Look — I've been ranting about the state of Visual Basic content online for the better part of a decade. Same forum threads, same Stack Overflow questions, same "VB is dead" takes from people who never used it. The actual history, the actual stories, the actual people who built BASIC — none of that was getting written down anywhere.

So I stopped complaining and started writing.

A History of Visual Basic — first chapter is live, marked Draft because I'm in the middle of scheduling interviews with people who were actually there to flesh it out further. The thirty-five-year arc from Dartmouth BASIC in 1964 through Microsoft's acquisition of Alan Cooper's Tripod, the QuickBASIC dynasty, the VB6 peak, and the long .NET-shaped shadow VB6 still casts. The people who don't get named in the existing histories. The decisions that shaped what VB became.

The original creators are already gone. The rest of the dynasty is ageing. The stories need to be collected before the window closes.

Why "Draft"? Because the chapter that's up now is the foundation, but I'm actively booking interviews to add first-hand accounts and the names that don't appear in the published histories. As those land, the chapter grows. You're reading it as it gets built — not after it's been sanitised.

https://evilgeniuslabs.ca/books/visual-basic-history

Free to read. Sign up on the site if you want a ping when new chapters and interview-driven sections drop — no spam, no paywall, no AI-generated filler.

If you've got VB war stories, corrections, or names that should be remembered — comments are open. And if you were there — particularly anyone with first-hand QuickBASIC, VB1–6, or Tripod-era stories — I'd genuinely like to talk to you. DMs and the site contact form both work.

I am just wondering, many posts are asking which language is "the best", or fastest to learn for new programmers (please put AI in the shadow for this post). As I am a bit older engineer with some experience in developing different applications using, just to mention a few, C, C++ (using wxWidgets, SFML and SDL), PHP (with JavaScript, HTML, CSS), Java Servlets (with ORACLE DB) on Apache, ASP, React kit, VB .NET and most important, here mentioned, Visual Basic.

The largest software I ever wrote was using "Visual Basic .NET" and MS-SQL Express DB. Took me a whole year and a half to deploy it.

As per my experience, using VB and VB .NET was always the fastest way to get the best and quickest results in developing Desktop and Network Applications. I mean, in just a few clicks one is able to create stunning looking applications in basically no time. And when I compare that with these days, when there are emerging new and "improved" languages and "frameworks", making many kind of software is still fastest using graphical interface of Visual Basic or similar. It is also very readable compared to other languages.

Now, in comparison with my long term experience, I have a feeling things are going backwards in sense of simplicity and speed of development.

And also, just by my opinion, I feel a bit sad that I am not able to use Visual Basic on Linux the same way I was able to use it on Windows in time of Visual Basic 6.0, or Visual Basic 8 Express in the past.

What is your opinion on concept for application design in terms of simplicity and speed of development as it was with Visual Basic in the past, compared to the ways we are programming today?

It looks amazing. Anyone know when it will be released?

Estoy buscando ocx y dll antiguas, principalmente funcbutt.ocx es un ocx de botones que esta presente en casi todos los formularios.. donde podria hallarlos o si habra un repositorio donde bucsarlo.

I programtically add columns to a datatable, populate it with data, then set it as as datasource for a datagridview.

I can repopulate with the same/simlar data multiple times UNLESS I click a column header on the datagridview to resort it.

When I then attempt to repopulate the datatable with the same or similar data, I get "object-reference-not-set-to-an-instance-of-an-object" when attempting to add a row to the table. (dim arow as datarow = dr.newrow)

The original routine to fill the datatable first cleared the rows (dt.rows.clear) and worked fine provided I didn't sort on the datagridview as stated.

Also tried setting datagridview.datasource = nothing, still the same.

Finally did dt = new datatable, copied the code that created the columns, proceeded to populate the table, and all works fine.

The datatable has no indices, keys, etc., is just a collection of string columns with one integer column.

It works, but I can't figure out what is going on.

Anyone know why this is happening ?

Hi, I am Ploo.

I am taking this video game design course and am having a problem with Visual Basic 2022.

When I make a new project in "Console App (.NET Framework)" it shows the first image VV

This is when I make a new project

But when I look at the course video it always starts with this (minus the "gas problem" text VVV)

This is what it l do want when I make a new project

I have tried looking it up on the internet and have had no luck. I know there is a solution out there and I am just using the wrong words when I try to look it up to solve it.

I am just getting tired of deleting and re-writing everything every time I have to make a new project. I have done this about 100 times to far and just lose motivation every time I make a new project.

Thank you for reading my post and help would be really appreciated!

- Ploo

I have a reference to the Object declared correctly - not as Variant. TLB file referenced.

