Visual Basic 6 Very important tips

[Esmeyana]

Hello people,

First of all merry christmas and happy new year.

I think this would be helpful for the users of Visual Basic 6.0.
I made this because I want to give some experience I have got from VB6 to you.
Well a lot of you is already in knowledge about this, but anyway…
And there are some tips people posted on this topic.
The tips with a "*****" are recommended.
Of course all tips are recommended, but some are just more recommended.

@Tips:

> Tip 1: **Backup before you die.** *****
> Always backup your project, it's awesome, try before you die.
>
> Tip 2: **Adopt a format that suits you.**
> Make sure that when you code, you stay consistent. You should be able to recognize code that is your own just by glancing at the format of it. Clean and organized formatted code will not only make you feel better about what you've made, but also the way you have made it.
> Pick-up different formatting techniques from other VB6 veterans to obtain a style that both appeals to you and is easy to read. Make sure it also looks good! ;)
>
> Tip 3: **Use comments a lot.**
> If you are working on anything in VB6, especially on the Eclipse engine, comment every
> important line for the system you are working on.. like 'Crafting System
> This will help to replace the system easly to an another project.
>
> Tip 4: **Start with small coding problems and work your way up from there.**
> Just start coding something, make small problems and slove them, this will help a lot.
> Or, start sloving the small problems, and work your way up from there.
>
> Tip 5: **Do not use the portable version of VB6.**
> I think it sucks, but some people may like it and think it's helpful. Depends on how
> you feel comfortable while programming.
>
> Tip 6: **[CodeSMART](http://www.axtools.com/products-codesmart-vb6.php).*******
> CodeSMART is a tool for vb6, wich is really helpful.
> I use it, in the beginning you have to get used to it because it does a lot automatically.
> There are also very helpful tools in it, just try it.
>
> Tip 7: **Saving the project using "Save project as…" does not save the forms!**
> So if you think you will save the project somewhere else and then suck it up, well
> I wouldn't do that if I were you because the project is just like a shortcut to a box with forms
> and modules, so you are actually making another shortcut to the same box.

@Links:

> Also, use these sites. They will help you tremendously.
>
> Link 1: **[VbTutor.](http://www.vbtutor.net/vb6/vbtutor.html)**
> This website is very good for beginners in programming, even porgrammers
> who already  know the basics of VB6 can learn from this.
> This is the best tutorials website for VB6 I could find using Google.
> Also there are a lot of tutorials on this forum, I think they are even better then the ones of VbTutor.
>
> Links 2: **[Simple tricks for VB optimization](http://www.shamrock-software.eu/vb.htm), [How not to optimize in Visual Basic.](http://www.aivosto.com/vbtips/not-optimize.html)**
> These articles will show you how not to program in Visual Basic 6, pretty funny, but the fails are quite common.
>
> Link 3: **[Justn's Source tutorials index.](http://www.touchofdeathforums.com/smf/index.php/topic,75901.0.html)**
> Are you new on this forum? This link is recommended by all advanced members on this forum.
> It's a source tutorials index wich took a lot of work and time by our friend Justn, it's also every day updated. It will not only help you to make the perfect game, but also it will increase your skills in prgraming.

Anyway, merry christmas once again and happy new year :D

EDIT: Does anyone have good tips aswell? So I can learn from you.

[mrmiguu]

ProTip: **Adopt a format that suits you.**

Make sure that when you code, you stay consistent. You should be able to recognize code that is your own just by glancing at the format of it. Clean and organized formatted code will not only make you feel better about what you've made, but also the way you have made it.

Pick-up different formatting techniques from other VB6 veterans to obtain a style that both appeals to you and is easy to read. Make sure it also looks good! ;)

[guzmanm]

Another Tip: **Dim. Dim everywhere.**

>! 

Dim-ing is the best thing you can do. Instead of giving plain values to every goddamn thing in your engine, dim it. Make a module just for dim-ing Values which you are going to use for your engine. So, if you ever need to change it later, it'll be easy as hell, instead of searching endlessly through your code, because you forgot how you named the value that determined how much weapons the character can wield at a time.

[Scott]

Got CodeSMART as soon as I read tabbed files.

