Introduction to Visual Studio Community 2015

Aug 22, 2024

Visual Studio Community 2015 Lecture Notes

Introduction

  • Computers are integral to modern life, supporting various applications in personal, social, and professional contexts.
  • Applications like feedback forms, customer databases, and build generations are prevalent in various sectors (e.g., shopping malls, banks, schools).
  • Different programming languages are used to create computer applications.

Understanding Programming Languages

  • A programming language allows programmers to communicate with computers, enabling complex operations and user-friendly interfaces.
  • Alan Cooper is recognized as the father of Visual Basic (VB).

Overview of Visual Basic (VB)

  • Visual Basic:
    • Developed by Microsoft in May 1991.
    • Aimed at beginner programmers.
    • Designed for creating visual elements in programs.
    • Event-driven programming supporting higher user interaction through GUI elements (icons, menus, buttons).
  • VB Versions:
    • Released versions: 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, and 6.0.
    • Transitioned to .NET framework; became Visual Basic.NET.
    • Subsequent releases: Visual Basic .NET 2003, 2010, 2012, 2013, and 2015.

Visual Basic 2015

  • Introduced enhanced features for building mobile applications.
  • .NET portion dropped from the name in 2005.

Object-Oriented Programming

  • Object-Oriented Programming (OOP):
    • Divides large programs into self-contained blocks (objects).
    • Each object operates independently.
    • Example: Components of a computer (monitor, keyboard, etc.) are objects that work together.

Visual Studio Community 2015

  • Visual Studio Community 2015:
    • Free and fully featured OOP environment.
    • Designed for individual developers, open-source projects, academic research, and small teams.
    • Supports applications for Windows, Android, iOS, web applications, and cloud services.
    • Bundled with languages like C#, C++, F#, JavaScript, and Python.

Event-Driven Programming

  • In Event-Driven Programming:
    • User actions (events) like clicks and key presses trigger program execution.
    • Example: Different actions for enter and exit buttons.

Visual Studio 2015 Features

  • Light Bulbs: Indicate code issues and suggest fixes in the editor.

Modes of Visual Basic Programs

  1. Design Mode: Create objects and write code.
  2. Run Mode: Execute written statements.
  3. Break Mode: Pause execution for error resolution.

Starting Visual Basic 2015

  • Steps to start:
    1. Click Start > All Apps > Visual Studio 2015.
    2. Encounter the Start Page with options like New Project, Open Project, Recent Projects, etc.
    3. To create a new project, select Visual Basic and then Windows Forms Application.

Components of Visual Studio 2015

  • Title Bar: Displays the project's name.
  • Menu Bar: Access to development options.
  • Toolbar: Shortcuts to frequently used menu items.
  • Form Window: Interface for user interaction with controls.
  • Properties Window: Sets attributes for controls (e.g., name, font, visibility).
  • Solution Explorer: Displays project structure (forms and objects).
  • Toolbox: Contains controls to drag-and-drop onto forms.
  • Code Window: Where coding occurs (accessible by double-clicking controls).

Developing a VB Application

Steps:

  1. Build interface by adding controls.
  2. Set properties of controls.
  3. Write event codes and run the application.

Example of Creating a VB Application

  • Create applications to view messages and perform calculations using buttons and text boxes.

Understanding Variables

  • Variable: Named memory location for temporary data storage.
  • Declared using Dim, specifying data type (e.g., Integer, String).

Data Types

| Data Type | Description | Example | |-----------|------------------------------------------------|-------------------------| | Integer | Stores integer values | Dim marks as Integer | | String | Stores a set of characters | Dim name as String | | Date | Stores date and time | Dim D_O_B as Date |

Operators in Visual Basic

  • Arithmetic Operators: Perform math operations (e.g., +, -, *, /).
  • Relational Operators: Compare values and return true/false (e.g., >, <, =).
  • Logical Operators: Combine conditions (e.g., And, Or, Not).

Saving and Managing Projects

  • To save a project: File > Save Form1.vb.
  • To close a project: File > Close Solution.
  • To open an existing project: File > Open > Project/Solution.