VB Dot NET Tutorial: Learn to Code Powerful Applications

The broader .NET ecosystem includes VB.NET. Understanding VB.NET can be helpful when working in contexts with mixed language .NET programs, even if C# is more common for new development. Understand the fundamentals from scratch with this VB Dot Net tutorial designed for beginners. Explore our VB Dot Net Course Syllabus to get started.

Getting Started to VB.NET

With a sizable community and a wealth of tools, VB.NET is a strong and developed language. For anyone wishing to create apps on the .NET platform, it’s a fantastic option. VB.NET is an object-oriented programming language with multiple paradigms. Let’s analyze that briefly:

Multi-Paradigm: This indicates that it is compatible with several programming paradigms. This allows you to write code in a variety of ways.

Object-Oriented: One important feature is that it is object-oriented. It indicates that you structure your code according to “objects,” which are independent units that combine data (attributes) and the methods (processes) that manipulate that data. 

Key Features of VB.NET

Some of the important features of VB.Net are as follows:

• .NET Framework/Core: The.NET ecosystem is closely linked with VB.NET. This gives you access to a huge collection of pre-made classes and features for all development.
• Event-Driven Programming: When creating graphical user interfaces (GUIs), this is very crucial. Events brought on by user activities, such as button clicks, cause applications to react. 
• Strongly-Typed: A variable’s data type (such as an integer, string, or boolean) must be declared. 
• Garbage Collection: Because of the.NET garbage collector, memory management is essentially automatic. 
• Visual Studio IDE: Although VB.NET code can be written in a basic text editor, Visual Studio, an integrated development environment (IDE), offers a comprehensive set of tools that greatly improve the development process. 
• Syntax: Compared to languages like C# programming, VB.NET’s syntax is frequently characterized as being more verbose and more like conversational English. 

What is Possible to Build with VB.NET?

Due to its versatility, VB.NET may be used to develop a vast array of applications, such as:

• Windows Desktop Applications: Making use of Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) or Windows Forms (WinForms).
• Web Apps: ASP.NET is being used in web applications.
• APIs and Web Services: To facilitate communication between various applications.
• Console Applications: For utilities and command-line tools.
• Class Libraries and Components: To increase other.NET applications’ functionality.
• Database Applications: Used to communicate with different database systems.

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Fundamental Programming Concepts of VB.NET

The following are the main elements of the syntax and structure of VB.NET:

Code Blocks and Statements:

Statements, which are discrete instructions that carry out a specific task, are the building blocks of VB.NET code.

• Although you can have more than one statement on a single line, separated by a colon (:), this is usually discouraged for readability. Statements are normally written one per line.
• Groups of related statements that are handled as a single unit are called code blocks. Start and end keywords define them. Typical code chunks consist of:
  • Modules: The basic units of VB.NET code that include variables, procedures, and other elements. Module is where they begin, and End Module is where they finish.
  • Classes: Blueprints for generating objects. Class comes first, followed by End Class.
  • Subroutines (Subs): Blocks of code that perform an activity but do not return a value. They finish with Sub and begin with Sub.
  • Functions: Code blocks that carry out an operation and return a value are called functions. Function is where they begin, and End Function is where they finish.
  • Control Flow Statements: The sequence in which statements are performed is controlled by control flow statements, such as If…Then…Else, For…Next, While…End While. 

Example:

Module MyModule

    Sub Main() ‘ This is the main entry point of the program

        Console.WriteLine(“Hello, World!”) ‘ This is a statement

    End Sub

End Module

Keywords:

In VB.NET, keywords are reserved words that hold particular significance for the compiler. They cannot be used as identifiers (variable, procedure, etc. names).

Examples: Module, Class, Sub, Function, Dim, If, Then, Else, For, Next, While, End, As, Integer, String, Boolean, and so on.

Keywords are usually highlighted with a different hue in Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) such as Visual Studio.

Identifiers:

Programming elements such as variables, constants, procedures, classes, modules, and so on are referred to by their identifiers.

The following guidelines apply for naming identifiers:

• They have to begin with an underscore (_) or a letter.
• They may include underscores, numerals, and letters.
• Spaces and other special characters are not allowed in them.
• They can’t be the same as keywords in VB.NET.

Because identifiers in VB.NET are case-insensitive, myVariable, MyVariable, and MYVARIABLE are all treated as the same identifier. Being consistent with your casing for readability is a good idea, though.

