Re: DOS File Maintainance via VB

On 11 May 2006 11:13:57 -0700, bcoleman0167@xxxxxxxxxxx wrote:

Thanks Michael. I assume the trigger in my posts that prompts both you
and others to refer to .NET is my comment that I am using Visual Basic
Express to debug?

Yes. Visual Basic Express /is/ .NET.

My current goal is to simply accomplish the one task at hand,
Checkin.bas, and maybe pick up a little programming experience along
the way. I assumed by downloading VB Express I was getting a free
interpreter and compiler for VB6 code; was I wrong?

By downloading VB Express, you are indeed getting a free interpreter BUT it is
NOT in any way shape or form VB6. There /is/ no free compiler for VB6.

From the non-existent comp.lang.basic.visual.misc FAQ:

<quote>
Before you jump for the "free" carrot of Visual Basic 2005 (.NET) that is backed
by a stick, you owe it to yourself to first seriously consider some of the
alternatives.

In no particular order:
* http://sourceforge.net/projects/fbc
* http://www.realbasic.com/
* http://www.blitzbasic.com/
* http://www.gambasdoc.org/help/
* http://lbpp.sourceforge.net/
* http://extremebasic.com/
* http://www.purebasic.com/

Others:
* http://www.thefreecountry.com/compilers/basic.shtml

Then of course are always alternative languages like Perl (with Windows
extensions), Python, Delphi and the list goes on.

Why on earth limit yourself to Microsoft's propaganda without first examining
what you're getting into?

Don't ask us for Microsoft Visual Basic 6, you'll have to get that at e-Bay,
Amazon or some other new or used retailer.
</quote>

So, on that premise, I guess I will need to:

1. Peruse another avenue to find a debugger and compiler to handle the
code (VB6) you assisted me on (which, again, I highly appreciate)
2. Convert it to .NET and use Express
3. Convert the code to some other variation (Slick Edit, Just Basic,
etc.) for which free software is available

Recommendation: skip step 2 and go directly to 3.

* Or buy an old VB Classic compiler.
* Or use something from the Microsoft Office Office suite to run your VBA as a
macro. (Use the ALT-F11 keyboard combination in MS Word, MS Excel, MS Access or
MS Powerpoint. I suppose you could use MS Outlook, but I don't recommend that.
* Struggle with Windows Scripting Host (difficult debugging) and get my code
working in that environment.
* Finally, if you are stubbornly committed to the obscene Express, then go to
one of the .NET newsgroups, tell them what you want and get them to do your work
for you. Just be prepared for DRM and all the other coming changes from
Microsoft.

Your choice, of course, is your right.
_______________________
Michael B. Johnson

Michael B. Johnson wrote:
On Thu, 11 May 2006 05:47:21 GMT, erewhon@xxxxxxxxxx (J French) wrote:

Michael,

Thanks a bunch. I knew that a large amount of the code could be reduced
.

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