[Robin]

@NamelessSoul:

> Dim-ing is the best thing you can do. Instead of giving plain values to every goddamn thing in your engine, dim it. Make a module just for dim-ing Values which you are going to use for your engine. So, if you ever need to change it later, it'll be easy as hell, instead of searching endlessly through your code, because you forgot how you named the value that determined how much weapons the character can wield at a time.

"Dim-ing."

-_-

[blkcrow]

> Tip 4: Dim. Dim everywhere.
> Dim-ing is the best thing you can do. Instead of giving plain values to every ***damn thing in your engine, dim it. Make a module just for dim-ing Values which you are going to use for your engine. So, if you ever need to change it later, it'll be easy as hell, instead of searching endlessly through your code, because you forgot how you named the value that determined how much weapons the character can wield at a time.

0.o
what the hell do you mean with that?

[Robin]

He means you should use constants for calculations. He just doesn't know what the fuck he's talking about.

[evilbunnie]

@NamelessSoul:

> Another Tip: **Dim. Dim everywhere.**
>
>
> >! 
>
> Dim-ing is the best thing you can do. Instead of giving plain values to every goddamn thing in your engine, dim it. Make a module just for dim-ing Values which you are going to use for your engine. So, if you ever need to change it later, it'll be easy as hell, instead of searching endlessly through your code, because you forgot how you named the value that determined how much weapons the character can wield at a time.

Wat. Take this out, now.

[erkro1]

@Robin:

> **she** means you should use constants for calculations. He just doesn't know what the fuck he's talking about.

[Esmeyana]

@Erwin:

> **she** means you should use constants for calculations. He just doesn't know what the fuck he's talking about.

I think NamelessSoul is a male.

[guzmanm]

I hate you guys.

@Robin:

> He means you should use constants for calculations. He just doesn't know what the fuck he's talking about.

Anyone who has used Dim x As y or Public x As y, would know what the fuck I'm talking about.

@Esmeyana:

> I think NamelessSoul is a male.

Yes. You're right.

@blkcrow:

> 0.o
> what the hell do you mean with that?

>! Just an example I took from EO

Not actually close to what I said, but it'll be enough for you to understand.

[blkcrow]

-_- i am not an idiot (at least not a big one) just saying constants is enough.

[Robin]

@NamelessSoul:

> Anyone who has used Dim x As y or Public x As y, would know what the fuck I'm talking about.

Kid, calm the fuck down. It's called a constant. Not a 'dim'. What you posted was pure bullshit.

[erkro1]

@Esmeyana:

> I think NamelessSoul is a male.

Lol, I thought it was refering to you :P

[Murdoc]

@Robin:

> Kid, calm the fuck down. It's called a constant. Not a 'dim'. What you posted was pure bullshit.

I spit out my tea

[mrmiguu]

Also, use these sites. They will help you tremendously like they did me:

[http://www.shamrock-software.eu/vb.htm](http://www.shamrock-software.eu/vb.htm)
[http://www.aivosto.com/vbtips/not-optimize.html](http://www.aivosto.com/vbtips/not-optimize.html)

[evilbunnie]

Please OP, just take down the "Dim, Dim everywhere" tip as it's not a tip, constants are not necessary for many things. Infact it /wastes/ memory if you use it for places not needed.

[guzmanm]

@Robin:

> Kid, calm the fuck down. It's called a constant. Not a 'dim'. What you posted was pure bullshit.

Wut? I aint even mad.
And, you get the point.

[evilbunnie]

@NamelessSoul:

> Wut? I aint even mad.
> And, you get the point.

Do you even know what a Dim is? Dim is the **complete** opposite to constant.
This is a help thread for **beginners**, assuming they know the difference is stupid and should be taken down.

[mrmiguu]

**protip:** Only add to the discussion on VB6 tips if you know what you're talking about.

[evilbunnie]

@MrMiguu:

> **protip:** Only add to the discussion on VB6 tips if you know what you're talking about.

Wise words, sir.

[Robin]

@NamelessSoul:

> Wut? I aint even mad.
> And, you get the point.

The more you try and argue with me the more wrong you are.

[RyokuHasu]

Tip: Start with small coding problems and work your way up from there.

[Esmeyana]

Deleting Tip4 was not nice, btw.. thnx for the tips all :)
I think this didn't only help me, but also other people…