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VB 6

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  • B Bigdeak

    oh fat cannon! :omg: Yes, this confirms my oppinion. VB6 is the language with the most chaotic code i have ever seen. It's really a language for small short-life stuff. For those who never where in that situation: Imagine if you have a project with code like this in this language, but with 100000 source code lines...

    C Offline
    C Offline
    Chris Trelawny Ross
    wrote on last edited by
    #3

    Umm ... seems to me that the major coding horror of the OP's snippet is not that it's written in VB6, but that none of the variables are given meaningful names, there's no structure, etc. The same horror could just as easily have been written in C#, etc., and the only thing you'd see differently is {} instead of THEN ... ELSE ... ENDIF, a few () scattered around, and '||' instead of 'OR', etc. Not that I'd go out of my way to find a VB (6, .Net or other) job, of course.

    P L 2 Replies Last reply
    0
    • C Chris Trelawny Ross

      Umm ... seems to me that the major coding horror of the OP's snippet is not that it's written in VB6, but that none of the variables are given meaningful names, there's no structure, etc. The same horror could just as easily have been written in C#, etc., and the only thing you'd see differently is {} instead of THEN ... ELSE ... ENDIF, a few () scattered around, and '||' instead of 'OR', etc. Not that I'd go out of my way to find a VB (6, .Net or other) job, of course.

      P Offline
      P Offline
      PIEBALDconsult
      wrote on last edited by
      #4

      Chris Trelawny-Ross wrote:

      find a VB (6, .Net or other) job,

      Some times they find you. :sigh:

      1 Reply Last reply
      0
      • C Chris Trelawny Ross

        Umm ... seems to me that the major coding horror of the OP's snippet is not that it's written in VB6, but that none of the variables are given meaningful names, there's no structure, etc. The same horror could just as easily have been written in C#, etc., and the only thing you'd see differently is {} instead of THEN ... ELSE ... ENDIF, a few () scattered around, and '||' instead of 'OR', etc. Not that I'd go out of my way to find a VB (6, .Net or other) job, of course.

        L Offline
        L Offline
        Lutoslaw
        wrote on last edited by
        #5

        I'm sorry if I hurt you. :rolleyes:

        Greetings - Jacek

        C 1 Reply Last reply
        0
        • B Bigdeak

          oh fat cannon! :omg: Yes, this confirms my oppinion. VB6 is the language with the most chaotic code i have ever seen. It's really a language for small short-life stuff. For those who never where in that situation: Imagine if you have a project with code like this in this language, but with 100000 source code lines...

          R Offline
          R Offline
          Richard A Dalton
          wrote on last edited by
          #6

          Bigdeak wrote:

          Yes, this confirms my oppinion. VB6 is the language with the most chaotic code i have ever seen. It's really a language for small short-life stuff. For those who never where in that situation: Imagine if you have a project with code like this in this language, but with 100000 source code lines...

          VB6 isn't perfect, but it didn't come fitted with a gun that pops out of the screen that forces you to write crap code. Today, the most chaotic code I see is in VB/ASP.Net apps. And most of it knocks anything I ever saw in VB6 out of the ballpark. And yet with both VB6 and VB.Net you can write beautiful elegant code. So, why is there so much crap code out there? Well...you're right. It is VB's fault. VB made it possible for non programmers to program. Which means it made it possible for bad programmers to program. The fact is, you see so much bad code in VB and VB.Net precisely because they are both such incredibly well implemented development tools. The language isn't the problem, it's the numpty between the keyboard and the chair (no offence to the OP). You will always see the worst code in the development tools that most appeals to the masses. And the same simple fact has always been true. Good programmers write good code. Bad programmers write bad code. Suggesting that the language has anything to do with it is like advising a Spanish poet to learn English because you can write better poems in English.

          C L 2 Replies Last reply
          0
          • L Lutoslaw

            I'm sorry if I hurt you. :rolleyes:

            Greetings - Jacek

            C Offline
            C Offline
            Chris Trelawny Ross
            wrote on last edited by
            #7

            Not hurt in the slightest. No apology needed. :doh:

            1 Reply Last reply
            0
            • R Richard A Dalton

              Bigdeak wrote:

              Yes, this confirms my oppinion. VB6 is the language with the most chaotic code i have ever seen. It's really a language for small short-life stuff. For those who never where in that situation: Imagine if you have a project with code like this in this language, but with 100000 source code lines...

              VB6 isn't perfect, but it didn't come fitted with a gun that pops out of the screen that forces you to write crap code. Today, the most chaotic code I see is in VB/ASP.Net apps. And most of it knocks anything I ever saw in VB6 out of the ballpark. And yet with both VB6 and VB.Net you can write beautiful elegant code. So, why is there so much crap code out there? Well...you're right. It is VB's fault. VB made it possible for non programmers to program. Which means it made it possible for bad programmers to program. The fact is, you see so much bad code in VB and VB.Net precisely because they are both such incredibly well implemented development tools. The language isn't the problem, it's the numpty between the keyboard and the chair (no offence to the OP). You will always see the worst code in the development tools that most appeals to the masses. And the same simple fact has always been true. Good programmers write good code. Bad programmers write bad code. Suggesting that the language has anything to do with it is like advising a Spanish poet to learn English because you can write better poems in English.

              C Offline
              C Offline
              Chris Meech
              wrote on last edited by
              #8

              At least in English, the poems ryhme. :)

              Chris Meech I am Canadian. [heard in a local bar] In theory there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice there is. [Yogi Berra]

              R J 2 Replies Last reply
              0
              • R Richard A Dalton

                Bigdeak wrote:

                Yes, this confirms my oppinion. VB6 is the language with the most chaotic code i have ever seen. It's really a language for small short-life stuff. For those who never where in that situation: Imagine if you have a project with code like this in this language, but with 100000 source code lines...