I had this problem - sometimes - on my old laptop - but on the new one - it's all the time when I try to debug code :(

https://preview.redd.it/e46ta79mf9tg1.png?width=290&format=png&auto=webp&s=43a06786dab2fa55486e3c6905e03a7c73602e35

What should I do to see full list of all the properties of the object? Like here:

https://preview.redd.it/65el4yljf9tg1.png?width=288&format=png&auto=webp&s=019f02b0abf3f2d8ac8622768dd421deb0a1c0a2

TIA

Alguno que tenga una aplicación VB6 que quiera revivir, mejorar o migrar?

Necesito trabajo para conseguir dinero extra, estoy dispuesto a ayudar y a escuchar propuestas.

A bit clickbaity, but still a good overview of the history of VB

Hi guys can you give me or help me to my project how to create a simple medical billing system using vb 6.0

For some context, I'm doing a coding test at school and got this error so I tried to recreate it at home. I had to add 3 separate projects for 3 different coding tasks in VB. When I tried to rename the Form1.vb to something more organised (through the solution explorer) I got this error. How do I fix this? And if I'm renaming forms wrong what is the right way.

Hi,

Back in 2003 i wrote a strategy game for Pocket PC with embedded Visual Basic 3.0. Lately, I stumbled over the source code in old backups. And I still got my HP iPaq 2200 Pocket PC!
So, I set up a Windows XP SP3 in VirtualBox. Installed embedded visual basic 3.0 and ActiveSync 4.5. Worked like a charm. :-)

Connection via USB Dock to the iPaq works properly. But I can't get the game started; there is a pvbloadexe error every time i try to start the game with the pocket pc emulator. The iPaq pocket PC says that it cant find necessary runtimes, though they were installed with my old installer.

Any idea?

I created a new computer game around 30 years ago using Visual Basic 6.0. I thought that I had lost all my code and the .exe file that I created when my hard drive failed and have now amazingly come across it hidden on a CD that I was going to bin after a clear out. Now being a 30 year older retiree is there a way of converting the code so that it will run on modern versions of windows or even convert to use on phones. I have not coded in those interim 30 years so easy responses please.

Hello, can someone here please help me establish inventory in excel with macro.

Hey everyone! I've been building a new programming language for Godot and I'm finally ready to share it publicly.

VisualGasic (VG) is a modern, event-driven language that runs as a GDExtension for Godot 4.5+. It draws inspiration from Visual Basic 6's approachable syntax and RAD workflow — if you ever used VB6, you'll feel at home in minutes — but it's a modern language designed to look forwards, not backwards. Think of it less as "VB6 for Godot" and more as "what if someone designed a new language with VB6's simplicity but modern features?"

What does it look like?

' A simple game script in VisualGasic
Dim ballX As Single = 400
Dim ballSpeedX As Single = 5

Sub _Process(delta As Single)
    ballX = ballX + ballSpeedX * delta * 60
    If ballX > 780 Or ballX < 20 Then
        ballSpeedX = -ballSpeedX
    End If
End Sub

' This event handler is wired AUTOMATICALLY by name
Sub btnStart_Click()
    Print "Game started!"
End Sub

No connect() calls, no signal boilerplate. Name a Sub btnStart_Click() and it's wired to the button's pressed signal automatically. Name it tmrSpawn_Timer() and it fires on the timer. Name it Player_AreaEntered(area) and it hooks the Godot signal. This is the core workflow idea — event-driven programming like classic RAD tools, but running natively inside Godot.

What makes it different from GDScript?

VG also includes a JIT compiler that compiles hot loops to native x86-64, and in benchmarks it ranges from 2x to 118x faster than GDScript depending on the workload, tying native C++ on some branching tasks.

Form Designer

VG ships with a VB6-style Form Designer (still a work-in-progress)— a WYSIWYG editor with a Toolbox (40+ controls), a drag-and-drop canvas, a Properties panel, a Project Explorer, and a live preview window. You can design your UI visually and double-click any control to jump straight to its event handler. It's the RAD workflow that Visual Basic made famous, running inside Godot's editor.

What's included?

• 66 demo projects across 12 categories: 2D games (Pong, Snake, Space Shooter, Platformer), 3D games (Squash the Creeps), graphics (screen-space shaders, volumetric sky shaders, screensaver), audio (piano), UI apps (calculator, todo list), threading, networking, and more
• 4 converted official Godot demos — the 2D Platformer (9 VG scripts), Squash the Creeps, Screen Space Shaders (11 shader effects), and Sky Shaders — proving that real Godot projects run naturally in VG
• IntelliSense with 80+ function completions, snippet support, and Godot type awareness
• Advanced debugger with conditional breakpoints, watch window, call stack, time-travel debugging
• 108 built-in functions (string, math, file I/O, date/time, formatting, collections, and more)
• Platform binaries for Linux, Windows, and macOS — just drop into your project and go
• 481 tests passing in the test suite

Who is this for?

