Glossary of Visual Basic Terms

32-bit

Visual Basic Terms, The range of bits that may be processed or transmitted in parallel, or the variety of bits used for unmarried detail in a statistics layout. Although this term is used at some stage in computing and facts processing (as are eight-bit, sixteen-bit, and comparable formulations), in VB terms, this means the variety of bits used to symbolize reminiscence addresses. The smash between sixteen-bit and 32-bit processing befell with the advent of VB5 and OCX technology.

Visual Basic Terms, A

Access Level

Visual Basic Terms, In VB code, the potential of different code to get admission to it (that is, read it or write to it). The get entry to level is determined each via how you claim the code and by the get right of entry to level of the field of the code. If code cannot get right of entry to a containing detail, then it cannot access any of its contained factors both, regardless of how they’re declared.

Access Protocol

Visual Basic Terms, The software and API that permits packages and databases to communicate information. Examples encompass ODBC – Open DataBase Connectivity, an early protocol that is frequently utilized in conjuction with others and ADO – ActiveX Data Objects, Microsoft’s protocol for gaining access to all kinds of records, along with databases.

ActiveX

Visual Basic Terms, is Microsoft’s specification for reusable software components. ActiveX is primarily based on COM, the Component Object Model. The primary concept is to define exactly how software additives have interaction and interoperate so builders can create components that paintings together the usage of the definition.

Visual Basic Terms, ActiveX additives have been at the beginning referred to as OLE Servers and ActiveX Servers and this renaming (certainly for advertising as opposed to technical motives) has created quite a few confusion approximately what they are.

A lot of languages and programs help ActiveX in a few manner or any other and Visual Basic helps it very strongly given that it’s one of the cornerstones of the Win32 surroundings.

Note: Dan Appleman, in his book on VB.NET, has this to say about ActiveX, “(Some) products pop out of the advertising and marketing department.

… What changed into ActiveX? It turned into OLE2 — with a new name.”

Note 2: Although VB.NET is compatible with ActiveX components, they must be enclosed in “wrapper” code and that they make VB.NET less green. In trendy, if you can pass far from them with VB.NET, it is an amazing concept to do this.

API

Visual Basic Terms, Is a TLA (Three Letter Acronym) for Application Program Interface. An API consists of the routines, protocols and gear that programmers must use to make sure that their applications are well suited with the software that the API is defined for. A properly-described API allows packages work together by using supplying the equal primary tools for all programmers to use. A extensive form of software program from running systems to character additives are stated to have an API.

Automation Controller

Automation is a popular manner to make a software program object available through a described set of interfaces. This is a top notch concept because the item is to be had to any language that follows the same old methods. The widespread used in Microsoft (and consequently VB) structure is known as OLE automation. An automation controller is an software that may use the objects belonging to some other software.

Visual Basic Terms, An automation server (sometimes called an automation thing) is an utility that gives the programmable items to the alternative programs.

Visual Basic Terms, C

Cache

Visual Basic Terms, A cache is a brief records store utilized in both hardware (a processor chip commonly includes a hardware reminiscence cache) and software program. In internet programming, a cache shops the most current internet pages visited. When the ‘Back’ button (or other strategies) are used to revisit a web page, the browser will take a look at the cache to see if the web page is saved there and could retrieve it from the cache to save time and processing. Programmers have to keep in mind that application clients might not continually retrieve a web page at once from the server. This on occasion consequences in very diffused application bugs.

Class

Visual Basic Terms, Here’s the “e-book” definition:

The formal definition for an item and the template from which an example of an item is created.

The main motive of the elegance is to define the homes and methods for the elegance.

Although covered in preceding versions of Visual Basic, the magnificence has turn out to be a key generation in VB.NET and its item-oriented programming.

Visual Basic Terms, Among the vital thoughts approximately classes are:Visual Basic TermsAmong the vital thoughts approximately classes are:

• A elegance may have subclasses that can inherit all or some of the traits of the magnificence.
• Subclasses also can define their own strategies and variables that aren’t a part of their parent class.
• The structure of a category and its subclasses is called the class hierarchy.

