Large VB executibles

[RManzione]

I'm writing an application with VB and SQL server. Right now the app is one large monolithic exe that I want to break up into modules or pieces. What is the best method to break up forms with data access in an app into different modules yet share information between them?

Thanks!!

WHOOOOOOOOO BOY! You are going to start a Holy War on this
one. To start, let say that this is how I do it. I have a
lot of rules that I follow and I get accused of trying to
force them on others all the time.

1. Don't worry about having too many modules. You can't.

2. I don't put subroutines and functions in the same
module. I like to re-use code as much as possible, so I
like to keep functions to themselves. BTW, I try my best
to write every function as an independent entity. It's not
always possible, but I think it is always a good idea to
try.

3. Avoid home written functions calling other home written
functions, unless the calling/called functions are in the
same module. This means that re-using the functions will
be less painful 2 years from now when you have a senior
moment on this code.

4. Use some kind of naming convention within modules for
the variables and the function/subroutine names. Use the
same convention when naming the module. This makes it
easier to find the original function, after you screw it up
trying to re-use it somewhere else.

5. Keep the individual functions/subroutines SMALL. I try
to have no more than 15 lines of functioning code in a
function, no more than 25 in a subroutine. Makes de-
bugging a LOT easier.

6. A function/subroutine should do one thing and ONLY one
thing. Loading functions/subroutines leads to subtle
errors that are incredibly difficult to track down.

7. Whatever works for you, works period. Don't get
bogged down by the "Proper" way to do something. Sooner or
later in the life of every project it becomes time to shoot
the engineers and put the product on the street.


Good Luck
DerFarm