Re: RE: Why we don't use procedures more (was MOVE opcode in freeform / strange b

Rick,

This may not work for you, but I've found one good way to get reasonably
familiar with VB is through Excel macros, which are written in VB. Most
shops use Excel, and most shops have users who do at least some
repetitive, time-consuming things with it. Macros are a great way to
automate these tasks. The nice part is that Excel lets you record macros
as well as write your own, so if you want to figure out  how to do
something you can record a macro that does it and then look at the code.
Usually it has to be cleaned up a bit (remove hard references to cells,
etc.), but almost always the basics are there.

Once you get good at this, you can move on to writing VB programs that do
the same thing (i.e. manipulate Excel spreadsheets). Where I work, I've
just automated the process of producing monthly sales reports -- what used
to take a couple of days of re-keying (or copy/pasting) figures from one
master sheet to many specialized ones now takes about 3 minutes. I've
discovered that one example is worth 1,000 words -- I've been saying for
two years that we ought to automate more of these processes, with no
effect, but now that people in sales have seen it done I get about one
request a week.

Start out small, but if you just start doing it and keep at it, I think
you'll find yourself to be an "expert" before you know it!

Good luck

PS: now if I could only find a similar method for learning C. . . . :-)

rpg400-l@midrange.com writes:
>I've 'taught myself' VB 3 times now.  I've been to Domino development
>classes.  Only once did I write something in either of those languages
>that
>would actually be used by anyone on a regular basis.  I've forgotten more
>about vb and domino than many midrange P/As will ever learn.  But I've
>never had the chance to hone my skills over a reasonable period of time to
>actually feel comfortable with them.  nobody wants to pay a consultant to
>learn VB or Domino.  I'm not clever enough to design something useful out
>of thin air - I need to talk with someone with a need, determine the
>desired results and design and produce the means to achieve the results
>and
>then set a fire under my *ss to get it done in a timely manner.


Mike Naughton
Senior Programmer/Analyst
Judd Wire, Inc.
124 Turnpike Road
Turners Falls, MA  01376
413-863-4357 x444
mnaughton@juddwire.com