Classes contain lots of terminology. An unique class, from which interface and conduct is derived, can be identified by using any of these equal names:

• Parent magnificence
• Superclass
• Base class

And new classes could have those names:

• Superclass
• Base class

And new classes could have those names:

• Child magnificence
• Subclass

CGI

Visual Basic Terms, Is Common Gateway Interface. This is an early popular used to transfer statistics between a web server and a purchaser over a community. For instance, a form in a “purchasing cart” application may comprise data approximately a request to buy a specific object. The statistics will be exceeded to an internet server the usage of CGI. CGI remains used a extraordinary deal, ASP is a complete opportunity that works better with Visual Basic.

Client/Server

Visual Basic Terms., A computing model that divides processing between two (or greater) strategies. A patron makes requests which can be executed via the server. It’s vital to keep in mind that the tactics may be strolling at the equal computer however they commonly run over a network. For instance, whilst growing ASP programs, programmers regularly use PWS, a server that runs at the same pc with a browser customer which include IE.

When the identical utility is going into production, it normally runs over the Internet. In advanced business applications, a couple of layers of customers and servers are used. This model now dominates computing and replaced the version of mainframes and ‘dumb terminals’ which were surely handiest show video display units attached immediately to a huge mainframe laptop.

Visual Basic Terms, In item-oriented programming, a category that provides a method to any other class is called the server. The class that uses the approach is called the purchaser.

Collection

The concept of a group in Visual Basic is without a doubt a manner to institution similar objects. Both Visual Basic 6 and VB.NET offer a Collection magnificence to give you the potential to outline your own collections.

So, as an example, this VB 6 code snippet provides Form1 objects to a group and then shows a MsgBox that tells you that there are two items in the series.

Private Sub Form_Load()
Dim myCollection As New Collection
Dim FirstForm As New Form1
Dim SecondForm As New Form1
myCollection.Add FirstForm
myCollection.Add SecondForm
MsgBox (myCollection.Count)
End Sub

COM

Is Component Object Model. Although frequently related to Microsoft, COM is an open preferred that specifies how additives paintings together and interoperate. Microsoft used COM as the idea for ActiveX and OLE. The use of the COM API ensures that a software program item may be released within your software using a wide kind of programming languages consisting of Visual Basic. Components shop a programmer from having to re-write code.

A thing can be big or small and can perform any type of processing, but it must be re-usable and it have to agree to set standards to for interoperability.

Visual Basic Terms,Control

In Visual Basic, the device you operate to create gadgets on a Visual Basic shape. Controls are decided on from the Toolbox and then used to draw gadgets at the shape with the mouse pointer. It’s key to recognize that the manipulate is just the tool used to create GUI items, now not the object itself.

Cookie

Visual Basic Terms, A small packet of statistics this is at first sent from a web server to your browser and stored for your pc. When your pc consults the originating internet server again, the cookie is despatched returned to the server, permitting it to respond to you using statistics from the preceding interplay. Cookies are typically used to provide custom designed web pages the usage of a profile of your pursuits that were supplied the first time you get entry to the internet server. In different words, the net server will appear to “understand” you and provide what you want. Some people sense that allowing cookies is a protection trouble and disable them the use of an option furnished by way of the browser software program. As a programmer, you can’t rely upon the potential to apply cookies all of the time.

Visual Basic Terms, D

Visual Basic Terms,DLL

Is Dynamic Link Library, a set of capabilities that may be done, or records that may be utilized by a Windows software. DLL is also the file kind for DLL files. For example, ‘crypt32.Dll’ is the Crypto API32 DLL used for cryptography on Microsoft operating structures. There are loads and in all likelihood lots set up in your computer. Some DLLs are used best by a specific application, at the same time as others, which includes crypt32.Dll, are utilized by a extensive sort of applications. The name refers back to the fact that DLL’s incorporate a library of features that may be accessed (related) on demand (dynamically) by different software program.

Visual Basic Terms, E

Encapsulation

Is the Object Oriented Programming approach that lets in programmers to completely determine the connection between items the usage of the item interface (the way the objects are referred to as and the parameters handed). In different phrases, an object may be concept of as being “in a capsule” with the interface because the simplest way to speak with the object.

The most important blessings of encapsulation are which you avoid insects due to the fact you’re absolutely certain about how an item is being used in your software and the item can be replaced with a extraordinary one if essential so long as the brand new one implements the exact same interface.