                VB6 isn't perfect, but it didn't come fitted with a gun that pops out of the screen that forces you to write crap code. Today, the most chaotic code I see is in VB/ASP.Net apps. And most of it knocks anything I ever saw in VB6 out of the ballpark. And yet with both VB6 and VB.Net you can write beautiful elegant code. So, why is there so much crap code out there? Well...you're right. It is VB's fault. VB made it possible for non programmers to program. Which means it made it possible for bad programmers to program. The fact is, you see so much bad code in VB and VB.Net precisely because they are both such incredibly well implemented development tools. The language isn't the problem, it's the numpty between the keyboard and the chair (no offence to the OP). You will always see the worst code in the development tools that most appeals to the masses. And the same simple fact has always been true. Good programmers write good code. Bad programmers write bad code. Suggesting that the language has anything to do with it is like advising a Spanish poet to learn English because you can write better poems in English.

                L Offline
                L Offline
                Lutoslaw
                wrote on last edited by
                #9

                1. Option Explicit Off 2. On Error Goto Label37 3.

                With Object.Its.So.Nested

                (...)

                abc = .Some.Property // WTF?

                (...)

                End With

                4. Global myVar As String = "magic" 5. someInteger = CInt(int1/int2) (divide operator on two ints gives... a double). 6. Non-zero based arrays -- a fantastic source of confusion 7. Propagating null value in nullable boolean logic -- three-state logic? uhm? I won't be suprised if the next VB version would have a fuzzy logic implemented. Not a problem with a language? I don't think so...

                Greetings - Jacek

                R L 2 Replies Last reply
                0
                • C Chris Meech

                  At least in English, the poems ryhme. :)

                  Chris Meech I am Canadian. [heard in a local bar] In theory there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice there is. [Yogi Berra]

                  R Offline
                  R Offline
                  Rob Grainger
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #10

                  Doesn't improve spelling much though, eh?

                  1 Reply Last reply
                  0
                  • L Lutoslaw

                    1. Option Explicit Off 2. On Error Goto Label37 3.

                    With Object.Its.So.Nested

                    (...)

                    abc = .Some.Property // WTF?

                    (...)

                    End With

                    4. Global myVar As String = "magic" 5. someInteger = CInt(int1/int2) (divide operator on two ints gives... a double). 6. Non-zero based arrays -- a fantastic source of confusion 7. Propagating null value in nullable boolean logic -- three-state logic? uhm? I won't be suprised if the next VB version would have a fuzzy logic implemented. Not a problem with a language? I don't think so...

                    Greetings - Jacek

                    R Offline
                    R Offline
                    Rob Grainger
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #11

                    Jacek Gajek wrote:

                    1. Option Explicit Off

                    Yes this is horrible, almost as bad as JavaScript doing exactly the same, but with (until ECMAScript5) no equivalent of Option Explicit On.

                    Jacek Gajek wrote:

                    2. On Error Goto Label37

                    Quite horrible, but to blame VB for a fault in BASIC since the year dot is a bit unfair. 3. With/End With - OK, this is truly a mistake. 4. I don't like globals either, but most languages, particularly of that era, support them. 5. someInteger = CInt(int1/int2) (divide operator on two ints gives... a double). Actually - thats pretty correct. Last time I checked 1/2 in mathematics was 0.5, not 0 or 1. Ideally, a language can distinguish integer division and floating-point division, maybe with different operators, but this doesn't seem too horrible to me. 6. Yes, a terrible decision, and Option Base 0 just made things worse, as code in different modules can have different bases. I don't mind base 0 or 1, consistency is really important. 7. Not sure what you're referring to here, but if you mean null-propagation where nulls occur in boolean expressions (where null is an allowable result), that's the only option. Check the literature on Relational DB's (Codd et al.) for the justification. Actually, Codd proposes 4-state logic (Yes,No,Maybe and Inapplicable, Maybe and Applicable). These are not really boolean logic though, but VB, with typed variables (As Boolean) behaves correctly AFAIK. It's not a great language, but most languages have points that are plain bad (JavaScript springs to mind heavily). Programmer's should be able to avoid features that cause problems - that's what they're paid for. I've seen plenty of bad Javascript too - for basically the same reasons as VB. Maybe we should just ban high-level languages ;-)

                    S E OriginalGriffO 3 Replies Last reply
                    0
                    • L Lutoslaw

                      Just for your pleasure, I have opened a random VB 6 program from my archive to post some horror. This is from a program which purpose was to teach user doing simple math tasks, that is multipying, dividing, adding and subtracting. Well it worked, but I still don't know a multiplication table by heart. I suppose Command1 was a "Start" button. Of course, the same code was copied to a "Next task" button.

