(NOTE: Each chapter begins with an Introduction.)I. VISUAL BASIC 6 EXAM CONCEPTS.
1. Developing the Conceptual and Logical Design and Deriving the Physical Design.
Overview of Microsoft Application Development Concepts. The VB Enterprise Development Model. Designing VB Data-Access Components for a Multitier Application. Designing Properties, Methods, and Events of Components. Implementing Load Balancing.
2. Establishing the Development Environment.
Implementing Source-Code Control with Visual SourceSafe. Installing and Configuring VB for Developing Desktop and Distributed Applications.
3. Implementing Navigational Design.
Understanding Menu Basics. Dynamically Modifying the Appearance of a Menu. Adding a Pop-Up Menu to an Application. Creating an Application That Adds and Deletes Menus at Runtime. Adding Controls to Forms. Setting Properties for CommandButtons, TextBoxes, and Labels. Assigning Code to a Control to Respond to an Event.
4. Creating Data Input Forms and Dialog Boxes.
Adding an ActiveX Control to the ToolBox. Using ActiveX Controls to Create Data Input Forms and Dialog Boxes.
5. Writing Code That Validates User Input.
Keystroke Events at Field and Form Level. Field-Level Validation Techniques. Enabling Controls Based on Input. Miscellaneous Properties for Validation.
6. Writing Code That Processes Data Entered on a Form.
Relative Timing of Form Events. Initialize, Load, and Activate Events. DeActivate, Unload, QueryUnload, and Terminate Events. Activate/DeActivate Versus GotFocus/LostFocus Events. Show/Hide Methods Versus Load/Unload Statements. Using the Unload and QueryUnload Events in an MDI Application. Form Methods and Their Effect on Form Events. Manipulating a Form from Another Form's Load Event Procedure.
7. Implementing Online User Assistance in a Distributed Application.
Two Types of Help Files. Referencing Help through the HelpFile Property of an Application. Context-Sensitive Help for Forms and Controls. Creating HTML Help.
8. Creating Data Services: Part I.
Overview of OLE DB and ADO. Programming with Automated Data-Binding Tools. Accessing Data with ADO and the ADO Data Control. Using the ADO Errors Collection.
9. Creating Data Services: Part II.
ADO Data-Access Models. Using Stored Procedures. Using Cursors. Managing Database Transactions. Writing SQL Statements. Using Locking Strategies to Ensure Data Integrity. Choosing Cursor Options.
10. Instantiating and Invoking a COM Component.
COM, Automation, and ActiveX. Creating a Visual Basic Client Application That Uses a COM Component. Handling Events from a COM Component.
11. Implementing Error-Handling Features in an Application.
Setting Error-Handling Options. Using the Err Object. Handling Errors in Code. Using the Error-Handling Hierarchy. Common Error-Handling Routines. Using the Error Function. Using the Error Statement. Inline Error Handling.
12. Creating a COM Component That Implements Business Rules or Logic.
Overview of COM Component Programming. Steps in Creating a COM Component. Implementing Business Rules with COM Components. Implementing an Object Model with a COM Component. Implementing COM Components through Class Modules. Managing Threads in a COM Component. The Instancing Property of COM Component Classes. Handling Errors in the Server and the Client. Managing Components with Visual Component Manager. Using Interfaces to Implement Polymorphism. Providing Asynchronous Callbacks. Registering and Unregistering a COM Component. Sending Messages to the User from a COM Component. Choosing the Right COM Component Type. Implementing Scalability through Instancing and Threading Models. Under-the-Hood Information about COM Components.
13. Creating ActiveX Controls.
Overview of ActiveX Control Concepts. The Lifetime of an ActiveX Control. Special Considerations for ActiveX Control Development. Steps to Creating an ActiveX Control That Expose Properties. Creating Data-Aware ActiveX Controls. Create and Enable Property Pages for ActiveX Controls. Testing and Debugging Your ActiveX Control.
14. Creating an Active Document.
Overview and Definition of Active Documents. Steps to Implementing an Active Document. Setting Up the UserDocument. Running Your Active Document in a Container Application. Managing the Events in Your Active Document's Lifetime. Managing Active Document Scrolling. Managing the Active Document's ViewPort. Defining Your Active Document's Custom Members. Data and Property Persistence in Active Documents. Asynchronous Download of Information. Defining Your Active Document's Menus. Limitations of Modeless Forms in an Active Document Project. Navigating between Documents in the Container Application. Testing Your Active Document in the VB Design Environment. Compiling and Distributing Your Active Document. Using Your Active Document on a Web Page.
15. Understanding the MTS Development Environment.
Basic MTS Concepts. Setting Up MTS. Setting Up Security on the System Package. Working with MTS Packages.
16. Developing MTS Applications.
Calling MTS Components from Visual Basic Clients. Developing MTS Components with Visual Basic. Understanding MTS Client Development. Understanding MTS Security.
17. Internet Programming with IIS/WebClass and DHTML Applications.
WebClass Applications. DHTML Applications.
18. Using VB's Debug/Watch Facilities.
Preventing Bugs. Using Watch Expressions and Contexts. Using Break Mode. Using Quick Watch. Watching on Demand. Immediate Window and the Debug Object. Using the Print Method. Using the Debug.Assert Method. Interacting with the Immediate Window. Using the Locals Window. Using the Immediate Window in Place of Breakpoints. Levels of Scope. Scope Considerations.
19. Implementing Project Groups to Support the Development and Debugging Process.
Understanding Project Groups. Using Project Groups to Debug an ActiveX DLL. Using Project Groups to Debug an ActiveX Control.
20. Compiling a VB Application.
P-Code Versus Native Code. Understanding When and How to Optimize. Understanding Conditional Compilation.
21. Using the Package and Deployment Wizard to Create a Setup Program.
Using Package and Deployment Wizard to Create a Setup Program. Standard Files Used in a Microsoft Setup. Customizing a Standard Setup. Registering a Component that Implements DCOM and Configuring DCOM. Deploying Your Application.
II. FINAL REVIEW.
Fast Facts.
Developing the Conceptual and Logical Design. Deriving the Physical Design. Establishing the Development Environment. Creating User Services. Creating and Managing COM Components. Creating Data Services. Testing the Solution. Deploying an Application. Maintaining and Supporting an Application.
Study and Exam Prep Tips.
Study Tips. Exam Prep Tips. Final Considerations.
Practice Exams.
Exam 1: Developing Distributed Applications (70-175). Exam 2: Developing Desktop Applications (70-176).
III. APPENDIXES.
Appendix A: Glossary.
Appendix B: Overview of the Certification Process.
Types of Certification. Certification Requirements.
Appendix C: What's on the CD-ROM.
Top Score. Exclusive Electronic Version of Text. Copyright Information and Disclaimer.
Appendix D: Using the Top Score Software.
Getting Started. Instructions on Using the Top Score Software. Summary.
Appendix E: Visual Basic Basics.
Programming with Variables in VB. Programming with Sub and Function Procedures. Programming with VB's Control Structures.
Appendix F: Suggested Readings and Resources.
Index.