Event Procedure

Visual Basic Terms, A block of code that is referred to as whilst an item is manipulated in a Visual Basic application. The manipulation can be performed by a consumer of this system through the GUI, via the program, or thru a few different system which includes the expiration of a time c programming language. For example, most Form item have a Click occasion. The Click Event Procedure for the formForm1 would be diagnosed with the aid of the name Form1_Click().

Visual Basic Terms,Expression

In Visual Basic, that is a combination that evaluates to a single value. For example, the integer variable Result is given the cost of an expression in the following code snippet:

Dim Result as Integer
Result = CInt((10 + CInt(vbRed) = 53 * vbThursday))

In this situation, Result is assigned the cost -1 which is the integer cost of True in Visual Basic. To assist you verify this, vbRed is equal to 255 and vbThursday is same to 5 in Visual Basic. Expressions can be a combination of operators, constants, literal values, functions, and names of fields (columns), controls, and residences.

Visual Basic Terms, F

File Extension / File Type

Visual Basic Terms, In Windows, DOS and a few different operating systems, one or several letters at the give up of a filename. Filename extensions follow a duration (dot) and indicate the type of file. For example, ‘this.Txt’ is a simple textual content record, ‘that.Htm’ or ‘that.Html’ shows that the file is an internet web page. The Windows operating device stores this affiliation information in the Windows Registry and it could be changed the use of the ‘File Types’ conversation window supplied by means of Windows Explorer.

Visual Basic Terms,Frames

A layout for web documents that divides the display into regions that can be formatted and managed independently. Often, one body is used to choose a category whilst every other frame indicates the contents of that category.

Visual Basic Terms,Function

In Visual Basic, a kind of subroutine that may accept a controversy and returns a fee assigned to the characteristic as even though it changed into a variable. You can code your very own functions or use builtin features provided by Visual Basic. For instance, in this case, each Nowand MsgBox are capabilities. Now returns the machine time. MsgBox(Now)

Visual Basic Terms, H

Visual Basic Terms,Host

A Computer or a system on a pc that offers a carrier to any other laptop or procedure. For instance, VBScript can be ‘hosted’ via the net browser software, Internet Explorer.

I

Visual Basic Terms, Inheritance

Visual Basic Terms, Is the purpose a no-talent jerk is strolling the organization in place of you. No … Critically … Inheritance is the potential of 1 object to robotically take on the techniques and homes of every other item. The item that substances the techniques and houses is commonly referred to as the determine object and the item that assumes them is called the child. So, for example, in VB .NET, you may often see statements like this:

Visual Basic Terms, The figure item is System.Windows.Forms.Form and it has a big set of techniques and properties that have been pre-programmed through Microsoft. Form1 is the child item and it receives to take gain of all the discern’s programming. The key OOP (Object Oriented Programming) conduct that became added when VB .NET changed into delivered is Inheritance. VB 6 supported Encapsulation and Polymorphism, however now not Inheritance.

Visual Basic Terms,Instance

Visual Basic Terms, Is a word seen in Object Oriented Programming motives. It refers to a copy of an object that has been created to be used by using a selected program. In VB 6, as an example, the statementCreateObject(objectname) will create an example of a category (a kind of object). In VB 6 and VB .NET, the key-word New in a announcement creates an instance of an object. The verb instantiate manner the advent of an example. An example in VB 6 is:

Visual Basic Terms,ISAPI

Visual Basic Terms, Is the Internet Server Application Program Interface. Usually, any term that ends within the characters ‘API’ is an Application Program Interface. This is the API utilized by Microsoft’s Internet Information Server (IIS) web server. Web packages that use ISAPI run significantly quicker than people who use CGI, because they percentage the ‘system’ (programming reminiscence area) used by the IIS internet server and therefore avoid the time eating software load and dump technique that CGI requires. A comparable API used by Netscape is known as NSAPI.

K

Visual Basic Terms,Keyword

Visual Basic Terms, Keywords are the phrases or symbols which can be the primary components of the Visual Basic programming language. As a end result, you can not use them as names for your application. Some simple examples:

Dim Dim as String or Dim String as String

Visual Basic Terms, Both of these are invalid because Dim and String are both key phrases and cannot be used as variable names.

