BASIC Programming Chapter Objectives
adapted from the textbook, Using Visual Basic, written by Michael Sprague and published by South-Western Education Publishing
Chapter 1
1. Be able to identify the hardware components that make up a desktop computer..
2. Explain how the computer loads and runs programs.
3. Be able to explain the difference between high-level and low-level computer
programming languages.
4. Understand the difference between procedural and event-driven programming.
1. Recognize the components of the Visual Basic programming environment.
2. Describe the various files that make up a Visual Basic project.
3. Define and identify design time, run time, and break time.
4. Write, run, save, print, and modify a Visual Basic project.
5. Identify syntax (compile) errors, run-time errors, and logic errors.
6. Describe the process of visual program design and development.
Chapter 3 Variables, Expressions, and Statements
1. Know how to use the InterCap method to name variables with proper prefixes.
2. Use the order of operations to evaluate expressions and to write proper expressions.
3. Translate algebraic expressions to Basic.
4. Write assignment statements to evaluate expressions and assign the resulting values to variables and properties.
5. Set break points, examine values of variables and expressions in the Debug window, and single-step through programs.
6. Understand the basic data types used by Visual Basic.
7. Use Dim statements to declare variables.
8. Be able to program an application, accepting input from the user, making calculations with assignment statements, and displaying results.
9. Know how to place textboxes, label controls, and command buttons on a Visual Basic form.
10. Explain and understand the naming convention used for controls.
11. Be able to change the properties of controls.
12. Have explored how Visual Basic responds to the Click and KeyPress events.
13. Use the SetFocus method.
14. Use the Timer control to regularly change the display of the system time.
Chapter 4 Decision-Making and Looping
1. Use If-Then to ensure that a sequence of statements will be executed only when a given condition applies.
2. Use If-Then-Else to select which of two sequences of statements will be executed, depending on whether a given condition is true or false.
3. Write Basic expressions to form Boolean conditions (expressions whose possible values are the constants True and False.)
4. Use each of the three forms of If-Then appropriately.
5. Explain events, parameters, and properties in detail.
6. Use compound Boolean expressions, with And and Or.
7. Use the Mod operator to test divisibility.
8. Keep running totals with accumulators.
9. Apply the concept of running totals to join strings together (concatenation.)
10. Build strings for display in multiline textboxes.
1. Manipulate strings.
2. Use the string comparison operators (+, <, and >) and the StrComp(str1, str2, n) function.
3. Use the Ucase, Lcase, and Trim$ functions appropriately.
4. Use For-Next statements appropriately.
5. Use the Format$ function to format display strings.
6. Use nested For-Next loops.
7. Use scrollbars as a way to enter values into a procedure.
8. Use listboxes.
9. Use file commands to save and retrieve information from data files.
Chapter 6 Formatting and Arrays
1. Use the Format$ string function to format numerical values, dates, and times.
2. Understand the concept of reusability.
3. Understand and use the concept of scope of variables. Explain the visibility and the lifetime of variables within a program.
4. Use a scrollbar as input to a program. Use the value of the scrollbar to provide a subscript for an array.
5. Use an array to store information.
6. Use the Do-While loop construct.
7. Use two drawing methods: Circle and Line.
8. Use three mouse events: MouseDown, MouseUp, and MouseMove.
1. Understand and use the typesetting and computer display concepts associated with monitor and hardcopy displays.
2. Describe and use the various built-in coordinate systems provided in the ScaleMode property of the picture box and the form object.
3. Initialize and use user-defined coordinate systems appropriate to application programs.
4. Use the PSet method to draw points whose coordinates are stored in an array.
5. Use the Line method to draw lines.
6. Use the Circle method to draw circles and ellipses of various size at various positions.
7. Use the color functions of Visual Basic.
1. Use the Checked and Enabled properties in menu designs.
2. Use menu control arrays.
3. Use the Select Case statement in programs.
4. Program with arrays.
1. Understand and use the concepts associated with computer databases.
2. Manipulate random access files.
3. Program a simple database.
4. Integrate error-handling routines with programs.
Chapter 10 Fundamental Algorithms
1. Understand and use the simple exchange sort.
2. Understand and use the bubble sort.
3. Understand and use the comb sort.
4. Write procedures using Variants that can be called from many programs.
5. Understand and use the linear search algorithm.
6. Understand and use the binary search algorithm.
7. Open and use random access data files.
8. Use various Visual Basic string functions.
1. Implement and use a stack data structure.
2. Understand, use, and evaluate expressions in infix and postfix notations.
1. Design and implement a plan for a data structure to represent fractions.
2. Encode those algorithms in procedures suitable for inclusion in a code module.
3. Plan and execute a program that will allow the user to interact with information stored in a file.
4. Implement code for maintaining arrays when information is added, deleted, and modified in the array.
5. Work with complex user-defined types.
6. Integrate the drive, directory, and file boxes into programs that use files.
Chapter 13 Multiple Document Interface and Advanced Graphics
1. Use option buttons and check boxes in programs.
2. Implement the Multiple Document Interface in programs that call for such an approach.
3. Program graphing algorithms for various functions.
4. Use the MouseDown, MouseUp, and MouseMove events.
5. Use the PSet, Line, and Circle methods to draw various shapes and figures.
6. Use static and global variables as flags and indicators.
Chapter 14 OLE and the Data Control
1. Use Visual Basic to create containers for objects created in other applications.
2. Understand the differences and similarities between linked and embedded objects.
3. Use the Data Manager program, supplied with Visual Basic, to create databases compatible with Microsoft Access.
4. Use Visual Basic applications to display and manipulate database information.
5. Use the Structured Query Language with Visual Basic.
Chapter 15 Programming in Word and Excel
1. Recognize some of the differences between WordBasic and Visual Basic.
2. Record macros in WordBasic and add programming statements to turn them into applications.
3. Record macros in Excel and add Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) procedures to build a worksheet application.