Microsoft Visual Basic .NET Step by Step--Version 2003 (Step By Step (Microsoft))

The salient feature of this text is the author's patient presentation style, which stresses "traditional" VB programming. (While VB 6 did technically support Web programming, the unarguable reality is that most developers have built form-based programs for years.) This volume shows you how to use the same techniques for the new VB .NET. The author begins his presentation here with a clever slot-machine application to get you started. Other early sections cover the basics of VB .NET from a language perspective, including basics like variables, data types, and flow control statements. This handsomely printed volume makes use of two-toned color (in blue) to highlight differences between VB 6 in VB .NET, making it an invaluable resource for programmers making this transition.

Other essential technologies get their due here as well, from basic control programming with Windows Forms, integrating with ActiveX controls, to a very approachable guide to the new ADO.NET APIs for databases. Coverage of how to bind data to a variety of controls, plus using the new VB .NET DataGrid control, will show you how to do all you did in VB 6 in the new .NET. Instead of getting bogged down in details, the author does a good job of presenting what working programmers need to know. Later chapters delve into .NET APIs for working with files, strings, and collections. This title doesn't pretend to cover ASP.NET in any detail, though there is a useful introduction to the subject, as well as how to use the Microsoft Internet Explorer Object to build VB applications that display HTML and other Internet content.

The reality is that most VB 6 programmers will have to learn a lot when it comes to .NET. Before launching into a whole new paradigm of Web development, this book shows that today's VB has a lot to do with the older VB 6 standard. This text will be nearly indispensable for any VB 6 programmers making the leap to .NET. It even suggests that rumors of the death of the traditional client-side VB application may be somewhat exaggerated. This title shows you that the new easier deployment and productivity features of VB .NET may extend the life of such applications in one of the best-available tutorials for learning VB .NET, bar none. --Richard Dragan

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All Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review:
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

Easy Learning, 2006-12-06
I have used several books to learn Visual Basic and have used it in writing programs. This book was a real treat. It filled in many gaps that were left by other books and even by college course work. The book is very clear and easy to use. The author goes step-by-step, teaching concepts and working through examples. There are sample programs included on CD or to download to make the process hands-on and understandable. I highly recommend it.


3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

just an ok book, 2006-06-03
This book is great to get your feet wet in VB.NET because it has great tutorials on how to do the basic things in VB. The teaching style is pretty good keeping a good pace through-out the book and almost every single explanation is very well written. Also, all code examples worked for me.
The problem that I have with this book is that it fails to introduce the reader to the big picture. This book will show you how to do all this handy-dandy stuff and after reading it, you will easily be able to build your own applications but you wont have a true understanding of VB.NET. You won't have a clue how all of it works together wich will put a demper in your coding abilities. I would only recomend this book if you buy it along with another book such as; [...]


2 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

mindless repetition of the obvious, 2005-10-22
How many times do you have to read that, in order to create a menu item you have to
Press down the arrow key
......
and then
Press down the arrow key
....
and then
Press down the arrow key

??!! the author can fill pages and pages with this kind of "step by step" instruction. It's not a matter of being new or not to VB .NET, it's a matter of expecting the author to assume that the reader has some common sense. Avoid this book!


6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

Casual VB user stepping into VB.Net, 2005-09-23
As a casual programmer in VB I thought this book was good as a refresher for VB and a stepping stone into VB.Net. It is not a book for experienced VB programmers wanting to learn VB.Net. A lot of the examples are strictly VB while telling you some of the differences in VB.Net. Bottom line: If you are experienced in VB do not buy this book. If you are Mr. Joe Blow, "I program once in a while in VB, and need a refresher course, and I want to delve into VB.Net", by all means buy this book.


8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

The Best beginning book I have used so far, 2005-08-17
I am a programming virgin and wanted to learn VISUAL BASIC.NET. I first purchased VB.NET programming for the absolute beginner and the SAMs Teach yourself VB.NET in 24h. These two books were good (SAMs Teach yourself VB.NET in 24h was better) but both emphasized typing in code rather than understanding the code. The explanations seemed lacking in comparison with the Microsoft VB.NET Step by Step book. The Step by Step book actually explained the code in better detail. I also found this book easy to follow and understand. This book was great.

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