|
1. Introduction
to
IDE
and
Creating
a
Sample
Project
Integrated Development Environment:
The working environment
in VB is often referred to as the Integrated Development Environment or IDE,
because it integrates many different functions such as design, editing,
compiling and debugging within a
common environment. Since all
our projects are developed only in the IDE,
let us now have a brief look at
its features. You will be able to
understand their uses at the time of building projects. The VB IDE looks as shown in the figure 1.
Figure 1
Elements of Visual Basic IDE:
The VB IDE consists of the following elements.
1. Menu Bar
2. Context Menus
3. Toolbars
4. Toolbox
5. Project Explorer
Window
6. Properties Window
7. Object Browser
8. Form Designer
9. Code Editor Window
10. Form Layout Window
11. Immediate, Locals and
Watch Windows.
Menu Bar:
Menu Bar displays the commands you use to work with Visual
Basic and is located at the top. Besides the standard File, Edit, View, Windows
and Help menus, menus are provided to access functions specific to programming
such as Project, Format or Debug.
Context Menus:
Context Menus provide certain short cuts to frequently
performed actions. To open a context
menu, click the right mouse button on the object you are using. The specific list of shortcuts available from context menus depends on the part of the
environment where you click the right mouse button. For example, the context menu displayed when you right click on
the Toolbox lets you display the components dialog box, hide the Toolbox, dock
or undock the Toolbox, or add a custom tab to the Toolbox etc.
Toolbars:
Toolbars
provide
quick
access
to
commonly
used
commands
in
the
programming
environment
and
is
located
below
the
menu
bar. You
click
a
button
on
the
toolbar
once
to
carry
out
the
action
represented
by
that
button.
By
default,
the
Standard
toolbar
is
displayed
when
you
start
VB. Additional
toolbars,
for
editing,
form
design,
and
debugging
can
be
toggled
on
or
off
from
the
Toolbars
command
on
the
View
Menu. Toolbars
can
be
docked
beneath
the
menu
bar
or
can
“float”
if
you
select
the
vertical
bar
on
the
left
edge
and
drag
it
away
from
the
menu
bar.
Toolbox:
Toolbox provides a set of controls that you use at design time
to place them on the form and is located on the left side. In addition to the default controls
layout, you can create your own custom
layouts by selecting Add Tab from the context menu and adding controls to the resulting
tab.
Project Explorer Window:
The Project Window
lists the forms, and modules in your current project. To recapitulate, a project is simply a collection of files you
use to build your application.
Properties Window:
Properties Window displays the different properties of the
different objects, such as size, caption, color etc., which can be set at the
design time and located at the right side.
Object Browser:
The Object browser lists the available objects in your project, and gives you a way to
navigate through your code. You can
use the Object browser to explore objects in VB , see what methods and properties are available for those objects,
and paste code procedures into your application.
Form Designer:
The Form serves as the designer window or the container for
placing the different controls, graphics and pictures needed for your
applications and is located at the center. There can be more than one form or a
designer window for a single application.
Code Editor Window:
Every form has its own code editor window, where you write the
codes for manipulating the objects in the designer window.
Form Layout Window:
The Form Layout Window allows you to position the forms in
your application using a small graphical representation of the screen.
Immediate Window:
The Immediate Window is provided for debugging purposes and is
located below the form window. You can
use it in the calculator mode to immediately compute big expressions.
Visual Basic
provides a great deal of flexibility, allowing you to configure the working
environment to best suit your individual style. You can choose between a single
or multiple document interface, and you can adjust the size and positioning of
the various Integrated Development Environment (IDE) elements. Your layout will
persist between sessions of Visual Basic.
SDI or MDI Interface
Two
different styles are available for the Visual Basic IDE: single document
interface (SDI) or multiple document interface (MDI). With the SDI option, all
of the IDE windows are free to be moved anywhere on screen; as long as Visual
Basic is the current application, they will remain on top of any other
applications. With the MDI option, all of the IDE windows are contained within
a single resizable parent window.
To switch between SDI and MDI modes
1. Select Options from the Tools
menu.
The
Options dialog box is displayed.
2. Select the Advanced tab.
3. Check or uncheck the SDI Development Environment check box.
The
IDE will start in the selected mode the next time you start Visual Basic.
– or –
Run
Visual
Basic
from
the
command
line
with
a /sdi
or /mdi
parameter.
Docking Windows
Many of the
windows in the IDE can be docked, or connected, to each other or to the edge of
the screen. These include the Toolbox, Form Layout Window, Project Explorer,
Properties window, Color Palette, and Immediate, Locals, and Watch windows.
With the MDI option, windows
can be docked to any side of the parent window; with SDI they can only be
docked beneath the menu bar. Docking capabilities can be toggled on or off for
a given window by selecting the appropriate check box on the Docking tab of the
Options dialog box, available from the Options command on the Tools menu.
To dock or undock a window
1. Select the window you wish to dock or
undock.
2. Drag the window to the desired
location by holding down the left mouse button.
The outline of the window will be displayed as you drag.
3. Release the mouse button.
   |
