VB6.0 slow

[shukla]

Hi All!!
I am using vb6.0 from 5 years.
Starting projects were small enough.
Now My projects are so much large about 150 forms in one project.
There are 2 problems,
1.When i open my project and goto definition of any of procedure/function, it takes too much time at start.
2. And secondly if i make one line change also, it takes so much time for making exe of my application,.

Is it possible to reduce this time ?
Thanks.

[vb5prgrmr]

Well for opening vb faster, close all the forms and code windows you can and only leave one or none of the windows open. This will allow vb to load your project faster because it does not have to read in the specific files of your project so it can display them. As for making the compile time of your exe shorter then I would suggest that you start moving some of the functionality to controls/dlls/activex exe's.

Good Luck

[deathfxu]

If I have learned one thing in my 12 years of programming, it's that the only limitations are problems that I can't think of another solution for.

You could try writing your own dlls, make sure to use object arrays as much as possible, and generate some of the objects from code. This would also help you compartmentalize your project better.

Also, 150 forms is quite ridiculous. No offense, but there has to be some degree of redundancy in what you are doing. Sounds like the whole project could use a massive overhaul.

Good luck!

[shukla]

vb5prgrmr & deathfxu,
thanks for you reply.
I will try to make dlls if possible.

Also, 150 forms is quite ridiculous. No offense, but there has to be some degree of redundancy in what you are doing. Sounds like the whole project could use a massive overhaul.

I am surely not having redunduncy for my project.
As i am developing erp like software, each form is different in design and functionality.

[deathfxu]

Yeah, the dll option is definitely the best here.

I had a project a while back that I used one form (which I could create multiple instances of) that morphed the items on it based on why that specific instance of the form was being loaded. Would maybe something like that be usable for you?

[shukla]

yes. i think it will be useful for me.
Can you give me more details of it ?
Thanks for reply.

[deathfxu]

Make a form in a new project and put 2 buttons on it. cmdNew (caption "New") and cmdClose (caption "Close"). Then paste this in code window:

Private Sub cmdClose_Click()
 
Dim isaForm As Form
 
For Each isaForm In Forms
    Unload isaForm
Next
 
End Sub
 
Private Sub cmdNew_Click()
Dim imaNew As Form
 
Set imaNew = New Form1
Load imaNew
imaNew.Show
 
End Sub

This shows the basic interaction of creating/handling forms via code. I'll post more in a minute.

[deathfxu]

Objects on a form are easier to make new copies of if you use the Index property. For instance:

Dim newTBox As Integer
 
newTBox = UBound(Text1()) + 1
Load Text1(newTBox)
Text1(newTBox).Text = CStr(newTBox)

[shukla]

Thanks deathfxu .
Definitely i will try this code..
But what about my existing projects/forms, can i reduce time for making exe ?

[deathfxu]

Then you can have a global collection which keeps track of what each new form is supposed to be. Like this:

'in a module
Global FormPurpose As New Collection
 
'in the form code
Dim FormNum As Integer
Dim MyPurpose As Integer 
 
Private Sub Form_Load()
FormNum = Forms.Count
MyPurpose = FormPurpose.Item(FormNum)
 
Select Case MyPurpose
   Case 1 'first layout
      'generate form objects via code
      'set their default values
      'place them in desired locations on form
   Case 2 'second layout
      'etc
End Select
 
End Sub
 
Private Sub cmdNew_Click()
Dim imaNew As Form
 
FormPurpose.Add "7"
Set imaNew = New Form1
Load imaNew
imaNew.Show
 
End Sub

This is just a basic concept so you can get an idea of how it can be done.

Good luck!

[deathfxu]

With more dlls and less objects created by ui (because they are being created with code), the time for making an exe should be drastically faster.