How did you learn?

I've been using Visual Basic 6 for about 2 years now, and to be honest, I suck terribly at it. I've also had SAMS Teach Yourself Visual Basic 6 in 24 Hours for the same amount of time and have gotten nowhere with it. The book feels so weighed down with useless crap that I can't learn anything from it. This thread seemed like a good idea to create because I'm planning to spend this time on working on my VB so I can succeed at Visual Programming at college.

So the burning question (that has probably been asked millions of times before). How did you learn?

By taking on personal projects and creating actual applications instead of what the book asks you to do. Pick a project, start working on it and see it through to the end, including deployment.

Then do it again, new projects.

By being the new kid in the department, back in late 1993, and having VB3 installed on my new PC, and a stack of specs put in my Inbox.

PS: There was no online help for much of anything back then, and I didn't know anyone that could even spell VB, much less how to code in it. :rolleyes:

I flew by the seat of my pants for quite a while, but I picked it up. :D

I was at a job where the IT department didn't have the time or personnel to write a program for the department I was in. I just said I can do that (I had no idea what I was getting into, I just wanted to do something different). Was given an assignment for the application and jsut started working it out, that was in 1994, I've been doing it since in vaious languages and databases.

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Originally Posted by EnderMB

I've been using Visual Basic 6 for about 2 years now, and to be honest, I suck terribly at it. I've also had SAMS Teach Yourself Visual Basic 6 in 24 Hours for the same amount of time and have gotten nowhere with it. The book feels so weighed down with useless crap that I can't learn anything from it. This thread seemed like a good idea to create because I'm planning to spend this time on working on my VB so I can succeed at Visual Programming at college.

So the burning question (that has probably been asked millions of times before). How did you learn?

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Instead, read a good book by Microsoft (probably VB programming by Balena), and start making small useless things on VB. start from basic data types like integer and single and using for-loop, while-loop, select case etc (using the book). then proceed onto complex data types like strings and perform same operations (seriously strings are things which can take the hell out of you).

then proceed on to making different modules, class modules, dll files, user control, add-ins etc. and soon you are good enough to make sensible projects.

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Originally Posted by Harsh Gupta

Instead, read a good book by Microsoft (probably VB programming by Balena), and start making small useless things on VB. start from basic data types like integer and single and using for-loop, while-loop, select case etc (using the book). then proceed onto complex data types like strings and perform same operations (seriously strings are things which can take the hell out of you).

then proceed on to making different modules, class modules, dll files, user control, add-ins etc. and soon you are good enough to make sensible projects.

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But, how did you learn Harsh? That is what he wants to know. Did you follow the method you described in your post?

High school, had some C++ and java programming classes. Got obsorbed into the IT deartment at my first job out of high school. Switched to VB6 and learned how to interact with db's. Got a new job as a "dba" (which is never just that) and switched to .Net last Feb.

Everything I know, I learned from books and forums.

Bought the "Learning Edition" of VB5 (it was only $99 - all I could afford at the time), installed it, bought a couple of VB books, and started writing simple programs. I eventually worked up to larger, more complex programs, dlls, class modules, etc.

Different people learn in different ways. If the method you've chosen isn't working for you, maybe you should enroll in a VB class. You might have an easier time if you have a teacher to help you.

I followed the method that mendhak mentioned - picked a project I wanted to do (some silly little game I think), and got to work on it.

After a few of those you should have a decent idea of how to do a lot of different things, and unlike most of us you also have all the resources of the internet to help. I have personally learnt hundreds of bits of useful info from this site over the years, even when I wasn't looking for them :D

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Originally Posted by si_the_geek

I followed the method that mendhak mentioned - picked a project I wanted to do (some silly little game I think), and got to work on it.

After a few of those you should have a decent idea of how to do a lot of different things, and unlike most of us you also have all the resources of the internet to help. I have personally learnt hundreds of bits of useful info from this site over the years, even when I wasn't looking for them :D

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Forums are an outstanding resource, that's for sure.

