README.TXT for Standard Edition of VB ver 3.0 for Windows

- Standard Edition of Microsoft Visual Basic programming system for

  Windows, version 3.0

SUMMARY

The following article contains the complete contents of the README.TXT file distributed with Microsoft Standard Edition of Visual Basic version 3.0 for Windows.

MORE INFORMATION

                                 README.TXT

      Release Notes for Microsoft (R) Visual Basic (TM) Standard Edition

                                Version 3.00

                  (C) Copyright Microsoft Corporation, 1993

How to Use This Document

To view README.TXT on screen in Windows Notepad, maximize the Notepad window.

To print README.TXT, open it in Windows Write, Microsoft Word, or another word processor. Then select the entire document and format the text in 10-point Courier before printing.

     *******************************************************************
     Read Part 1 - Software Installation Information - before installing.
     *******************************************************************

Contents

Part    Description
----    -----------
 1      Software Installation Information
 2      Notes and Tips
 3      Notes for "Learning Microsoft Visual Basic" Tutorial
 4      Notes for Microsoft Visual Basic Online Help
 5      Notes for Microsoft Visual Basic "Programmer's Guide"
 6      Notes for Microsoft Visual Basic "Language Reference"

Part 1: Software Installation Information

To install Visual Basic, use the Program Manager or File Manager to start SETUP.EXE as you would any other Windows-based application. For example, if you are installing from drive A:

- From the Program Manager File menu, choose Run.

- In the Run dialog box, type A:SETUP and choose OK.

  Or

  on drive A.

File Sharing for OLE and Data Access

You will need SHARE.EXE to enforce file and byte range locking if the following programs are running simultaneously:

- Two Visual Basic applications that perform data access - Two instances of one Visual Basic application that performs data access - Microsoft Access and a Visual Basic application that performs data

  access

     SHARE /L:500 /F:5100

Please make this change as soon as possible in your system.

Note

Visual C++ and GRID.VBX

If you plan to install Microsoft Visual C++(TM) Development System for Windows on your system, you may overwrite the grid control in your Windows \SYSTEM directory. Before installing Visual C++, make a backup of GRID.VBX. If you have already installed Visual C++, you can re-install GRID.VBX by running Setup again, choosing the Custom Installation button, and then selecting the Microsoft Visual Basic option.

Part 2: Notes and Tips

Data Access Compatibility - Visual Basic 2.0 and 3.0

The new functionality of the Microsoft Access engine in Visual Basic 3.0 will affect the behavior of your VB 2.0 code. Visual Basic 3.0 will now assume that all SQL statements take the form of Access SQL (see the Access documentation). You can passthrough SQL to ODBC; as a second parameter to the CreateDynaset method, you must specify &H40 to indicate SQL passthrough. Note that if you used backend-specific SQL with CreateDynaset, you must add this parameter.

ATI Driver

If you have an ATI Wonder card, moving the data control around at design time may cause a GP fault. Contact ATI for more information.

BackColor Displayed Incorrectly with 256-Color Bitmaps

If you have a 256-color bitmap in any control (or the form) that has a BackColor property, it is possible that the background color of that object will not display correctly if no color in the bitmap's palette matches the background color.

"Communication Link Failure" Error

If you receive a "Communication Link Failure" error when executing queries against a Microsoft or Sybase SQL Server, you can retry the operation with asynchronous execution disabled. To do this, add the following entry to your VB.INI file:

     [Debug]
     RmtTrace=16

OLE Class Names

To get a reference to a currently running OLE application by using its class name, you must use:

      GetObject(, "classname")

OLE Control: In-Place Activation

The Visual Basic OLE 2.0 control supports "Inside-Out Activation," which corresponds to "activation on GetFocus." If a server designates this capability and you specify AutoActivate = GETFOCUS, then:

- The object is initially deactivated the first time the control gets the

  focus.

  Instead, the object is directed to tear down any floating user interface
  it may have, such as tool pallettes.

