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
