as recursive and overloaded procedures.
- Control Flow in Visual Basic
Shows how to regulate the flow of your program's execution.
- Development with My
Discusses a new feature called My, which provides access to information and default object instances that are related to an application and its run-time environment.
Basics
- Structure of a Visual Basic Program
Provides an overview of the elements that make up a Visual Basic program.
- Visual Basic Version of Hello, World
Provides a step-by-step recreation of the classic program "Hello World," redone in Visual Basic.
- Main Procedure in Visual Basic
Discusses the procedure that serves as the starting point and overall control for your application.
- Visual Basic Coding Conventions
Reviews the guidelines used in developing the samples in this documentation.
- Visual Basic and the .NET Framework
Describes the role of Visual Basic in the .NET Framework.
- Introduction to Objects in Visual Basic
Provides an introduction to the terms and concepts used in object-oriented programming.
- Inheritance Basics
Covers inheritance modifiers, overriding methods and properties, MyClass, and MyBase.
- How to: Create a Procedure
Explains how to declare a procedure to perform a task that is needed in several places in your code.
- How to: Break Large Pieces of Code into Smaller Pieces
Explains how to use procedures to achieve structured programming in your code
- How to: Run Statements Depending on One or More Conditions
Demonstrates using If...Then...Else constructions to run different blocks of statements depending on various conditions.
- How to: Run Several Statements Repeatedly
Shows how to run a block of statements either a set number of times or until a condition is met.
- Managing Your Objects with Collections
Discusses criteria to consider when choosing the type of collection for grouping related objects.
- How to: Create an Array of Objects
Explains arrays as an alternate way to group related objects together.
- How to: Control the Scope of a Variable
Discusses the levels of scope and how to use them to control what code can make a reference to a variable.
- How to: Convert an Object to Another Type in Visual Basic
Covers type conversions from the Object data type to a more specific data type.
- How to: Call an Event Handler in Visual Basic
Demonstrates how to define an event and an event handler, and uses the AddHandler statement to associate them.
- How to: Retain Control When an Error Occurs
Shows how to run a particular block of statements if a specified exception occurs while your code is running.
Other Resources
These Web sites are excellent resources for finding more information, seeing what other Express users are doing, and stay in touch as Visual Basic Express grows.
- Visual Basic Developer Center
Central location for information about Visual Basic. Includes case studies, new tools, and other downloads.
- Coding4Fun
Includes lots of articles and coding tips geared to the Express user.
- Visual Basic 6.0 Resource Center
Here's extra help for Visual Basic 6.0 developers looking to upgrade or make Visual Basic 6.0 and Visual Basic 2005 play together.