Summary

Team Fly

Page 22

Project (an application and its dependencies)	Solution (design-time source code) or Assembly (runtime executable and support). A Solution can contain multiple projects, in which case you must specify the ''startup project" in the Project menu.
Classes, arrays, modules, enumerations, structures, interfaces, and value types, collectively.	Types
Code	Managed code (runs under the control of the .NET runtime library. C++ programmers can choose to write unmanaged code.)
DOS Application	Console Application
Form1_Load	Sub Main
RecordSet	DataSet
Fields and records in databases	Columns and rows in databases
Built-in constants	An enumeration (or enum)
User-defined type	Structure
Error	Exception (or, when working with XML, Fault)
Trapping errors	Handling exceptions
Classes are Public by default	Classes are Friend by default

In this chapter I tried to explore and describe ways to successfully approach VB.NET. I wanted to help you come to grips with this important language, giving you tools and concepts necessary to master it. Learning to use VB.NET is well worth the effort: VB.NET is quite powerful and flexible, a significant improvement over traditional VB.

But there is effort required. .NET is a new world. And, alas, Microsoft's documentation for VB.NET (both online and in the Help system) is mostly written in a language somewhat like English, and the code examples are usually similar to VB.NET code. Similar, somewhat like, but...you'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll pull your hair.

All too often the C programmers who wrote the Help descriptions are better programmers than writers. And they're better C programmers than VB programmers, writing code examples that can best be described as Javaesque—Visual Basic from an alternative universe. Close, but not right.

Nonetheless, adapting to a powerful, new, cutting-edge computer technology requires that you sacrifice some time and make some effort. I hope that this chapter has given you guidance and tools that simplify the process. VB.NET—once you're at ease with it—expands your programming abilities in ways you never imagined.

Team Fly