VB Knowledge Base Article Categories

• VB Programming Using Standard Controls
• VB Programming Using Custom & Third Party Controls
• Optimization, Memory Management, & General VB Programming
• Advanced VB Programming - Networks, APIs, DLLs, Graphics
• Data Access & VB Database Programming
• VB Design Environment
• Running VB Applications
• General VB References & Documentation Corrections
• VB Setup, Installation, CDK, Help Compiler, DDE, & OLE
• Unfixed Bugs
• Fixed Bugs
• Updates Available

VB Programming Using Standard Controls

• VB 3: How to Create Scrollable Viewports in Visual Basic =Q71068
• How to Create Rubber-Band Lines/Boxes in Visual Basic =Q71488
• How to Scroll VB Text Box Programmatically and Specify Lines =Q73371
• VB 3: Program Example for COM Port Support in Visual Basic =Q75856
• VB 3: How to Disable the ENTER Key BEEP in a VB Text Box =Q78305
• VB 3: How to Make a Push Button with a Bitmap in Visual Basic =Q78478
• How to Place Animated Graphics on a Minimized Form in VB =Q79601
• How to Rotate a Bitmap in VB for Windows =Q80406
• How to Make ENTER Key Move Focus Like TAB Key for VB Controls =Q85562
• Example to Evaluate Basic Numeric Expressions =Q86688
• How to Right Justify Top-Level Menus in Visual Basic =Q86772
• How to Determine Which Option Button is Selected in VB =Q88910
• Making Enter Key in Directory List Box Act Like Double-Click =Q93215
• How to Trap Keystrokes in the Form Instead of Form's Controls =Q99688
• Using UP ARROW and DOWN ARROW Keys to Move the Focus =Q100413
• How to Prevent Multiple Instances of a VB Application =Q102480
• How to Distinguish a DblClick from a Click Event =Q109865
• How to Automatically Select or Highlight Text Box Upon Focus =Q110394
• VB 3: Start a Visual Basic Screen Saver Using SendMessage API =Q110589
• How to Create a Floating Toolbar in Visual Basic 3.0 =Q114594
• How to Create Scrollable Viewports in Visual Basic =Q140878
• Program Example for COM Port Support in Visual Basic =Q140880
• How to Disable the ENTER Key BEEP in a VB Text Box =Q140882
• How to Make a Push Button with a Bitmap in Visual Basic =Q140884

VB Programming Using Custom & Third-Party Controls

• How to Read Flag Property of VB Common Dialog Custom Controls =Q84068
• How to Fill (Populate) a Grid with Database Data -- 4 Methods =Q103437
• How to Add Highlight Ability to Visual Basic's Outline Control =Q118939
• How to Display Text on a Playing .AVI File =Q131819

Optimization, Memory Management, & General VB Programming

• How to Optimize Size and Speed of Visual Basic Applications =Q73798
• Differences Between QuickBasic and Visual Basic Statements =Q87004
• Diagnosing General Protection Fault or UAE in VB for Windows =Q90871
• Visual Basic 3.0 Common Questions & Answers =Q92545
• How to Retrieve Hidden/System Files Using Dir[$]() Function =Q104685
• How to Convert a Decimal Number to a Binary Number in a String =Q109260
• How to Use TABs in a VB Text Box Without Changing the Focus =Q109261
• How to Scroll a Form When VB Forms Are Limited to Screen Size =Q109741
• How to Remove Menu Items from a Form's Control-Menu Box =Q110393
• How to Mimic HIWORD, LOWORD, HIBYTE, LOBYTE C Macros in VB =Q112651
• How to Determine If a File Exists by Using DIR$ =Q112674
• How to Optimize Memory Management in VB 3.0 for Windows =Q112860
• How to Perform Bit Manipulation In Visual Basic =Q113476
• How to Parse a Fully Qualified Path into Component Parts =Q113897
• How to Quickly List the Contents of a Directory =Q119396
• How to Parse a Delimited String Using InStr and Mid =Q126939
• How to Optimize SQL Queries in Visual Basic 3.0 and 4.0 =Q129882
• Using For Each to Loop Through Arrays Is Not Recommended =Q129931

