LINKAGE TO THE FUTURE

What is Microsoft Access?

MS Access is a Database Management System. It handles data management tasks the same way as MS Word handles document management and MS Excel handles statistics ...
A database is a collection of objects that allow you to store data, organize it and retrieve it in any way you want.

What this means is that, with Microsoft Access you create structures called tables that allow you to organize the data so that it's easy to find later, you create forms that let you input the data into the tables and then you create reports that print selected information from the tables.

For example, if you run a store, you would create a Customers table, a Products table and an Invoices table. Then, when you open an account for a new customer you would have a Customer form to input a customer's data into the Customers table and an Order form to input the purchase information. Later, you could print any number of Sales reports, grouping and arranging the information from the Invoices, Customers and Products tables to analyze daily or weekly or monthly sales in all kinds of combinations.

To help you along, Access contains a whole series of Wizards to guide you through the process.
Course description

This Microsoft Access course follows a step-by-step approach to the creation and development of a commercial database application.

We'll start with database modeling. That means that you have to design the database before you actually start to write it. There are several basic techniques that must be learned to ensure that the database structure will be solid. Design is an absolutely essential part of creating a database.

If you're already past the rookie stage and you want to delve deeper into the database modeling aspect, even before you start with Access, you might want to take a look at our Database design and SQL language tutorial. In a normal sequence of courses, SQL would be the next database subject you would learn after Access. Whereas Access is meant for the smaller user, SQL lets you into the domain of the power-user.

Once we're done with the design we'll develop the objects one by one and learn how to use them.

As we go along we'll use a simple application to illustrate the power of Microsoft Access in business. The application is a Video Rental Store and it's well suited to showing how a small businees could put into practice all these notions of management with databases.


After this Microsoft Access tutorial, you may want to go on to bigger and better databases such as Oracle, SQL Server or MySQL. The training you get from this tutorial will qualify you for the more advanced stuff.

You may also want to look at connecting your Microsoft Access database to a Visual Basic application.

By the end of this Microsoft Access database course, you will have made a good start towards becoming a full-fledged business applications programmer.

This course is on Application Development with Microsoft Access. It's not just about writing code. It's about finding the best solutions for data storage and retrieval requirements in organizations.
Basic concepts

Let's define what we will be doing:
• Application: a series of programs or computer codes that execute tasks that a user wants done.

Maintaining a list of your friends' addresses and phone numbers is a personal application.

Producing the weekly payroll for 100 employees of a business is a commercial application.

Running a computer model to forecast tomorrow's weather is a scientific application.

We will look at commercial applications only. We'll leave the scientific stuff to the people at M.I.T.



• Development: design, create, make, build all the parts of the application.

Analyze: talk to the client (the user) to find-out what he wants. If you don't have a user handy, use your imagination and prior knowledge to guess what a user would want.

Design: create a model of the system. A model is like a blueprint to a builder. It is a drawing or a description of some kind of what the system will look like when finished. When you determine how things will work and how problems will be solved. You do that before you start to write computer code.

Create: write the application using the software - Access, in this case. And while you're creating you're also testing and debugging to make sure that what you create works the way it's supposed to work.
• Microsoft Access: Access is part of Microsoft Office. However, it is not included in the basic suite with Word and Excel. You need to get Microsoft Office Professional Edition to have Access.

Obviously, if you intend to do this tutorial we have to assume that you have access to Access. It really is impossible to do otherwise.

We are using Access 2000. You could do just as well with Access 97. Any application created in Access 2000 can be converted to the previous version of Access and any application created in Access 97 can be used in Access 2000. The sample applications are all in Access 2000.

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Visual Basic .NET Programming for Beginners
This computer course is an introduction to Visual Basic.NET programming for beginners. This course assumes that you have no programming experience whatsoever. It's a lot easier than you think, and can be a very rewarding hobby!
You don't need to buy any software for this course! You can use the new FREE Visual Basic Express Edition from Microsoft. You can download it here: http://www.microsoft.com/visualstudio/en-us/products/2010-editions/express


One - Getting Started

1. Getting started with VB.NET
2. Visual Basic .NET Forms
3. Adding Controls using the Toolbox
4. Adding a Textbox to the Form
5. Visual Basic .NET and Properties
6. The Text Property
7. Adding a splash of colour
8. Saving your work
9. Create a New Project