                      Private Sub Command1_Click()
                      x = InputBox("Enter a name or a nick:", "Name?!", nz)
                      If x = "" Then Exit Sub
                      nz = x
                      kon = False
                      Command3.Enabled = True
                      Command4.Enabled = True
                      dzial.Interval = Text4 * 1000 // adjustable time restrictions, cool
                      odp.Interval = Text5 * 1000
                      Label1 = ""
                      Label8 = ""
                      Label1.Visible = True
                      il = 0
                      oc = 6
                      ' Combo2.AddItem "0 - First component (denary)"
                      ' Combo2.AddItem "1 - Both components (denary)"
                      ' Combo2.AddItem "2 - First component (hundredth)"
                      ' Combo2.AddItem "3 - Both components (hundredth)" <== whatever that means... ;)
                      If Check1 = 1 Then
                      ul = Combo2.ListIndex
                      Else
                      ul = 124
                      End If
                      1:
                      Randomize
                      d1 = Int((Text2 + 1) * Rnd)
                      Randomize // randomize every time -- that time I though that it would give "more random" numbers...
                      d2 = Int((Text3 + 1) * Rnd)
                      Randomize
                      If Check2 = 1 Then
                      rd = Int((4) * Rnd + 1)
                      Else
                      rd = Int((2) * Rnd + 1)
                      End If
                      If d1 = 0 Or d2 = 0 Or rd < 1 Or d1 = d2 Or d1 = 1 Or d2 = 1 Or rd > 4 Then GoTo 1
                      Randomize
                      If ul = 0 Or ul = 1 Then
                      a = Int((9 + 1) * Rnd)
                      a = Left(a, 1)
                      c = Str(d1)
                      c = c & "." & Str(a) //Whoa...
                      d1 = CDbl(c)
                      End If
                      If ul = 1 Then
                      a = Int((9 + 1) * Rnd)
                      a = Left(a, 1)
                      c = Str(d2)
                      c = c & "." & Str(a)
                      d2 = CDbl(c)
                      End If
                      If ul = 2 Or ul = 3 Then
                      a = Int((99 + 1) * Rnd)
                      a = Left(a, 2)
                      c = Str(d1)
                      c = c & "." & Str(a)
                      d1 = CDbl(c)
                      End If
                      If ul = 3 Then
                      a = Int((99 + 1) * Rnd)
                      a = Left(a, 2)
                      c = Str(d2)
                      c = c & "." & Str(a)
                      d2 = CDbl(c)
                      End If
                      If rd = 1 Then
                      w = d1 * d2
                      Label1 = d1 & " times " & d2 & " =?"
                      ElseIf rd = 2 Then
                      w = d2
                      Label1 = d1 * d2 & " divided by " & d1 & " =?"
                      ElseIf rd = 3 Then
                      w = d1 + d2
                      Label1 = d1 & " add " & d2 & " =?"
                      ElseIf rd = 4 Then
                      w = d1 - d2
                      Label1 = d1 & " minus " & d2 & " =?"
                      End If
                      dzial.Enabled = True
                      odp.Enabled = True
                      Command4.Enabled = False
                      Frame1.Enabled = False
                      Text1.SetFocus
                      Text1.SelStart = 0
                      Text1.SelLength = Len(Text1)
                      Command2.Enabled = False
                      End Sub

                      A correct answer was stored in a global vari

                      X Offline
                      X Offline
                      xperroni
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #12

                      I worked on VB6 for some three years, and while I did see a lot of ugly code, I never found the language itself (or its IDE for that matter) to be particularly at fault. Sure it missed a decent array initialization mechanism, and its concept of "object-orientation" was laughable when compared to Java - but between a couple good practices (such as always using Option Explicit to enforce variable declaration) and a bit of boilerplate code to abstract away the worst idiosyncrasies, it wasn't bad at all to program; I for one didn't find it any more hard to program modular, loosely-coupled, highly-cohesive classes in VB than in Pascal. Perhaps VB's ugly code base was more a consequence of the target public it was aimed at? Microsoft marketed it as a tool for novice programmers to write simple applications with, so it's no wonder we find a lot of bad code written in VB.

                      1 Reply Last reply
                      0
                      • L Lutoslaw

                        Just for your pleasure, I have opened a random VB 6 program from my archive to post some horror. This is from a program which purpose was to teach user doing simple math tasks, that is multipying, dividing, adding and subtracting. Well it worked, but I still don't know a multiplication table by heart. I suppose Command1 was a "Start" button. Of course, the same code was copied to a "Next task" button.

                        Private Sub Command1_Click()
                        x = InputBox("Enter a name or a nick:", "Name?!", nz)
                        If x = "" Then Exit Sub
                        nz = x
                        kon = False
                        Command3.Enabled = True
                        Command4.Enabled = True
                        dzial.Interval = Text4 * 1000 // adjustable time restrictions, cool
                        odp.Interval = Text5 * 1000
                        Label1 = ""
                        Label8 = ""
                        Label1.Visible = True
                        il = 0
                        oc = 6
                        ' Combo2.AddItem "0 - First component (denary)"
                        ' Combo2.AddItem "1 - Both components (denary)"
                        ' Combo2.AddItem "2 - First component (hundredth)"
                        ' Combo2.AddItem "3 - Both components (hundredth)" <== whatever that means... ;)
                        If Check1 = 1 Then
                        ul = Combo2.ListIndex
                        Else
                        ul = 124
                        End If
                        1:
                        Randomize
                        d1 = Int((Text2 + 1) * Rnd)
                        Randomize // randomize every time -- that time I though that it would give "more random" numbers...
                        d2 = Int((Text3 + 1) * Rnd)
                        Randomize
                        If Check2 = 1 Then
                        rd = Int((4) * Rnd + 1)
                        Else
                        rd = Int((2) * Rnd + 1)
                        End If
                        If d1 = 0 Or d2 = 0 Or rd < 1 Or d1 = d2 Or d1 = 1 Or d2 = 1 Or rd > 4 Then GoTo 1
                        Randomize
                        If ul = 0 Or ul = 1 Then
                        a = Int((9 + 1) * Rnd)
                        a = Left(a, 1)
                        c = Str(d1)
                        c = c & "." & Str(a) //Whoa...
                        d1 = CDbl(c)
                        End If
                        If ul = 1 Then
                        a = Int((9 + 1) * Rnd)
                        a = Left(a, 1)
                        c = Str(d2)
                        c = c & "." & Str(a)
                        d2 = CDbl(c)
                        End If
                        If ul = 2 Or ul = 3 Then
                        a = Int((99 + 1) * Rnd)
                        a = Left(a, 2)
                        c = Str(d1)
                        c = c & "." & Str(a)
                        d1 = CDbl(c)
                        End If
                        If ul = 3 Then
                        a = Int((99 + 1) * Rnd)
                        a = Left(a, 2)
                        c = Str(d2)
                        c = c & "." & Str(a)
                        d2 = CDbl(c)
                        End If
                        If rd = 1 Then
                        w = d1 * d2
                        Label1 = d1 & " times " & d2 & " =?"
                        ElseIf rd = 2 Then
                        w = d2
                        Label1 = d1 * d2 & " divided by " & d1 & " =?"
                        ElseIf rd = 3 Then
                        w = d1 + d2
                        Label1 = d1 & " add " & d2 & " =?"
                        ElseIf rd = 4 Then
                        w = d1 - d2
                        Label1 = d1 & " minus " & d2 & " =?"
                        End If
                        dzial.Enabled = True
                        odp.Enabled = True
                        Command4.Enabled = False
                        Frame1.Enabled = False
                        Text1.SetFocus
                        Text1.SelStart = 0
                        Text1.SelLength = Len(Text1)
                        Command2.Enabled = False
                        End Sub