OLE Control: Pasting Objects from the Clipboard

Applications that provide objects behave differently when an object is deleted. When you delete an OLE object (set Action = 10), the object's application may or not close. If the application does close, any objects on the Clipboard associated with that application may also be closed. Because of this, you may not be able to cut an object (copy, then delete), since deleting the object may also cause the data on the Clipboard to be deleted.

Another instance of this behavior is when you try to copy an object, then paste the object back onto itself. This action may cause an error, because in order to paste over an existing object, the existing object is first deleted. If the application associated with the object closes, and subsequently deletes any objects it has on the Clipboard, the Clipboard no longer contains an object to paste.

OLE Control: The PasteOK Property

The following applies to objects on the Clipboard that come from an OLE object:

- When PasteOK returns True, there is no guarantee that the Paste operation

  will succeed. For example, PasteOK returns True and the Paste fails when
  there is a linked object on the Clipboard and you are pasting into an
  object whose OleTypeAllowed property is set to 1 (Embedded).

  you are pasting into an object whose OleTypeAllowed property is set to
  0 (Linked).

OLE Control: Link Target

You cannot activate a linked object as hidden (set Verb = -3). You can, however, activate an embedded object as hidden.

OLE Constants in CONSTANT.TXT

OLE has also defined two new standard verbs relating to the two states that an in-place-active object can have. The following corresponding constants have been added to CONSTANT.TXT:

Constant                  Description
--------                  -----------
VERB_INPLACEUIACTIVATE    Object fully in-place active, including floating
                          UI. Only one at a time per top-level form can be
                          in this state.

VERB_INPLACEACTIVATE      Object is semi-active; it is running and ready to
                          respond to user input like clicking within the
                          object or changing the mouse pointer as the user
                          moves the mouse over different parts of the
                          object. Any number of objects can be in this
                          state at a time.

     OLEControl.Verb = VERB_INPLACEACTIVATE
     OLEControl.Action = OLE_ACTIVATE

Windows 3.0 and the PopupMenu Method

Under Windows 3.0, pop-up menus invoked during a MouseDown event in some cases do not recognize menu selections made with the mouse. If that occurs, you can still make a selection using the arrow keys and the Enter key.

Saving ASCII Forms in Source Code Managers

When using source code managers, you need to change the read-only bit on the binary file (.FRX) as well as the form file (.FRM) to save the form.

Part 3: Notes for "Learning Microsoft Visual Basic" Tutorial

Save Project Before Run

The Save Project Before Run Environment Option (under the Options menu) should be set to "No" when running the "Learning Visual Basic" tutorial. Some of the lessons may be impaired if this option is set to "Yes." By default, this setting is "No."

Part 4: Notes for Microsoft Visual Basic Online Help

Error Message Help

Online Help is not available for dialogs or error messages that occur at design time. For ISAM errors, use the Search dialog in Help.

"Couldn't find installable ISAM"

An external file dynamic link library (DLL) file couldn't be found. This file is required for operations such as attaching or accessing external tables.

Possible causes:

1) An entry in the [Installable ISAM] section in VB.INI or <APPNAME>.INI is

   incorrect. For example, this error occurs if you're accessing a Paradox
   external table, and the Paradox entry of the .INI file points to a
   nonexistent directory. Exit Visual Basic, make necessary corrections in
   VB.INI or <APPNAME>.INI using Microsoft Windows Notepad or another text
   editor, restart Visual Basic, and try the operation again.

   a network drive, and that drive isn't connected. Check to make sure the
   network is available and the proper drive letter is established, and try
   the operation again.

Part 5: Notes for Microsoft Visual Basic "Programmer's Guide"

Page Section/Note ---- ------------ 188 The New Keyword

       In the example at the top of the page, the local form
       variable F is declared with the New keyword using the
       Dim statement. To make the form variable and the
       loaded form instance persist, use a Static or Global
       variable instead.

       You can use the If...TypeOf statement to determine the
       control type of a custom control:

          If TypeOf object Is objecttype

       The identifier you use for 'object' is the class name of
       the custom control. See the section "Specific Control
       Object Types" (p. 186) for more information.

