For a newbie, C++ or Java or what?

[BC_Programmer]

what doesn't bloat up the system as much as VB6? it sure as heck isn't .NET...


usercontrols? ActiveX designers? Creating these is the only way to truly know pain.

Well that and modifying class instance Vtables...

[macdad-]

VB6 doesnt bloat up my rig like .NET does.

but still, VB6 is great

[BC_Programmer]

wanna see more impossibly complex code? 

[macdad-]

no now.

[BC_Programmer]

no now.

Alright, I'll show you some simple code then.

Code: [Select]

Public Function GetDriveForNtDeviceName( _
   ByVal sDeviceName As String) As String
Dim sFoundDrive As String
Dim strdrives As String
Dim DriveStr() As String
Dim vDrive As String, i As Long, ret As Long
strdrives = Space$(256)
ret = GetLogicalDriveStrings(255, strdrives)
strdrives = Trim$(Replace$(strdrives, vbNullChar, " "))
DriveStr = Split(strdrives, " ")
   'For Each vDrive In GetDrives()
   For i = 0 To UBound(DriveStr)
    vDrive = DriveStr(i)
      If StrComp(GetNtDeviceNameForDrive(vDrive), sDeviceName, vbTextCompare) = 0 Then
         sFoundDrive = vDrive
         Exit For
      End If
   Next i
   
   GetDriveForNtDeviceName = sFoundDrive
   
End Function


Wait. whoops. I guess it's a matter of opinion...

[macdad-]

i think i get the Code, does it step through each existing Drive on a sys and list the Existing Drives?

[BC_Programmer]

actually, what it does is right in the name of the function 

GetDriveForNtDeviceName

for example passing in "\Device\HarddiskVolume1" on my PC returns "C:\"

same for "\Device\Floppy0" returning "A:\"

[macdad-]

atleast i knew that it was related to someone's drives

[BC_Programmer]

Only because of "GetLogicalDriveStrings"

I could have aliased the function to be, like, "lpGetFluffyKittyCount" or something.

THAT would make for some very confusing File library code...

[macdad-]

Hmm....lets see..here's my Slot Machine Game written entirely in VB6:

Code: [Select]

Dim s1 As Integer
Dim s2 As Integer
Dim s3 As Integer

Private Declare Function BeepAPI Lib "kernel32" Alias "Beep" (ByVal dwFrequency _
    As Long, ByVal dwMilliseconds As Long) As Long

Private Sub btnPull_Click()
If bag.Text = "0" Then
 MsgBox ("Your Broke! Game Over"), , "Game Over"
 End
Else
If Coins.Text = "" Then
MsgBox ("Insert a coin to play"), , "No Coin"
Else
bag = bag - 1
Randomize
s1 = Int(Rnd * 4)
s2 = Int(Rnd * 4)
s3 = Int(Rnd * 4)
BeepAPI 600, 100
'picture 1



If s1 = 0 Or s1 = 3 Then
Pic1.Picture = LoadPicture(App.Path & "\b.bmp")
End If
If s1 = 1 Then
Pic1.Picture = LoadPicture(App.Path & "\c.bmp")
End If
If s1 = 2 Then
Pic1.Picture = LoadPicture(App.Path & "\s.bmp")
End If
'picture 2
If s2 = 0 Or s2 = 3 Then
Pic2.Picture = LoadPicture(App.Path & "\b.bmp")
End If
If s2 = 1 Then
Pic2.Picture = LoadPicture(App.Path & "\c.bmp")
End If
If s2 = 2 Then
Pic2.Picture = LoadPicture(App.Path & "\s.bmp")
End If
'picture 3
If s3 = 0 Or s3 = 3 Then
Pic3.Picture = LoadPicture(App.Path & "\b.bmp")
End If
If s3 = 1 Then
Pic3.Picture = LoadPicture(App.Path & "\c.bmp")
End If
If s3 = 2 Then
Pic3.Picture = LoadPicture(App.Path & "\s.bmp")
End If
If s1 = 1 And s2 = 1 And s3 = 1 Then
 BeepAPI 800, 100
 BeepAPI 900, 100
 MsgBox ("You Win 5 Coins!"), , "Win"
bag = 5 + bag
End If
If s1 = 2 And s2 = 2 And s3 = 2 Then
 BeepAPI 800, 100
 BeepAPI 900, 100
 MsgBox ("Jack-Pot! 20 Coins!"), , "Win"
 bag = 20 + bag
End If
End If
End If
End Sub

Private Sub Form_Load()
bag.Text = bag
bag = 50
End Sub



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[Geek-9pm]

Wat about Java?
If a newbie was to learn Java, what materials should he use?
(Not JavaScript, please!)
What IDE?
What text book?
What Web Sites?
Why don't the teach Java in high school courses?
And I don't want to see any more:

Code: [Select]

Dim s1 As Integer
Dim s2 As Integer
Dim s3 As Integer
That is so pointless.

[BC_Programmer]

And I don't want to see any more:

Code: [Select]

Dim s1 As Integer
Dim s2 As Integer
Dim s3 As Integer
That is so pointless.

yes... easier to do:

Code: [Select]

Dim s1%,s2%,s3%

Actually, really it isn't as much typing, since you can type "Dim s1 as I" and then space, due to autocomplete. Although a much better way would be

Code: [Select]

Dim s(1 to 3) as Integer




Anyways... for a Java IDE there is a free version available from sun, "NetBeans" I believe. If I recall it had some steep performance issues, though. I don't know of any Java textbooks myself- just get them to stay away from those insulting "learn Java in 24 hours!" type books  .

[Geek-9pm]

learn Java in 24 hours!"

...was that anything like "Learn Red Hat Linux in 21 Days" ?
Got rid of that book after two years.

===========================
VB6 is able to do variant types, -Right?
So it should know if you need Integer or not.
(Or am I thinking VB script.)
Just don't dim anything!. It should work anyway!
And if it goes slower, it is more fun!

[BC_Programmer]

learn Java in 24 hours!"

...was that anything like "Learn Red Hat Linux in 21 Days" ?
Got rid of that book after two years.

See what I mean? That's the quality of all of them, pretty much.

VB6 is able to do variant types, -Right?
So it should know if you need Integer or not.
(Or am I thinking VB script.)
Just don't dim anything!. It should work anyway!
And if it goes slower, it is more fun!
[/color]

In the default configuration VB6 will allow you to not need to declare any variables. However- Standard practice is to include "Option Explicit" at the top of all Form,Class, and Code modules. This is to avoid tricky typo errors being almost impossible to catch:

Code: [Select]


Private Function Multiply(ByVal Multiplicand1,ByVal Multiplicand2,Byval Multiplicand3)

Multiply = Multiplicand1 * Multiplicand2 * Multiplicend3

end Function


notice the typo? Well, if Option Explicit is on, so will VB... otherwise it will become a puzzle why every single return from the function is 0, regardless of the input.

That was a simple example though- in far more complicated procedures it becomes torture trying to find ann the implicitly declared variables. This is why it's easier, in the long run, the declare all variables.

I only use Variant for Procedure parameters that can accept multiple types, Or when I need to use the "Decimal" type, which is only valid via Variant variables.

Also it will go MUCH slower being dimmed as Variant/Implicitly as you've stated; although that isn't the real issue, one could easily change the default variable type via a DefInt,DefLng,DefSng,DefDbl,DefStr metacommand at the top of a module... but it simply makes it easier to debug.

[macdad-]

i wrote it like a year ago, and i didn't realize you could do that(besides the array method)

but still its pretty good, eh?