README.md

Description

Just some VB Tech Tips, nothing fancy, but informative.

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Submitted On
By	Clint LaFever
Level	Beginner
User Rating	4.8 (76 globes from 16 users)
Compatibility	VB 5.0, VB 6.0
Category	Miscellaneous
World	Visual Basic
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Source Code

Take Advantage of Related Documents Area In Project Window

If you use a resource file in your application, you can see the RES file appear in the project window under "Related Documents."  This is the only type of file that VB automatically adds to this node of the project tree.  You can add any type of file you like to this area manually, though.  From the Project menu, selected Add File, or right click on the project window and select Add File from the context menu.  In the dialog box, select All Files for the file type and check the Add As Related Document option.  Adding additional related files here helps organize your project and gives you quick access to useful items, including design documents, databases, resource scripts, help project files, and so on.  Once a file has been added, double-click on it in the project window to open it with the appropriate application.

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Browse VB Command as You Type

When you refer to an object in VB, you get a dropdown list of that object's properties and methods.  But, did you know that the statements and functions of the VB language can be pulled up in the same way.  You can view the list as you type in one of two ways.  One (which just shows how it all works) is to type VBA. then the list will appear.  There you can see the list off all VB functions and have it filter down as you type.  The quicker way is to just press CTRL+SPACE prior to typing your VB function/command.  i.e.;  On a blank line press CTRL+SPACE then type ms  At this point it should be at MsgBox.  While yes most commands are short enough that the CTRL+SPACE does not really save you any time, but one you will not having any typos and two, it will help you remember/find a call that you do not use much.

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Use the Watch Window to Drill Down into Objects/Collections During Debug

All of know about the immediate window, but I find very few developers who know of the Watch Window.  The watch window is a very nice tool to drill down any any variable whether it is a standard type or an object or a collection.  For an example, open on of your database project where you open a recordset.  Set a break point after you open your recordset.  Run your code.  When you hit your break point, highlight your recordset variable right there on that line (double click on it too for quicker highlighting).  Now right click your highlighted variable and choose Add Watch.  On then next window click Ok.  Presto your recordset variable show now be displayed in the Watch Window.  You can expand it out and drill down to all the properties within.  Not only is this a good tool to use to inspect your objects and collections at runtime, but also a good teaching tool to help those trying to understand objects and how they are constructed.

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Show the Standard File Properties Dialog

If your program has an Explorer shell-style interface, you probably want to supply the standard File/Properties dialog.  Do this by using the ShellExecuteEX API function:

Private Type SHELLEXECUTEINFO
    cbSize as Long
    fMask as Long
    hWnd as Long
    lpVerb as String
    lpFile as String
    lpParameters as String
    lpDirectory as String
    nShow as Long
    hInstApp as Long
    lpIDList as Long
    lpClass as String
    dwHotKey as Long
    hIcon as Long
    hProcess as Long
End Type

Private Declare Function ShellExecuteEX Lib _
    "shell32" (lpSEIAs SHELLEXECUTEINFO) As Long
Private Const SEE_MASK_INVOKELIST=&HC

Private Sub ShowFileProperties(ByVal aFile as String,h as Long)
    Dim sei as SHELLEXECUTEINFO
    sei.hWnd=h
    sei.lpVerb="properties"
    sei.lpFile=aFile
    sei.fMask=SEE_MASK_INVOKEIDLIST
    sei.cbSize=len(sei)
    ShellExecuteEX sei
End Sub

Please note I typed this directly in here and not in the IDE so there may be typos.

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Start Up in Your Code Folder

For the shortcut you use to open VB, change the Start In in the Properties of the shortcut to point to the folder you prefer to have as the default Open and Save to start at. 

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Trick the P&D Wizard

Do you have external files to your application that you want to make sure are always included with your application when you go and create a new setup for it.  Just use this little trick:

#If False Then
    Private Declare Sub Foo Lib "VIDEO.AVI" ()
#End If

VB will ignore this statement but the P&D Wizard will not.  The P&D Wizard will pick up this line and also remember to add this file to the list of files required for your application.

I know this is not really all that useful, but it is a nice trick.

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