       The constant values shown are in hexidecimal and should be
       preceded with the &H notation. For example,
       DB_SQLPASSTHROUGH = &H40, not decimal 40. See online Help
       (Options Property) or the file DATACONS.TXT for the correct
       values.

       The following text and example should be changed:

       For example, the following SQL query returns all of the columns
       in the bibliography for authors who live in New York:

       Data1.DatabaseName = "BIBLIO.MDB"
       Data1.RecordSource = "Select * from Titles where state = 'NY'"
       Data1.Refresh

       The above should read:

       For example, the following SQL query returns all of the columns
       in the bibliography for publishers based in New York:

       Data1.DatabaseName = "BIBLIO.MDB"
       Data1.RecordSource = "Select * from Publishers where state = 'NY'"
       Data1.Refresh

       In the second paragraph in this section, the last sentence
       should read, "Notice that using the buttons on the data
       control or one of the Move methods to move to another record
       will automatically save your added record."

       In the first paragraph, the second sentence should read,
       "the Icon check box," not "th eIcon check box."

       In the sample code, the following line has incorrect syntax:

       MyWord = ObjVar.SuggestWord MyWord

       The code should look like this:

       MyWord = ObjVar.SuggestWord (MyWord)

       Under the discussion "Arrays and User-Defined Types," the third
       bulleted item should read: "You cannot...Assign the return value
       of a property or method to an array variable or a variable of a
       user-defined type."

       In the paragraph after the sample code, second sentence:  It is
       not true that invoking a Close method on an object sets variables
       that refer to the object to Nothing.

       The following additional files are required for distributing
       your Visual Basic applications:

       DLL Name       Required by (Professional Edition Only)
       --------       ---------------------------------------
       PDIRJET.DLL    Crystal Reports for Visual Basic
       PDBJET.DLL     Crystal Reports for Visual Basic
       MSAJT110.DLL   Crystal Reports for Visual Basic
       MSAES110.DLL   Crystal Reports for Visual Basic
       PDSODBC.DLL    ODBC and Crystal Reports for Visual Basic

Part 6: Notes for Microsoft Visual Basic "Language Reference"

Page Section/Note ---- ------------ 21-22 Action Property (OLE)

       In the Settings table, in Setting 5, the reference to None in the
       second sentence of the third paragraph should read as follows:
       "If the Paste was not successful, the OleType property will be set
       to 3 (None)."  In Setting 12, the constant should be
       OLE_READ_FROM_FILE, not ReadFromFile. In Setting 14, the constant
       should be OLE_INSERT_OBJ_DLG.

       In the Note, replace the words "the double-click event" with
       "a DblClick event."

       The OLE control cannot have a setting of 2. Remove the setting and
       description for Setting 2 in the OLE control table.

       Add DataField and DataSource to the Properties list.

       The "Applies To" line should read "Common dialog (Color dialog)."

       Add "FilterIndex" and "MaxFileSize" to the Properties (File dialogs)
       list.

       In the Note, change "SourceTable" to "SourceTableName."

       The "Applies To" line should read "Common dialog (Print dialog)."

       In the code example, replace "False" with "DBVERSION10."  Also, in
       the table above the code example, replace "DB_COMPACT_ENCRYPT" with
       "DB_ENCRYPT."

       Add UpdateControls and UpdateRecord to the Methods list.

       In the Properties list, the QueryTimeout Property should be
       identified as being available only in the Professional Edition.

       In the code example, change the two instances of "MSDRAW" to
       "MSGRAPH."

       The "Applies To" line should read "Common dialog (File dialogs)."

       The Properties list should refer to SourceField and SourceTable, not
       SourceFieldName and SourceTableName.

       The "Applies To" line should read "Common dialog (File dialogs)."
       Add the following to the Remarks section:

       Note: If the OFN_NOVALIDATE flag is set, the FileTitle property will
       not return a value.

       At the beginning of the topic, add "Applies To...Common dialog (File
       dialogs)."  In the Remarks section, after the third paragraph, add
       this text:

       Here is an example of a Filter in which the user can choose text
       files or picture files that include bitmaps and icons:

            Text(*.txt)|*.txt|Pictures(*.bmp;*.ico)|*.bmp;*.ico

       The "Applies To" line should read "Common dialog (File dialogs)."

