Start from scratch, and even if you don t know a thing about Visual Basic, you soon will with this thorough introduction to Visual Basic programming. Using easy-to-follow lessons and step-by-step instruction, this practical book teaches you concepts and hands-on techniques, then reinforces your learning with video screencasts and supplemental materials. Follow the exercises, then access the Try It section on the DVD, and watch as well-known VB authority and author Rod Stephens works through programming problems.

About the Author

Rod Stephens is a Microsoft MVP and the author of more than 20 books and 250 articles on Visual Basic, C#, Java and other programming topics. He is a regular contributor to DevX (www.DevX.com), and also an ITT adjunct instructor. Rod's Visual Basic Programmer's Reference has sold more than 30,000 copies in its three editions. Rod's clear, compelling writing style makes it easy for less experienced readers to master new material. Rod's VB Helper Web site, which receives more than 7 million hits per month, provides more than 2,000 examples demonstrating specific programming techniques in Visual Basic.

Table of Contents:
Introduction. Section I: The Visual Studio IDE and Controls. Lesson 1: Getting Started with the Visual Studio IDE. Lesson 2: Creating Controls. Lesson 3: Making Controls Arrange Themselves. Lesson 4: Handling Events. Lesson 5: Making Menus. Lesson 6: Making Tool Strips and Status Strips. Lesson 7: Using RichTextBoxes. Lesson 8: Using Standard Dialogs. Lesson 9: Creating and Displaying New Forms. Lesson 10: Building Custom Dialogs. Section II : Variables and Calculations. Lesson 11: Using Variables and Performing Calculations. Lesson 12: Debugg ing Code. Lesson 13: Understanding Scope. Lesson 14: Working with Strings. Lesson 15: Working with Dates and Times. Lesson 16: Using Arrays and Collections. Lesson 17: Using Enumerations and Structures. Section III : Program Statements. Lesson 18: Making Choices. Lesson 19: Repeating Program Steps. Lesson 20: Reusing Code with Procedures. Lesson 21: Handling Errors. Lesson 22: Preventing Bugs. Section IV: Classes. Lesson 23: Defining Classes and Their Properties. Lesson 24: Defining Class Methods and Events. Lesson 25: Using Inheritance and Polymorphism. Lesson 26: Initializing Objects. Lesson 27: Fine-Tuning Classes. Lesson 28: Overloading Operators. Lesson 29: Using Interfaces. Lesson 30: Making Generic Classes. Section V: System Interactions. Lesson 31: Reading and Writing Files. Lesson 32: Using File System Classes. Lesson 33: Printing. Lesson 34: Using the Clipboard. Lesson 35: Providing Drag and Drop. Section VI: Specialized topics. Lesson 36: Using the My Namespace. Lesson 37: Localizing Programs. Lesson 38: Manipulating Data with LIN Q to Objects. Lesson 39: Manipulating Databases with the Entity Framework. Appendix A: Glossary. Appendix B: Control Summary. Appendix C: What's on the DVD? Index.