Upgrade myself from Access/VBA to VB.NET

[steve728]

I have a good foundation in VBA/ADO/ASP(Visual InterDev). I purchased Visual Studio.NET. What book do you, my helpful Cyber Buddies, suggest for converting to the new generation .NET programming? I ask this because of the infinite # of books out there. I don't want to drown.

Is it possible to convert my existing Access VBA applications to VB.NET? (Just curious)

Steve

 

[BuGlen]

Hi Steve,

As far as the books go, I would recommend going down to the bookstore (Borders or Barnes & Nobel) and browsing the different books while you sip on some coffee. This is the best method I've found to get the right book for the topics I need to learn. Since you already have a good background in the technologies, you'll probably just want to brush up on the "what's new" type topics for .Net.

To address the second question re: converting Access VBA to VB.Net, I have not seen any "direct" way to do that. By direct, I mean there are no magic, tools that I've seen, that will convert Access forms to Windows .Net forms. You'll probably need to asses your Access projects on a case by case basis, and determine whether or not to put the development effort forth to convert them to the VB.Net platform.

Hope this helps.

Glen Appleton

VB.Net student.

 

[steve728]

Thanks friend

Steve

 

[BobRRR2]

I have found a book, Murach's "beginning visual basic .net" by Anne Prince that seems at first blush to give some help. I bought it recently and am trying to wade thru it.

Have you had any luck?

Quite frankly, the whole .net arena is sorta like a bird’s nest to me. Having difficulty deciding just what is the minimal subset of tools/skills required to effectively getting closure without mortgaging my house buying software and taking a Ph.D. Any suggestions would be very helpful.

 

[DotNetDoc]

I think that BuGlen said it best. Go to the bookstore and take the time (with a cup of java of course) and find the book that is right for you NOW.

I have about 50 VB.Net books. They cover specific needs I had at the time.

The best all around book I have is :

Programming Microsoft Visual Basic .NET
By Francesco Balena (Wintellect), Francesco Balena
Hardcover / Microsoft Press / 17 April, 2002 / 0735613753

It goes in depth on most topics but Balena is very good at explaining difficut subject simply.

It is not a step by step.


As far as converting apps is concerned :

There are programs you can buy that will convert access applications to VB.net but I do not suggest them.

The code that they create may work but it is very convoluted and hard to debug.


DotNetDoc
M.C.S.D.

http://www.DotNetDoc.com

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Tell me and I forget. Show me and I remember. Involve me and I understand.
- Anonymous Chinese Proverb
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If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough.
- A. Einstein

 

[BuGlen]

Well, the biggest hurdle I had to get over was that .Net has made VB almost complete object oriented with it's framework. Heed the words of Yoda, "You must unlearn all that you have learned", but not quite so drastic. :~)-

As a start, you can get VB.Net standard edition from Microsoft right now for $109 and download the resource kit for free. The sample code in the resource kit is a great way to reference different ways of creating solutions on the new platform. I've also found many of the "Learn Anything in 21 Days" books to be quite affective.

Hope this helps.

Glen Appleton

VB.Net student.

 

[dennis462]

I had the same question. I have found something called the Visual Studio.Net Automation Object Model it was on Oreillys web site in a book called Mastering Visual Studio programming.

It might be worth a look.