Introduction

Welcome! Frames, Groups, Format, Dialogs, Animation

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In this lesson, we will introduce Visual Basic by discussing frames, grouping controls, the Format menu, event timing, advanced message box techniques, the common dialog control, and the drive, file, and directory list boxes. We will also talk about lines, shapes, and animation. This class assumes you have completed previous Visual Basic lessons and provides resources such as sample project files and a discussion forum on the course web page. You are encouraged to first watch each video before following along and building the sample projects together during the course.

Navigation

Prev: 106
Next: Lesson 01

Keywords

, frames, grouping controls, Format menu, event timing, message box techniques, common dialog control, drive list box, file list box, directory list box, line control, shapes control, animation, Visual Basic 6.0, VBLearningZone

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Intro

Transcript

Welcome to Visual Basic 106, brought to you by VBLearningZone.com. I am your instructor, Richard Rost.

In today's class, we are going to learn about frames, grouping controls together, the Format menu, event timing, advanced message box techniques, the common dialog control, the drive list box, file list box, directory list box, line, shapes, and animation.

The prerequisite for this class is Visual Basic 105. I strongly recommend you take 101 through 105 before taking this class.

There is a web page for this class located at VBLearningZone.com?GOVB106. On this page, you will find sample project files, the course outline, and the student discussion forum. If you have any questions about the material covered in today's class, post them here on the discussion forum.

If you are watching this class in the Amicron video player or the online theater, you will see this page load up to the right of the videos. Join in the discussion by posting your thoughts here.

In today's class, I will be using Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0. If you are using a different version of VB, such as VB.NET or VB2005, you will find that the interface is different, however, most of the Visual Basic programming code will work just fine.

I strongly recommend you sit back, relax, and watch each video through once without doing anything. Then, replay the video again and follow along with the examples, building each project as I do.

Do not try to apply what you are learning immediately to other projects that you might be working on. Instead, build the sample project in class with me.

Quiz

Q1. What is the main purpose of using frames in Visual Basic?
A. To group controls together for better organization
B. To create animations
C. To manage project files
D. To change the background color

Q2. What should you do before applying what you have learned to your own projects?
A. Build the sample project in class with the instructor
B. Apply the concepts directly to your own projects
C. Skip the sample project and just take notes
D. Only read the course outline first

Q3. Which menu is specifically mentioned as being used for formatting in this lesson?
A. File menu
B. Edit menu
C. View menu
D. Format menu

Q4. If you have questions about the material, what is recommended?
A. Email the instructor
B. Post them on the student discussion forum
C. Search online videos
D. Ignore the questions

Q5. Which of the following controls are you going to learn about in this class?
A. List Box, Option Button, Combo Box
B. Drive List Box, File List Box, Directory List Box
C. Menu Editor, Data Report, Chart
D. Command Button, Label, Timer

Q6. What is the suggested sequence for watching the class videos?
A. Watch while following along, then rewatch without doing anything
B. Try all projects on your own first, then watch the video
C. Watch each video through once without doing anything, then replay and follow along
D. Only read the transcript and never watch the videos

Q7. Which type of event will be discussed in this class according to the transcript?
A. Database events
B. Event timing
C. Multimedia events
D. System events

Q8. The web page for this class provides which of the following?
A. Full course transcript only
B. Sample project files, course outline, and student discussion forum
C. Instructor's personal blog
D. Downloadable software updates

Q9. If you are using a version of Visual Basic different from the instructor, what can you expect?
A. None of the code will work
B. The interface may be different, but most code will work fine
C. You will need to start over with another class
D. The examples will not be relevant

Q10. What advanced technique relating to message boxes will be covered in this class?
A. Advanced message box techniques
B. Message box scripting with JavaScript
C. Compiling message box code
D. Using message boxes in Excel only

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

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 focuses on the key topics you'll need for Visual Basic 106. My name is Richard Rost, and I will be guiding you through this class.

In this lesson, you will learn about the use of frames for organizing and grouping controls on your forms. We will cover how to use the Format menu to adjust and arrange your controls for a clean and efficient layout. The course also introduces important concepts like event timing, giving you control over how your programs respond to and process user actions. I will teach you some advanced techniques for working with message boxes, going well beyond the basics, as well as how to use the common dialog control to add standard Windows dialogs to your applications.

Another major area we will cover is file management using controls such as the drive list box, file list box, and directory list box. You will see how these can be used to allow users to navigate their computers' file systems. We will also explore some visual elements, like drawing lines and shapes, and even look at simple animation to bring your forms to life.

The prerequisite for this course is Visual Basic 105. I strongly recommend that you complete courses 101 through 105 before moving on to this one, as the material builds on those earlier lessons.

To support your learning, there is a web page specifically for this class at VBLearningZone.com?GOVB106. Here you will find a course outline, sample project files, and a discussion forum where you can ask questions about the material we cover. If you have any questions, I encourage you to participate in the forum to connect with other students.

