Is Visual Basic the next step?

[Guest]

I completed a 12 week - 36 hour MOUS Access course. A comments from the
experienced Access users as to the next step? I figure it is Visual Basic.

 

[Douglas J. Steele]

Depends what you mean by VB. The latest version of Visual Basic, VB.Net,
isn't particularly relevant for Access at the moment, as Access doesn't use
the .Net framework yet, and Microsoft has dropped support for VB 6, the last
non-.Net version. VBA is what Access (and the other Office products) use, so
that would be my suggestion.

Of course, what you intend to do with it makes a difference as well.

 

[Guest]

programmiing in Acess. Thank you for your insights

 

[Guest]

Here is the course description: I need to call and find out what they mean by
visual basic. Is there a big difference in VBA and VB.net?

XAI-065 - Visual Basic (No credits)
Prerequisite(s): None
This 36-hour course is designed to provide the student instruction in the
use of Visual Basic software. The students will develop projects, work with
controls, write code, design applications and use variables and constants,
selection structure, sequential access files, database and variable arrays
will be examined and used.

 

[Larry Linson]

Here is the course description: I need
to call and find out what they mean by
visual basic. Is there a big difference in
VBA and VB.net?

Yes. There is a big difference in the language. The same VBA6.DLL that is
the core of VBA for Access is the core language of "classic VB", VB 6.0 and
there is a big difference between classic VB and VB.NET, as well. Regardless
of what they tell you to try to sell you the training, _THIS IS NOT THE
COURSE YOU NEED_.

It will be more than a waste of time and money, because you'll have to
unlearn much of what you have learned to make use of VBA within Access. Let
me repeat what Doug said, "You cannot use VB.NET with Access."

And, much of what we do with VBA is to manipulate the Access object model,
which it will not teach you. The Access object model is quite different from
classic VB's object model, and even more different than the DotNet model.

Larry Linson
Microsoft Access MVP

 

[Paul Overway]

Much of what you'd learn in respect to VB forms and events would not
directly translate in Access. Access has a lot more events and the forms
are already built for DB work. Still, I'd say it may be worthwhile for
you....but a lot depends on what you already know. If you already know VBA
language and Access, DAO, and ADO object models, what you learn in the class
may complement and build on your existing knowledge. There are some
differences between using VBA in Access and using straight VB, not so much
in the language itself, but in the forms and event models. The class may
give you some ideas in respect to which tool fits what task(s) better. That
might be helpful information. Each tool serves a purpose, and has strengths
and weaknesses.

Moreover, if you are planning a career in software development, and haven't
done any programming at all, the class might be a good place to start.

Personally, I'm comfortable in either VB or Access. I learned VB first, and
believe it has helped me in Access...although I swear sometimes about some
of the things you can do in VB that are a major PITA to accomplish in
Access. But then again, VB has major shortcomings in respect to DB work and
I swear just as much about those. )

There is a significant difference between VBA/classic VB vs VB.NET. Not so
much difference between VBA and VB.

 

[Guest]

Thank for the info. They do have a VBA 6.0 course, but it is a internet
course so I'll look elsewhere for now.

 

[Guest]

Thanks Paul, I'm not pursuing a career in software development. I am a self
employed consultant (www.piersolutions.com) and I use Access in my work. I
am going to pass on that course for now and look elsewhere.

Kelvin