Hi

I first learned basic when i was a kid on a commodor 64, but i kinda forgot about it as i started to grow up doing other things, then when i got to 23 i wanted to start to learn again, so i tought my self python (which i still do for my linux apps and some windows apps). I then said to my wife i would like to do it as a job so i went to collage to learn VB6 and started to build useless apps in vb and im still at collage although i finish at the end of january :), Im not the best at what i do and i still consider my self to "suck" at vb but i enjoy it, i guess thats the key to learning. But Like the others have said Pick a project and write it down on paper (the idea and how you need to get it to where you want) then research the info you need then set about writing it refer to your sams book i do for vb and python from time to time check forums and other places the best is this and most of all have fun.

My major problem at the moment is that my course is asking for a lot more than what I know, so I pretty much need to learn this stuff fast. VB seems to be giving me a lot more trouble than learning stuff like PHP. I'd probably learn a lot more from doing small projects, but when I have large assignments to do, they only end up wasting time I could be spending on those.

Back in 1991, I was 10 years old, and got to program for the first time ever in Amiga BASIC. There was no internet or anything, only a bunch of games that were open source, and this old book that came with it. The only reason why I wanted to learn how to program was to make my own video games. Did that for about 5 years, and even did some Apple][c BASIC in between, with no book or anything. Just some knowledge I took from one BASIC to another. Then when I was about 15-16 years old, I took a computer programming course in highschool, which had Visual Basic 4.0 Professional Edition. It was totally different than the BASIC I knew, and had OOP, something I never done before. I picked up on it pretty quickly, with no internet or anything. I started making a bunch of little games in class, along with my programming classwork. Then I ended up getting VB5 Learning Edition for X-Mas, which I had ever since. Now I got 9 years VB experience under my belt, and 14 years programming experience total. I still make my own games to this day, only using DirectX in VB. :bigyello:

My advice to you is take what you know now, and make little games yourself. In time, you will be a much better programmer, and not have to rely on Teach Yourself books. ;)

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Originally Posted by Jacob Roman

My advice to you is take what you know now, and make little games yourself

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Unless your goal is to become a professional graphics art programmer, I would suggest you learn how to deal with SQL, databases and report writing.

That is going to make you money.

I bought a reference book for VB5 then tackled the software of our thesis (plus another software for one of the other group's thesis), it's where it all started for me...

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Originally Posted by Hack

Unless your goal is to become a professional graphics art programmer, I would suggest you learn how to deal with SQL, databases and report writing.

That is going to make you money.

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It was a metaphor, Hack. ;)

I am self taught. I learned from the same book and only that book. If you dont do the examples and create your own programs and learn how to actually do it then yes it will be hard but you will learn. The main thing is not to quit. :)

That's how I learned. Coding on my own, and less reliance on books.

At one point I took a VB5 programming class in hopes to expand my horizon but low and behold, I knew more then the teacher and ended up teaching part of the class. Needless to say I got an A+ :lol:

I was teaching the class how to make their own video games. They wanted something to play with in class so they don't end up bored. :p

I aced the 2nd year, but failed the 1st cause I was too busy making games instead of doing my classwork. :lol:

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Originally Posted by Hack

But, how did you learn Harsh? That is what he wants to know. Did you follow the method you described in your post?

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well, i haven't read a single book on VB (i am tooooo lazy), but yes, learning C++ like this helped me making a grip on the language.

as far as the procedure is concerned, yes this my way. i have done learning making modules and class modules, and a bit of UC. now i am into making dlls. again, not a major one. like i said start making small useless things and lately you will see that you are good enough to make really useful stuff.

i will try making small dlls (really useless, like for additions, multiplications etc, then one for strings, then making one using controls), then i will probably make one for the TreeView Folder browser.

well this is my belief that it is the best possible way to learn.

and last but not the least:

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"Learning something is Better than Studying everything"

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Oi, i crossed the 1000 posts mark.

Congrats! You are now an official SPAMMER!

I just noticed I already reached 4,000+, hmmnn... My reputation power's gonna double now... :D

My dad taught me simple BASIC and I self taught myself the rest from there. Progressed to VB 5 and then 6, all up about 7 years worth of it. This year I've been learning .NET, namely C# and a bit of VB.NET, and with all that under my belt I'm now tackling C++ and PHP (PHP is proving a hell of a lot easier :)) via mainly online tutorials.

If you have a decent knowledge of programming logic and concepts then you can find any language easy to pick up, so my advice is concentrate on the core stuff rather than anything language-specific which you will have to unlearn in order to learn another language.

