Installing the VB6 IDE on Windows 10 - 64 bit.

[Tabi]

Hi Ron,
Did this install workout OK in the long run?
I see you installed SP3, and not SP6 as recommended in this VBforum post.
Where do I get SP3 from, do you have a link?

Many thanks.

SP3 should not be installed. SP6 only. This is cumulative, that is, also included from SP1 to SP5. After installing SP6, KB3096896 must be installed. The latter is not cumulative, and that is why it must be installed after SP6.

[ArthurDent]

Hello

I thought my VB6 installation was good, but I get the error Data View, Automation Error, error accessing the OLE registry. Does anyone know any fix for this?

[xiaoyao]

Hello

I thought my VB6 installation was good, but I get the error Data View, Automation Error, error accessing the OLE registry. Does anyone know any fix for this?

Open with administrator privileges.

[ArthurDent]

Hi. Thanks very much. I tried a demo of a scrolling game...it was awful. I think VB is more suited towards IT systems. I used to be a database programmer, but want to make a scrolling game. Do you think, seeing as you're here, that DirectX and/or XNA with either VB6 or VB.net would be a good choice? I don't have any hope of a very graphical game working well with Vanilla VB6.

Apologies if this is the wrong forum!

[Elroy]

Hi. Thanks very much. I tried a demo of a scrolling game...it was awful. I think VB is more suited towards IT systems. I used to be a database programmer, but want to make a scrolling game. Do you think, seeing as you're here, that DirectX and/or XNA with either VB6 or VB.net would be a good choice? I don't have any hope of a very graphical game working well with Vanilla VB6.

Apologies if this is the wrong forum!

This is certainly the wrong thread. If you're not discussing installation of the VB6 IDE, please go to another thread or start your own.

[AAraya]

Note that the URL for the VB6 Cumulative Service Pack 6 (SP6) download has changed to: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/down...s.aspx?id=7030

[VanGoghGaming]

According to this forum post by dilettante that ".msi" installer is bugged and will mess up your Windows. You're better off with the original SP6 installer if you still have it.

[Arnoutdv]

When the help system is not functioning (unable to show help) try registering the vshelp.dll:
regsvr32 "C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\VS98\vshelp.dll"

Reported by Gymbo:
https://www.vbforums.com/showthread....=1#post5675333

[thatOldGuy]

New Guy here!

I will attempt installing VB6 on my WIN10 laptop soon and I'm a bit nervous. I've read as much as I can to this point. However, I have a few questions.

1) I do not require installing MSDN?
2) What is the advantage of having MSDN?
3) Will I have a better chance of success installing EE or PRO, or does it matter? (I do not know the difference)
4) Any pointers to avoid failure?

So far I have set a new restore point, downloaded PRO, Vs6sp6B, VB60SP6-K3096896-ENU and written down many notes.

I look forward to getting back into VB6 again. I used it a bit back in the 90's and really enjoyed it.
Thanks

[thatOldGuy]

I neglected to include a question about shims. I'm unclear on how to install shims

[yereverluvinuncleber]

No need for MSDN.

Just find the main threads and guides for installing VB6 - it will work, one way or another.

Don't neglect TwinBasic, you will be VERY surprised.

[fafalone]

I neglected to include a question about shims. I'm unclear on how to install shims

For setup or the IDE?

For setup just go to setup.exe in Explorer, right click, properties, compatibility, and use the Windows XP SP3 compatibility mode, and enable run as administrator.

For the IDE, I've found the same to be fine but installing this shim set is better: https://www.vbforums.com/showthread....=1#post5076065

I most recently successfully installed Enterprise from a full ISO image extracted to a folder following the method in https://www.codeproject.com/Articles...dio-on-Windows

[thatOldGuy]

TwinBasic may be a reasonable option. It's certainly much easier to install. My intent is to communicate serially with RPs, Arduino, and PICs via USB to develop small data acquisition and control systems.

I uploaded an image of a VB6 book. Is TwinBasic seamlessly compatible with this book?

Thank you all for helping me sort this out.

[DrBobby]

Shouldnt have anything in that book that doesnt work with TwinBasic. As a nice bonus with tb you can more than one class objects per file.

[fafalone]

Might be a few minor hiccups... VBPs/projects have to be opened individually, no VBG/group support yet (planned post 1.0), and no property page support yet (planned for v1.0).

But other than that all the code should work; you'll need to install the extended VB6 controls tB doesn't have reimplementations of yet like mscomm.ocx; tB can use the ocx just like VB6 but you have to install/register it.

The modern IDE, new language features, and things like Unicode/graphics/visual styles modernizations make tB the much better choice though

[yereverluvinuncleber]

With VB6 and new Extended TwinBasic, the future is YOURS!

(say that in a big American advertising-style voice from the fifties).

[cafeenman]

I didn't read the entire thread and don't know if this was mentioned.

I use the VS Installer I can't remember the name of but most of you will be familiar with. It's the one that copies everything from your install disks including SP6, asks you what kind install you want and also installs MSDN.

