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Visual Studio .NET

What is Visual Basic .NET?

A few of the features of Visual Basic .NET, compared to Visual Basic

The .NET Framework

Class library

Common Language Runtime

Class library

Class

Namespace

Visual Basic .NET Integrated Development Environment (IDE)

• Solution
• Project
  • Forms
  • Controls
  • Properties
  • Methods
  • Event Procedures – Code
  • General Procedures – Code
  • Modules

In a project folder, you will see these files (and possibly more):

Visual Studio .NET is an integrated development environment that helps you to

quickly design, develop, debug, and deploy .NET Framework solutions. You

can access a common set of tools, designers, and editors from any Visual Studio

.NET programming language. You can create Windows Forms and Web Forms

applications that integrate data and business logic.

What is Visual Basic .NET?

· Visual Basic .NET is part of a grand new version by Microsoft. It is a complete re-engineering of Visual Basic for the Microsoft .NET framework. With Visual Basic .NET, you are able to quickly build Windows-based applications, web-based applications and, eventually, software for other devices, such as palm computers.

· Windows applications built using Visual Basic .NET feature a Graphical User Interface (GUI). Users interact with a set of visual tools (buttons, text boxes, tool bars, and menu items) to make an application do its required tasks.

· Visual Basic .NET Windows applications are event-driven, meaning nothing happens until an application is called upon to respond to some event (button pressing, menu selection, …).

A few of the features of Visual Basic .NET, compared to Visual Basic:

· New Integrated Development Environment

· Uses Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) methods

· New controls and control properties

· Redesigned code window

· Zero-based arrays (no adjustable first dimension)

· Easier to use common dialog boxes

· Structured error-handling (no more On Error Go To)

· New menu design tools

· New techniques for working with sequential files

· All new graphics methods

· New approaches to printing from an application

· Improved support to incorporating help systems in applications

· New web forms for internet applications

· ADO.NET for database access

The .NET Framework is a set of programming services designed to simplify application development in the highly distributed environment of the Internet.

The .NET Framework has two main components: the common language runtime and the class library.

Common Language Runtime

The common language runtime is the foundation of the .NET Framework. In the .NET environment, programmers develop applications in the .NET compatible language of their choice, the code is compiled into MSIL, and the runtime manages and runs the compiled code. CLR is necessary for all .NET languages to run.

Note: The .NET compatible programming languages like VB.NET,

Visual C#., Visual C++, Jscript, and visual J#

Class library

The class library is a comprehensive object-oriented collection of reusable classes that are organized by their functionality into hierarchical namespaces. You can use the class library to develop applications ranging from traditional client applications to applications based on the latest innovations provided by Microsoft ASP.NET and XML Web services.

When you compile the application, it is translated into the run time’s common language, Microsoft intermediate language (MSIL). After the application is compiled, the runtime manages the execution of the application.

The runtime includes a feature called just-in-time (JIT) compilation that translates the MSIL code into the machine language of the system on which the application will run. When a client device on the .NET platform launches the Visual Basic .NET application, it starts running in the machine language of the client system and can fully integrate and interact with other .NET-based applications and services regardless of the language in which it was developed.

Class

A class is a named programming entity that comprises a common set of methods, properties, and attributes. For example, Form is one of the classes in the System.Windows.Forms namespace that is used to create Windows Forms.

Namespace

A namespace identifies a collection of related classes and/or other namespaces in the .NET Framework. Examples of namespaces include the following:

• System

• System.Windows.Forms

Visual Basic .NET Integrated Development Environment (IDE)

· The Visual Basic .NET IDE is where we build and test our application via implementation of the three steps of application development (draw controls, assign properties, write code). As you progress through this course, you will learn how easy-to-use and helpful the IDE is. There are many features in the IDE and many ways to use these features. Here, we will introduce the IDE and some of its features. You must realize, however, that its true utility will become apparent as you use it yourself to build your own applications.

· Several windows appear when you start Visual Basic .NET. Each window can be viewed (made visible or active) by selecting menu options, depressing function keys or using the displayed toolbar.

A solution is a container for the projects and solution items that can be built into an application. A solution usually contains one or more related projects.

A project is a container within a solution that is used to logically manage, build, and debug the project items that make up your application.