Book Details

Visual Basic .NET Book Contents

Book Objectives
  • To introduce complete beginners to the world of programming using Microsoft's Visual Basic .NET, and to show you that it's not as difficult as you think.

Book Requirements:
  • A PC, with Windows XP, Vista, or Windows 7
  • The Free Visual Basic 2010 Express edition, or VisualBasic .NET, or Visual Studio

You don't need to buy any software for this course! You can use the new FREE Visual Basic 2010 Express Edition from Microsoft. You can download it here:

FREE Visual Basic 2010 Express Edition

This software is NOT provided by Home and Learn but by Microsoft.



Getting Started - Section One

This first section of the book deals with the Visual basic NET software itself, and how to find your way around it. The differences between Run Time and Design Time are explained, and you'll learn how to place things like textboxes on a Form. The properties and methods of a control are also dealt with here. This is a list of things the first section takes students through:

  • Finding your way around the Software
  • The Visual Basic .NET Toolbox
  • What is a Property?
  • Saving your work in VB .NET
  • Adding a splash of colour to your form
  • Your First .NET Project
  • Saving your work
An introduction to Variables - Section Two
The important subject of variables is introduced, what they are and how to use them. You will learn how to add a command button to a form, and get your first look at the coding window. The different integer variables are explained, and you get some practice in working with them. The list of topics covered is:

  • Adding a Button to your Form
  • String Variables
  • Using Variables effectively
  • A Calculator Project
  • Designing your Calculator
  • The Code for your Calculator
Looping, Conditional Logic, Menus - Section Three
Conditional Logic plays a crucial part in any programming language, and Visual Basic is no different. You are taken through what Conditional Logic is, and how to use it for yourself. Loops are also covered in this section, as well as taking a first look at adding Menus to your forms.

  • What is Conditional Logic?
  • If Statements in .NET
  • If ... Else Statements
  • Select Case
  • Combo Boxes
  • What is a programming Loop?
  • For Loops in .NET
  • Do Loops
  • A Times Table Programme
  • Adding drop down Menus to your programmes
More about .NET and Menus - Section Four
In this section of the book, you'll delve a little deeper into Windows Menus. You'll learn how to add a menu system that will not look out of place on a professionally developed software application. The contents of this section are:
  • Writing Code for your Menus
  • Adding an "Open File" Dialogue Box in .NET
  • The Save Menu
  • Adding a "Save File" Dialogue Box in .NET
  • The Edit Menu
  • The Copy Menu
  • The Paste Menu
  • The Cut Menu
  • The Undo Menu
  • The View Menu
  • The View Images menu Item
  • Check Boxes and Option Buttons
  • Radio Buttons
Debugging in Visual Basic .NET - Section Five
Whether you're a beginner or a pro, things will go wrong with your code. Tracking down your errors easily and efficiently is essential to any programming environment. In this section of your the book, you'll learn how VB .NET handles errors. This will enable you to quickly correct your own mistakes. Section contents are:

  • Types of Error
  • Design Time Errors
  • Runtime errors
  • Try ... Catch
  • Logic Errors
  • Adding Breakpoints
String Manipulation - Section Six
Every programmer should be able to manipulate strings of text. In this section of the book, you get a good look at the various ways of dealing with strings in the new .NET environment.. The contents of this section are:
  • Manipulating data from a Text Box
  • The VB.NET Trim function
  • The VB.NET IsNumeric( ) function
  • The Char variable
  • Using InStr( )
  • Using Substring
  • The VB.NET Equals( )function
  • The Insert( ) function
  • Using the Split( ) and Join( )functions
Text Files and Visual Basic .NET - Section Seven
Programming languages have various ways to save data for later reuse. When a programme is shut down, and then reopened, the data is read back and manipulated in some way. One way to do this is by writing data to a text file. The text files is saved to the user's computer, and can be read back when needed. This section deals with reading and writing text files.

  • Opening a Text File for Reading
  • Writing to a Text File
  • Appending Text to a File
  • Creating a file if it doesn’t exist
  • Copying files
  • Moving files
  • Deleting files
Functions and Events in .NET - Section Eight
Reusable code is the main topic of this section. The way Visual Basic NET allows programmers to create functions and subroutines is dealt with in some depth. Events are also covered here.
  • What is a Parameter?
  • Functions
  • Standard Modules in Visual Basic .NET
  • Events and Visual Basic .NET
  • The Click Event
  • MouseDown Events
  • The Form Load Event
An Introduction to Object Oriented programming - Section Nine
Visual Basic NET is a fully Object Oriented programming language. In this section, you'll get an introduction to this important subject, and be able to create your own objects. Subjects covered are:
  • Classes and Objects in .NET
  • The NET Framework
  • Namespaces
  • Creating your own Classes
  • Creating Methods in your Classes
  • Creating an Object from a Class
  • Creating and using Methods that don’t return a value
  • Creating your own Properties
  • Adding a Property to a Class
  • Using your new Property
Visual Basic .NET and Databases - Section Ten
In this section, we introduce you to how VB .NET handles databases. You will learn how to open, read, and write to databases with NET. Topics covered are:

  • ADO.NET - the Easy Way
  • The Database Objects
  • The Connection Object
  • Data Sets and Data Adapters
  • Structured Query Language
  • Navigating through the DataSet
  • Moving to the Last Record in the DataSet
  • Moving to the First Record in the DataSet
  • Updating a Record with .NET
  • Add a New Record with .NET
  • Deleting Records with .NET
Working with Forms - Section Eleven
In the final section of your book, you will learn how to create applications that use more than one form. This will allow you to create programmes that are more complex, and more professional.
  • Anchoring Forms
  • Docking Forms
  • Creating Toolbars
  • Creating other Forms
  • Modal and None Modal Forms
  • Getting at Values on other Forms
  • Your Tenth and Final Visual Basic .NET Project

Bonus Content

  • Graphics and Visual Basic .Net
  • How to Create a Sql Server Express Database
  • Picture Viewer Project
  • A Tabbed Browser Project
  • Sending Email With Visual Basic .Net
  • Receive Emails With VB Net
  • Printing In VB Net
  • Code Libraries
  • Deploying Your Apps