I've learned several neat tricks for customizing the VB6 IDE on these boards, so I thought I'd put them all in one single thread for easy reference.
The IDE is very slow under Vista
You can set the AppCompat setting on VB6 to suppress Aero while it is running.
Right-click VB6.exe in Explorer, go into Properties, pick the Compatability tab, check "Disable desktop composition."
You'll quickly find you want to always run it "as admin" too.
(Thanks to dilettante, who I quoted here verbatim.)
Automatically start IDE with code windows maximized
Most VB6 programmers habitually maximize the code window immediately after launching VB6. This can be done automatically with a simple registry hack. Add the following String Value to the registry:
(Thanks to zeezee for finding this tip from here.)
Mouse wheel doesn't work in IDE
VB6 predates the mouse wheel, so there is no native support for it. You can enable it using the steps outlined in this Knowledge Base article. (Thanks to Deepak Sakpal for finding this article.)
Can't find Resource Editor
Add-Ins will only appear for the XP user account under which VB6 was installed. See this Knowledge Base article for steps on how to enable the Add-Ins under different XP user accounts. (Thanks to MarkT for finding this article.)
Change the default folder of the "Existing" Tab in the new project dialog box at the start of VB6
Right click on Visual basic 6.0 shortcut (in the start menu in my case), select Properties, open the General tab and change the "Start in:" box to you prefer folder. (Thanks to Amr Al-Amir for asking and answering this question, which I quoted here verbatim.)
Last edited by Ellis Dee; Jun 21st, 2008 at 05:43 PM.
1. I find it easier to work with a smaller grid in the Form Designer. You can move controls more smoothly.
In Tools>Options>General I set it to (24,24) and uncheck 'Show Grid' checkbox.
2. In Tools>Options>Editor I use,
a) 'Require variable declaration' - Checked - to autometically add Option Explicit.
b) 'Auto syntax check' - Unchecked - to disable the annoying messagebox when you make a syntax error. VB will still color it red, so no problem to find the error.
3. In Tools>Options>Editor Format, I set purple foreground for 'Normal Text'. This changes the color of strings inside double quote (").
4. Making 3D borderless form - Set Caption="" (null string) and ControlBox=False at design time.
It will not work in Windows Classic Theme. You must use Windows XP theme.
Ah, that explains it. Yep, I do see a difference under XP theme. But not for long, because after a few seconds looking at XP theme I gouged out my eyeballs with a letter opener.
And you'll also experience the bugs that most XP styled programs have such as option buttons/command buttons inside frames, etc. So you will have to use PictureBoxes as a container inside the frame to fix that problem...
Oops, didnt know about the color thing, sorry.
Or know about the the option/command button in frames for that matter, I usualyl end up using picBoxes instead of frames anyways.
I Despise the normal XP theme, I use Royale Noir scheme, along i with Vista Black theme on firefox. Easier on my eyes
Is there any way to edit and view code like VB .net, i.e. collapsing and expanding treeview
I searced anf find a code viewer Addin (not editor) and cannot be docked in the IDE http://www.allworldsoft.com/software...-validator.htm