Advanced VB Programming -- Networks, APIs, DLLs, Graphics

• VB 3: Emulating QuickBasic's SOUND Statement in Visual Basic =Q71102
• How to Use Windows BitBlt Function in Visual Basic Application =Q71104
• How to Create a Flashing Title Bar on a Visual Basic Form =Q71280
• How to Implement a Bitmap Within a Visual Basic Menu =Q71281
• How to Create Rubber-Band Lines/Boxes in Visual Basic =Q71488
• How to Create Flashing/Rotating Rubber-Band Box in VB =Q71489
• How to Create a System-Modal Program/Window in Visual Basic =Q72674
• How VB Can Determine if a Specific Windows Program Is Running =Q72918
• How to Scroll VB Text Box Programmatically and Specify Lines =Q73371
• Accessing Windows Initialization Files from Visual Basic =Q75639
• How to Create and Use a Custom Cursor in Visual Basic =Q76666
• How to Terminate Windows from a Visual Basic Application =Q76981
• How to Print a VB Picture Control Using Windows API Functions =Q77060
• How to Invoke GetSystemMetrics Windows API Function from VB =Q77061
• Example of How to Read and Write Visual Basic Arrays to Disk =Q77317
• How to Get Windows Master List (Task List) Using Visual Basic =Q78001
• VB 3: How to Set Landscape or Portrait for Printer from VB App =Q80185
• How to Kill an Application with System Menu Using Visual Basic =Q80186
• How to Get Program Manager Group Names into Combo Box in VB =Q80410
• VB 3: Copying Entire Screen into a Picture Box in Visual Basic =Q80670
• How to Set Windows System Colors Using API and Visual Basic =Q82158
• How to Disable Close Command in VB Control Menu (System Menu) =Q82876
• How to Create a Form with no Title Bar in VB for Windows =Q83349
• How to Print Entire VB Form and Control the Printed Size =Q84066
• How to Create a Topmost or Floating Window in Visual Basic =Q84251
• How VB Can Get Windows Status Information via API Calls =Q84556
• How to Play a Waveform (.WAV) Sound File in Visual Basic =Q86281
• How to Invoke Search in Windows Help from Visual Basic Program =Q86771
• How to Compare User-Defined Type Variables in Visual Basic =Q88551
• How to Extract a Windows Program Icon -- Running or Not =Q88944
• VB 3: Converting an Icon (.ICO) to Bitmap (.BMP) Format =Q90872
• How to Create a Transparent Bitmap Using Visual Basic =Q94961
• How to Use Windows 3.1 APIs to Play Videos in Visual Basic =Q96090
• Using PASSTHROUGH Escape to Send Data Directly to Printer =Q96795
• How to Determine When a Shelled Process Has Terminated =Q96844
• How to Print Text Sideways in Picture Control with Windows API =Q99874
• VB 3: Adjust Form Size for Different Video Screen Resolutions =Q103646
• How to Play an .AVI Video File in Full Screen in Visual Basic =Q104123
• How to Create a Screen Saver in Visual Basic =Q106239
• How to Write C DLLs and Call Them from Visual Basic =Q106553
• Popular Windows API Functions Used from Visual Basic 3.0 =Q109290
• How to Invoke MessageBeep API to Play System Alert .WAV Sounds =Q110103
• Using MSGBLAST.VBX Control to Process Windows Messages from VB =Q110104
• LONG: How to Call Windows API from VB 3.0--General Guidelines =Q110219
• How to Add Items into Control Menu Box of Visual Basic Form =Q110498
• How to Implement ToolTips Help in Visual Basic Applications =Q111495
• How to Get a Window's Class Name and Other Window Attributes =Q112649
• How to Use Functions in VER.DLL -- a 16-bit Sample Application =Q112731
• How to Add Print Preview to Visual Basic Applications =Q113236
• How to Get a Window Handle Without Specifying an Exact Title =Q113475
• LONG: How to Print a Metafile and Text to Form or Printer =Q113682
• How to Control the Placement of Desktop Windows =Q113702
• How to Use CTL3D.DLL in Your Visual Basic Program =Q113898
• How to Read Windows Registered User & Organization =Q113945
• How to Hide a VB App from the Task List and ALT+TAB Order =Q114776
• How to Decipher the VB.INI Initialization file =Q115832
• How to Control the Volume of Sound Files from Visual Basic =Q118377
• How to Print with Rotated Text =Q119673
• How to Detect If Your Computer Has a Sound Card =Q123974
• How to Exit Windows from a Visual Basic 4.0 Application =Q129637
• How to Determine When a Shelled 32-bit Process Has Terminated =Q129796
• How to Launch a Win32 Application from Visual Basic =Q129797
• OLE Controls Must Be Registered =Q129943
• How to Adjust Form Size for Different Video Screen Resolutions =Q138799
• How to Use Functions in VERSION.DLL -- A 32-bit Sample App =Q139491
• How to Emulate QuickBasic's SOUND Statement in Visual Basic =Q140879
• How to Copy Entire Screen into a Picture Box in Visual Basic =Q140885
• Converting an Icon (.ICO) to Bitmap (.BMP) Format =Q140890
• Using Windows API Functions to Better Manipulate Text Boxes =Q141073

