Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0: Programmer's Guide

by Microsoft Corporation

Created by the Microsoft development team, this book provides a solid tutorial for the beginner to intermediate programmer of Microsoft Visual Basic--the world's most popular tool for developing... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1572318635
• ISBN13: 9781572318632
• Release Date: September 1998
• Publisher: Microsoft Press
• Length: 959 Pages
• Weight: 3.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.6" x 7.4" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Excellent reference

This is a great book, but I am afraid it will be bashed upon by people buying it and expecting to learn how to program just by reading it. This book is not a learning guide, it is a reference. And a good one too! Everything you ever wanted to know about VB programming is covered. It's only (and in my opinion minor) ceveat is the lack of material on COM/ActiveX programming. This is just a minor ceveat, as COM is a huge topic, which can fill three like-sized books (this book is 950 pages). All in all, a handy reference for every-day programming.

Hey, it's a Programmer's Guide, not a novel.

Yes, it is the online help files in print form. Yes, it DOES have an index. Yes, it has some errors. And yes, coupled with the Reference Library, it's the most useful set of books a VB programmer can own.I've been developing with VB for a year and a half, and I still come back to the Programmer's Guide, because it never hurts to review the fundamentals. Plus, if you think it's only for beginners, try explaining how to implement polymorphism through multiple ActiveX interfaces in a class module. The Programmer's Guide does.Last, but not least, it's a book. Some people just like having a book, rather than reading the computer all the time.

Excellent for those with a basic understanding of VB

This book IS NOT an intro to VB book. It is an excellent guide to all of the features of the language in a direct, no fluff way. The chapters on programming with objects and COM (or ActiveX if you like) are a must-read for any serious VB programmer. Yes, it is a reprint of the online docs, but I find it hard to read online docs on the couch or an airplane with my PC and 19" monitor.

Always start with MS documents first

As a contract programmer that has used VB since 2.0, I recommend this set, along with the "Reference Library" for any serious programmer, from rookie to pro. With each VB generation, I reread the Programmer's Guide. For example, chapters 9 and 10 are a must before the reader is ready for Reference Library's "Component Tools Guide" (which teaches you how to design and build ActiveX components.Caveat for the rookies: Visual Basic has become a very complex and powerful language since its first release, when it was supposed to be used for GUI prototypes. You will need to spend time and effort learning the language and the various Microsoft strategies. I recommend SAM's "Teach Yourself VBx In 21 Days" and other beginner books in addition to this one. You can do a lot useful programming without ever touching the ActiveX component development.BTW, there is an index and, yes, you will be referred to the online help for details in a lot of subjects. But that will be details and broader understanding. This book is already over 900 pages. "War and Peace" we don't need.

Excellent Must-Have Reference

Even though this book runs to over 900 words it contains none of the padding and waffle found in many VB6 books. Maybe this would make it tough reading for complete beginners and it might be better to read an introductory book such as Sams "Teach yourself Visual Basic 6 in 21 days" first.To really get into VB6 you would also need Microsoft's "Visual Basic 6 Component Tools Guide" as component creation is really central to the VB6 programming paradigm and isn't touched in this book.Even after reading and understanding this book there's still a lot of subjects that aren't really covered in any sort of depth (like ADO). This is more a consequence of the enormity of the new VB6 environment rather than any shortcoming of the book. The book content is available electronically on the VB disk but I find reading from the screen very difficult and miss the contents and index.If you can read and understand everything in this book you will be completely equipped to tackle any of the more advanced VB6 books.Though I had a few gripes, given the task of providing a reasonably complete programmer's guide, and the constraint of cramming it all into 900 pages, Microsoft have done a good job with this book.