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opening VB 6 projects in .NET Studio?
I have been using Visual Studio 6 for some time. I want to start using Visual Studio .NET 2003. At first I need to stay productive by using my existing VB 6 knowhow.
So I will want to access VB 6 projects with VB.NET 2003. Moreover, I will be continuing to write VB 6 projects from scratch.
I have heard that there are many differences between VB 6 and VB.NET. I.E. a bit of a learning curve. Is this true? Will I be a bit shocked by VB.NET's interface?
Also, will there be any compatability problems between my old VB 6 project's and the way VB.NET deals with them?
Thanks
C
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Idle_Mind,
What I meant with regards to using VB 6 projects in VB.NET: can I open VB 6 projects in VB.NET's Interface and use that said interface with all the commands, forms can language that I would be able to use under VB 6 itself? So, I would be working in kind of a VB 6 mode a bit like some Windows apps would work in a WIN16 mode. I.E. no converting to VB.NET land.
I understand that I would be restricted to VB 6 commands etc etc?
What does IDE stand for, in this context?
>> you are better off recreating VB6 apps from scratch
Writing any application in a new language, from scratch; that you don't know, could take a very long time... Am I missing something here?
C
IDE = Integrated Design Environment (Visual Studio)
No, you cannot open a VB6 project in the VB.Net in a "VB6 only mode". You have to convert it to a VB.Net project with the Upgrade Wizard.
>> Writing any application in a new language, from scratch; that you don't know, could take a very long time... Am I missing something here?
Your right...it may take awile. The differences between VB6 and VB.Net are pretty significant though, and the code produced by the upgrade wizard often doesn't reflect how things would be done if the app were created from scratch in VB.Net.
I recommend you create a simple VB.Net app that with basic controls and play with them. Then proceed to write the app from scratch. Believe me, the code will be much better and you will learn more.
If you absolutely need the app in VB.Net now, then use the Upgrade Wizard but I don't see any benefit from it since the app will do the same thing.
~IM
No, you cannot open a VB6 project in the VB.Net in a "VB6 only mode". You have to convert it to a VB.Net project with the Upgrade Wizard.
>> Writing any application in a new language, from scratch; that you don't know, could take a very long time... Am I missing something here?
Your right...it may take awile. The differences between VB6 and VB.Net are pretty significant though, and the code produced by the upgrade wizard often doesn't reflect how things would be done if the app were created from scratch in VB.Net.
I recommend you create a simple VB.Net app that with basic controls and play with them. Then proceed to write the app from scratch. Believe me, the code will be much better and you will learn more.
If you absolutely need the app in VB.Net now, then use the Upgrade Wizard but I don't see any benefit from it since the app will do the same thing.
~IM
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Hi Idle_Mind
i am quite surprised and happy with ur comment
>>You can create a new VB.Net from a VB6 project using the upgrade wizard, but you cannot take projects back and forth between the two development environments.
Can u pls tell how can we use this Upgrade Wizard?
is it come along with VB.Net ? or seperate application ?
regards
;-)
Shiju
i am quite surprised and happy with ur comment
>>You can create a new VB.Net from a VB6 project using the upgrade wizard, but you cannot take projects back and forth between the two development environments.
Can u pls tell how can we use this Upgrade Wizard?
is it come along with VB.Net ? or seperate application ?
regards
;-)
Shiju
>> Can u pls tell how can we use this Upgrade Wizard?
is it come along with VB.Net ? or seperate application ?
The Upgrade Wizard comes with VB.Net. To start it, simply click on "Open Project" on the Start Page (or File --> Open --> Project from the menu), and then navigate to the VB6 project file (*.vbp) you want to convert.
The Wizard will automatically start. The default selections in the wizard should work in most cases. When the wizard is done, the "Task List" window will have a list of areas in the code that didn't convert properly and will need further "manual conversion" (Not all commands in VB6 have a direct counterpart). Comments will also be placed directly above lines of code that may have problems after conversion.
~IM
is it come along with VB.Net ? or seperate application ?
The Upgrade Wizard comes with VB.Net. To start it, simply click on "Open Project" on the Start Page (or File --> Open --> Project from the menu), and then navigate to the VB6 project file (*.vbp) you want to convert.
The Wizard will automatically start. The default selections in the wizard should work in most cases. When the wizard is done, the "Task List" window will have a list of areas in the code that didn't convert properly and will need further "manual conversion" (Not all commands in VB6 have a direct counterpart). Comments will also be placed directly above lines of code that may have problems after conversion.
~IM
hi
Thanks Idle_Mind
i will try it out the method
thanks a lot
>>"manual conversion"
will it require lots of conversions if the VB project is big ?
;-)
Shiju
Thanks Idle_Mind
i will try it out the method
thanks a lot
>>"manual conversion"
will it require lots of conversions if the VB project is big ?
;-)
Shiju
>> will it require lots of conversions if the VB project is big ?
Sadly, the answer is Yes in most cases.
Let me know how the conversion goes and if I can help you fix any parts of it.
~IM
Sadly, the answer is Yes in most cases.
Let me know how the conversion goes and if I can help you fix any parts of it.
~IM
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>> So I will want to access VB 6 projects with VB.NET 2003.
You can create a new VB.Net from a VB6 project using the upgrade wizard, but you cannot take projects back and forth between the two development environments.
>> I have heard that there are many differences between VB 6 and VB.NET. I.E. a bit of a learning curve. Is this true?
VB.Net is a fully object oriented language bringing it on par with other languages such as Java, C++ or C# (let the flame wars begin...) . If you are comfortable with true object oriented programming then you won't have a problem, otherwise there may be some "growing pains" as you learn the VB.Net way.
>> Will I be a bit shocked by VB.NET's interface?
The actual IDE isn't all that different from the IDE in VB6. I will say though that the editor and intellisense abilities in VB.Net have been vastly improved over VB6.
>> Also, will there be any compatability problems between my old VB 6 project's and the way VB.NET deals with them?
The main complaints I see from VB6 to VB.Net converts are the lack of the Forms collection, lack of Control Arrays, lack of the AutoRedraw feature in PictureBoxes, and the loss of the Winsock control...but once you learn how to overcome these "deficiencies" using other techniques available to from the language and framework, you will never turn back.
Having said all that, I don't recommend using the Upgrade Wizard as you are better off recreating VB6 apps from scratch. You will get valuable experience learning how to do things the proper VB.Net way. Besides that, the upgrade wizard does things in its "own special way" and results in code you would never see in a pure VB.Net application.
Regards,
Idle_Mind