Microsoft� Visual Basic� Professional 6.0 Step by Step Step by Step Microsoft: Amazon.co.uk: Michael Halvorson: Books

Amazon.co.uk Review

In 24 easy-to-follow lessons, Microsoft Visual Basic Professional 6.0: Step by Step covers all of the fundamentals of programming with VB6. The book breaks lessons down into clearly defined steps and concise discussions that assist in creating demonstrative sample programs.

A companion CD-ROM contains 84 projects, organised into 24 folders to match the chapters in the book, plus an extras folder. The sheer number of projects and abundance of source code provide a valuable resource that will help beginning programmers get started quickly.

Though it contains a complete introduction, the book avoids or simply briefs on some advanced topics like multiple document interface (which, of course, advanced programmers would need to be familiar with, though it receives only a one-page sidebar).

The discussion of object linking and embedding, while a tad Microsoft Office-centric, adequately introduces and explains a potentially difficult subject. The book also contains lessons on current topics, including DHTML and file transfer, a pleasant surprise as Richter gives these topics their due.

For those looking for a complete, hands-on introduction to Visual Basic programming, this book will provide a valuable resource. --John Keogh

Topics covered: Using the Visual Basic development environment; forms and projects; properties; exiting Visual Basic; creating a new project; running a program; creating an executable; using controls; menus and dialog boxes; variables; mathematical operators; conditional and looping code; debugging; printers and error handlers; graphics; drag and drop; file operations; modules, functions, and procedures; collections; static and dynamic arrays; string functions; text files; simple encryption; using Access databases; launching OLE-aware Windows programs; OLE Automation; the Windows clipboard; ActiveX controls; integrating sound and video; monitoring your systems memory; downloading files using FTP and HTTP; using Internet Explorer to display HTML files; working with DHTML; creating an HTML page that supports DHTML; using ActiveX controls in DHTML pages; brief discussion of preparing a DHTML project for deployment as an HTML file and DLL; ActiveX Data Objects; FlexGrid; using the CD-ROM.

Product Description

This information-packed Step by Step course is the easiest and fastest way to teach yourself to write 32-bit Microsoft Windows®–based programs using the latest version of Microsoft Visual Basic. Work through every lesson to complete the full course, or do individual lessons to learn just the skills you need. Either way, you gain the skills you need at your own pace.

With MICROSOFT VISUAL BASIC PROFESSIONAL 6.0 STEP BY STEP, you’ll learn to:

Work with ActiveX® controls, compiler options, and the new development tools
Master programming fundamentals, including variables, decision structures, loops, and functions
Create custom dialog boxes, clocks, menus, and animation effects
Manage text files and use encryption and sorting algorithms
Use Automation to integrate Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, and Microsoft Outlook™ features into your applications
Explore Professional Edition ActiveX controls that process RTF files, run videos, display progress information, and play audio CD-ROMs
Call the memory management functions in the Windows API
Download FTP and HTML files from the Internet and design DHTML pages
Exploit corporate data resources with advanced database tools and the new ActiveX Data Objects

A Note Regarding the CD or DVD

The print version of this book ships with a CD or DVD. For those customers purchasing one of the digital formats in which this book is available, we are pleased to offer the CD/DVD content as a free download via O'Reilly Media's Digital Distribution services. To download this content, please visit O'Reilly's web site, search for the title of this book to find its catalog page, and click on the link below the cover image (Examples, Companion Content, or Practice Files). Note that while we provide as much of the media content as we are able via free download, we are sometimes limited by licensing restrictions. Please direct any questions or concerns to booktech@oreilly.com.

See all Product Description

Customer Reviews

1 star

4.2 out of 5 stars

Write a customer review

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

an excellent resource (one of many you'll need) 27 April 1999

By A Customer

Format:Paperback

First, the disclaimers: 1. If you're buying books, you should be able to learn on your own. 2. If you think you're going to learn VB from a single book, you're mistaken. 3. If you're buying books because you can learn on your own, you don't need a book to tell you when to practice. If you've got the VB software, practice whenever you want.

Now then: This an excellent resource for exactly what it advertises, learning step-by-step. It gently walks beginners through a number of basic VB skills and tasks. It perhaps goes into too much detail on some topics I may not consider extremely important, and perhaps doesn't go into enough detail on others, but that's why you need multiple books and resources to learn from.

If you've purchased VB6 you already have the very best resource, the MSDN Library. Another great resource is the "Mastering VB6 Development" CD course from Microsoft, although it is not for beginners.

The very best way to learn VB is to write VB. Make up a program and write it. Then write another. And another.

Comment |

Was this review helpful to you?

Yes

Excellent book for beginners 15 Feb 1999

This book doesn't assume that you know ANYTHING about programming; it's great for people with absolutely no background in C, C++, Java, or any scripting language; however, knowing any of the above is an advantage. The first several chapters of the book deal basically with using the Visual Basic 6.0 programming environment; and that's a lifesaver. I'd have been completely lost without it. I would recommend this book to people with no background in programming -or- Windows, because it assumes you know nothing; which is a logical assumption in a beginner's book. It is a little wordy, and often refers you to online help, which I have found to be difficult to use, but all in all it's a fabulous way to get your feet wet. I'm almost finished with it, and I wish they had a VB Professional Step by Step part II, cos I doubt any other book could hold a candle to this one. It's worth every penny.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

Essential 10 April 2003

By Marc Kregersman

This book was the first I've read on the topic. This is really a "must have"!!! As a starter in VB I didn't know anything about Visual Basic 6 Professional. This book is indeed very well laid out, in different sections and covering all topics of VB. This book gives you ideas on how you can use some of the samples to apply to your own projects. At the end of each section it compares what you have learned to VB.NET. In this way, one can prepare himself for a possibly planned upgrade. For the moment I'll stick to VB 6 Pro.