Help in choosing VB6 or VB.Net for windows application

Hi,

I used to do Powerbuilder programming ages ago. Now I need to develop a Windows application which can use a ACcess runtime database or a mysql database on a PC.

I would like to know what is best to use - VB6 or VB.NEt or Visual Basic 2005.
Also, I want to create a Installer that can install the application and the database automatically, so considering the ease of installing Access runtime or mysql database,

Please recommend
1. choice of VB6, vb 2005 or VB.net
2. Ease in bundling the installation in the installer for MS Access or mySQL.

Thanks a lot.

Regards,
Vinai

Hi Vinaip,

If you're new to VB i suggest to use VB.Net 2005 instead of VB6. Otherwise the learning curve will take a lot of time to switch from VB6 to .Net
For a installer i used always InnoSetup (it's free, and can do the job)
I'm just converting my apps to vb.net and must say, some tings go very easy and there is an build-in installer included (i've heard). If you include the database in your project, it'll go very easy.

Also, MS will be stopping VB6.0 development support pretty soon. I'm working on a whole loads of migration application from VB6.0 to VB.Net. If you are beginning then VB 2005 is the way to go.
2.) If you're planning to push an empty .mdb file through installer then it's pretty easy with the .Net installer as well. Not sure how you can do that with MySQL.

I would also suggest VB.Net 2005.

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1. choice of VB6, vb 2005 or VB.net

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VB.Net is just kind of a generic term which usually includes VB.Net 2000, VB.Net 2003, and VB.Net 2005. Since VB.Net is currently the latest version, that is what I would suggest.

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2. Ease in bundling the installation in the installer for MS Access or mySQL.

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This should not present any problems. As a matter of fact, you won't have to deal with the "dll hell" of VB 6.0.
About the only difficulty you may experience will be in the use of ADO.Net for manipulating your database data. It is quite a bit different then VB 6.0 and, based upon the number of posting here concerning it, it appears that a lot of members are finding it a bit confusing.
Since you have done some programming before, I am sure you won't have any problems.

Good Luck

Basically you could go either way if you own both. If you dont have .net you can download it as its free. If you dont have vb 6 then definately go with .net.

Since we dont know any specifics about your app or its audience/environment its hard to sugest anything based upon that, only that .net is more powerful and current technology.

Personally I would go with .net because its current.

Unless you have some specific reason for using an older version, like you already have experience or you already own the IDE, then you should use the latest, which is VB 2005 (the ".NET" suffix is not used in any 2005 products). As Rob says, you can also get the VB Express IDE for free. It does have some limitations but is a great way to start out. At the very least it means that you can try before you buy, as any projects created with VB Express will open in Visual Studio 2005 without any changes.