Data Access & VB Database Programming

• How to Keep the Current Record the Same After Using Refresh =Q97181
• How to Copy Current Database Record into a Record Variable =Q97413
• How to Use Data Control to Scroll Up and Down in a Recordset =Q97414
• How to Convert a Text File into a New Access Database =Q103807
• How to Use VB Control Property or Variable in SQL Statement =Q105539
• How to Call SQL Stored Procedures from Visual Basic =Q106492
• LONG: PERFORM.TXT - Performance Tuning Tips for VB and Access =Q107751
• VISDATA Example of Every Data Access Function in VB Prof 3.0 =Q108145
• How to Create a Microsoft Access Database using VB Prof 3.0 =Q108146
• LONG: Overview of Data Access in Visual Basic Version 3.0 =Q108379
• How to List the Fields in a Table & the Tables in a Database =Q109219
• Documentation and Features for Visual Basic's 3.0 Data Manager =Q110723
• Create Database with Data Manager & View w/ Text/Data Control =Q110753
• How to Delete a Table from a Database Using Visual Basic =Q110959
• How to Delete All Records from MDB Database Table In VB 3.0 =Q113390
• VB 3: How to Fill a List Box from a Snapshot Generically =Q115712
• How to Avoid Common Database Programming Mistakes in VB =Q115986
• VB 3: How to Quickly Search a List Box =Q119738
• Summary of Tips to Improve Data Access Speed in VB version 3.0 =Q120172
• How to Optimize SQL Queries in Visual Basic 3.0 and 4.0 =Q129882
• FAQ: Most Frequently Asked Questions About VB 3.0 SQL Queries =Q137025
• LONG - How to Use DBGRID in an Unbound Mode =Q140021

VB Design Environment

• PAGE UP, PAGE DOWN, & Other Shortcut Keys in VB Environment =Q76559

Running VB Applications

• How to Send Keystrokes from VB App to MS-DOS App =Q77394
• VB CURDIR$ Function Not Reliable to Determine Program Location =Q80611
• How to Right Justify Numbers Using Format$ =Q95945
• VB 3: PRB: Making .EXE Error: Wrong Version of Runtime DLL =Q112770
• PRB: Windows 95 Ignores ALT+TAB from SendKeys in Visual Basic =Q129839

General VB References & Documentation Corrections

• Data Manager Source Code Available on CompuServe for VB 3.0 =Q99643
• LONG: Corrections for Errors in VB Version 3.0 Manuals =Q100369
• LONG: VB Pro 3.0 SAMPLES.TXT: Descriptions of Sample Programs =Q107990
• LONG: List of Trappable Errors for Visual Basic 3.0 =Q108340
• LONG: Microsoft Consulting Services Naming Conventions for VB =Q110264
• Intro to Microsoft OLE Custom Control Architecture & Tools =Q113895
• LONG: List of Trappable Errors for Visual Basic 4.0 =Q136250