       Add the Name Property to the Properties list.

       The "Applies To" line should read "Common dialog (Print dialog)."

       The final Sub...End Sub block in code should read as follows:

       Sub File1_Click ()
         Const ATTR_READONLY = 1, ATTR_HIDDEN = 2   ' Declare constants.
         Const ATTR_SYSTEM = 4, ATTR_ARCHIVE = 32
         Dim Attr, FName, Msg   ' Declare variables.
         If Right(Dir1.Path, 1) = "\" Then      ' See if root file.
            FName = Dir1.Path & File1.FileName  ' Get file path.
         Else
            FName = Dir1.Path & "\" & File1.FileName    ' Get file path.
         End If
         Attr = GetAttr(FName)  ' Get attributes.
         If Attr > 7 Then Attr = Attr Xor ATTR_ARCHIVE ' Disregard Archive.
         Select Case Attr       ' Look up attributes.
            Case 0: Msg = "Normal"
            Case ATTR_READONLY: Msg = "Read-Only"
            Case ATTR_HIDDEN: Msg = "Hidden"
            Case ATTR_HIDDEN +  ATTR_READONLY: Msg = "Hidden and Read-Only"
            Case ATTR_SYSTEM: Msg = "System"
            Case ATTR_READONLY +  ATTR_SYSTEM: Msg = "Read-Only and System"
            Case ATTR_HIDDEN +  ATTR_SYSTEM: Msg = "Hidden and System"
            Case ATTR_READONLY + ATTR_HIDDEN +  ATTR_SYSTEM:
                - Msg = "Read-Only," + Msg = " Hidden, and System"
         End Select
         MsgBox UCase(FName) & " is a " & Msg & " file." ' Display message.
       End Sub

       The Usage line should read:

            {[form.] [commondialog. | picturebox.] | Printer.}hDC

       Also, the second paragraph of the Remarks should read, "With a
       common dialog control, this property returns a device context for
       the printer selected in the Print dialog box when the..." (the rest
       of the text remains the same).

       The See Also line should refer to the "Width # Statement," not the
       "Width Statement."

       Add DataField and DataSource to the Properties list.

       The "Applies To" line should read "Common dialog (File dialogs)."

       The See Also should refer to the SendKeys Statement, not the
       SendKeys Method.

       The See Also should refer to the SendKeys Statement, not the
       SendKeys Method.

       Add the DataField, DataSource, and Parent properties to the
       Properties list.

       In the second table, the fifth and sixth entries in the Field column
       should be SourceTable and SourceField, not SourceTableName and
       SourceFieldName. The code example and the headings of the table
       below it should also refer to SourceTable and SourceField.

       In Remarks, the first paragraph under the TableType field table
       should read: "When you use the ListTables method to create a
       Snapshot, you can evaluate the contents of the Attributes field in
       the Snapshot by referring to the TableDef property settings table in
       the Attributes property topic.

       At the beginning of the topic, add "Applies To...Common dialog
       (Font, Print dialogs)."

       The "Applies To" line should read "Common dialog (File dialogs)."

       The "Applies To" line should include the Database object.

       In the code in Example 3, the second five lines of code duplicate
       the first five lines and should be deleted.

       Add DataField and DataSource to the Properties list.

       In the Syntax line, there should be a comma in front of the y.

       The "Applies To" line should read "Common dialog (Print dialog)."

       All references to SourceFieldName and SourceTableName in this topic
       should refer to "SourceField" and "SourceTable" instead.

       There should be a full entry for the "SourceTableName" topic. See
       online Help for the text of this topic.

       The second piece of art is incorrect. It should show a text box
       on a form but instead shows a menu title and menu items on a form.
       Also, add DataField and DataSource to the Properties list.

       In the third paragraph following the Constants table, change "edit
       buffer" to "copy buffer."

       In Appendix B, the odd header is wrong. It should read "Trappable
       Errors," not "Trappable Error Messages."

       In Table B.6 ("Data Access Trappable Error Messages"), Error #3137
       should be deleted.