Create VB form using API?

[wey97]

I once thought VB was very limited until I discovered the API.
I'm hoping that most or all of the API functions that can be used
in C++ can also be used in VB. Specifically, I'm wondering if you
can make calls to create a window or a dialog box?

thanks

[Megatron]

See this link.

[wey97]

thanks.
i also found it on allapi.net

two more questions: since this is all API, will it still be bound to the
VB runtime dll or will it be independent as the same app written
in C++?

how do you load a new icon for the .exe (also for C++)?

[parksie]

Yes, you will need the runtimes because even though you're calling API functions, the language support is still required, which is what part of the runtimes provide.

If you want independence use Fusion or C++

[wey97]

yeah i was afraid of that.
what is fusion?
what about the icons?

[parksie]

Fusion packages all the DLLs up *inside* an EXE file so you have a single (large!) program to run, that requires no installation. I think it's www.bitarts.com or www.bit-arts.com (something like that ).

As for icons, I think when you go to Make EXE->Options you can set the icon there. In C++ it's the lowest numbered compatible icon in the resource file (I think -- only ever had one icon )

[Megatron]

Originally posted by parksie
If you want independence use Fusion or C++

Fusion doesn't give independance, rather it packs all files into a bundle.

[parksie]

Isn't that basically the same thing?

[wey97]

megatron,

originally posted by parksie...
Fusion packages all the DLLs up *inside* an EXE file so you have a single (large!) program to run

giving you independence from installing the vb .dll
before running the .exe

also, C++ takes my highest ordered icon in my .rs file. ?

parksie, the only problem is, in VB, if you don't have a form added
to your project, then you can't select an application icon. you get
the default VB icon.

I tried to add a resource file with an icon, but it tells me that I have
to have the 'resource add-in' installed, which I don't. Even then,
I don't know if I added the icon to the .res file if VB would be smart
enough to know that I want it to be my .exe icon.

[KamiKazeKiwi3]

Sadly, VB does not allow you to use resource icons.
There is however, a thread that has a link to a program that hacks your .exe file after compile and inserts the desired icon as the exe's icon. The thread was called something like "hacking put to a good use"

[Megatron]

Originally posted by parksie
Isn't that basically the same thing?

No. Independance means strictly on it's on own, with no runtimes. (Fusion does not eliminate the need for these runtimes)

[parksie]

Okay I think I see your point now

I saw independence as "has everything it needs with it", rather than "doesn't need anything else". Under that same description, C++ programs aren't independent because they have the runtime library linked directly into them.

[Megatron]

Let's not go too deep here. Independance in a sense that there's no doubt that C programs will always run on a windows platform, but VB programs will only work if the user has the runtimes, hence, you have to take that percentage into consideration.

[parksie]

But if you package them all up in Fusion...

[Olly]

I wonder how fusion works. I mean it would have to extract the dll's and register them or not? I mean how would it work then?

[Megatron]

Originally posted by parksie
But if you package them all up in Fusion...

Package them, include them, hardcode them etc. are all methods of including them. Independance would be to not include them at all.

[parksie]

But including them directly is what C++ does as well

This discussion isn't going anywhere is it? We've just started nitpicking over semantics so that's not really the point

[KamiKazeKiwi3]

I congratulate both of you for giving me a headache and a free class. Pass me the aspirin.

[parksie]

*passes aspirin*

Oh ho ho...I haven't even started giving you a headache yet But in the interests of being nice...I'll shut up now

[KamiKazeKiwi3]

(takes aspirin)

By the by, what would be independent? Assembly language? Or does that still depend on runtimes?

[parksie]

Assembly does not require runtimes, but is OS-dependent because you HAVE to use the API for most things (or DOS interrupts )

[Megatron]

It all depends on which perspective you are looking at this. Some see independance as a C++ app, with no runtimes or components attached, while others see everything as dependant, because they all require some sort of dependants (and I'm not talking about the diapers here! )

[wey97]

With all the fuss, I don't see why Microsoft doesn't just make VB
independent of the damned dll's.

[parksie]

With the way it works it's very difficult to implement like that.

Visual Basic is COM-based, and as such requires a registered COM server for most of its intrinsic functionality (text boxes, command buttons, etc.). Including this within the EXE would require a considerable rewrite of their distribution strategy.

Anyway, with VB.NET this disappears because by definition you have the runtimes there

[KamiKazeKiwi3]

It all depends right down to the basic computer components. Even chip commands vary.

[Megatron]

Originally posted by wey97
With all the fuss, I don't see why Microsoft doesn't just make VB
independent of the damned dll's.

I don't think it's that easy. As a work around, I think they should include the VB runtimes from VB4 + and all of the commonly used components in their next version of Windows.

[wey97]

'nuff said.

[KamiKazeKiwi3]

Megatron's suggestion would probably save programmers alot of trouble.

[parksie]

It would also save MS a lot of trouble than the rewrite I suggested

[Olly]

By the way: using fusion in your app increases its ram usage to an additional 2mb. Considering that a normal vb app already uses up about 5 to 8 this cold get to a real bottleneck.

[KamiKazeKiwi3]

Ooouch! Not something I like.... Noting all my cute vb bots take up a lot of resources and the pc's utilities take up 1/4 of all resources.