VB Frequently asked questions (50 and counting)

[Cakkie]

Below is a list of question that are beeing asked over and over again.
With the question, we also give you the answer, or a link to an already existing post in this board.

With this we (VB Moderators) hope to reduce the amount of obsolete posts made in this forum.

This list is probably far from complete. If you want us to add a question to the list, or if you think there's a wrong answer, please contact one of the moderators (Cakkie or Cimperiali).

Honored contributors:
Cakkie
Cimperiali
JeffB
Twodogs
M Owen
+ all the authors of the posts of course

[Cakkie]

Q) Do I need ServicePacks?
Yes. Of everything...
but beware: newest might be dangeorus in first month
An issue with Xp sp 2
positive experiences:
Example 1 : Vb
Example 2 : Vb
Example 3 : Deployment Wizard
Example 4 : Office
[do you need more?]

Where to find Sp6 for visual studio

Q) How can I search the forum?
A) Ok, I added this myself:
http://www.codeguru.com/forum/search.php?s=

Q) How many variables, forms, controls may use?
http://www.codeguru.com/forum/showthread.php?t=305509

Q) How do I open a webpage in the default browser?
Q) How do I open a new email message with a specified address?
Q) How do I open a file with it's assiciated program?
A) Using ShellExecute

Q) How do I send an email from VB?
A1) Using Outlook or MAPI or Cdo or Winsock
A2)Some more options
A3)Outlook Express

Q) How do I send a Fax from VB?
http://www.codeguru.com/forum/showth...&highlight=fax

How to get HTML from WebBrowser ?
innerHTML
in the WebBrowser control

Q) How do I create, list, or retrieve file asssociations in Vb?
A)http://www.codeguru.com/forum/showth...ht=association

Q) Does VB support multi-threading?
No, but this could be usefull anyway:
http://www.codeguru.com/forum/showth...hreadid=189649

Q) Where can I find a VB5/6 decompiler?
A) Nowhere. There's no such thing as a VB5/6 decompiler.
There are some programs that allow you retrieve properties
of forms (like captions etc), but you can't get back the code.

Q) How do I open a password protected database using ADO?
A) http://www.codeguru.com/forum/showth...threadid=27393

Q) How can I get the command line parameters passed to my VB program?
A) http://www.codeguru.com/vb/articles/1755.shtml

Q) How can I let the user select a folder?
A) http://www.codeguru.com/forum/showth...hreadid=209798

Q) How can I save/get a picture in a database?
A) http://www.codeguru.com/forum/showth...hreadid=197304

Q) How to capture screen?
A1)http://www.codeguru.com/forum/showth...hlight=capture
A2)A working example saving bmp screenshots every 5 minutes
A3)Another one that draw also the mouse cursor position

Q) How can I download a file from the internet?
A) http://www.codeguru.com/forum/showth...hreadid=220177

Q) How can I call a function in a C++ dll from VB?
A) http://www.codeguru.com/forum/showth...threadid=29471

Q) How can I position a messagebox/inputbox?
A1) http://www.codeguru.com/forum/showth...threadid=20567
A2)http://www.codeguru.com/vb/controls/...cle.php/c3483/


Q) How to read the content of a file in one time?
A) http://www.codeguru.com/forum/showth...hreadid=220439

Q) How to write to a file ?
A1)sequential, random, binary example
A2)FileSystemObject example

Q) Any trick to seek in a file ?
a great Chris Eastwood can teach one

Q) How can I get information on the tables/queries in a database
A)You can use ADOX

Q) How do I use Crystal reports?
A)There's now a forum dedicated to Crystal Report

Q) Where can I find other VB resources, like examples and stuff
A) http://www.codeguru.com/forum/showth...&postid=568385

Q) How can I get the name of the computer?
A) http://www.codeguru.com/forum/showth...hreadid=220717

Q) How can I get the currently logged on user?
A) http://www.codeguru.com/forum/showth...hreadid=200297

Q1) How to run statements in a string?
A)Use the scriptcontrol

Q2)How to load or show forms having only form name:
Look for Bruno answers here

Q3)How to Use CallByName ?
http://www.codeguru.com/forum/showth...884#post699884

http://www.codeguru.com/forum/showth...ght=callbyname

Q) How can I evaluate an expression in a string.
A)Use the scriptcontrol

Q) What to do with single quotes ( ' ) in SQL Statements?
A) http://www.codeguru.com/forum/showth...hreadid=204669

Q) How to disable the default popup menu of a textbox?
A) http://www.codeguru.com/forum/showth...hreadid=216832

Q) How to manage shortcuts in VB?
A1)Create shortcut

A2)VB5STKIT.DLL vs VB6STKIT.DLL

A3)Launch shortcut

A4)Get stored path from shortcut

A5)Working Dir of shortcut

A6)Create an Uninstall Shortcut in the StartMenu

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[Cakkie]

...continued

Q) Not really a question, but a good link, explains a lot of small nice to know things, very usefull for beginners
A) http://www.planetsourcecode.com/vb/s...45014&lngWId=1

Q) Microsoft good links, explains things about Ado, Dao and Rdo
http://www.codeguru.com/forum/showth...hreadid=248230

Q) Sql Server and Access the need of a Primary Key to link access table
http://www.codeguru.com/forum/showth...2&page=1&pp=30

Q) Api-Guide, free examples on Api usage in vb
www.mentalis.org/agnet/apiguide.shtml

Q) Simulate Enter Key on another window
MKsa answer

Q) Simulate Mouse click
A)Shree solution
B)Covin solution
C)Iouri solution
D)Lothar Solution

Q) Can I divide a CommandButton in regions as per clicking ?
A)Luthv Tip

Q) Set Default (System) Printer
http://www.codeguru.com/forum/showth...772#post747772