Variables and Data Types:

Variables are named by the memory regions where data is stored. Before you can use a variable, you must declare it, giving it a name and a data type.

• To declare variables, use the Dim keyword.
• The data type is specified using the As keyword.

Example:

Dim name As String ‘ Declares a variable named ‘name’ that can hold text

Dim age As Integer ‘ Declares a variable named ‘age’ that can hold whole numbers

Dim isTrue As Boolean ‘ Declares a variable named ‘isTrue’ that can hold True or False

Dim pi As Double = 3.14159 ‘ Declares a variable named ‘pi’ that can hold floating-point numbers and initializes it

Data Types:

The type of data that a variable can hold is determined by its data type. In VB.NET, common data types include:

• Integer: Whole numbers (e.g., -10, 0, 5).
• Double: Floating-point numbers with double precision (e.g., 3.14, -2.5).
• Strings: “Hello” and “VB.NET” are examples of text sequences.
• Boolean: Stands for True or False truth values.
• Date: Indicates the time and date.
• Decimal: Appropriate for highly precise financial and monetary computations.
• Object: A broad type that may store any kind of data; if used improperly, it may result in runtime issues.

Operators:

Symbols known as operators are used to manipulate values, or operands.

Different kinds of operators are supported by VB.NET:

• Arithmetic Operators: + (addition), – (subtraction), * (multiplication), / (division), \ (integer division), ^ (exponentiation), Mod (modulus – remainder of division).
• Comparison Operators: = (equal to), <> (not equal to), < (less than), > (greater than), <= (less than or equal to), >= (greater than or equal to).
• Logical Operators: And, Or, Not, AndAlso (short-circuiting AND), OrElse (short-circuiting OR), Xor (exclusive OR).   
• Assignment Operator: = (assigns a value to a variable).
• Concatenation Operator: & (used to combine strings).

Example:

Dim num1 As Integer = 10

Dim num2 As Integer = 5

Dim sum As Integer = num1 + num2 ‘ Addition

Dim product As Integer = num1 * num2 ‘ Multiplication

Dim message As String = “Hello, ” & “World!” ‘ String concatenation

Dim isEqual As Boolean = (num1 = num2) ‘ Comparison

Comments:

• Explanatory remarks in your code that the compiler ignores are called comments. They are employed to improve the readability of your code.
• One quotation (‘) is used to generate single-line comments.
• Although single quotes are more frequently used, REM can be used to construct multi-line comments at the start of each line.

Example:

‘ This is a single-line comment

Dim counter As Integer = 0 ‘ Initialize the counter

REM This is

REM a multi-line

REM comment (less common)

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Procedures (Subs and Functions):

Code blocks known as subroutines (Subs) carry out a particular function. Although they are called (executed), no value is returned.

Subs and functions are comparable, but functions execute their code and return a value.

Example (Sub):

Sub Greet(name As String)

    Console.WriteLine(“Hello, ” & name & “!”)

End Sub

Module MyModule

    Sub Main()

        Greet(“Alice”) ‘ Calling the Greet subroutine

    End Sub

End Module

Example (Function):

Function Add(num1 As Integer, num2 As Integer) As Integer

    Return num1 + num2 ‘ The function returns the sum

End Function

Module MyModule

    Sub Main()

        Dim result As Integer = Add(5, 3) ‘ Calling the Add function and storing the result

        Console.WriteLine(“The sum is: ” & result)

    End Sub

End Module

Modules and Namespaces:

Other code components, such as variables, constants, and methods, are housed within modules. They help you keep your code organized.

Code can be arranged logically into groups using namespaces, which also help to avoid naming conflicts between external libraries and other application components. 

System, System.IO, and System.Console are just a few examples of the namespace hierarchy that organizes the .NET framework itself. 

To facilitate access to their members without completely qualifying their names, you can import namespaces (or particular types inside them) into your current code file using the Imports statement.

Example:

Imports System ‘ Allows you to use Console directly instead of System.Console

Module MyModule

    Sub Main()

        Console.WriteLine(“This is using the imported System namespace.”)

    End Sub

End Module

These are the basic syntactic and structure building pieces of VB.NET. You’ll come across increasingly sophisticated ideas when you begin building more intricate programs, but a firm grasp of these basics is crucial.