                        A correct answer was stored in a global vari

                        F Offline
                        F Offline
                        Fabio Franco
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #13

                        I remember my early days in programming. I started with VB5 at the age of 15. Oh my... The fact that I didn't need to declare a variable simply knocks me out today. I remember when I realized that this was really bad, I remembered to always use "Option Explicit". The more I got skilled in programming the farther I got away from VB. It was like a calling to code horrors. Soon enough though, I abandoned VB two to three years later in favor of C++. The fact is that VB draws many people who either are not born to code or suck at coding because they are just starting.

                        B 1 Reply Last reply
                        0
                        • L Lutoslaw

                          Just for your pleasure, I have opened a random VB 6 program from my archive to post some horror. This is from a program which purpose was to teach user doing simple math tasks, that is multipying, dividing, adding and subtracting. Well it worked, but I still don't know a multiplication table by heart. I suppose Command1 was a "Start" button. Of course, the same code was copied to a "Next task" button.

                          Private Sub Command1_Click()
                          x = InputBox("Enter a name or a nick:", "Name?!", nz)
                          If x = "" Then Exit Sub
                          nz = x
                          kon = False
                          Command3.Enabled = True
                          Command4.Enabled = True
                          dzial.Interval = Text4 * 1000 // adjustable time restrictions, cool
                          odp.Interval = Text5 * 1000
                          Label1 = ""
                          Label8 = ""
                          Label1.Visible = True
                          il = 0
                          oc = 6
                          ' Combo2.AddItem "0 - First component (denary)"
                          ' Combo2.AddItem "1 - Both components (denary)"
                          ' Combo2.AddItem "2 - First component (hundredth)"
                          ' Combo2.AddItem "3 - Both components (hundredth)" <== whatever that means... ;)
                          If Check1 = 1 Then
                          ul = Combo2.ListIndex
                          Else
                          ul = 124
                          End If
                          1:
                          Randomize
                          d1 = Int((Text2 + 1) * Rnd)
                          Randomize // randomize every time -- that time I though that it would give "more random" numbers...
                          d2 = Int((Text3 + 1) * Rnd)
                          Randomize
                          If Check2 = 1 Then
                          rd = Int((4) * Rnd + 1)
                          Else
                          rd = Int((2) * Rnd + 1)
                          End If
                          If d1 = 0 Or d2 = 0 Or rd < 1 Or d1 = d2 Or d1 = 1 Or d2 = 1 Or rd > 4 Then GoTo 1
                          Randomize
                          If ul = 0 Or ul = 1 Then
                          a = Int((9 + 1) * Rnd)
                          a = Left(a, 1)
                          c = Str(d1)
                          c = c & "." & Str(a) //Whoa...
                          d1 = CDbl(c)
                          End If
                          If ul = 1 Then
                          a = Int((9 + 1) * Rnd)
                          a = Left(a, 1)
                          c = Str(d2)
                          c = c & "." & Str(a)
                          d2 = CDbl(c)
                          End If
                          If ul = 2 Or ul = 3 Then
                          a = Int((99 + 1) * Rnd)
                          a = Left(a, 2)
                          c = Str(d1)
                          c = c & "." & Str(a)
                          d1 = CDbl(c)
                          End If
                          If ul = 3 Then
                          a = Int((99 + 1) * Rnd)
                          a = Left(a, 2)
                          c = Str(d2)
                          c = c & "." & Str(a)
                          d2 = CDbl(c)
                          End If
                          If rd = 1 Then
                          w = d1 * d2
                          Label1 = d1 & " times " & d2 & " =?"
                          ElseIf rd = 2 Then
                          w = d2
                          Label1 = d1 * d2 & " divided by " & d1 & " =?"
                          ElseIf rd = 3 Then
                          w = d1 + d2
                          Label1 = d1 & " add " & d2 & " =?"
                          ElseIf rd = 4 Then
                          w = d1 - d2
                          Label1 = d1 & " minus " & d2 & " =?"
                          End If
                          dzial.Enabled = True
                          odp.Enabled = True
                          Command4.Enabled = False
                          Frame1.Enabled = False
                          Text1.SetFocus
                          Text1.SelStart = 0
                          Text1.SelLength = Len(Text1)
                          Command2.Enabled = False
                          End Sub

                          A correct answer was stored in a global vari

                          M Offline
                          M Offline
                          M i s t e r L i s t e r
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #14

                          VB should just be put out of it's misery !

                          1 Reply Last reply
                          0
                          • R Rob Grainger

                            Jacek Gajek wrote:

                            1. Option Explicit Off

                            Yes this is horrible, almost as bad as JavaScript doing exactly the same, but with (until ECMAScript5) no equivalent of Option Explicit On.

