Visual Basic Classic Most Read KB Posts

When an object instance is created from a class, VB6 calls a special parameter-less sub named Class_Initialize. Since you cannot specify parameters for this sub, you also cannot overload it.

When a class is destroyed, VB6 calls a special sub called Class_Terminate.

VB Classic logical operators:

When an object instance is destroyed, VB6 calls a special parameter-less sub named Class_Terminate. For example, when the variable falls out of scope. Since you cannot specify parameters for this sub, you also cannot overload it.

When an object instance is created from a class, VB6 calls a special sub called Class_Initialize.

Commenting Code
VB Classic, like all the VB-based languages, uses a single quote (') or the original class-style basic "REM" (most developers just use a quote). VB Classic does NOT have a multiple line comment.

Directives - #

Directives are sometimes called compiler or preprocessor directives. A # is used for directives within VB Classic code. VB Classic offers only an #If..then/#ElseIf/#Else directive.

Arrays in VB Classic use a 0-based indice. UBound returns -1 if the array has no elements, 0 if it has 1, 1 if it has 2, etc.

In addition to Add and Item, collections also offer Count and Remove. Notice that Add uses the format of Value, Key (which is backwards from many other languages).

The Me keyword is a built-in variable that refers to the class where the code is executing. For example, you can pass Me from one module to another.

VB Classic is a loosely typed language. Declaring variables is optional unless you use the Option Explicit statement to force explicit declaration of all variables with Dim, Private, Public, or ReDim. Using Option Explicit is strongly recommended to avoid incorrectly typing an existing variable and to avoid any confusion about variable scope.

Undeclared variables are variants. To specifically declare a variant, use:

Common data types include Byte (0..255), Boolean, Integer (2-byte integers), Long (4-byte integers), Currency, Single (32-bit number), Double (64-bit number), Date, String, and variant.

Variables declared with Dim at the module level are available to all procedures within the module. At the procedure level, variables are available only within the procedure.

Scope can be Public, Global, or Private. The use of the newer Public keyword is preferred to the older Global. Private Const is the same as just specifying Const.

VB classic uses the keywords sub and function. A sub does not return a value and a function does. Many programmers like to use the optional call keyword when calling a sub to indicate the call is to a procedure.

VB Classic logical operators:

Crystal Reports was very popular with VB Classic developers and came bundled with Visual Basic 3 through 6. VB6 offers both Crystal Reports and the new Microsoft Data Report Designer.

Arrays in VB Classic use a 0-based indice. UBound returns -1 if the array has no elements, 0 if it has 1, 1 if it has 2, etc.

Short-circuit evaluation is a feature of most languages where once an evaluation evaluates to False, the compiler evaluates the whole expression to False, exits and moves on to the next code execution line. In VB Classic, the if statement does not support short-circuit evaluation but you can mimic it. Use either an if..else if..else if statement or nested if statements. You will find that your code that makes use of this technique will be clearer and easier to maintain than the short-circuit equivalent and faster than ingnoring the issue.

Languages Focus: End of Statement

In coding languages, common End of statement specifiers include a semicolon and return (others exist too). Also of concern when studying a language is can you put two statements on a single code line and can you break a single statement into two or more code lines.

An operation with only one operand (a single input) such as + and -.

The End If is optional if you put your code on a single line.

In VB Classic, you have to add an empty string to the value being compared in order to get consistent results. For example, add &"" to your string varilable or it's code equivalent &vbNullString. Then compare to an empty string or verify it's length to 0 with Len.

The Me keyword is a built-in variable that refers to the class where the code is executing. For example, you can pass Me from one module to another.