Developing Software Applications Bob Hobbs

Teaching team: Module Leader Pat MarshK Bob Rose Diane Dave

Learning how to develop software applications, with practical implementations in Visual Basic 1 lecture & 2 1 hr practicals per wk Plus work in own study time Notes will be given out in lectures Tutorial exercises will be given out in the practicals

Practicals … Putting what you’ve learned into practice Often contain additional teaching Getting help when you need it Demonstrating your work to your tutor Registers will be taken

Software etc … Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0 Professional Edition Only available in labs K006, K007, K008 Not available in central concourse Open Access policy Printing

You will need … Floppy disc /s Highlighter pens Ring binder – to always take your notes to tutorials ! Text book if you wish – library / buy ? A good sense of humour for when things go wrong!

Full set of lecture notes will build up Plus working examples Plus practical exercises Work through steadily – try to keep up Add each * exercise to your portfolio for assessment

Assessment … Assignment 115% A portfolio of practical work, from weeks 1-6 Assignment 220% Assignment 340% Class Test25%

Course Outline Not strictly a Visual Basic course Broader than that : Lectures 50% theory of developing software 50% the theory implemented in Visual Basic

Starting Visual Basic Start Visual Basic From an Icon Or from the Start Menu

VB 6

The usual VB6 start up screen

Menu bars other menu options Form Window the form we are currently working on Toolbox representing the controls that can be placed on the form Title bar

Project window forms, files, modules that are part of the current project Properties window allows us to view / set the properties of the object we are working on Form Layout how the form will appear on the screen when application runs

the Toolbox Pointer Label Frame Check box Combo box Horizontal scroll bar Time Directory list box Image Shape OLE Picture Test Box Command Button Option button List box Vertical scroll bar Drive list box File list box Line Data Control

Naming conventions Labellbl Framefrm Check boxchk Combo boxcmb Horizontal scroll barhsb Timetmr Directory list boxdir Imageimg Shapeshp OLEole Picturepic Test Boxtxt Command Buttoncmd Option buttonopt List boxlst Vertical scroll barvsb Drive list boxdrv Linelin Data Controldat

VB is an Event Driven programming language Things happen when an event takes place e.g. the user presses a key the user clicks on a button a period of time has elapsed a program instruction activates an event

because of this, code is attached to events when this button is clicked: Display ‘Hello Pat’ Disable the Display button Enable the Clear button when this button is clicked: Clear the words ‘Hello Pat’ Disable the Clear button Enable the Display button

Steps in creating a VB Project Create a new folder on a: or h: Start VB 3 steps: Design the interface Set the properties Attach the coding Run the program  Save the project