                            Jacek Gajek wrote:

                            2. On Error Goto Label37

                            Quite horrible, but to blame VB for a fault in BASIC since the year dot is a bit unfair. 3. With/End With - OK, this is truly a mistake. 4. I don't like globals either, but most languages, particularly of that era, support them. 5. someInteger = CInt(int1/int2) (divide operator on two ints gives... a double). Actually - thats pretty correct. Last time I checked 1/2 in mathematics was 0.5, not 0 or 1. Ideally, a language can distinguish integer division and floating-point division, maybe with different operators, but this doesn't seem too horrible to me. 6. Yes, a terrible decision, and Option Base 0 just made things worse, as code in different modules can have different bases. I don't mind base 0 or 1, consistency is really important. 7. Not sure what you're referring to here, but if you mean null-propagation where nulls occur in boolean expressions (where null is an allowable result), that's the only option. Check the literature on Relational DB's (Codd et al.) for the justification. Actually, Codd proposes 4-state logic (Yes,No,Maybe and Inapplicable, Maybe and Applicable). These are not really boolean logic though, but VB, with typed variables (As Boolean) behaves correctly AFAIK. It's not a great language, but most languages have points that are plain bad (JavaScript springs to mind heavily). Programmer's should be able to avoid features that cause problems - that's what they're paid for. I've seen plenty of bad Javascript too - for basically the same reasons as VB. Maybe we should just ban high-level languages ;-)

                            S Offline
                            S Offline
                            sergiogarcianinja
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #15

                            Rob, You should consider more two VB features: 8. Automatic type conversions like:

                            Dim a As Integer = "1"

                            9. Not assigment or type checking at compile type:

                            Dim c As Object

                            Select Case c
                            Case 1
                            ' do something 1
                            Case "horror"
                            ' its really bad
                            Case Color.Green
                            ' its even worst
                            End Select

                            This code generates a warning for use of c before its assignment, a incredible error, because it will never run. And it happens in modern VB.Net versions. --- We could assume that you like VB and we could accept it. Every programmer have your "perfect" language and consider it best as no one other. I know VB since version 5.0 and even today I use this language in a lot of legacy projects, but never in a new project. I know a lot of other languages (C, C++, C#, Python, Perl, PHP, Javascript, Bash, Java, Delphi) and each time I will start a new project, I never consider VB, because its problems. Fact is Basic and VB are extremely easy to start programming but they "easiness" are really complicated for the real programmer. A real programmer should be able to run a program and it need to be deterministic. Same input, same output. Some time a go, a friend mine was asking why a simple sum operation became wrong. She was using ASP 3.0, which uses VBScript, and 1 + 1 are equal to 11. As I saw that, I told her, perfect normal, what was you expecting? I told her simple to type her variables Dim a As Integer = 1, problem solved. As me, and probably you, use VB along time both of us know that its evolution is really impressive. In version 5 and 6 its is a really poor in resource for type checking and compile time checking. Today it is more impressive, today 1 + 1 is really 2. The easiness of VB 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and we can consider version 6 to create and deploy windows applications are amazing, because your RAD and "good" (for the time) IDE. Even with creation of Delphi, VB had evangelized his people. But again, today, we can consider VB a good choice in real big and important projects. Project which requires use of good patterns, use o interfaces, a lot of modules, etc. VB can't handle this. But again, it's my opinion. I consider VB a easy language not a good one.

                            R 1 Reply Last reply
                            0
                            • R Rob Grainger

                              Jacek Gajek wrote:

                              1. Option Explicit Off

                              Yes this is horrible, almost as bad as JavaScript doing exactly the same, but with (until ECMAScript5) no equivalent of Option Explicit On.

                              Jacek Gajek wrote:

                              2. On Error Goto Label37

                              Quite horrible, but to blame VB for a fault in BASIC since the year dot is a bit unfair. 3. With/End With - OK, this is truly a mistake. 4. I don't like globals either, but most languages, particularly of that era, support them. 5. someInteger = CInt(int1/int2) (divide operator on two ints gives... a double). Actually - thats pretty correct. Last time I checked 1/2 in mathematics was 0.5, not 0 or 1. Ideally, a language can distinguish integer division and floating-point division, maybe with different operators, but this doesn't seem too horrible to me. 6. Yes, a terrible decision, and Option Base 0 just made things worse, as code in different modules can have different bases. I don't mind base 0 or 1, consistency is really important. 7. Not sure what you're referring to here, but if you mean null-propagation where nulls occur in boolean expressions (where null is an allowable result), that's the only option. Check the literature on Relational DB's (Codd et al.) for the justification. Actually, Codd proposes 4-state logic (Yes,No,Maybe and Inapplicable, Maybe and Applicable). These are not really boolean logic though, but VB, with typed variables (As Boolean) behaves correctly AFAIK. It's not a great language, but most languages have points that are plain bad (JavaScript springs to mind heavily). Programmer's should be able to avoid features that cause problems - that's what they're paid for. I've seen plenty of bad Javascript too - for basically the same reasons as VB. Maybe we should just ban high-level languages ;-)

                              E Offline
                              E Offline
                              edmurphy99
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #16

                              on error goto Shoot_Foot

                              1 Reply Last reply
                              0
                              • L Lutoslaw

                                Just for your pleasure, I have opened a random VB 6 program from my archive to post some horror. This is from a program which purpose was to teach user doing simple math tasks, that is multipying, dividing, adding and subtracting. Well it worked, but I still don't know a multiplication table by heart. I suppose Command1 was a "Start" button. Of course, the same code was copied to a "Next task" button.

