Chapter 2: The Visual

Studio .NET Development

Environment
Visual Basic .NET Programming:
From Problem Analysis to Program Design
 Objectives
Explore the Visual Studio .NET development
environment
Create a project using Visual Basic .NET
Compile and execute a Visual Basic .NET program
Use the visual form designer
Explore the debugging tool
Explore the help facility

Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Proble 2

Exploring the Visual Studio .NET
Development Environment
Integrated Development Environment (IDE)

Set of software tools used for programming

Visual Studio .NET can be used for

Visual Basic

Other programming languages

Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Proble 3

 Getting Started with VB .NET
Install Visual Studio .NET

Start application

Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Proble 4

 Exploring the Microsoft
Development Environment
MDE includes
Menu bar
Various toolbars
Several windows
Context-sensitive
Toolbars are displayed to support the task you are
performing

Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Proble 5

Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Proble 6
 Exploring the Microsoft
Development Environment
(continued)
Hidden windows

Enable you to keep frequently needed tools

available without cluttering IDE

Reveal hidden window by moving mouse pointer

over its tab

Configure environment to match Figure 2-2

Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Proble 7

Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Proble 8
 Understanding the Start Page
Start Page
Automatically loads in document window
Contains three tabs named:
Projects
Online Resources
My Profile
Project
Collection of files related to a VB .NET application

Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Proble 9

Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Proble 10
Creating a Project Using Visual
Basic .NET
When creating a new project:
Must identify type of project as Visual Basic
Identify template
Specify project name and location
Template:
Pattern for creating a specific type of application

Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Proble 11

Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Proble 12
Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Proble 13
Creating a Project Using Visual
Basic .NET
After creating project using New Project dialog
box, displayed components are:
Module1.vb document
VB .NET automatically generates some code
Solution Explorer window
Properties window
Contains information about file properties

Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Proble 14

 Understanding How VB .NET
Organizes Your Programs
Solution Explorer window

Shows hierarchical arrangement of items

File names:

Use .vb extension

Named Module1.vb by default

Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Proble 15

 Understanding How VB .NET
Organizes Your Programs
(continued)
Solution

Container for one or more projects

Must designate startup project

When solution contains more than one project

Project that runs first

Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Proble 16

 Using the Text Editor
Provides standard text-editing capabilities
Also provides:
Color-coding
Code indentation
Code completion
Comment
Statement included for documentation purposes
only

Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Proble 17

 Using the Text Editor
(continued)
IntelliSense

Helps you complete lines of code by matching

words

Recognizes partial class and method names

Suggests possible matches for name you are typing

Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Proble 18

Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Proble 19
 Modifying the Text Editor
Settings
Can change:

Font type

Font size

Color of text in code editor window

Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Proble 20

 Renaming Module1.vb
Assign descriptive names to programs you write

Should rename from default names

Use Properties window to change name

Also rename module in source code

Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Proble 21

 Setting the Startup Object
Startup object

Module where execution begins when VB .NET

runs application

If module renamed:

Must modify startup object

Using Property Pages dialog box

Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Proble 22

Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Proble 23
 Compiling And Executing a
Visual Basic .NET Program
Several ways to compile and execute:
Options on Build and Debug menus or toolbars
Shortcut key combinations
Matter or preference
Select Debug on menu bar
Click Start Without Debugging
If there are errors:
Message box displayed

Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Proble 24

Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Proble 25
Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Proble 26
 Using the Visual Form
Designer
Windows application
Runs in Windows environment
Visual form editor:
Windows Form Designer
Can select icons representing various components
Place and arrange components on window
Code is automatically written to match visual form

Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Proble 27

 Creating a Windows
Application
Use Windows Application template
Use Layout toolbar
To control appearance and position of components

Form grid
Helps to layout components
Not visible when applications runs

Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Proble 28

Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Proble 29
 Creating a Windows
Application (continued)
Handle

Use to resize objects

Pointer changes to double arrow

Resize form by clicking and dragging handle

Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Proble 30

Customizing the Appearance of
a Form
Modify form elements:
Size
Background color
Title
Name
Position

Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Proble 31

Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Proble 32
Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Proble 33
Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Proble 34
Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Proble 35
Adding Components to a Form
Use Toolbox

Hidden window on left side of main window

Double-click toolbox items to add to form

When adding buttons

Must identify action that will take place when

button pressed

Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Proble 36

Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Proble 37
Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Proble 38
 Exploring the Debugging Tool
Debugger
Helps you isolate errors

Breakpoint
Flag that tells debugger to temporarily suspend
execution of program at a particular point
Can view information about program
May help determine source of problem

Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Proble 39

 Getting Started with the
Debugger
Debugger
Intended to help identify errors in program that
occur while program is running
Cannot help to find coding errors that prevent
program from being built successfully
Syntax errors
Helps find logic errors
HOWEVER does not fix them for you

Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Proble 40

 Setting Breakpoints
Position cursor in code window

Right-click

Select Insert Breakpoint from popup menu

Program execution is suspended just before line of

code where breakpoint is set

Execute program in debug mode

Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Proble 41

Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Proble 42
Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Proble 43
 Exploring the Help Facility
Help features:
Search for help on specific item
Browse table of contents
Scroll through alphabetized index of topics
Dynamic help
Context-sensitive help

Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Proble 44

 Accessing Help
Use Help menu
Contents option:
List of help topics in table of contents format
Organizes help topics in hierarchical fashion
Index option:
Displays list of help topics in alphabetical order
Search option:
Search database of help pages

Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Proble 45

 Accessing Help (continued)
Dynamic Help option:

Identifies help topics in response to actions

Displays topics depending on currently selected

window or item

Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Proble 46

 Exploring Context-Sensitive
Help
Invoke by pressing F1 key
Obtain help on virtually any
Keyword
Component
Window
Other element of VB .NET

Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Proble 47

 Summary
Visual Studio .NET
Integrated Development Environment (IDE)
Set of software tools that helps you code, debug,
and test a system as you develop it
Provides many options that allow you to customize
appearance of screen and the tools
Uses hierarchical arrangement of solutions and
projects to organize programs

Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Proble 48

 Summary (continued)
The VB .NET text editor
Supports color-coding, indentation, and code
completion features
Compile and execute VB .NET program
Using options on Build and Debug menus
Visual form editor
Visual development tool
Generates code from forms

Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Proble 49

 Summary (continued)
Debugger

Tool that helps identify problems

Help facility of VB .NET provides many options

for accessing help

Visual Basic .NET Programming: From Proble 50