Visual Basic (classic)

Visual Basic 6.0 logo

Form vide VB

Visual Basic function

AlanCooper

Microsoft Visual Basic for MS-DOS (Professional Edition Version1.00)

VBDOS-icon

Visual Basic (classic) is a third-generation event-driven programming language and integrated development environment (IDE) from Microsoft for its Component Object Model (COM) programming model. First released in 1987, Visual Basic was designed to be easy to learn and use. The "classic" version of Visual Basic refers to VB versions 1.0 to 6.0, which were released between 1991 and 1998. Visual Basic was eventually succeeded by Visual Basic .NET in 2002, a significant overhaul that was part of Microsoft's .NET initiative.

Overview

Visual Basic was developed to provide a graphical programming environment and a rapid application development (RAD) tool for Windows applications. Its simplicity and ease of use made it popular among developers, especially those who were not professional programmers. Visual Basic allowed users to create applications by using a drag-and-drop interface to place controls on forms, then adding application logic that was executed when certain events occurred (such as button clicks).

Features

Visual Basic's key features included its IDE, which provided tools for designing user interfaces, code editing, debugging, and compiling. The language itself was based on BASIC, with extensions to support object-oriented programming (OOP) concepts like classes and inheritance, albeit in a limited form compared to other OOP languages of the time. Visual Basic also introduced the concept of "control arrays," which allowed developers to manage groups of controls as arrays.

Development

The development of Visual Basic was marked by the release of several versions, each adding new features and improvements over the previous ones. Notable versions include Visual Basic 3.0, which introduced the Jet Database Engine, enabling users to create database applications. Visual Basic 4.0 added support for 32-bit Windows environments and OLE Automation, allowing for more sophisticated object interactions. Visual Basic 5.0 and 6.0 continued to expand the capabilities of the language, with version 6.0 being the last release under the "classic" designation.

Legacy

Despite its eventual replacement by Visual Basic .NET, Visual Basic (classic) remains influential. It introduced many developers to programming, emphasizing ease of use and rapid development. The legacy of Visual Basic is evident in the continued support for VB6 applications in modern versions of Windows and in the syntax of Visual Basic .NET, which retains similarities to its predecessor to ease the transition for VB6 developers.

Criticism

Visual Basic was often criticized for its limitations, especially in terms of performance and the depth of its object-oriented features. Critics argued that it encouraged bad programming practices due to its simplicity and the ease with which developers could create poorly structured code. Despite these criticisms, the language's accessibility and productivity benefits made it a popular choice for business applications and educational purposes.

Conclusion

Visual Basic (classic) played a significant role in the history of programming languages, making software development more accessible to a broader audience. Its influence continues in the principles of rapid application development and in the design of modern programming languages and environments that seek to balance ease of use with powerful features.