If you are viewing this class using the Amicron video player or the online theater, the course web page will be displayed next to the video. This makes it easy for you to follow along and join the discussion.

In this class, I will be working with Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0. If you are working with a newer version such as VB.NET or VB2005, you will notice that the interface is different, but most of the programming basics and code will still apply.

For the best learning experience, I suggest that you watch each video all the way through the first time without taking any action. On your second viewing, follow along and build the sample projects as I do in the class. This method will help reinforce the concepts. Avoid trying to apply these lessons to your own personal projects right away. It is better to first complete the sample projects from class to make sure you understand the techniques.

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

Using frames to group controls
Grouping controls together
Using the Format menu
Event timing techniques
Advanced message box techniques
Using the common dialog control
Working with the drive list box
Working with the file list box
Working with the directory list box
Adding line and shape controls
Creating simple animations

Article

Welcome to Visual Basic 106. In this lesson, you will learn about using frames to group controls together, working with the Format menu, handling event timing, advanced message box techniques, using the common dialog control, and working with drive list boxes, file list boxes, directory list boxes, as well as drawing lines and shapes, and adding simple animation to your projects. Before starting with this material, make sure you are already comfortable with the content from previous lessons, especially the basics of Visual Basic forms, controls, and code.

One of the first topics you will encounter is how to use frames to organize your controls on a form. A frame acts as a container that lets you group related controls together. For example, if you have a group of option buttons that are related, such as three different shipping options, placing them inside a frame keeps them logically separate from other groups. To add a frame, select the Frame tool from your toolbox, draw it onto your form, and then draw or drag other controls inside the frame. Controls placed within the frame move together if you move the frame itself, making layout much easier and helping users understand which controls belong together.

Grouping controls is useful beyond organization. For example, option buttons (or radio buttons) within a single frame will act as a single group, so users can only select one option in that frame. If you want several sets of options, put each set of option buttons inside its own frame.

When designing the look of your form, the Format menu offers tools for aligning, sizing, and arranging controls. You can use it to make sure your buttons and text boxes line up neatly, are evenly spaced, and have a consistent size. Select multiple controls by holding down the Shift key as you click each one, then use commands from the Format menu such as Align Lefts, Make Same Size, or Space Evenly. This helps your forms look professional and easier for users to work with.

Another important topic is event timing. Sometimes you want an action to happen after a certain amount of time. You can do this using the Timer control. Add a Timer control to your form, and then set its Interval property to the number of milliseconds you want between events. For example, setting Interval to 1000 will trigger the Timer event every second. You can use the Timer event to update the screen, check for changes, or animate objects. Here is a simple example. Suppose you want to change the caption of a label every second:

Private Sub Timer1_Timer()
Label1.Caption = Time
End Sub

This code updates the label with the current system time each time the Timer event fires.

Advanced message box techniques let you get more out of the MsgBox function, which is used to display messages and prompt the user for input. The MsgBox function can not only show text, but also display different button options and return the user's choice so you can act on it. For example, you might prompt the user to confirm an action before continuing:

Dim answer As Integer
answer = MsgBox("Are you sure you want to delete this record?", vbYesNo + vbQuestion, "Confirm Delete")
If answer = vbYes Then
' code to delete the record
End If

This code displays a message box with Yes and No buttons and a question mark icon. If the user clicks Yes, your code executes the delete action.

Another useful tool is the Common Dialog Control, which allows you to display standard system dialogs such as Open, Save As, and Print. Add this control to your form (it may be found under the components menu). To display the Open File dialog, use code like this:

CommonDialog1.ShowOpen
TextBox1.Text = CommonDialog1.FileName

This will prompt the user to select a file, and then display the selected file path in a text box.

You may also find it helpful to use the Drive List Box, Directory List Box, and File List Box controls to build your own simple file manager interfaces. The Drive List Box lets users pick a drive, which updates the Directory List Box to show folders on that drive. Selecting a folder updates the File List Box to show files in that folder. Here is a simple example to tie them together using events:

Private Sub Drive1_Change()
Dir1.Path = Drive1.Drive
End Sub

Private Sub Dir1_Change()
File1.Path = Dir1.Path
End Sub

This ensures that when the user selects a new drive, the directory list updates, and when the directory changes, the file list updates as well.

To add some visual elements, you can draw lines and shapes directly on your form. Use the Line and Shape tools from your toolbox to add lines, rectangles, or ovals to your forms. These can help divide areas of your form or add decorative borders.

If you want to create simple animations, you can use a Timer control to move shapes or images across the form. For example, to move a shape to the right by ten pixels every tick:

Private Sub Timer1_Timer()
Shape1.Left = Shape1.Left + 10
End Sub

As you experiment, try combining these features to build richer forms. Use frames to group related controls, format them for a clean layout, handle events with precise timing, prompt users with advanced message boxes, let them select files or folders, and add visual interest with lines, shapes, or simple motion. Practicing these techniques in small example projects will give you confidence to use them effectively in your own applications.