Visual Basic in easy steps: Covers Visual Basic 2015

by Mike McGrath

Visual Basic in easy steps, 4th edition shows you how to quickly create Windows applications using the latest free Visual Studio Community 2015 programming environment. This book gives you code examples, screenshots, and step-by-step instructions that illustrate each aspect of Visual Basic.

It begins by describing the Visual Studio Community 2015 installation process, then introduces form controls, application properties, the programming language, and problem-solving techniques.

Next, it illustrates by example, how to build and deploy a complete Windows application. A chapter is devoted to scripting with Visual Basic. This first shows you how to create 'macros' for Word and Excel in Microsoft Office, using Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), then demonstrates how to manipulate files and data within the Windows operating system using VBScript. You will learn how to incorporate external data into your applications from text files, Excel spreadsheets, XML documents, live RSS web feeds, and SQL databases.

You need have no previous knowledge of any programming language so it's ideal if you're a newcomer to Windows programming. Each chapter builds your knowledge of Visual Basic. By the end of this book you will have gained a sound understanding of Visual Basic programming and be able to create your own interactive applications.

Genres: Technology, Nonfiction

192 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2008

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Reviews

[Robert W. Shepard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've used Basic since the days when it came on the computer. This book is as advertised. It provides a way to learn the basics of VB.

I problem I have with the book is there is no way to get support when a problem occurs. Chapter 7 has examples of programs I couldn't get to work as shown. It would be nice if there was a way to post questions or comments and get some feedback.

There is a MAJOR problem in VB which isn't mentioned in the book and hard to find in Microsoft. The problem occurs when the programmer enters the program and they get a "BC30420 - SUB MAIN not found" error. I know the authors had to have run into this problem. It took me hours to resolve the problem. The fix is to "Click Project -> Properties, then click on the field showing Sub Main and change it to Form1.

[Brian · Rating 2 out of 5]

It is beyond dry. If you had the option of staring at the ceiling for 3 hours or reading this, I believe the former would be a more entertaining option.

[Janey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn't read it all the way through but was a really good reference to have when starting to learn Visual Basic. You don't need it to learn the language but it is quite helpful.

[Thomas Ray · Rating 2 out of 5]

Visual Basic in Easy Steps, Mike McGrath, 6th ed. 2019, ISBN 9781840788723, Dewey 005.2768, 192 pp.

pp. 134-135 is "Creating an Excel Macro."