Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0 Language Reference [Paperback]

Maureen Williams Zimmerman (Editor)

Product Details

• Paperback: 3344 pages
• Publisher: Microsoft Press (1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1572318643
• ISBN-13: 978-1572318649
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 7.4 x 2.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,370,483 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

56 of 56 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hey, it's a Reference Library, not a novel., March 10, 2000

By 

David A. Kingston - See all my reviews

This review is from: Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0 Language Reference (Paperback)

Coupled with the Programmer's Guide, these are the best books a VB developer can own. Yes they are the online help files in print form, but some of us still like to hold a book, rather than read the computer.

They contain exhaustive information on EVERY command in VB6, ALL the standard tools that ship with VB6, and detail components like DHTML documents, ActiveX documents, ActiveX controls, and even (a little) IIS apps.

I am confused by some other reviews: mine have an index, everything is laid out in multiple font sizes and weights, and it's all very well laid out and easy to understand.

I have been developing with VB for over a year and a half and I still use these books on almost a daily basis.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Always start with MS documents, June 24, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Tustin, California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0 Language Reference (Paperback)

As a contract programmer that has used VB since 2.0, I recommend this set, along with the "Programmer's Guide" for any serious programmer, from rookie to pro. I particularly like the "Component Tools Guide." I used it to teach myself ActiveX control development fundamentals.

From here go to the specialized third party books, like Appleman's "Developing ActiveX Components With..." whatever applies if you need a software engineering level understanding of the technology.

I keep this three volume set and the Programmer's Guide in my car's trunk at all times.

34 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A MUST HAVE , WHAT A PITY IT'S THIS BAD, August 23, 1999

By 

Christopher James - See all my reviews

This review is from: Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0 Language Reference (Paperback)

A MUST-HAVE , for me . What a pity it is this bad .

Volume One The Language Reference . */2

WORST REFERENCE TEXT I HAVE EVER BOUGHT

It's ALL there . Fine . And it's a very second rate piece of design publishing . The Language Ref volume isn't cross indexed . The volume doesn't have an index full stop ! SO , WHAT I WANT TO KNOW IS , ---- WHY ARE THE PAGES NUMBERED ?? Is it so you can tell mom how far you've got already ? Text layout throughout is about as bad as it gets . Large lists of properties and methods are set out as plain text paragraphs . These lists should have been columnar in the same page area . Many of the code examples use the VB line sharing {space and underscore } , yet on these pages there is plenty of room !! i.e. Nobody has even bothered to layout the code for this publication ( Two days work for an apprentice ) . These books are rushed out ; but this is " version 6.0 " , there has been plenty of time to ammend those errors . In other words ------ here is a reference text which is very hard to refer within . Maybe the guys at MS Press are kinda learning about this kind of stuff . ------ slow learning !

I have also purchased "Microsoft Office 2000 Visual Basic Programmer's Guide " ISBN 1-57231-952-6 . WHAT A CONTRAST . This Office 2000 book is fine . Really quite good . Layout, text organisation , indexing , cross referencing { even the idiot slogan on every single page to remind you of what book you are currently reading has been moved to the footer , out of the way } .

Finally , a detail point for the book trade , Microsoft Press have failed to mark the jacket of the book with an ISBN number . The set sells in a box , and the ISBN is on the box . On the MSOffice2000VBA set , the ISBN is on the box AND ON THE JACKET OF EACH VOLUME . So it's not that hard . Real Publishers know about all this stuff . GreedySoft seem to be taking their time .

Volume Two , Controls Reference . *

Index at the rear , but STILL NO CROSS REFERENCING WITHIN THE TEXT . {Something that used to be very hard to do before computers came on the scene ! } So , you look up an object . Properties are listed straight after the definition/remarks . Every single one of them is labelled "property" and they are listed in plain paragraphing . So finding one is like playing that stupid childhood game "Can you find a donkey hidden in this picture of the clowns " === except , the fun has gone out of it !! How about , you want to check for the absence of a property .

Volume Three , Component Tools Guide 960 pages *** Using ActiveX Controls , Creating ActiveX Controls , ..... " the Controls formerly known as Prince etc .. etc . " The one of the set with a pass grade . An extensive account of what you can do with controls , and how to make your own . Shines , compared to the other two of this sad set . Useful .

A MUST-HAVE , for me . What a pity it is this bad . (sounds familiar ? , -- where would you have liked to have gone , today ? )