M

Method

Visual Basic Terms, A manner to become aware of a software program function that plays an motion or a service for a selected item. For instance, the Hide() approach for shape Form1 removes the form from the program show but doesn’t unload it from memory. It would be coded: Form1.Hide

Visual Basic Terms,Module

Visual Basic Terms, A Module is a wellknown time period for a record containing code or statistics that you upload on your task. Usually, a module incorporates program code which you write. In VB 6, modules have a .Bas extension and there are just 3 styles of modules: shape, wellknown, and sophistication. In VB.NET, modules commonly have a .Vb extension but others are viable, which includes .Xsd for a dataset module, .Xml for an XML module, .Htm for a web page, .Txt for a textual content report, .Xslt for an XSLT record, .Css for a Style Sheet, .Rptfor a Crystal Report, and others.

To upload a module, proper click on the project in VB 6 or the application in VB.NET and pick out Add and then Module.

N

Visual Basic Terms,Namespace

Visual Basic Terms, The idea of a namespace has been round for quite some time in programming however has only turn out to be a requirement for Visual Basic programmers to realize approximately on account that XML and .NET have become essential technologies. The conventional definition of a namespace is a name that uniquely identifies a set of objects so there may be no ambiguity while gadgets from exceptional assets are used together. The kind of example which you commonly see is some thing like the Dog namespace and the Furniturenamespace each have Leg objects so that you can refer to a Dog.Leg or a Furniture.Leg and be very clean approximately which one you imply.

Visual Basic Terms, In sensible .NET programming, but, a namespace is just the call this is used to consult Microsoft’s libraries of objects. For instance, both System.Data and System.XML are typicalReferences in default VB .NET Windows Aplications and the collection of objects they contain are referred to as the System.Data namespace and the System.XML namespace.

The motive “made-up” examples like “Dog” and “Furniture” are used in different definitions is that the “ambiguity” hassle clearly simplest comes up when you outline your very own namespace, now not when you’re using Microsoft’s item libraries. For example, try and discover object names which can be duplicated betweenSystem.Data and System.XML.

When you’re the use of XML, a namespace is a set of detail type and characteristic names. These detail kinds and attribute names are uniquely recognized through the name of the XML namespace of which they’re a part. In XML, a namespace is given the call of a Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) – inclusive of a Web web site’s address – each due to the fact the namespace could be related to the web page and due to the fact a URI is a completely unique name. When it’s used this manner, the URI isn’t required to be used apart from as a call and there does not should be a report or XML schema at that address.

Visual Basic Terms,Newsgroup

A dialogue institution operated thru the Internet. Newsgroups (additionally referred to as Usenet) are accessed and regarded on the web. Outlook Express (allotted through Microsoft as part of IE) helps newsgroup viewing. Newsgroups have a tendency to be popular, fun, and alternative. See Usenet.

O

Object

Microsoft defines it as a software aspect that exposes its homes and strategies

Halvorson (VB.NET Step via Step, Microsoft Press) defines it as … The call of a user interface element you create on a VB shape with a Toolbox control

Liberty (Learning VB.NET, O’Reilly) defines it as … An person example of a component

Clark (An Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming with Visual Basic .NET, APress) defines it as … A shape for incorporating statistics and techniques for operating with that information

There’s pretty a broad spectrum of opinion in this definition. Here’s one which might be right within the mainstream:

Software that has properties and/or strategies. A Document, Branch or Relationship can be an person item, for instance. Most, however not all, gadgets are individuals of a group of some type.

Visual Basic Terms,Object Library

A document with the .Olb extension that gives facts to Automation controllers (like Visual Basic) approximately to be had gadgets. The Visual Basic Object Browser (View menu or feature key F2) will permit you to browse all the object libraries available to you.

OCX

The record extension (and universal call) for OLE Custom control (the X should had been introduced as it regarded cool to Microsoft Marketing kinds). OCX modules are unbiased software modules that may be accessed with the aid of different programs in a Windows surroundings. controls replaced VBX controls written in Visual Basic. both as a advertising time period and a generation, become replaced with the aid of ActiveX controls. ActiveX is backward like minded with OCX controls due to the fact ActiveX boxes, inclusive of Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, can execute OCX additives. OCX controls can be either sixteen-bit or 32-bit.