Q) Change Printer Settings
http://www.codeguru.com/forum/showth...hlight=printer

Q) Dynamically add controls
1)http://www.codeguru.com/forum/showth...dding+controls

2)http://www.codeguru.com/forum/showth...dding+controls

3)http://www.codeguru.com/forum/showth...commandbuttons

Q) Disable X Form Button
1)http://www.codeguru.com/forum/showth...48#post1026548

2)http://www.codeguru.com/forum/showth...hlight=disable

Q) Disable minimize/maximize button of MDIForm
1)http://www.codeguru.com/forum/showth...hlight=disable

Q) Icons in menu
1)http://www.codeguru.com/forum/showth...ght=icons+menu

2)http://www.codeguru.com/forum/showth...t=icon+in+menu

3)http://www.codeguru.com/forum/showth...t=icon+in+menu

Q) Right justify Help Menu Item
http://www.codeguru.com/forum/showthread.php?t=305427

Q)How to deal with Nt (win2k) eventLog
1)How to write to nt log
http://www.codeguru.com/forum/showth...525#post828525
2)How to read from event log
http://www.codeguru.com/forum/showth...hreadid=265918

Q)How to launch dos commands?
http://www.codeguru.com/forum/showth...&highlight=dos

Q)How to Shell an exe from ASP?
http://www.codeguru.com/forum/showth...hreadid=233294

Q)How to deal with Registry
1) JeffB suggestment: http://www.codeguru.com/forum/showth...088#post850088
2)http://www.codeguru.com/forum/showth...248#post848248

Q)How to Block a keyboard key even for
external programs
(Note: this will NOT disable Ctrl+Alt+Del combination)
1)works on Win2000:
http://www.codeguru.com/forum/showth...hreadid=281666

Something not all know:
How to: handle file greater than Two_Gigs in Vb (if Os lets you)
http://www.codeguru.com/forum/showth...hreadid=270549

Something always useful
How to: Zip and Unzip in Vb
http://www.codeguru.com/vb/gen/vb_gr...cle.php/c6743/

[Cimperiali]

Q) HowTo kill a Process
http://www.codeguru.com/forum/showth...446#post936446

Q) HowTo discover Cpu/Mem usage
1)http://www.codeguru.com/forum/showth...hlight=process
2)http://www.codeguru.com/forum/showth...hlight=process

Q) get Exe name from Form caption
http://www.codeguru.com/forum/showth...hlight=process

Q) Advanced PrevInstance using mutex
hspc solution

The truth on SSTab Control
What WizBang TheWizard discovered

Q) My vb program does not close even if I unloaded the form
JeffB: Exit process
or: a cylce to be sure you really unloaded all and some advices more
and - in any case - avoid "End" (unless on Windows Me)

Q) Suddenly Right() and Mid() stop working...
WizBang solution

Q) Dealing with As400 and waitMsg
Dmorley Great solution

Q) Is it possible to Send Ctrl+Alt+Del using code?
We are still working on that...

Something more under the Hood?
Nice article on How Vb stores data

Q)How to Invert Colors ?
Vb_The_Best solution

[WizBang]

Q) How to convert an image to JPEG
http://www.codeguru.com/forum/showthread.php?t=288179

[Cimperiali]

From http://www.codeguru.com/faq.php

What are the "reputations" in the forums
The CodeGuru site allows for a number of different ratings. Reputations is one of
these ratings. Reputations are points gained or lost on individual posts within the
discussion forums. Because these are tied to individual posts, they reflect back on
the person who made the post, thus giving them a reputation.

Your reputation can have positive and negative changes. Better yet, as a member
of CodeGuru, you can add to others' reputations. If someone gives you a great
answer, you can give them a positive reputation point(s) as a thanks. If someone
blasts a thread with an off-topic post or with negative comments, you can give
them a negative reputation. With time, these reputations will help the "star
posters" rise and the people who only provide noise to become visible as well. Is
it possible to cheat the system? Yes, but as it was in the old days, the forum
moderators and I are aware of many of the ways to cheat the system and will
take appropriate actions.

Reputations are indicated by a small graphic. The more positive your reputation,
the more visible the graphic will become. This will be displayed by all your posts
and in your profile. To add to someone's reputation, you will click a small scale
graphic on the upper, right area of the post. It looks like a scale or balance. This
will result in a pop-up window as shown in Figure 1.


Figure 1: The Reputations window.

In this window, you can either give a positive point (approve) or negative
(disapprove). You should also add a comment on why you approve or disapprove.
If this is your post, you'll be able to see the reputation points you have by clicking
on the scale;

Reputations come with rules. You only get a certain number of points each day, so
use them only for the best postings and responses. Right now, this is 6 times per
day that points can be given.

There is reputation POWER. Power is the number of points you give each time.
This starts at 1 point, but increases based on a number of criteria such as posts,
tenure, and your own reputation. When you give negative points, they are at half
of your power level.


Here are some other rules and settings for reputations(which are subject to
change):

You must give reputations to a number of different people before you can
come back to the same person again. No giving just one person all your points!

For every 1000 posts at CodeGuru (that are counted—so not including chitchat),
you get an extra point of reputation POWER.

For every year you have been with CodeGuru, you get an extra point of repuation
POWER.

For every 1000 points of reputation you receive, you get an extra point of
repuation POWER.

While you can use reputation points today, your reputations will not be applied
until the following conditions are met:

You must have posted at least 25 counted messages to CodeGuru.

There was a rule that you must have 5 points of reputation yourself before your
points will count (you start with 5).

[WizBang]

Q) How to print directly to a Dot-Matrix printer:
http://www.codeguru.com/forum/showth...08#post1435653