Best way to get back into VB.net

[ohok]

I know it's by actually coding, but I'm not sure where I should start at again. I took some courses in VB and can do the stupid little basic things, but I trailed off for awhile because I couldn't find any work in the field. Now I got a part time position and need to get back into the swing of things. Should I just go through my old textbooks and start over? I feel kind of overwhelmed.

[Hack]

Moved To General Developer

What do you do for a living?

[ohok]

Sorry about that, I saw this forum right after I made the post, along with a similar one below mine that I started reading.

Right now I'm just a part time programmer for a small company. They use VB.net and said I don't really have to know much, that I can take my time to get going etc.

[Hack]

Then it would seem like you have your opportunity, so I guess I'm not understanding the original question.

Where to start? - I dunna know...I'm not there. Find something they do manually and automate it.

[ohok]

Sure I have the opportunity, but my problem is I can't just sit down and start coding things in my current state, unless it was simple programs like they teach in beginning courses.

I don't know, it's hard to explain I guess. I have to get myself back into it, there isn't really anyone here (at work) to give me a jumpstart, so I'm just confused what I should try to get myself going.

[thejurm]

Try some basic online tutorials

[Hack]

I'm serious about just finding something they do manually and automatiing it.

You may start the project with a bajillion questions all posted in the VB.NET section, but you will eventually get the hang of it.

I've always been a "take a running start and jump off the pier into the lake" as opposed to "wading in" kind of guy.

I was a VB6 code for years and years and years. The transition for from VB6 to VB.NET was just as rough as I would image it would be for something just starting out with VB.NET

If you did an "advanced search", confined it to the VB.NET section, and look for threads that "Hack" started, you will be amazed at the noob questions I was asking.

Talking about it isn't going to get it done....doing it is going to get it done.

Pick something and run with it.

There are a ton of people on the site that would just fall over backwards to lend a hand.

[ohok]

I was thinking of trying online tutorials, but a quick search usually showed things like temperature converters and calculators. Those are things that even I consider pretty easy, I thought I should be looking into more intermediate things. Maybe I'm just expecting too much of myself and need to take things slower. Or I'll look at my old class book when I get home and go into some of the things we didn't get to cover.

Thanks Hack, I guess I just need to start doing things. I'll save that for home or start a new project here, I don't want to mess with existing programs. I don't really think there is anything manual they do with this portion, it's all done, I just have to make some changes eventually. I'm not sure how I can post it, I don't know if they'd want me posting sample code because of all the legal stuff.

[Hack]

We don't want you posting anything that is propertiary to your company any more than your company does.

However, if you are having a logic problem, it is very easy to whip up a generic example of what you are trying to accomplish. That happens everyday on this site.

Once a solution is determined, you can then mold it into the actual production code that has never left your developer's machine.

[techgnome]

the problem is that the .NET framework is so vast, that it's impossible to tell you where to go. Once someone has the basics down (and it sounds like you do), anything in the intermediate or advanced range tend to be task or job oriented.... meaning it's time to tap into the parts of the Framework that are relevant... example, if you are doing games or graphics, odds are you aren't doing to have much use for DataSets... conversely, if you are in a businness environ, you might not need to know about the Graphics namespace and how to draw with a pen. I think that's what Hack's driving at. You're basically at a stage where any thing you pick up should be oriented to what you want to do or need to do.

-tg

[ohok]

We don't want you posting anything that is propertiary to your company any more than your company does.

However, if you are having a logic problem, it is very easy to whip up a generic example of what you are trying to accomplish. That happens everyday on this site.

Once a solution is determined, you can then mold it into the actual production code that has never left your developer's machine.

Right, the way I said that sounded stupid.

I'm sure you'll be hearing lots from me, I'll give it a shot.

[ohok]

the problem is that the .NET framework is so vast, that it's impossible to tell you where to go. Once someone has the basics down (and it sounds like you do), anything in the intermediate or advanced range tend to be task or job oriented.... meaning it's time to tap into the parts of the Framework that are relevant... example, if you are doing games or graphics, odds are you aren't doing to have much use for DataSets... conversely, if you are in a businness environ, you might not need to know about the Graphics namespace and how to draw with a pen. I think that's what Hack's driving at. You're basically at a stage where any thing you pick up should be oriented to what you want to do or need to do.

-tg

Ah, I see. Well I will say that right now I'm dealing with a program for appointment scheduling and stuff like that, so I need to look into what it requires and go from there.