"A witty, well-written guide to Visual Basic 6.0."

I have a stack of Visual Basic books to wade through, and I chose this one because, well, I love Wally Wang. We go way back, back to obscure computer magazines and that one night in Vegas when we found $600 (plus an unknown amount of a certain South American currency) in our hotel room. But that's a story for another day.

I love the way Wally (known as Wallace on the cover because "Wally Wang" just doesn't translate well in England) writes. He can certainly make a dull subject bright. There is no denying his humor in the figures and throughout the text and examples.

The book is massively entertaining. But the question is, does it teach Visual Basic well? And therein lies the rub, not only in this but also with all Visual Basic books. Unlike traditional programming languages, Visual Basic is both a language and a product. So, the question is, which do you talk about first, creating a Visual Basic program or using the Visual Basic interface? Wally opts for the interface first, which he handles well. Alas, my goal in learning any new programming language is to write the first program. In this book, that doesn't happen until chapter 4. Ouch.

Happily, though, once the book gets going, there's no stopping it--it is packed. The pace is swift, and the steps outlining each project are thick. This may be too much for some beginners, but it sated my appetite for relearning this programming language. (My first books were on GW Basic way back in the mid-1800s.)

The book's hefty cover price means it has a CD-ROM, which I didn't look at. But even without looking at it, I enjoyed reading Wally's text--something I haven't done in too long a time. --Dan Gookin


Book Description
Create your own custom Visual Basic programs fast for Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows NT with the power and friendly object-oriented interface of Microsoft's Visual Basic 6 with Visual Basic 6 For Dummies. Here's a great resource to help youUnderstand the art of object-oriented programming in Visual BasicBuild attractive user interfaces with buttons, boxes, and scroll barsMaster menus and submenus -- plus expanding, pull-down, and pop-up menus -- quickly and easily Discover how to write subprograms that everyone can shareSave and retrieve information in databases like Microsoft AccessIntegrate your own special ActiveX controls into applicationsFrom the fundamentals of writing BASIC code to the thrill of distributing your very own custom applications, programming expert Wallace Wang brings a fresh and humorous perspective to the world of Visual Basic in terms everyone can understand. Plus, the bonus CD-ROM that comes with Visual Basic 6 For Dummies includes all the source code and examples from the book, along with demo or trial versions of some cool VB and ActiveX programs.


Book Info
Presents helpful advice on how to create attractive user interfaces - buttons, boxes, & scroll bars, master menues, submenus, growing menus, pull-down & pop-up menus, integrate your own ActiveX controls into applications, & save & retrieve information stored in database files such as Microsoft Access. Paper. CD-ROM included.


From the Back Cover
CD-ROM packed with source code and bonus demos! All the tools you need to create good-looking user-friendly interfaces Your first aid kit for getting the most out of Visual Basic 6 If you want to develop business applications for Windows, then Microsoft's Visual Basic 6 is the programming environment for you. Whether you choose to build your programs from scratch or use helpful wizards, this friendly guide leads the way. Handy tips help you design and debug your work so you can accomplish your goals — fast! all this on the bonus CD-ROM Trial versions of Crescent Internet ToolPak 4.1, InstallShield Express 2.02, and VBAssist 5.0 Demos of VSFLEX, VSREPORTS, VSDOCX, VSDATA, and other products from VideoSoft. 486 PC running Windows 95 or later or Windows NT 4 or later. See the CD Appendix for details and complete system requirements. Discover how to: Write BASIC code with ease Create menus and dialog boxes Add and remove ActiveX controls Manage your data Run, print, and debug your programs Get smart! www.dummies.com Register to win cool prizes Browse exclusive articles and excerpts Get a free Dummies Daily™ e-mail newsletter Chat with authors and preview other books Talk to us, ask questions, get answers


About the Author
Wallace Wang, a columnist for Boardwatch, has written more than a dozen computer books, including More Visual Basic® For Windows® For Dummies® and Beginning Programming For Dummies®.

FROM THE PUBLISHER