4* From the fundamentals of writing BASIC code to the thrill of distributing your very own custom applications, programming expe

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Product Description

Create your own custom Visual Basic programs fast for Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows NT with the power and friendly object-oriented interface of Microsoft's Visual Basic 6 with Visual Basic 6 For Dummies.

Here's a great resource to help you

• Understand the art of object-oriented programming in Visual Basic
• Build attractive user interfaces with buttons, boxes, and scroll bars
• Master menus and submenus -- plus expanding, pull-down, and pop-up menus -- quickly and easily
• Discover how to write subprograms that everyone can share
• Save and retrieve information in databases like Microsoft Access
• Integrate your own special ActiveX controls into applications

From the fundamentals of writing BASIC code to the thrill of distributing your very own custom applications, programming expert Wallace Wang brings a fresh and humorous perspective to the world of Visual Basic in terms everyone can understand. Plus, the bonus CD-ROM that comes with Visual Basic 6 For Dummies includes all the source code and examples from the book, along with demo or trial versions of some cool VB and ActiveX programs.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #198765 in Books
• Published on: 1998-09-04
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 504 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780764503702
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Amazon.com Review
"A witty, well-written guide to Visual Basic 6.0."

I have a stack of Visual Basic books to wade through, and I chose this one because, well, I love Wally Wang. We go way back, back to obscure computer magazines and that one night in Vegas when we found $600 (plus an unknown amount of a certain South American currency) in our hotel room. But that's a story for another day.

I love the way Wally (known as Wallace on the cover because "Wally Wang" just doesn't translate well in England) writes. He can certainly make a dull subject bright. There is no denying his humor in the figures and throughout the text and examples.

The book is massively entertaining. But the question is, does it teach Visual Basic well? And therein lies the rub, not only in this but also with all Visual Basic books. Unlike traditional programming languages, Visual Basic is both a language and a product. So, the question is, which do you talk about first, creating a Visual Basic program or using the Visual Basic interface? Wally opts for the interface first, which he handles well. Alas, my goal in learning any new programming language is to write the first program. In this book, that doesn't happen until chapter 4. Ouch.

Happily, though, once the book gets going, there's no stopping it--it is packed. The pace is swift, and the steps outlining each project are thick. This may be too much for some beginners, but it sated my appetite for relearning this programming language. (My first books were on GW Basic way back in the mid-1800s.)

The book's hefty cover price means it has a CD-ROM, which I didn't look at. But even without looking at it, I enjoyed reading Wally's text--something I haven't done in too long a time. --Dan Gookin

From the Back Cover
CD-ROM packed with source code and bonus demos!

All the tools you need to create good-looking user-friendly interfaces

Your first aid kit for getting the most out of Visual Basic 6 If you want to develop business applications for Windows, then Microsoft's Visual Basic 6 is the programming environment for you. Whether you choose to build your programs from scratch or use helpful wizards, this friendly guide leads the way. Handy tips help you design and debug your work so you can accomplish your goals — fast! all this on the bonus CD-ROM Trial versions of Crescent Internet ToolPak 4.1, InstallShield Express 2.02, and VBAssist 5.0 Demos of VSFLEX, VSREPORTS, VSDOCX, VSDATA, and other products from VideoSoft. 486 PC running Windows 95 or later or Windows NT 4 or later. See the CD Appendix for details and complete system requirements.

About the Author
Before buying a book, many people like to know who the author is so they can determine whether the author's credentials may somehow make the book more pertinent or valuable in some obscure way. So to help you make a snap decision on whether to buy this book, here's a quick look at my resume.

Name: Wallace Wang

E-mail address: bothecat@home.com

Objective: To convince people that they're not stupid; it's the poorly designed computers and software that are.

Work and Education Experience

1979

Graduated from high school with absolutely no marketable skills or direction whatsoever. Support your local school system.

1983

Graduated from Michigan State University with an (appropriately abbreviated) Bachelor of Science degree in Materials Science, the only engineering major I could find that offered the most non-technical electives. Also pursued a dual degree in English that I never completed because I felt I already knew how to get a minimum wage job all by myself.