They were teaching me BASIC language when I was in 4th Standard. So when I was grown up, VB seemed to be an easier way for me than opting for C/C++ type languages and this is how I got into VB.

Pradeep :)

Practice, Practice, Practice, Practice and again Practice ... lots of it ... :)

Man I've been a Vb Programmer for almost 3 years now, at first it was all self-study with a lot of patient and faith, I took VB in one of my special courses but you wouldn't leaned anything but real basic in it, and I had realized it just when I was lookin for a job as a programmer, but fortunately I did it, I'm beginning to study Vb.net for like 1 a month hehe yes Self Study!

:thumb: :lol:
Well I can't say that I have learned already but I will tell you one thing, Chatting with all you helpful folks in this forum Is about the best learning experience I have had with this stuff, yeah some posts are kinda hard to figure out what the pros are sayin cause Im such a noob but I believe it is by far the best way, well that, along with searching the codebanks and tutorials and stuff. My first program was "HelloWorld", then from there I went to a simple program called lucky 7,(basic pop up picture/slotmachine) then from there onto more tutorials and finaly began putting two and two together and started making my own stuff like a fully funtional payroll program that deducts taxes and everything you need with the click of a button.
I do find myself pouring over my SAMS Book and the vb blackbook as well.And do vaguely remember having to write(well more of a simply copy from the book for it) the program you wanted to play on the comador 64
And I can hardly call myself a "Programmer" as of now, But hey practice and failure makes you better so ill keep on doin my newfound hobby.........
:eek2: :lol: :cool: :o :D :) ;)
And send all you pro's, and vb helpers out there a special :thumb:
and a Big thanks

Hello,

I learnt cobol, dbase, basic at my college time, then there was foxpro at my work place, so i learnt it from book and readymade software(it helps me a lot to become an average programmer) at workplace. Then i made few other complicated inventory systems using foxpro, then I was thinking to switchover to windows, so started to learn VB6 directly using books - Mastering VB6 and Mastering database programming using VB6 and started to convert my old foxpro projects to VB6 and learnt a lot of VB6.
Now I have joined a class to learn c++ & vb.net and soon starting to conert vb6 projects to vb.net.

I started learning VB when I was 12, though I never did much coding and was making slideslow like programs (hehe). I loved picture boxes. I only used VB6 for a few weeks at that age before I stopped.

I picked up programming about 2 years ago and started to learn C++. I went on to create some basic stuff in SDL, OpenGL and some wxWidgets and SkyGI applications. At the same time I purchased a VB.Net book and made several applications with VB, as well as a tic-tac-toe game. Then I went onto C# (again, at the same time I am learning C++) and converted BinaryEdit from VB to C# (which gave it a HUGE IO performance boost for some odd reason. Never manually checked the MSIL though but the code was identical). Since then I have done some more things in C# including my own library and I have expanded BinaryEdit to work with more files and use tabbed navigation. I still have to get syntax highlighting down though.

I was also learning XHTML, CSS, PHP, and JavaScript at the sametime. lol.

Basically, I immersed myself in the languages I wanted to learn and worked at it until I got the hang of it. I dropped into SkyOS for a day having never used any kind of GUI with C++ and managed to create a graphical note taking application within an hour. I rarely use books except as a first read. I mostly look up methods, classes, API methods, etc on the MSDN and with Google.

Best wya to learn, IMHO, is practice and immersion.

I started 8 years ago with MS Access 95/97. I was using macros to do different functions when I came across this thing called VBA. Then about 3 years ago I upgraded to VB6. I just started programming in VB.Net, a very different language.

reading books, msdn, others code, magazines, FORUMS, asking any question
remember that learning is done little by little , not at once
if you are boared go get a rest/sleep/play music mp3, read book again for the next week

learning is not schedule , learning is GREAT when it is done at your own time

forum like this is so GREAT

yeah i used a book to start, and stoped like a quarter of the way through. Im like jacob, i just program games. I did on my ti-83 calc, and even games in excel! Word bassed anyway...
But now i use directx which is awesome. Last night I just incorporated sound and music into my game project! I got forest gump playing.

But anyway, I bought a directx book and read alot of it, but have not used one line out of it. Probably cause the book is in dx8 and now i favor dx7. But this forum is what really got me going. Now I feel much more capable to do more advanced things.