2-1 Chapter 2 Using VB.NET to Create a First Solution

2-2 Learning Objectives Begin using Visual Studio.Net and VB.Net Get familiar with the Microsoft Development Environment (MDE) Learn to use of forms in VB.Net solutions Understand controls and their properties Learn to use message box

2-3 Learning Objectives (continued) Get familiar with Code Window to write event handlers List types of files that make a VB.Net project Save an application code Learn to use help system

2-4 The Microsoft Development Environment (MDE) Start page – My Profile Filter option – New Project A number of types – Windows application – Class library – Windows Control Library – …

2-5 New Project Dialog Box

2-6 The MDE Interface

2-7 Key elements of the MDE (1) Project title bar : shows name of project Menu bar : lets the user choose actions Toolbar : replicate commonly used menus Windows buttons : provides instant access to key windows in the MDE

2-8 Key elements of MDE (2) Toolbox : contains user interface elements (controls) that are placed on forms Design window : where you drop controls Solution explorer : shows files for a project or solutions Task List window : use it for a To Do list

2-9 Setting Options for Development

2-10 Solution Explorer Window Displays all parts of a solution – The solutions file – The project file(s) – The classes, forms or modules Button at top allows to switch between code and form display

2-11 Properties window Displays the properties for selected object Allows access to properties at “design time” Use combobox at the top to change the object

2-12 Step-by-Step 2-1: Starting a project Demo

2-13 Form properties Name : the name of the variable referring to the form in code (use a name starting with frm to indicate it refers to a form object Text : the caption in the title bar AcceptButton : the default button CancelButton : corresponds to Esc key

2-14 Startup object

2-15 Step-by-Step 2-2 Creating a form Demo

2-16 Adding controls to a form To create the “visual” interface of application, click controls in toolbox and “draw” them on the form. Types of controls Label PictureBox Button

2-17 Label control Used to display text programmatically User cannot change the text directly Properties – Name (use lbl prefix) – Text – Font – Autosize – …

2-18 PictureBox control Used to display a picture Some Properties – Name (use pic prefix) – Image – SizeMode Normal StretchImage AutoSize CenterImage …

2-19 Button control The obvious place to click for some action! Some properties – Name (use btn prefix) – Text – Font – ….

2-20 Step-by-Step 2-3 Adding controls Demo

2-21 Adding code Develop the logic for the action objects Choose a control Double click on it Code window shows up with a stub for the event procedure Choose the right event in methods List Box Write the code for the event handler This is called an Event Procedure

2-22 The Editor Window

2-23 Simple use of MsgBox( ) It displays a message (the first argument) in a dialog box Can accept more arguments to determine – Text in the title bar of dialog box – What icons are displayed in the dialog box – What buttons are available in the dialog box Can return value indicating what button was clicked

2-24 Testing code Test run the application by – Clicking the Start button – Choosing menu Debug|Start – Pressing F5 You are now in Run Time

2-25 Stop testing You can stop by – Doing whatever will get your application to exit – Clicking the Stop button – Choosing Debug|Stop Debugging menu – Pressing Shift + F5

2-26 Ste-by-Step 2-5: Adding code to button Demo

2-27 Files in VB.NET Solution file (*.sln) Project file (*.vbproj) Form file (*.vb) Resource file (*.resx) AssemblyInvo.vb Folders – Bin – Object

2-28 Changing file names For solution or project file – Right click in solution explorer – Select Rename option For a form file – Use File menu – Save Form1.vb as … option

2-29 Step-by-Step 2-6 Saving a project Demo

2-30 Using VB.NET Help Four types of help Help menu option Dynamic help Web-based help Auto help

2-31 Help menu Options Dynamic Help Contents Index Search

2-32 Step-by-Step 2-7 Using Help in VB.NET Demo

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