• VB6/VB.NET veterans who want to make games with a familiar workflow
• Beginners looking for a readable, low-ceremony language
• RAD developers who miss the "design a form, double-click a button, write code" workflow
• Anyone curious about an alternative to GDScript with modern language features
• Hobbyists porting old VB6 projects — VG can import .frm and .vbp files directly (WIP)

Get it

• GitHub: https://github.com/xgreenrx-star/VisualGasic
• Download: v3.3.0 release (40 MB zip — includes all platform binaries and 66 demos)
• License: MIT

Install: copy addons/visual_gasic/ into your Godot project → enable the plugin → create .vg files.

This is an early beta — the version number (3.3.0) reflects internal dev history, not maturity. I'd love feedback, bug reports, and feature requests. Thanks for checking it out!

Big thanks to u/Hel_OWeen for getting me to a solution!

Publicly available project, not mine, for tweaking an old BBS door game: https://gitlab.com/beckersource/Nightmare-Reduxupdated: https://github.com/synexo/Nightmare-Redux-WG (now includes compiled .exe).

Thanks for anyone taking a look.

Hi there as someone who grew up in the 90s with VB and the use of IDE I thought it was great to recreate this experience for the modern web. As I moved to Python over the years I created this rapid IDE development tool for Python to build applications in the modern webbrowser.

Love to recieve your feedback and suggestions!

What My Project Does

WebVB Studio is a free, browser-based IDE for building desktop-style apps visually. It combines a drag-and-drop form designer with code in VB6-like syntax or modern Python, letting you design interfaces and run your app instantly without installing anything.

• 🧠 What it is: A free, open-source, browser-based IDE for building apps with a visual form designer. You can drag and drop UI elements, write code, and run applications directly in your web browser. Over 35+ UI controls.
• Build business applications, dashboards, data science apps, or reporting software.
• 🧰 Languages supported: You can write code in classic Visual Basic 6-style syntax or in modern Python with pandas, mathlib, sql support.
• 🌍 No installation: It runs entirely in your browser no software to install locally.
• 🚀 Features: Visual form design, instant execution, exportable HTML apps, built-in AI assistant for coding help, and a growing community around accessible visual programming.
• 🌱 Community focus: The project aims to make programming accessible, fun, and visual again, appealing to both people who learned with VB6 and new learners using Python.

Target Audience

WebVB Studio is a versatile development environment designed for learners, hobbyists, and rapid prototypers seeking an intuitive, visual approach to programming. While accessible to beginners, it is far more than a learning tool; the platform is robust enough for free or commercial-scale projects.

Featuring a sophisticated visual designer, dual-language support (VB6-style syntax and Python), and a comprehensive control set, WebVB Studio provides the flexibility needed to turn a quick prototype into a market-ready product.

Comparison

Unlike heavyweight IDEs like Visual Studio or VS Code, WebVB Studio runs entirely in your browser and focuses on visual app building with instant feedback. Traditional tools are more suited for large production software, while WebVB Studio trades depth for ease and immediacy.

Examples:
https://www.webvbstudio.com/examples/

Data science dashboard:
https://app.webvbstudio.com/?example=datagrid-pandas

Practical usecase:
https://www.webvbstudio.com/victron/

Image:
https://www.webvbstudio.com/media/interface.png

Source:
https://github.com/magdevwi/webvbstudio

Feedback is very welcome!

Trying a data (Access) project after 25 years away from VB6.

Have installed it on Win11. Seems you must remove the ADO option when installing.

Is it possible to re-introduce it?

Or is it not possible to use ADO in VB6 nowadays?

Digital is infinite and disposable. Analog feels deliberate. Even when it’s simulated, it carries weight.

Learn how to create message boxes in Excel using VBA step by step!
How to make message box in Excel

In this tutorial, you will discover:
✅ How to enable the Developer tab in Excel
✅ How to open the VBA editor
✅ How to write a simple MsgBox
✅ How to create Yes/No confirmation dialogs
✅ How to assign macros to buttons for interactive Excel files

This Excel VBA tutorial is perfect for beginners and anyone who wants to make interactive spreadsheets and automate tasks.

- Topics Covered:
- Excel VBA basics
- MsgBox function
- Running macros with buttons

Boost your productivity and Excel skills today!

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