Ever since Visual Basic was merged into .NET, it's become the core language for creating business applications with Windows. The latest version, VB 2008, is even more useful -- and provides even more incentive for migrating from VB 6. All it lacks is a good book on how to harness its power. Programming Visual Basic 2008 fills the void. Written in a lively and engaging style by a developer who's grown up with Visual Basic, including both VB 6 and VB .NET, this hands-on guide addresses the core topics of the new VB, from basic to complex, with plenty of code examples. Programming Visual Basic 2008 also examines .NET programming from the application level with a chapter-by-chapter plan for developing, documenting, and deploying a full data-driven application. You learn, step-by-step, how to build and deploy a library management system, complete with patron, inventory, and barcode support. The book's broad range of topics include:

• VB language and its syntax

• An overview of the .NET Framework

• Object-oriented development in VB and .NET

• Generic objects, collections, and nullable types

• Design and management of software projects

• Integrating desktop features with Windows Forms

• Database design with SQL Server 2008

• Database interface design with ADO.NET

• The new LINQ feature, and how to use it within VB and .NET

• Embedding XML within application source code

• Encryption and authentication in .NET

• Interacting with data stored in files and directories

• Web development using ASP.NET

• Deploying an application to a user's workstation

• And much more

Programming Visual Basic 2008 is ideal for VB 6 programmers who are ready to move to .NET, as well as VB.NET programmers who wish to improve their project-focused software development skills. Programming novices and developers coming from other languages will find the book valuable because of its language instruction and project design knowledge. Once you finish the book, you will have a firm grasp of VB 2008's core concepts and language elements, and understand how to build VB projects as they were intended -- as complete, cohesive solutions.

Amazon.com® Reader Reviews (Ranked by Helpfulness)

Average Amazon.com® Rating:  Based on 4 Ratings

very helpful - 2008-09-07
Reviewer Rating:
Programming Visual Basic 2008 has been and continues to be very thorough and helpful.. well worth the money.

Good book - 2009-02-14
Reviewer Rating:
I expected it to be a better book but was disappointed by not covering certain subjects thoroughly

VB Programming... Not so Much - 2010-01-21
Reviewer Rating:
OK, I'll try to be concise. I have experience in C++ and VBA but needed a deeper understanding to further my career as a controls engineer.

This book is good for teaching some basics in a strict didactic format. It is also good for starting fires -- it's made of paper.

Now, on to the rest. If you are hoping for a guided tour of PROGRAMMING, get a different book. There is a project that the author goes through step-by-step within this book (interesting but not useful in my opinion), but you won't do ANY of the actual programming. The code is contained in snippets that you will inert into the already created templates. Not really useful. It would have been much more useful to have the reader do the actual coding of the project and make the project less complex. Perhaps this book is geared for the much more advanced user, though it is not touted as such. The project is geared towards business applications which might be useful for some, but I needed to learn to write the actual code -- again, you won't write ANY for the "project" in this book unless you have an already extensive grasp of VB.

This book is an easy read and did not put me to sleep as other texts have done. The text is engaging with some weak attempts at humor. It also covers a great swath of VB commands and syntax at a decent pace; however, again, you won't be USING this new knowledge on any examples from the book. If you are completely new to VB, do not get this book, you will be disappointed. If you are intermediate to advanced, some of the advanced techniques that are used can be employed in code you might already be working on.

I cannot recommend this book to anyone as I found it to be useless in TEACHING VB. As a reference, maybe, but I learn from doing, not from reading.

Good book - 2009-08-26
Reviewer Rating:
Not quiet as fun to read as Liberty's work on the subject, but I think I learned more from Patrick's book.

If you are just getting into VB, this will help.

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