Two- Write your first .NET code

1. What is a Variable?
2. Add a coding button to the Form
3. Writing your first .NET code
4. String Variables
5. How to get at Text in a textbox
6. More about VB .NET variables
7. Using variables in your .NET code
8. A VB NET Calculator Project
9. The code for the calculator
10. The Message Box in VB .NET

Three - Conditional Logic

1. If Statements
2. Select Case Statements
3. Add a Combo Box to a VB .NET form
4. The Conditional Operators
5. Section Three Exercises

Four- Loops

1. An Introduction to Loops in VB .NET
2. For Loops
3. Do Loops
4. A Times Table Programme
5. The Code for the Time Table Programme
6. The Basic Math Symbols in VB .NET





Five - Adding menus to Forms

1. Add a menu to a VB .NET Form
2. How to add code to a Menu
3. How to add a Sub Menu to your Form
4. How to add Shortcuts to your Menu Items
5. A VB .NET menu Project
6. The Open File Dialogue Box
7. Filter files with the Open File Dialogue Box
8. The Open File Dialogue Box
9. The Save File Dialogue Box
10. Cut, Copy, Paste and Undo menus
11. How to Show and Hide Controls
12. Insert Images into a Picture Box
13. Add a Checkbox to a VB .NET form
14. Writing code for Checkboxes
15. Add Option Buttons to a VB .NET form

Six - Debugging your code

1. Error Handling and Debugging in VB .NET
2. Design Time Errors
3. RunTime Errors
4. Try ... Catch in VB .NET
5. Logic Errors
6.Breakpoints and Debugging tools

Seven - Mastering Arrays

1. What is an Array?
2. Arrays and the Index Number
3. Assigning Values to an Array
4. Arrays where boundaries are not known

Eight - String Manipulation

1. The String Variable Type
2. How to use the Trim Method
3. The difference between Char and Chars()
4. How to use the InStr Method
5. How to use the Substring Method
6. Equals, Replace and Insert Methods
7. How to use Split and Join in VB .NET
Nine - Working with Text Files

1. What is a Text File?
2. How to Open a Text File in VB .NET
3. How to Read a Text File Line by Line
4. How to Write to a Text File in VB .NET
5. Appending Text to a File in VB .NET
6. How to Copy a File
7. How to Move a File
8. How to Delete a File

Ten - Functions and Subs

1. An Introduction to Functions and Subs
2. How to Create your own Subs in VB .NET
3. Using Parameters in your Subs
4. ByVal and ByRef in VB .NET
5. How to Create a Function in VB.NET
6. How to use Parameters with Functions
7. Standard Modules - Part One
8. Standard Modules - Part Two

Eleven - Events

1. The Click Event
2. The MouseDown Event
3. The KeyDown Event
4. The Form Load Event

Twelve - Classes and Objects

1. An Introduction to Classes and Objects
2. Create your own Classes in VB .NET
3. How to Create Methods in your Classes
4. More about Creating Methods
5. Create Properties in your Classes
3. How to Use your New Property

Thirteen - VB .NET and Databases

1. VB NET Express and Databases
2. The Database Wizard in VB NET Express
3. Write your own VB .NET database code
4. Learn about DataSets and Data Adaptors
5. Display the Data in the DataSet
6. Navigate a Database with VB .NET
7. How to Move through the Database
8. Add, Update and Delete Records
9. Add a New Record using VB .NET
10. Delete a Record using VB .NET

Fourteen - VB NET and Forms

1. Anchor and Dock Controls on a Form
2. Add a Toolbar to a Form
3. Creating Multiple Forms in VB .NET
4. Modal and Non Modal Forms
5. Getting at Values on Other Forms






INTRODUCTION TO MICROSOFT VISUAL BASIC

Microsoft Visual Basic is a “visual programming” environment for developing Windows applications. It is a high level programming language that evolved from the earlier D.O.S. ( Disk Operating System) version called B,A.S.I.C. (Beginners All- purpose Symbolic Instruction Code). “BASIC” uses a text environment and the program executes sequentially . “Visual Basic” uses a graphical environment (Graphical User Interface or GUI) that makes it easy to develop applications. It provides an interesting set of tools where the programmer may “drag and drop controls” and spend lesser time in coding. It uses common English phrases, making it one of the most popular programming languages today.

