An Introduction to Computers and Visual Basic

1
Chapter 1

• An Introduction to Computers and Visual Basic

2
Outline and Objective

• Introduction to Computers
• Using Windows
• Disk and Folders
• An Introduction to Visual Basic

3
Parts of a Computer System

• Hardware Electronic Devices Circuits
• Software Instructions or Computer Programs

4
Main components of Hardware

• Input Keyboard Mouse
• System unit Central Processing Unit (CPU)
  Memory
• Output Monitor
• Secondary Storage Disk Drive

5
Central Processing Unit (CPU)

• Control Unit (CU)
• Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)

6
Control Unit (CU)

• Directs the order in which commands are executed.
• Communicates with input and output devices.
• Transfers data to and from the primary storage
  unit and various input and output devices.

7
Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU)

• Performs calculations
• (adds, subtracts, multiplies, divides)
• Makes logical comparisons
  (, ltgt, lt, gt, lt, gt)

8
Memory

• Memory is a Temporary Storage

9
Types of Memory

• Random Access Memory (RAM)
• Read Only Memory (ROM)

10
Random Access Memory (RAM)

• Stores program instructions and data needed for
  processing.
• Stores intermediate and final results of
  processing.
• It is volatile.

11
What is a Bit?

• Computers use binary system to process data.
• The smallest unit of computer memory is bit.
• A bit is basically an on/off switch and is
  usually described as a 1 or 0.

12
What is a Byte?

• A byte is a pattern of 8 bits.
• A byte is also called a character.
• Additional units of memory are defined by powers
  of 2.

13
Software

• Instructions for the hardware.
• A collection of lines of instruction is called a
  Program.

14
Types of Software

• System Software
• Application Software

15
System Software (Operating System)

• Is the interface between you and hardware.
• Is the interface between application software and
  hardware.

16
Examples of System Software

• UNIX
• MS-DOS
• Windows 98 / NT

17
Examples of Application Software

• Word Processing
• Spreadsheet
• Accounting
• Programming Languages Visual Basic, C, Pascal

18
Using Windows

• Basic techniques to use the mouse
• Pointing
• Clicking
• Dragging
• Double-Clicking

19
Key Terms in using Windows

• Title Bar
• Active window
• Dragging a window

20
Using Windows

• Reviewing Notepad to learn more about Windows
  application
• Notepad is an item in the Accessories menu

21
Disks Folders

• Disk is a permanent storage.
• Disk management is handled by the Operating
  System.
• A disk can store thousands of files.
• To organize your files you have to store them in
  different folders (directories).

22
Key Terms in using Folders

• Root folder
• Path Example
• A\Temp\MyProjects\project1.vbp
• File Specification You should always know where
  you are saving your files.

23
History of Visual Basic

• BASIC stands for Beginners All-purpose Symbolic
  Instruction Code.
• Developed by John Kemeny and Thomas Kurtz in
  mid-1960s.
• Visual Basic was developed in mid-1991 by the
  Microsoft Corporation.

24
Introduction to Visual Basic

• Language used to create windows application.
• Provides a Graphical User Interface or GUI.
• The sequence of instructions executed in the
  program is controlled by events.

25
Terminology used in Visual Basic

• Forms
• Controls
• Objects
• Properties
• Events

26
Steps to Design a Visual Basic Application

• Decide on the Interface for the user.
• (Forms Controls)
• Determine which events the objects on the window
  should recognize.
• Write the events procedures for those events.