VB Setup, Installation, CDK, Help Compiler, DDE, & OLE

• VB 3: How to Subclass a VB Form Using VB CDK Custom Control =Q78398
• Diagnosing General Protection Fault or UAE in VB for Windows =Q90871
• How to Determine When a Shelled Process Has Terminated =Q96844
• UPD: New Setup Toolkit & Setup Wizard Available for VB ver 3.0 =Q100003
• VB 3: How to Change the Setup Application Name in SETUP1.EXE =Q101743
• How to Prevent Multiple Instances of a VB Application =Q102480
• VB 3.0 Additions: 'Determining the Files You Need to Distribute' =Q103439
• How to Run a WinHelp Macro from a Help File =Q104165
• Retrieving Groups & Items from Program Manager Using DDE in VB =Q112384
• How to Get a Window's Class Name and Other Window Attributes =Q112649
• Intro to Microsoft OLE Custom Control Architecture & Tools =Q113895
• How to Use the Word 6.0 SpellChecker Via OLE Automation in VB =Q114020
• SAMPLE: REGMAN.EXE, OLE Registration Management Utility =Q120072
• PRB: Loading and Unloading DLLs in the Design Environment =Q129514
• How to Exit Windows from a Visual Basic 4.0 Application =Q129637
• How to Determine When a Shelled 32-bit Process Has Terminated =Q129796
• How to Launch a Win32 Application from Visual Basic =Q129797
• How to Create and Use a Minimal OLE Automation Server =Q129801
• PRB: Windows 95 Ignores ALT+TAB from SendKeys in Visual Basic =Q129839
• How to Optimize SQL Queries in Visual Basic 3.0 and 4.0 =Q129882
• How to Customize the Setup Wizard in Visual Basic Version 4.0 =Q129888
• Using For Each to Loop Through Arrays Is Not Recommended =Q129931
• OLE Controls Must Be Registered =Q129943
• How to Display Text on a Playing .AVI File =Q131819
• LONG: List of Trappable Errors for Visual Basic 4.0 =Q136250
• FAQ: Most Frequently Asked Questions About VB 3.0 SQL Queries =Q137025
• Techniques for Diagnosing & Resolving OLE Automation Errors =Q137029
• How to Add Menu Controls to a Form from an Add-In =Q137038
• New Features in Microsoft Jet Version 3.0 =Q137039
• How to Get a Control Reference from the Control's hWnd =Q137093
• Effect of DoEvents in Visual Basic OLE Server DLLs =Q138063
• Tips to Improve Performance While Using OLE Servers =Q138072
• PRB: Arrow Keys Do Not Always Produce a KeyDown Event =Q138530
• How to Port VB 3.0 projects w/ .Vbx to VB 4.0 16-bit & 32-bit =Q138531
• LONG - How to Use DBGRID in an Unbound Mode =Q140021
• How to Subclass a VB Form Using VB CDK Custom Control =Q140883

Unfixed Bugs

• BUG: [ Character May Sort Incorrectly in List or Combo Box =Q74132
• BUG: Incorrect Popup Menu Events Fired with Invisible Menus =Q116058
• BUG: VB 4.0 32-bit Quits When Deleting a Menu at Design Time =Q138818

Fixed Bugs

• FIX: Can't Have Menu with No Caption Bar/Buttons/Control Box =Q76553

Updates Available

• UPD: GENERIC Sample Not Provided with Visual Basic 3.0 =Q99888
• UPD: New Setup Toolkit & Setup Wizard Available for VB ver 3.0 =Q100003
• UPD: New MSCOMM Control Available =Q101944
• UPD: New Access Engine MSAJT110.DLL Available for VB 3.0 =Q102481
• UPD: List of Updated Files for Visual Basic 3.0 =Q104863