                                Private Sub Command1_Click()
                                x = InputBox("Enter a name or a nick:", "Name?!", nz)
                                If x = "" Then Exit Sub
                                nz = x
                                kon = False
                                Command3.Enabled = True
                                Command4.Enabled = True
                                dzial.Interval = Text4 * 1000 // adjustable time restrictions, cool
                                odp.Interval = Text5 * 1000
                                Label1 = ""
                                Label8 = ""
                                Label1.Visible = True
                                il = 0
                                oc = 6
                                ' Combo2.AddItem "0 - First component (denary)"
                                ' Combo2.AddItem "1 - Both components (denary)"
                                ' Combo2.AddItem "2 - First component (hundredth)"
                                ' Combo2.AddItem "3 - Both components (hundredth)" <== whatever that means... ;)
                                If Check1 = 1 Then
                                ul = Combo2.ListIndex
                                Else
                                ul = 124
                                End If
                                1:
                                Randomize
                                d1 = Int((Text2 + 1) * Rnd)
                                Randomize // randomize every time -- that time I though that it would give "more random" numbers...
                                d2 = Int((Text3 + 1) * Rnd)
                                Randomize
                                If Check2 = 1 Then
                                rd = Int((4) * Rnd + 1)
                                Else
                                rd = Int((2) * Rnd + 1)
                                End If
                                If d1 = 0 Or d2 = 0 Or rd < 1 Or d1 = d2 Or d1 = 1 Or d2 = 1 Or rd > 4 Then GoTo 1
                                Randomize
                                If ul = 0 Or ul = 1 Then
                                a = Int((9 + 1) * Rnd)
                                a = Left(a, 1)
                                c = Str(d1)
                                c = c & "." & Str(a) //Whoa...
                                d1 = CDbl(c)
                                End If
                                If ul = 1 Then
                                a = Int((9 + 1) * Rnd)
                                a = Left(a, 1)
                                c = Str(d2)
                                c = c & "." & Str(a)
                                d2 = CDbl(c)
                                End If
                                If ul = 2 Or ul = 3 Then
                                a = Int((99 + 1) * Rnd)
                                a = Left(a, 2)
                                c = Str(d1)
                                c = c & "." & Str(a)
                                d1 = CDbl(c)
                                End If
                                If ul = 3 Then
                                a = Int((99 + 1) * Rnd)
                                a = Left(a, 2)
                                c = Str(d2)
                                c = c & "." & Str(a)
                                d2 = CDbl(c)
                                End If
                                If rd = 1 Then
                                w = d1 * d2
                                Label1 = d1 & " times " & d2 & " =?"
                                ElseIf rd = 2 Then
                                w = d2
                                Label1 = d1 * d2 & " divided by " & d1 & " =?"
                                ElseIf rd = 3 Then
                                w = d1 + d2
                                Label1 = d1 & " add " & d2 & " =?"
                                ElseIf rd = 4 Then
                                w = d1 - d2
                                Label1 = d1 & " minus " & d2 & " =?"
                                End If
                                dzial.Enabled = True
                                odp.Enabled = True
                                Command4.Enabled = False
                                Frame1.Enabled = False
                                Text1.SetFocus
                                Text1.SelStart = 0
                                Text1.SelLength = Len(Text1)
                                Command2.Enabled = False
                                End Sub

                                A correct answer was stored in a global vari

                                B Offline
                                B Offline
                                bwallan
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #17

                                Beautiful! Just absolutely beautiful... bwa

                                1 Reply Last reply
                                0
                                • R Rob Grainger

                                  Jacek Gajek wrote:

                                  1. Option Explicit Off

                                  Yes this is horrible, almost as bad as JavaScript doing exactly the same, but with (until ECMAScript5) no equivalent of Option Explicit On.

                                  Jacek Gajek wrote:

                                  2. On Error Goto Label37

                                  Quite horrible, but to blame VB for a fault in BASIC since the year dot is a bit unfair. 3. With/End With - OK, this is truly a mistake. 4. I don't like globals either, but most languages, particularly of that era, support them. 5. someInteger = CInt(int1/int2) (divide operator on two ints gives... a double). Actually - thats pretty correct. Last time I checked 1/2 in mathematics was 0.5, not 0 or 1. Ideally, a language can distinguish integer division and floating-point division, maybe with different operators, but this doesn't seem too horrible to me. 6. Yes, a terrible decision, and Option Base 0 just made things worse, as code in different modules can have different bases. I don't mind base 0 or 1, consistency is really important. 7. Not sure what you're referring to here, but if you mean null-propagation where nulls occur in boolean expressions (where null is an allowable result), that's the only option. Check the literature on Relational DB's (Codd et al.) for the justification. Actually, Codd proposes 4-state logic (Yes,No,Maybe and Inapplicable, Maybe and Applicable). These are not really boolean logic though, but VB, with typed variables (As Boolean) behaves correctly AFAIK. It's not a great language, but most languages have points that are plain bad (JavaScript springs to mind heavily). Programmer's should be able to avoid features that cause problems - that's what they're paid for. I've seen plenty of bad Javascript too - for basically the same reasons as VB. Maybe we should just ban high-level languages ;-)

                                  OriginalGriffO Offline
                                  OriginalGriffO Offline
                                  OriginalGriff
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #18

                                  Any language which contains code to deliberately hide errors and pretend they didn't happen should not be released into the wild. Particularly if innocent and impressionable children (read: students) can be contaminated by it. "On Error Resume Next" X|

                                  Real men don't use instructions. They are only the manufacturers opinion on how to put the thing together.

                                  "I have no idea what I did, but I'm taking full credit for it." - ThisOldTony
                                  "Common sense is so rare these days, it should be classified as a super power" - Random T-shirt

                                  T 1 Reply Last reply
                                  0
                                  • L Lutoslaw

                                    Just for your pleasure, I have opened a random VB 6 program from my archive to post some horror. This is from a program which purpose was to teach user doing simple math tasks, that is multipying, dividing, adding and subtracting. Well it worked, but I still don't know a multiplication table by heart. I suppose Command1 was a "Start" button. Of course, the same code was copied to a "Next task" button.