OLE

OLE stands for Object Linking and Embedding. This is a generation that first came at the scene at the side of the first surely a hit model of Windows: Windows three.1. (Which was launched in April 1992. Yes, Virginia, they’d computer systems that lengthy in the past.) The first trick that OLE made possible changed into the introduction of what’s called a “compound document” or a record that has content created by more than one application. For instance, a Word record containing a genuine Excel spreadsheet (not a photo, however the real component). The data may be provided by either “linking” or “embedding” which money owed for the call. OLE has regularly been prolonged to servers and networks and has received increasingly more capability.

OOP – Object Oriented Programming

A programming structure that emphasizes the use of items as the essential building blocks of programs. This is done by using offering a way to create the constructing blocks so they encompass both information and functions that are accessed thru an interface (those are referred to as “houses” and “methods” in VB).

The definition of OOP has been debatable inside the past due to the fact some OOP purists vehemently insisted that languages like C++ and Java were object oriented and VB 6 turned into no longer due to the fact OOP was defined (by using the purists) as incorporating the three pillars: Inheritance, Polymorphism, and Encapsulation. And VB 6 never applied inheritance. Other authorities (Dan Appleman, as an example), talked about that VB 6 turned into very efficient for building binary reusable code blocks and consequently it become OOP sufficient. This controversy will die down now due to the fact VB .NET is very emphatically OOP – and maximum truly includes Inheritance.

P

Visual Basic Terms,Perl

Is an acronym that clearly expands to ‘Practical Extraction and Report Language’ however this does not do lots that will help you apprehend what it’s far. Although it became created for text processing, Perl has grow to be the maximum famous language for writing CGI packages and changed into the authentic language of the net. People who have a number of enjoy with Perl adore it and swear by way of it. New programmers, but, have a tendency to swear at it as a substitute because it has a reputation for no longer being smooth to study. VBScript and Javascript are replacing Perl for net programming these days. Perl is also used a first-rate deal by Unix and Linux administrators for automating their upkeep work.

Process

refers to a program that is currently executing, or “running” on a computer.

Polymorphism

Is a phrase seen in Object Oriented Programming causes. This is the capability to have two extraordinary items, of different types, that both put into effect the identical approach (polymorphism actually means “many forms”). So, as an example, you may write a program for a central authority corporation calledGetLicense. But the license might be a dog license, a driver’s license or a license to run for political workplace (“license to scouse borrow” ??). Visual Basic determines which one is intended through differences within the parameters used to call the objects. Both VB 6 and VB .NET offer polymorphism, but they use a one of a kind architecture to do it. Asked by Beth Ann

Visual Basic Terms,Property

In Visual Basic, a named characteristic of an object. For instance, every Toolbox object has a Nameproperty. Properties can be set by converting them in the Properties window at layout time or through application statements at run time. For instance, I might exchange the Name belongings of a shape Form1with the assertion: Form1.Name = “MyFormName”

VB 6 makes use of Property Get, Property Set and Property Let statements to govern residences of items. This syntax has been absolutely overhauled in VB.NET. The Get and Set syntax is not at all the same and Let is not supported at all.

In VB.NET a member discipline in a class is a belongings.

Class MyClass
Private memberfield as String
Public Sub classmethod()
' whatever this class does
End Sub
End Class

Public

In Visual Basic .NET, the keyword within the announcement assertion that makes the elements reachable from code everywhere inside the equal task, from different tasks that reference the mission, and from any assembly constructed from the assignment. But see Access Level as well in this.

Here’s an instance:

Public Class aPublicClassName

Public may be used most effective at module, interface, or namespace degree. You cannot claim an element to be Public inside a system.

R

Register

Registering a DLL (Dynamic Link Library) manner the device is aware of how to find it whilst an utility creates an object the use of the DLL’s ProgID. When a DLL is compiled, Visual Basic automatically registers it on that gadget for you. COM depends on the Windows registry and calls for all COM additives to keep (or ‘sign in’) facts about themselves in the registry earlier than they may be used. A particular ID is used for one-of-a-kind components to make sure they don’t clash. The ID is known as a GUID, or Globally Unique IDentifier and they may be calculated by way of compilers and different improvement software the usage of a special algorithm.

S

Visual Basic Terms,Scope

The part of a application in which a variable may be identified and utilized in statements. For example, if a variable is asserted (DIM statement) in the Declarations phase of a shape, then the variable can be utilized in any technique in that form (such as the Click occasion for a button at the shape).

