Review & What's Next

Lesson 8: MsgBox, Controls, If, Errors, Build

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In this course we learned about Visual Basic and Windows programs, including creating basic programs like a message box display and a simple calculator. We covered key Visual Basic commands, explored controls such as command buttons, text boxes, and labels, and discussed decision making with If Then statements, as well as basic error handling. We also talked about compiling programs into standalone executables, distributing them to users, and where to find further tutorials. Information on support and how to obtain a certificate of completion was also discussed.

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Prev: Lesson 07
Next: 102

Keywords

, Visual Basic, Visual Basic 6, VB6 programming, messagebox, command buttons, text boxes, labels, decision making, If Then statement, error handling, On Error Resume Next, compile executable, distribute programs, skills check quiz, resume

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Intro

Transcript

Let's review what we learned in today's class.

We learned about Visual Basic and about Windows programs in general. We created a couple of different programs. We created a simple program to display a message on the screen. Then we built a simple calculator.

We learned basic commands such as MessageBox. We learned about different controls: command buttons, text boxes, labels. We learned about decision making, the If Then statement, for example. We also covered some basic error handling, such as the On Error Resume Next statement.

We learned about compiling your program into a standalone executable so that you can run it anywhere you happen to be in Windows. We discussed briefly about distributing your program to other users.

Now it's time for your skills check. Head over to www.599cd.com/test and take your skills check quiz. If you pass the quiz, you'll be able to print out your certificate of completion. Make sure you attach it to your resume. Employers love to see Visual Basic programming skills on your resume.

What's next? Where to go from here? Look for our Microsoft Visual Basic 102 course. Visual Basic 102 is available on our website or from wherever you purchased VB101.

Thank you. We hope you've enjoyed this class. If you have any questions, you can email them to [email protected]. If you have questions pertaining to the course material that we covered today, we are more than happy to try to answer your questions free of charge.

If you have more elaborate questions or perhaps need assistance with a program that you are working on, we have paid support available as well. One of our programmers can actually look at your program and try to figure out what you need to do to make it work.

But as always, basic support is always free. Feel free to email us your questions no matter how big or small.

This lesson is Copyright 2002 by Amicron from Tuding, all rights reserved. This video may not be reproduced, copied, edited, or otherwise distributed without the express written permission of Amicron from Tuding.

Quiz

Q1. Which of the following is a basic command used in Visual Basic to display a message on the screen?
A. MessageBox
B. AlertDialog
C. ShowMessage
D. MsgWrite

Q2. Which control is commonly used in Visual Basic to allow users to enter text?
A. Label
B. Text Box
C. Command Button
D. Radio Button

Q3. Which statement is used in Visual Basic for decision making?
A. For Each
B. Select Case
C. If Then
D. While Wend

Q4. What is the purpose of 'On Error Resume Next' in Visual Basic?
A. It exits the program after an error
B. It ignores any errors and continues execution
C. It displays a message box for errors
D. It restarts the program

Q5. What is created when you compile your Visual Basic program?
A. A macro
B. A database
C. An executable file
D. A spreadsheet

Q6. Why might you want to compile your program into an executable?
A. To change the source code easily
B. So it can run only on your own computer
C. So it can run on any compatible Windows system
D. To prevent it from being shared with others

Q7. If you want to share your Visual Basic program with another user, what should you do?
A. Send them the source code only
B. Provide the compiled executable
C. Only use it on your computer
D. Run it from within the Visual Basic editor

Q8. Which is NOT one of the controls discussed in the lesson?
A. Command Button
B. Text Box
C. Scroll Bar
D. Label

Q9. What should you do after passing the skills check quiz according to the lesson?
A. Email your certificate to your friends
B. Print out your certificate and attach it to your resume
C. Throw away your certificate
D. Post your certificate online publicly

Q10. How can you get help if you have questions about the course material?
A. Only paid support is available
B. Contact the instructor by phone
C. Email questions for free basic support
D. Post on a public forum

Answers: 1-A; 2-B; 3-C; 4-B; 5-C; 6-C; 7-B; 8-C; 9-B; 10-C.

DISCLAIMER: Quiz questions are AI generated. If you find any that are wrong, don't make sense, or aren't related to the video topic at hand, then please post a comment and let me know. Thanks.

Summary

Today's video from the Visual Basic Learning Zone focused on introducing the basics of Visual Basic as well as Windows programming in general. We got hands-on experience by building a couple of simple programs together. First, we put together a program to display a message right on the screen. Then we took it a step further and built a basic calculator.

We explored some fundamental commands including how to show messages with MessageBox. We also went over using different controls, such as command buttons, text boxes, and labels. When it came to making our programs react to different situations, we practiced using the If Then statement for decision making. Plus, I shared some basic techniques for handling errors, including how the On Error Resume Next statement works.