                                    Private Sub Command1_Click()
                                    x = InputBox("Enter a name or a nick:", "Name?!", nz)
                                    If x = "" Then Exit Sub
                                    nz = x
                                    kon = False
                                    Command3.Enabled = True
                                    Command4.Enabled = True
                                    dzial.Interval = Text4 * 1000 // adjustable time restrictions, cool
                                    odp.Interval = Text5 * 1000
                                    Label1 = ""
                                    Label8 = ""
                                    Label1.Visible = True
                                    il = 0
                                    oc = 6
                                    ' Combo2.AddItem "0 - First component (denary)"
                                    ' Combo2.AddItem "1 - Both components (denary)"
                                    ' Combo2.AddItem "2 - First component (hundredth)"
                                    ' Combo2.AddItem "3 - Both components (hundredth)" <== whatever that means... ;)
                                    If Check1 = 1 Then
                                    ul = Combo2.ListIndex
                                    Else
                                    ul = 124
                                    End If
                                    1:
                                    Randomize
                                    d1 = Int((Text2 + 1) * Rnd)
                                    Randomize // randomize every time -- that time I though that it would give "more random" numbers...
                                    d2 = Int((Text3 + 1) * Rnd)
                                    Randomize
                                    If Check2 = 1 Then
                                    rd = Int((4) * Rnd + 1)
                                    Else
                                    rd = Int((2) * Rnd + 1)
                                    End If
                                    If d1 = 0 Or d2 = 0 Or rd < 1 Or d1 = d2 Or d1 = 1 Or d2 = 1 Or rd > 4 Then GoTo 1
                                    Randomize
                                    If ul = 0 Or ul = 1 Then
                                    a = Int((9 + 1) * Rnd)
                                    a = Left(a, 1)
                                    c = Str(d1)
                                    c = c & "." & Str(a) //Whoa...
                                    d1 = CDbl(c)
                                    End If
                                    If ul = 1 Then
                                    a = Int((9 + 1) * Rnd)
                                    a = Left(a, 1)
                                    c = Str(d2)
                                    c = c & "." & Str(a)
                                    d2 = CDbl(c)
                                    End If
                                    If ul = 2 Or ul = 3 Then
                                    a = Int((99 + 1) * Rnd)
                                    a = Left(a, 2)
                                    c = Str(d1)
                                    c = c & "." & Str(a)
                                    d1 = CDbl(c)
                                    End If
                                    If ul = 3 Then
                                    a = Int((99 + 1) * Rnd)
                                    a = Left(a, 2)
                                    c = Str(d2)
                                    c = c & "." & Str(a)
                                    d2 = CDbl(c)
                                    End If
                                    If rd = 1 Then
                                    w = d1 * d2
                                    Label1 = d1 & " times " & d2 & " =?"
                                    ElseIf rd = 2 Then
                                    w = d2
                                    Label1 = d1 * d2 & " divided by " & d1 & " =?"
                                    ElseIf rd = 3 Then
                                    w = d1 + d2
                                    Label1 = d1 & " add " & d2 & " =?"
                                    ElseIf rd = 4 Then
                                    w = d1 - d2
                                    Label1 = d1 & " minus " & d2 & " =?"
                                    End If
                                    dzial.Enabled = True
                                    odp.Enabled = True
                                    Command4.Enabled = False
                                    Frame1.Enabled = False
                                    Text1.SetFocus
                                    Text1.SelStart = 0
                                    Text1.SelLength = Len(Text1)
                                    Command2.Enabled = False
                                    End Sub

                                    A correct answer was stored in a global vari

                                    J Offline
                                    J Offline
                                    JasonPSage
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #19

                                    This is a response to all the posts in this topic before mine... you might know what I'm referring to if you read this thread up until this post... I've written miles of VB5,6 code and folks can knock it all they like but I think it was one of the best products Microsoft has made alongside forcefeedback joysticks, access 2003, excel 2003 and DirectX in my opinion. It is one of first totally RAD programming languages in my opinion: True Binary, tons of widget addons, ADO, ODBC, RDO .. tons of ways to communicate with databases and whip up applications quickly with integrated set up and deployment tools - all wrapped into one seamless package if you wen corporate - not to mention it supports various client/server (two tier/three tier systems easily. On error resume next? You can test the error result after that command - SO? what's the problem? How is that different then try catch? You can do the same thing... and frankly - there is a time and place for any code construct - even GOTO. I love when folks get indignant about GOTO and other coding philosophy. I truly believe users just want software that works - less flash and more "DO" ... and * If you write beautiful code that is easy to read and performs great: AWESOME! * If you write ugly code that works.. well.. I wouldn't recommend it but before I chastise ya: How much time did you have to get it done? Boss breathing down your neck? Simply didn't care? All valid reasons to write crap and "Git-R-Dun" in my opinion... Example: Coder: I need two days to do this right! Boss: I need it NOW.. an Hour! Worker: Sure thing boss! VB6 is pretty darn sweet and I say if they had a vb7 by the same development team with better multi-tasking - I would chose it over .Net any day! --Jason

                                    Know way too many languages... master of none!

                                    L 1 Reply Last reply
                                    0
                                    • L Lutoslaw

                                      1. Option Explicit Off 2. On Error Goto Label37 3.

                                      With Object.Its.So.Nested

                                      (...)

                                      abc = .Some.Property // WTF?

                                      (...)

                                      End With

                                      4. Global myVar As String = "magic" 5. someInteger = CInt(int1/int2) (divide operator on two ints gives... a double). 6. Non-zero based arrays -- a fantastic source of confusion 7. Propagating null value in nullable boolean logic -- three-state logic? uhm? I won't be suprised if the next VB version would have a fuzzy logic implemented. Not a problem with a language? I don't think so...