State

The modern-day circumstance and values in a walking software. This is typically most widespread in an internet surroundings (which include a web system along with an ASP application) where the values contained in software variables may be lost except they may be stored by hook or by crook. Saving vital “kingdom facts” is a common project important in writing on-line structures.

String

Any expression that evaluates to a series of contiguous characters. In Visual Basic, a string is the variable type (VarType) 8.

Syntax

The word “syntax” in programming is sort of similar to “grammar” in human languages. In other phrases, it is the rules you operate to create statements. The syntax in Visual Basic should permit the Visual Basic compiler ‘understand’ your statements to create an executable application.

This declaration has wrong syntax

a==b because there is no “==” operation in Visual Basic. (At least, there is not one but! Microsoft usually adds to the language.)

U

Visual Basic Terms,URL

Uniform Resource Locator – This is the precise cope with of any a document at the Internet. The one of a kind parts of a URL have particular meaning.

The Parts of a URL

Protocol	Domain Name	Path	File Name
http://	visualbasic.about.com/	library/weekly/	blglossa.htm

‘Protocol’, for example, could be FTP:// or MailTo:// among other things.

Visual Basic Terms,Usenet

Usenet is a international-huge dispensed dialogue gadget. It includes a fixed of ‘newsgroups’ with names which can be categorized hierarchically through subject. ‘Articles’ or ‘messages’ are posted to these newsgroups by humans on computer systems with the best software program. These articles are then broadcast to different interconnected laptop structures thru a extensive variety of networks. Visual Basic is mentioned in a number of distinct newsgroups together with Microsoft.Public.Vb.Trendy.Discussion.

Visual Basic Terms,UDT

While no longer truly a Visual Basic term, a definition of this time period become asked by an About Visual Basic reader so here it’s far!

UDT is an acronym that expands to “User Datagram Transport”, but that might not tell you plenty. UDT is one in every of numerous “community layer protocols” (any other is TCP – 1/2 of the perhaps extra familiar TCP/IP). These are clearly agreed upon (standardized) strategies to transfer bits and bytes throughout networks such as the Internet but additionally in all likelihood from one laptop to another within the equal room. Since it is only a careful description of a way to do it, it might be utilized in any application where bits and bytes need to be transfered.

UDT’s claim to reputation is that it makes use of new reliability and glide/congestion manipulate mechanisms that are based totally on any other protocol referred to as UDP.

V

Visual Basic Terms,VBX

The record extension (and regularly occurring name) of components utilized by sixteen-bit variations of Visual Basic (VB1 through VB4). Now obsolete, VBXs do now not have of the houses (inheritance and polymorphism) many believe are required by proper item-orientated structures. Starting with VB5, OCX and then ActiveX controls have become current.

Virtual Machine

A time period used to explain a platform, this is, the software program and operating surroundings, for which you are writing code. This is a key concept in VB.NET because the virtual gadget that the VB 6 programmer writes to is significantly distinctive than the only the VB.NET program makes use of. As a starting point (however there’s a whole lot greater), VB.NET’s digital device requires the presence of the CLR (Common Language Runtime). To illustrate the concept of a virtual device platform in real use, VB.NET gives for alternates within the Build menu Configuration Manager:

W

Visual Basic Terms,Web Services

Software that runs over a community and gives information offerings primarily based on XML requirements that are accessed through a URI (Universal Resource Identifier) address and an XML defined facts interface. The standard XML technologies generally used in web offerings consist of SOAP, WSDL, UDDI and XSD. See Quo Vadis, Web Services, The Google API.

Win32 The Windows API for Microsoft Windows 9X, NT, and 2000.

X

Visual Basic Terms,XML

The Extensible Markup Language lets in designers to create their own customized ‘markup tags’ for information. This makes it feasible to define, transmit, validate, and interpret statistics between applications with more flexibility and accuracy. The XML specification changed into evolved via the W3C (the World Wide Web consortium – an association whose members are global organizations) however XML is used for packages some distance beyond the net. (Many definitions you can find at the internet nation that it is used most effective for the internet, but this is a commonplace misunderstanding. XHTML is a specific set of markup tags which are based totally on HTML four.01 in addition to XML that is exclusively for internet pages.) VB.NET and all Microsoft .NET technologies use XML considerably.