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Working with Data Structures in VB.NET

For your programs to effectively organize and manage data, data structures are essential. Depending on the particular requirements of your application, they offer many methods for storing and retrieving data sets, each with unique advantages and disadvantages.

The following are some of the most typical and significant data structures that you will come across and utilize in VB.NET:

Arrays:

• The simplest data structure is an array, which is a fixed-size group of identically typed elements.
• An index, which is a numerical position beginning at 0, is used to access the elements of an array, which are kept in contiguous memory locations.
• Arrays give fast access to elements if you know their index.
• Their size is set at the time of declaration, though, which can be a drawback if you are unsure of the exact amount of components.

Lists (List(Of T)):

• List(Of T) is a dynamic collection given by the System.collections.generic namespace. The data type of the elements the list will include is indicated by the T (e.g., List(Of Integer), List(Of String)).
• Lists are more flexible when you don’t know the precise number of entries in advance than arrays since they can expand or contract in size as needed.
• They offer ways to search for elements, add, remove, and insert elements.

Dictionaries ( Dictionary(Of TKey, TValue) ):

• Another generic collection from System.Collections is Dictionary(Of TKey, TValue).generic that uses key-value pairs to store data.
• Every key in the dictionary needs to be distinct. To swiftly retrieve the value that goes with it, you use the key.
• When you need to look up information using a certain identifier (the key), dictionaries are great. Imagine it as a dictionary in the actual world, where you search up a word (the key) to find out what it means (the value).

Queues ( Queue(Of T) ):

• A first-in, first-out (FIFO) collection is represented by Queue(Of T). Imagine a line of individuals, where the first person to enter is the first to exit.
• Elements are shifted from the front of the queue (dequeue) to the back (enqueue).
• Tasks or objects can be managed in a queue in the order that they were received.

Stacks ( Stack(Of T) ):

• A last-in, first-out (LIFO) collection is represented by Stack(Of T). The final plate you place on top of a stack of plates is the first one you remove.
• Pushing and popping are the processes of adding and removing elements from the top of the stack, respectively.
• Function calls, undo/redo procedures, and expression parsing are frequently handled using stacks.

Sets ( HashSet(Of T) ):

• A collection of distinct elements is represented by HashSet(Of T). Duplicate values are not allowed.
• Sets are helpful for performing effective set operations like union, intersection, and difference as well as for making sure that every item in your collection is unique.

Choosing the Right Data Structure:

The particular needs of your task have a significant influence on the data structure you choose:

• If you need a fixed-size collection of the same type and rapid access by index, arrays are an excellent alternative.
• Use List(Of T) if you require a dynamic collection that can expand or contract and element order is important.
• Dictionary (Of TKey, TValue) is the better option if you need to store and retrieve data based on unique keys.
• Use a queue (Of T) if you must process items in a first-in, first-out fashion.
• Use a Stack(Of T) if you must process items in a last-in, first-out fashion.
• Use HashSet(Of T) if you require an efficient set operation and a collection of unique elements.

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Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) in VB.NET

Let’s examine the fundamental concepts of VB.NET’s implementation of object-oriented programming, or OOP. Your code can be more modular, reusable, and maintained by using the powerful OOP paradigm, which arranges your code according to “objects.”

Classes and Objects:

• Define classes (properties, fields, methods, and events) and objects.
• Making objects (class instances).
• finalizers (Sub Finalize) and constructors (Sub New).
• Public, Private, Protected, Friend, and Protected Friend are examples of access modifiers.

Encapsulation

• Using private members to conceal data.
• granting properties (Get and Set accessors) controlled access.
• Read-only and write-only properties.

Inheritance:

• Using the “Inherits” keyword to create basic and derived classes.
• Methods that are overridden (Overrides keyword).
• MustOverride methods (abstract classes and methods) and MustInherit classes.
• Shadows is a keyword.
• MyBase is the keyword.

Polymorphism:

• Method overloading, or having several methods with the same name but distinct parameters, is an example of polymorphism.
• Implementing base class methods in derived classes is known as method overriding.
• Interfaces (Keyword: Interface) and how they are implemented (Keyword: Implementations).

Namespaces:

• Code is arranged logically into categories using namespaces.
• The Imports statement is used.
• establishing your personal namespaces.

