Programming for Computing 07 - 08

Chapter: Intro to VB
Module Admin   Contents, Index   Schedule  
1: Intro to VB    2: First Program and Projects    3: Variables, assignment, Strings    4: Type Conversion, InputBox, Constants    5:Built-in Functions    6: If - decisions    7: Loops - while, for    Example - find smallest    8: Scopes: local, global    9: Writing Procedures.Parameters, Functions   
10: Objects    11: Design    12: Testing    13: Graphics    14: Controls and events    15: Listboxes    16: Arrays    17: Files    18: The Command Line   

Appendices(links etc)   Additional Lectures    Tutorials (not in printed notes)     Selected solutions (not in printed notes)     Assignments    Additions and Errata   

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The  schedule page has info on what we will do each week.

 

Section 1.0

Visual Basic is derived from a language called BASIC (Beginners All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code - contrived, or what?) used in 70's. In the 90's, Microsoft made Visual Basic, and the latest release is VB.net, aso calld VB 2005.

VB is very visual - you can drag/drop items, and create fancy screens with a little effort. However, anyone can do this - it does not need a lot of programming experience. So...

IMPORTANT - here, we need to learn how to write programs, not paint fancy screens. So, we will focus on the code behind the screens. This means that when you get on to other units, perhaps using Java, C++, PHP, Javascript you will have the concepts of programming. I will provide examples of VB code converted to other languages, so you can see the similarity.

(not that we will neglect the user-interface - some bits will be introduced, so that you can get used to manipulating buttons, text boxes etc.)

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