                                      Greetings - Jacek

                                      L Offline
                                      L Offline
                                      leonej_dt
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #20

                                      3. VB has an integer division operator: 9 \ 4 returns 2, not 2.25. 4. Propagating the null value in expressions is correct. Technically, there is a difference between

                                      Dim a As Variant
                                      a = long_expression_possibly_returning_null
                                      If a = True Then
                                      some_code
                                      Else
                                      more_code
                                      End If

                                      and

                                      Dim a As Variant
                                      a = long_expression_possibly_returning_null
                                      If a = True Then
                                      some_code
                                      ElseIf a = False Then
                                      more_code
                                      End If

                                      And the difference consists on how the program handles the case in which a Is Null. Still, I agree that VB is a very horrible language: 1. Default ByRef parameters? What were VB designers smoking? 2. No support for object-oriented programming would have been better than the weak support VB offers. 3. Weak support for value data types, which does not include operator overloading. (Java is guilty of this as well.) 4. Fairly common data structures such as collections and dictionaries are a mess. 5. Even more common Generic data structures such as stacks, queues and trees are simply not supported. And there is no clean, efficient way to implement them. 6. The only way to take full advantage of the power of the Win32 API is use gross hacks à la Bruce McKinney's Hardcore Visual Basic, aka, C (not even C++!) programming in VB.

                                      If you can play The Dance of Eternity (Dream Theater), then we shall make a band.

                                      1 Reply Last reply
                                      0
                                      • L Lutoslaw

                                        Just for your pleasure, I have opened a random VB 6 program from my archive to post some horror. This is from a program which purpose was to teach user doing simple math tasks, that is multipying, dividing, adding and subtracting. Well it worked, but I still don't know a multiplication table by heart. I suppose Command1 was a "Start" button. Of course, the same code was copied to a "Next task" button.

                                        Private Sub Command1_Click()
                                        x = InputBox("Enter a name or a nick:", "Name?!", nz)
                                        If x = "" Then Exit Sub
                                        nz = x
                                        kon = False
                                        Command3.Enabled = True
                                        Command4.Enabled = True
                                        dzial.Interval = Text4 * 1000 // adjustable time restrictions, cool
                                        odp.Interval = Text5 * 1000
                                        Label1 = ""
                                        Label8 = ""
                                        Label1.Visible = True
                                        il = 0
                                        oc = 6
                                        ' Combo2.AddItem "0 - First component (denary)"
                                        ' Combo2.AddItem "1 - Both components (denary)"
                                        ' Combo2.AddItem "2 - First component (hundredth)"
                                        ' Combo2.AddItem "3 - Both components (hundredth)" <== whatever that means... ;)
                                        If Check1 = 1 Then
                                        ul = Combo2.ListIndex
                                        Else
                                        ul = 124
                                        End If
                                        1:
                                        Randomize
                                        d1 = Int((Text2 + 1) * Rnd)
                                        Randomize // randomize every time -- that time I though that it would give "more random" numbers...
                                        d2 = Int((Text3 + 1) * Rnd)
                                        Randomize
                                        If Check2 = 1 Then
                                        rd = Int((4) * Rnd + 1)
                                        Else
                                        rd = Int((2) * Rnd + 1)
                                        End If
                                        If d1 = 0 Or d2 = 0 Or rd < 1 Or d1 = d2 Or d1 = 1 Or d2 = 1 Or rd > 4 Then GoTo 1
                                        Randomize
                                        If ul = 0 Or ul = 1 Then
                                        a = Int((9 + 1) * Rnd)
                                        a = Left(a, 1)
                                        c = Str(d1)
                                        c = c & "." & Str(a) //Whoa...
                                        d1 = CDbl(c)
                                        End If
                                        If ul = 1 Then
                                        a = Int((9 + 1) * Rnd)
                                        a = Left(a, 1)
                                        c = Str(d2)
                                        c = c & "." & Str(a)
                                        d2 = CDbl(c)
                                        End If
                                        If ul = 2 Or ul = 3 Then
                                        a = Int((99 + 1) * Rnd)
                                        a = Left(a, 2)
                                        c = Str(d1)
                                        c = c & "." & Str(a)
                                        d1 = CDbl(c)
                                        End If
                                        If ul = 3 Then
                                        a = Int((99 + 1) * Rnd)
                                        a = Left(a, 2)
                                        c = Str(d2)
                                        c = c & "." & Str(a)
                                        d2 = CDbl(c)
                                        End If
                                        If rd = 1 Then
                                        w = d1 * d2
                                        Label1 = d1 & " times " & d2 & " =?"
                                        ElseIf rd = 2 Then
                                        w = d2
                                        Label1 = d1 * d2 & " divided by " & d1 & " =?"
                                        ElseIf rd = 3 Then
                                        w = d1 + d2
                                        Label1 = d1 & " add " & d2 & " =?"
                                        ElseIf rd = 4 Then
                                        w = d1 - d2
                                        Label1 = d1 & " minus " & d2 & " =?"
                                        End If
                                        dzial.Enabled = True
                                        odp.Enabled = True
                                        Command4.Enabled = False
                                        Frame1.Enabled = False
                                        Text1.SetFocus
                                        Text1.SelStart = 0
                                        Text1.SelLength = Len(Text1)
                                        Command2.Enabled = False
                                        End Sub

                                        A correct answer was stored in a global vari

                                        M Offline
                                        M Offline
                                        Matt McGuire
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #21

                                        true, that does hurt. but you should have seen some c code I had to take over when I first arived at the company I now work for. something along the lines--- void _add{ int a,b,c,d,e,f,g,h,i,j,k,l,m,n; int aa,bb,cc,iiii,iii,ii,i; if {z==0}n=3; /*declared in globals*/ b=1 } all of the code was like this, with vars never even refrenced in the code, except for one var that is assigned a variable, but never actually used. the names of the functions had no correlation to the body of code inside of them! yes, most of it was scrubbed, as no one could follow the majority of the logic.

                                        L 1 Reply Last reply
                                        0
                                        • C Chris Meech

                                          At least in English, the poems ryhme. :)

                                          Chris Meech I am Canadian. [heard in a local bar] In theory there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice there is. [Yogi Berra]

                                          J Offline
                                          J Offline
                                          jmoralesv
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #22

                                          As in Spanish also ;) I love my language :-D

                                          1 Reply Last reply
                                          0
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