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Working with Windows Forms (GUI Applications)

Let’s explore the realm of using Windows Forms (WinForms) with VB.NET to create Graphical User Interface (GUI) apps. You may construct dynamic, rich desktop apps for Windows using the WinForms framework in .NET.

Here is a summary of the main ideas and how to use WinForms with VB.NET:

The Form:

• The Form is the cornerstone of any WinForms application. The window is where the user interacts.
• A default Form, typically called Form1.vb, is generated for you when you create a new Windows Forms App (.NET Framework or.NET) project in Visual Studio.
• If necessary, you might include additional forms with your application.

Controls:

The visual elements you add to a form to create the user interface are called controls. Users will be able to see and engage with these interactive elements.

Common controls include:

• Label: Shows text that is static.
• TextBox: Users can insert and edit content in the text box.
• Button: When pressed, it initiates an action.
• ListBox/ComboBox: Provides the user with a list of options to choose from.
• CheckBox/RadioButton: A checkbox or radio button lets users choose.
• PictureBox: Shows pictures.
• Panel/GroupBox: Used to organize and group other controls.
• DataGridView: Provides tabular data displays.
• And a lot more!

The Visual Studio Designer:

• For designing WinForms interfaces, Visual Studio has a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) designer.
• Controls can be dropped onto the Form by dragging them from the Toolbox.
• Controls can be resized and arranged visually in the designer.
• You can change the look and behavior of specific controls (such as text, font, color, size, and name) using the Properties pane.
• All of the files in your project, including the designer file (.Designer.vb) and the code file (.vb) for the Form, are displayed in the Solution Explorer.

Events:

Applications created using WinForms are event-driven. This indicates that the program reacts to certain circumstances, like

• Clicking a button: When a button is clicked, the Button control’s Click event is raised.
• Typing in a text box: The TextChanged event of the TextBox control is raised.
• Selecting an item from a list: The ListBox/ComboBox’s SelectedIndexChanged event is raised.
• Loading a Form: The Form’s Load event is raised.

To specify what happens when a certain event occurs for a given control, you build event handlers (sub functions).

Writing Event Handlers:

In the code-behind file (Form1.vb) linked to your Form, you can write event handlers. In Visual Studio, the simplest method for creating an event handler is to:

• Choosing the designer’s control.
• Opening the Properties window.
• Choose the Events tab by clicking on the lightning bolt icon.
• Double-clicking the event you wish to manage (Click for a Button, for example).

In your code-behind file, this will automatically create an empty Sub procedure with the relevant event arguments.

Accessing Controls and Their Properties:

• You can access and modify the properties of the controls on your Form from within your event handlers and other code.
• The Name property, which you can set in the Properties box, is how you refer to controls.

Form Events:

Additionally, the Form itself contains events that you can manage, like:

• Load: Takes place when the form loads initially.
• FormClosing: When the form is ready to close, FormClosing takes place.
• Resize: Takes place when you resize the form.

Layout Management:

When the user resizes the window or the application runs on a different screen resolution, WinForms offers capabilities to help you manage the arrangement of controls on your Form so they resize and position quite effectively.

Typical layout controls consist of:

• FlowLayoutPanel: Controls are arranged in a horizontal or vertical flow direction using it.
• TableLayoutPanel: Rows and columns are arranged in a grid using it.
• Anchor Property: A control can be anchored to one or more edges of its parent container (the Form or another panel) using the anchor attribute.
• Dock Property: Lets you fill the parent container or dock a control to one of the corners (top, bottom, left, or right).

Dialog Boxes:

WinForms offers pre-made dialog boxes for typical operations like:

• MessageBox: Shows a straightforward message with buttons (OK, Cancel, etc.).
• OpenFileDialog: The user can choose which file to open using it.
• SaveFileDialog: It lets the user select where to save a file.
• ColorDialog: The user can choose a color using it.
• FontDialog: Gives the user the option to choose a font.

WinForms is still a good choice for many kinds of applications, particularly those where speed and usability are top concerns, even if more recent UI frameworks like WPF (Windows Presentation Foundation) and WinUI (Windows App SDK) provide more sophisticated functionality and a more contemporary appearance.

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Conclusion

We hope this VB Dot Net Tutorial helps you understand the fundamental concepts. You may organize these concepts into logical modules or chapters, building upon the basic knowledge in each area. Learn them comprehensively in our VB Dot Net training in Chennai.