That usually works.

BUT!

When it doesn't, I have older Setup programs for apps I wrote in VB6 w/SP6. I just install that and it tends to fix all the problems with things that didn't register properly. Setup run with Admin privileges.

For example, I have a tiny app I wrote that renames groups of files using a numbering system. I just install that and it fixes everything. I don't have to leave it installed.

[thatOldGuy]

As much as I looked forward to using VB6 again, I installed C#. It was an easy, clean install using VS Installer. My VB6 book will return to the shelf to collect dust for another 25 years

I was under the impression C# was for developing console scripts while Visual C++ was needed to develop .exe GUIs using C. I struggled with VC++ many years ago and didn't want to go back there. VB was a blessing to me back then. C# does what I want today.

Thank you all for helping me work through this. Sharing your knowledge is very much appreciated.

[fafalone]

Lol can't possibly see the couple minor hoops installing vb6 or adjusting to tB being so insurmountable you just decide to learn an entirely different approach to programming instead

[baka]

just installed VB6 on my new windows 10 computer.
the usual first part where it complain about stability/security and it require u to install some java and a forced restart.
after that "same setup.exe" will continue and no issue here. done.

[wqweto]

> it require u to install some java and a forced restart.

Just create an empty msjava.dll in SysWOW64 using Notepad to save the restart.

> after that "same setup.exe" will continue and no issue here. done.

Always been the case with Win10+ versions. The whole thread is moot since the begining.

My README in install folder reads this:

1. copy empty msjava.dll to System32 or SysWOW64 on x64
2. Uncheck Data Access
3. Uncheck Enterprise Tools->Visual Studio Analyzer
4. Uncheck Tools->OLE/COM object viewer

. . . but it is only first point which makes the difference nowadays.

Edit: Who else wants signalling admins to delete this whole thread as dangerous and spreading F.U.D. about VB6 setup? Or at least it being reduced to a single point with one sentence: "Copy empty msjava.dll to SysWOW64 and then run setup.exe as usual."

cheers,
</wqw>

[fafalone]

>4. Uncheck Tools->OLE/COM object viewer

Isn't that OleView.exe? That's the window title. I always install (and frequently use) that. On my main desktop I have a more recent version from the Win10 SDK but it hasn't changed much if any so unless there's a problem I use the VS6 one instead of go hunting for that. Once in a while I'll need the new one but so rarely it's not even worth updating the shortcut.

[thatOldGuy]

Lol can't possibly see the couple minor hoops installing vb6 or adjusting to tB being so insurmountable you just decide to learn an entirely different approach to programming instead

I'm actually more versed in C++. I haven't written anything BASIC in over 20 years. VB6 would be the entirely different approach to programming I would have to relearn. That's why I was leaning on the book. I would have to start at page 1.

I installed C#, created, debugged, built & published my installable exe GUI last night in about 2 hours. Mission Complete. It would have taken me days to relearn VB6 enough to complete the task.

A little backstory:
I've been creating GUIs for my personal use with Labview for several years. I don't have the Labview app builder, therefore the huge Labview app needs to be installed and running on any machine utilizing my GUI. That's fine for me.

However, I developed a control system for a friend that didn't want to install Labview on his laptop and asked if I can make the GUI another way. Of course, VB6. With blinders on, the pursuit was on attempting to acquire VB6 without considering any other option. VB is fun, I can get it done. I would enjoy getting reacquainted with my old friend. Hey, VB6 is still available. I can spend 3 or 4 weeks getting back up to speed and have a new (old) tool in my toolbox.

That is what drove me to this forum. While researching the hacks involved to MAYBE get VB6 installed without issue, I discovered C# does what I NEED. C# is now my new tool in my toolbox.

My apologies for the long-winded post

[wqweto]

>4. Uncheck Tools->OLE/COM object viewer

Isn't that OleView.exe? That's the window title. I always install (and frequently use) that. On my main desktop I have a more recent version from the Win10 SDK but it hasn't changed much if any so unless there's a problem I use the VS6 one instead of go hunting for that. Once in a while I'll need the new one but so rarely it's not even worth updating the shortcut.

Yes, this already works fine on Win10+ so the point is obsolete. Only msjava.dll hack is the hurdle to getting VB6 setup working nowadays, obviously insurmountable by most of the uninitiated.

cheers,
</wqw>

[VanGoghGaming]

The VS6Installer from this post already takes care of the empty msjava.dll issue. You still need to uncheck the data access components in the setup wizard, that's what most people forget and the installation hangs up on them.

[cafeenman]

I would have to start at page 1.

Debug.Print "Hello World"

Now you're an expert VB6 developer.

[fafalone]

All sorts of reasons someone might prefer C# but I have VS2022 installed too and setting it up is more involved and time consuming than VB6, and really silly to say it's harder to pick up the basics in VB6 in any context, let alone prior vb6 experience and .NET framework programming being so different c++ is usually closer to VB6 (especially older style c++ that keeps to mostly 'C with classes').