1983-1985

Worked as a technical writer for General Dynamics, home of the nuclear-tipped cruise missile. Got in trouble once for referring to General Dynamics as a "bomb factory," so from that point on I bought chocolate covered doughnuts for my boss, hoping to clog his arteries with cholesterol and induce a fatal heart attack. After turning in my resignation, I spent every day, for the final two weeks, taking home office supplies in shopping bags.

1985-1987

Worked as a computer programmer for the Cubic Corporation doing absolutely nothing at all. Spent many days sitting at a desk, staring out the window, and pretending I was the Vice President of the United States.

1987-1991

Worked as a writer/editor for a San Diego computer magazine called ComputorEdge, where I met Dan Gookin (DOS For Dummies® 3rd Edition), Tina Rathbone (Modems For Dummies® 3rd Edition), and Andy Rathbone (Windows® For Dummies®). At one time, Dan Gookin and I got in trouble with the FBI for printing a fake FBI poster of myself, proclaiming that I was a criminal for buying a Macintosh computer.

1989

Spent a month teaching computer classes at the University of Zimbabwe in Harare, Zimbabwe. Took time off to visit Victoria Falls, canoe down the Zambezi River, and sleep in a hut where wild monkeys snuck up behind me and stole my breakfast.

1990-Present

Decided to pursue stand-up comedy and began performing in comedy clubs around San Diego and Los Angeles.

1993-Present

Got married and soon became the owner of four cats named Bo, Scraps, Tasha, and Nuit.

1994

Appeared on "A&E's Evening at the Improv."

1995

Became a columnist for Boardwatch Magazine.

1996

Finally ran out of office supplies that I had taken during my final two weeks working at General Dynamics 11 years ago.

1997

Tried to get another job with General Dynamics so I could steal another decade's worth of office supplies.

1998

Invented a solar-powered car. Unfortunately it stalls every time you try to drive under a bridge.

1999

Solved the Y2K millennium bug by turning back all the clocks in my house 100 years.

2000

Discovered the missing number that would solve Albert Einstein's Grand Unified Field Theory. That number is 4.

2001

Wrote to Arthur C. Clarke and told him his book was wrong.

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Customer Reviews

Good for the basics, but just.
Visual Basic 6 for Dummies was the first book I purchased to learn the fundamentals of VB. I have since purchased Visual Basic 6.0 Professional Step-by-Step and have recently ordered an intermediate level book, which I have not yet received. Because it was my first book on VB and I had no experience programming, I was able to get a lot from this book. I have since found that many of the methods and techniques, such as communicating with databases using the Data object (the only technique presented), to be too limiting for good programming. Sure, the techniques work, but I feel that if you're going to write real-world programs you need more depth, even as a beginner, than this book offers.

But let's be fair. I'm a technical kind of guy who wants to learn as quickly as I can.

This book has its good points, too. It is written in a style that is easy for non-technical types to stay interested and learn programming at a reasonable pace. I found the examples to be easy to follow and the explanations adequate while sometimes sketchy. The author uses humor, often pretty corny, to make it fun to read and his examples are written such that he rarely leaves you wondering how to use what you have just learned.

If you are a true beginner with VB and want to learn some basic concepts without going too deep, this is may be a good book for you. If, however, you are looking to get in at a quicker pace and learn more flexible programming approaches, you may want to consider something else.

Good Starting Point
For any beginner, this book is great. If you have no clue what BASIC is and don't know the difference between a module and a procedure, this book is great.

Although this probably won't get you at the expert level, it is a great beginning for anyone. It is much simpler than Microsoft's documentation and will definitely get you off on the right foot if you want something easy to start you off.

Good but not
I found this book GREAT for learning visual basic if you are an ABSOLUTE beginner. Which I am, or thanks to this book, was. If you want a book on learning VB6 without having to slave at it, this is great. The tutorials and the practice software on the CD was also great. Although two things went wrong and only 2: 1) When they start to talk about Class Modules, The last chapter and second to last chapter (12 and 13) should be in the total reverse order. 12 talks about the complications of Class Modules and 13 talks about the simple stuff. 2) This uses code statments that can be used 2 different ways. IE: They talk about "End" and "Unload Me", even though Microsoft never mentions the "Unloade ME" statment because Microsoft never uses it! But, all and all, this is a great book. If you are starting VB right as you are reading this, VB for Dummies if for you.