Visual Basic is also an “event driven” programming language, whereby procedures are automatically called whenever the end user chooses menu items, clicks the mouse, moves objects on screen, and other functions that a programmer may define during coding. What could take days to create applications in other programming languages may take only hours for Visual Basic because of this feature.

The First Edition of Visual Basic was released by Microsoft in 1987, while C, Pascal and C++ programming languages were already in existence. It was one of the first products to provide a graphical programming environment. It has three editions, namely, the Standard Edition, the Professional Edition, and the Enterprise Edition. The standard Edition, also called the learning edition, gives you a complete development environment but lacks tools that the Professional Edition has, including add-in tools help file compiler, a better database access tools, and better web programming support. The Enterprise Edition provides extended and advanced tools for client/ server platform. For beginners who are learning how to develop programs, the Standard or the Professional Edition may be used.

In the real world application, you can see a lot of business processes where programming is being applied. For instance, majority of private schools are using computerized registration system. Another application could be a typical payroll system that is used to compute for the compensation of employees or a bank transaction whereby a client deposits or withdraws money from his/her account. All these can be done using any GUI-based application such as Visual Basic.



References:

http://www.homeandlearn.co.uk/NET/vbNet.html
HTML QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
1) Is it possible to set up a browser so it refuse pages that does not have a content rating meta tag?
a) Yes - many companies and parents actually do
b) No
c) Only with a cybersitter add on

2) When images are used as links they get a blue border.
a) Always
b) Never
c) Unless border is set to zero

3) A 6 digit Hex color (#FF9966) defines values of Red, Blue and Green in which order ?
a) #BBRRGG
b) #BBGGRR
c) #RRGGBB

4) When you count to 15 using hexadecimal numbers, the highest number is what ?
a) F
b) B
c) 15

5) The and tags are special in what way ?
a) They can be repeated
b) They work on anything
c) They are for images only

6) What does vlink mean ?
a) visited link
b) very good link
c) active link

7) Banners, buttons, dividers, clipart and other simple images usually work best as ?
a) fonts
b) gif
c) jpg

8) Which format usually works best for photos ?
a) JPG
b) HTML
c) GIF

9) and are the tags used for ?
a) Audio-voiced text
b) Adding links to your page
c) Aligning text

10) What does the GENERATOR meta tag tell ?
a) What type of server your page is on
b) Which program was used to produce the page
c) Who designed the page

11) What tag is used to add columns to tables ?
a)
b)
c)

12) Use and to add what to your tables?
a) columns
b) rows
c) steps

13) What is the REFRESH meta tag used for ?
a) Refresh your keywords
b) Allow search engines to relist your page
c) Redirect to a new domain

14) Screen colors are defined by which colors ?
a) Green, Blue, and Yellow
b) Crayola Colors
c) Red, Green and Blue

15) What tag can prevent sites with adult content from being seen on MSIEbrowsers ?
a) tag
b) tag
c) icra.org registered

16) To specify a font for your whole page add which tag ?
a)
b)
c)

17) Increasing the cellpadding value will what ?
a) Increase the distance between cell and content
b) Increase the space between cells
c) Increase the softness of your site
Show Answer
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18) Which of the following is NOT true of metatags use ?
a) Which of the following is NOT true of metatags use ?
b) Do not include words that are not present on your pages
c) Use as many keywords as you can
Show Answer
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19) To change the size of an image in HTML use what ?
a) pliers
b) height and width
c) bigger and smaller
Show Answer
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20) Hex-colors are the only way to define colors on the web?
a) True for Internet Explorer, False for Netscape browsers
b) False, colors can also be specified with names and CSS
c) True, computer screens only understands hexadecimal values.
Show Answer
________________________________________
21) Is it a common myth that meta tags seriously improve search engine rankings ?
a) no
b) only in Nepal
c) yes
Show Answer
________________________________________
22) Choose the correct HTML tag to make a text italic
a)
b)
Show Answer
________________________________________
23) Choose the correct HTML tag to make a text bold
a)
b)
Show Answer
________________________________________
24) If the background image is smaller than the screen, what will happen ?
a) It will be stretched
b) It will leave a blank space at the bottom of your page
c) It will be repeated
Show Answer
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25) HTML defines colors using hexidecimal values, while graphics programs most often use what ?
a) Names
b) Normal numbers
c) RGB Code
Show Answer
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26) The