We also walked through how to compile your program into its own standalone executable file, so you can run your program independently on any Windows computer. We touched briefly on what it takes to distribute your program to other users as well.

At this point, you're ready for a skills check. Head over to the website provided, www.599cd.com/test, to take the skills check quiz. Passing the quiz allows you to print out a certificate of completion, which you can attach to your resume. Visual Basic programming skills are something many employers appreciate seeing.

As for what to do next, I recommend moving on to the Microsoft Visual Basic 102 course. You can find Visual Basic 102 on our website or from wherever you purchased VB101.

Thank you for participating in this class. If you have questions, please feel free to email them to [email protected]. For questions about the material we covered today, we are happy to help at no charge.

If you have more complex questions or need help with a program you are working on, we also offer paid support where one of our programmers can look at your specific situation and help you get things working. Remember that our basic support is always free, so no matter how simple or complicated your question is, do not hesitate to reach out.

This lesson is Copyright 2002 by Amicron from Tuding, all rights reserved. Unauthorized reproduction, copying, editing, or distribution of this video without express written permission is not allowed.

You can find a complete video tutorial with step-by-step instructions on everything discussed here on my website at the link below. Live long and prosper, my friends.

Topic List

Introduction to Visual Basic and Windows programs
Creating a simple message display program
Building a basic calculator application
Using MessageBox to display messages
Working with command buttons
Using text boxes and labels
Implementing decision making with If Then statements
Basic error handling with On Error Resume Next
Compiling programs into standalone executables
Distributing your Visual Basic application

Article

In this lesson, we learned the basics of Visual Basic programming and how to create simple applications that run on Windows. Visual Basic makes it easy to build programs with graphical user interfaces by providing ready-to-use controls and an event-driven design.

We started by creating a simple program that displays a message on the screen. This is done using the MessageBox command, which can show any text you want in a pop-up window. For example, you can use the following line in your code:

MessageBox.Show "Hello, world!"

Next, we built a simple calculator. To do this, we used common controls such as command buttons, text boxes, and labels. Command buttons respond to clicks and can trigger different parts of your code to run. Text boxes let users enter information, while labels show text information on the screen.

A basic calculator might have two text boxes where the user enters numbers, a command button to perform the calculation, and a label to display the result. To add the numbers together, you could write code in the command button's event:

Dim number1 As Double
Dim number2 As Double
Dim result As Double

number1 = Val(TextBox1.Text)
number2 = Val(TextBox2.Text)
result = number1 + number2
LabelResult.Caption = result

This code reads the values from the two text boxes, adds them, and then displays the result in the label. Using Val converts the text entered to a numeric value.

We also covered decision-making in Visual Basic using the If Then statement. This allows your program to react differently depending on what the user enters or what happens as the program runs. For example, if you only want to perform the calculation if both text boxes are filled in, you might use:

If TextBox1.Text <> "" And TextBox2.Text <> "" Then
'Do the calculation
Else
MessageBox.Show "Please enter values in both boxes."
End If

This code checks that neither text box is empty before proceeding.

Basic error handling is important in programming so your application does not crash if the user makes a mistake. Visual Basic provides commands like On Error Resume Next. This tells the program to skip to the next line of code if an error occurs, instead of stopping completely. For example:

On Error Resume Next
result = number1 / number2

This is especially helpful if you are dividing and want to avoid a crash if the user enters zero as the second number.

Another important part of creating Windows programs is compiling your project into an executable file. Visual Basic allows you to turn your code into a standalone program that you can run on any Windows computer, even if the Visual Basic editor is not installed. This is called compiling your application. Once compiled, you can share your program with others by simply giving them the executable file.

We also discussed the basics of distributing your program to other users. This often means making sure they have any additional files or libraries your program needs. Sometimes a simple executable is enough, while more complex programs may require an installation package.

Now that you have learned these fundamentals, you can take your skills further by exploring more advanced topics. Try experimenting with different controls, practice writing more complex If Then statements, and learn how to handle different types of errors gracefully. Gaining comfort with these concepts will make you a better and more confident programmer.

If you have questions about Visual Basic programming or something you tried that is not working as expected, you are encouraged to reach out for help. Whether you are stuck on a tricky part of your project or just want to clarify a concept, there is always support available. And remember, the skills you are gaining in Visual Basic will be valuable additions to your resume, making you more attractive to potential employers looking for programming knowledge.

Keep practicing what you have learned, and do not hesitate to seek out more courses or tutorials to keep building your skills. Visual Basic is a versatile tool for building Windows applications, and mastering it opens up many opportunities in programming and software development.