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Visual Basic Hell

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<rant mode="on">
Been busy converting some LotusScript code into a stand-alone Visual Basic app. I will never make another disparaging comment about the Lotus Designer IDE. So it doesn't have a class browser. Big deal, there are ways around that little problem. It is easy to use, and getting help (whether context-sensitive or just by hitting Alt-H-H) is a breeze. Have any of you ever attempted anything more complex than "hello world" using the Visual Studio IDE?

I cannot even begin to describe how bad the VS IDE sucks. It is beyond all comprehension. It is the galaxy eating, thought devouring, happiness destroying monster black hole of suckage. Given a choice between using the Visual Studio IDE and having my balls pounded flat with a wooden mallet, I might just consider the latter.
</rant>

P.S. Did I mention that Visual Studio Sucks?
-Devin

Comments

Gravatar Image1 - Uh, I take it that you're having a little trouble adjusting to VS. DotNET or Classic? I rather like VS.NET, myself, although I have to admit that having watched a few ".NET Show" episodes before embarking on my adventure was a tremendous help. You can watch the show online at:

https://msdn.microsoft.com/theshow/Archive.asp

Check out the earlier VB-oriented episodes and the VS episode in particular:

https://msdn.microsoft.com/theshow/Episode015/default.asp

Once you know where stuff lives, the whole process gets a whole bunch easier.

Gravatar Image2 - Thanks for the info Stan.
I'll check out those links later tonight. I guess I should have been a little more clear in my rant. I am using Visual Studio 6 Enterprise Edition (pre .NET). Specificaly, I am attempting to use Visual Basic along with Visual Source Safe. I heard a rumor that SourceGear (https://www.sourcegear.com ) has a single user version of their Vault source control tool available, but as of yet I have not verified this.

My biggest complaint is not so much the language (although VB SUCKS WIND as far as creating classes goes), but the actual IDE. I don't know if the .NET version is any better, but it doesn't really matter. I'm just a one-man ISV, and even with the "upgrade" discount, I simply cannot afford the $$$ to purchase it, let alone the escalating costs of MSDN -had to let my subscription lapse.

At this point, if I'm going to spend the $$$ for a new Enterprise level development suite, I'm strongly leaning towards upgrading to Borland Delphi 2005 Enterprise. I not only gronk the Delphi IDE, I really like it. However, that doesn't help with the current app I'm working on. I do NOT want to try to recode something that works great in LotusScript into Object Pascal -VB6 is a better "fit" for this one. Which means I get to "play" with the Visual Studio IDE; which sucks.

Och! the pain.
-Devin

Gravatar Image3 - I hears ya. I wouldn't touch the pre-.NET VS voluntarily, especially the class stuff. OO was not VB6's strong point, and a wizard ain't coding. You'd almost be better off using Visual Notepad. And VS.NET is way too expensive (unless you're getting it on someone else's tab) -- especially when you consider that the MSDN subscription is the cheap way top get it. Have you tried the Action Pack version of things? Great for an ISV:

https://partner.microsoft.com/global/40009735

Gravatar Image4 - "It is the galaxy eating, thought devouring, happiness destroying monster black hole of suckage."

that one goes in the quotes db for sure. as soon as i finish coding it...


Gravatar Image5 - I think it describes the VS IDE perfectly. Glad you liked it.
-Devin

Gravatar Image6 - Amen.
Even Jbuilder makes a quieter sucking sound than VS. Has M$ made any improvements to this POS in the last 10 years? Not much.
Don't get me started on the language...
Signed,
- Man struggling to pound my own balls flat with a wooden mallet

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