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Power Supply

2010-08-28T20:57:00.001-07:00

A computer power supply is a compulsory unit to a computer. Without the power supply a computer is useless as it is just a case full of metal and plastic. This page will explain the different power cables and connectors and how they work inside your computer.

A power cable connects from the power point to the power supply where it supply's the motherboard and other components with power. Often there is a power switch on the back which can be switched off to stop the power current. If this is not switched off and even though the computer is off power will still be drawn out of the power point (very small amount).

The most common power supply that we have in our computers today are the ATX Power Supply. The AT Power Supply was found in many computers a few years ago but this has become less common.

The graphic below shows each power cable and its name.

The computer power supply is placed inside the computer case generally near the top of the case. It is sometimes necessary to buy a mini power supply for some cases are so small that they need one. Most computer cases when bought come with a power supply that is suited to its case. There are usually power ports on the motherboard for the fans in the case but if not it is possible to buy an adapter that will convert power from the 4-pin power cable to a fan power cable.

How to Choose a Case

2010-08-28T20:56:00.001-07:00

Choosing a computer case can be difficult if you don't know what your looking for. The range of computer cases is huge and bigger then its ever been. So how do you find one that suits you. This guide will explain how to choose a computer case that suits your needs.

What's your budget

The first step in choosing a computer case is working out how much you are willing to spend on a case. If you would like to save money then don't spend a fortune on your case.

However, if you do buy a decent case then it will be unnecessary to upgrade for a long time. I would say that your case should cost about 5%-10% of your entire budget. So if you are willing to spend $AU1000 on your computer, then spend from $50-$100 on your case.

What's your needs

The second step in choosing a computer case is making sure that it has enough room to house all your components. If you have two CD drives then get a case that has room for the three drives. Put one at the top and one at the bottom leaving space in between for cooling. Do the same for your hard drives and floppy drives. Also make sure that your motherboard can fit inside the case. Some cases are smaller then others and some motherboards are bigger then others so make sure your motherboard will fit.

Next make sure that there is at least one fan built into the case. I would recommend two fans at least and if you are really worried about your equipment over-heating then get another fan.

I have a friend who is very worried about over-heating. He has about 6 fans inside his computer and when he turns it on it sounds like an airplane taking off and all the lights in his house go dim.

So if your prepared for a little more noise then its a good idea to get an extra fan to cool your equipment down. However, don't get paranoid about fans, one or two should be fine and unless there is no circulation your hardware should survive.

Computer Case Style

The last thing to do in choosing a computer case, is to choose what you want the case to look like. Do you want a black or white case, a fancy or plain case. The range of computer cases on the market is huge so select one that you like. If you would prefer a cheap computer case then choose a plain one. Many computer cases come with extras at the front like USB and ports for a headset. These can be very useful and are worth it for the extra money.

When you are choosing one Case you have to consider:

External Space

The first factor to consider is how much space your PC case is going to take up. Are you placing it on a tight, crammed desk? Or on a large desk? If you have the space, tower PC cases are a good choice. If you're short of space, you may wish to consider smaller mini PC cases which are getting more popular these days.

Internal Space
Another factor to consider is how many components you wish to fit in your PC case. If you're a computer nut like me, you'll want to fit in a good motherboard, CPU, a couple of hard drives, video card, LAN card, cooling fans, a CD-ROM drive and a DVD writer. That's a lot of components to be cramming into a PC case! Again, a good choice would be a tower PC case. However, with so many components, you have to watch out for overheating problems - make sure you deck out the system with a couple of good fans.

Motherboard Support
Check that your motherboard can fit into the case! Some cases are flexible enough to support AT, ATX and Baby-AT boards, but others only support one of these sizes. Even then, you need to be careful - some cheaper 'ATX' cases don't really fit ATX motherboards. I remember buying a wonderful ATX motherboard and it couldn't fit into my PC case! Imagine my frustration!

Power Supply
Most PC cases come with power supplies. With more and more components being fitted into a PC, you will certainly need enough juice to power them.
Cooling
If you're a over clocker or have many system components, you'll need to ensure you've got enough fans in that case to cool the system. Good PC cases allow multiple (4 or more) cooling fans to be installed, ensuring good ventilation.

Looks
Just a few years back, PC cases were boring white boxes. These days, you can find a plethora of colorful PC cases - if you're concerned about your PC's 'look'. Many PC enthusiasts I know go for good looking PC cases that come in a variety of colors - red, black, green, blue and what not.

Case

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The computer case is your computer's housing. You need this to store your components, the largest of which is your motherboard.

Types of Case

Mini Tower :

Advantages: Excellent size which can be placed on top ofbelow of a computer desk.
Disadvantages: While this case does offer upgradeability it can be filled up much faster then the Mid-Sized tower.
Recommendations: Great PC for end-users and small businesses.

Mid-Size Tower:

Advantages: Excellent case which can fit below and on top of your computer desk. Plenty of expandability for new devices for businesses, end-users, and advanced users. One of the most used computer cases found today.
Disadvantages: None

Full-Size Tower

Advantages: Excellent computer for upgradeability. Excellent case for a server machine.
Disadvantages: Cost is going to be a lot more then a standard case. Generally A large case which cannot be placed on top or beneath a desk.
Recommendations: This case is an excellent choice for all users and businesses.

Desktop

Advantages: Excellent desk computer. Great use of desk space when monitor is placed on top of the computer.
Disadvantages: With some types of desktop cases can be very difficult to upgrade. Does not really work on the floor.
Recommendations: We recommend that this type of case be purchased by advanced users or users who plan to have a stand alone machine as a server.

Monitor

2010-08-28T20:54:00.001-07:00

Monitor is the display device. Many times per second, the video card sends signals out to the monitor. The information video card sends controls which dots are lit up and how bright they are, which determines the picture you see.

Color monitors can display anywhere from 16 to over 1 million different colors. Color monitors are sometimes called RGB monitors because they accept three separate signals -- red, green, and blue.

The resolution of a monitor indicates how densely packed the pixels are. In general, the more pixels (often expressed in dots per inch), the sharper the image. Most modern monitors can display 1024 by 768 pixels, the SVGA standard. Some high-end models can display 1280 by 1024, or even 1600 by 1200.

How to Choose a Monitor

If you're a graphics professional, you may prefer a CRT monitor because they are said to show more realistic colors. However, the latest high-end LCDs can also give equal color quality.

If you with text most of the time, a LCD is a good choice because the various pixels that you find on a LCD will have nicely defined edges. This gives sharp and focus letters on the screen.

Floppy Drive and CD-Rom

2010-08-28T20:53:00.000-07:00

A 3.5” square holding a flexible magnetic disc that holds information or data. You need a floppy drive to read the floppy. A floppy disk can hold only 1.44 megabytes, but it is portable and allows you to make copies of your files.

CD-Rom

A CD-ROM drive used to be an 'optional extra' in computers - it is no longer so. Most software packages come in CD format, so you must have a CD-ROM drive to read them. Typically, CD-ROM drives today need to be at least 24X speed to keep up with the newer software applications out there.

A CD drive connects to the computer motherboard through two types of cables. The older and more common connection is through the IDE Ribbon cable . Recently SATA (Serial ATA) drives have been produced and will gradually become more common. The benefits of having SATA cables is that they are smaller and the transfer rate is higher.

Floppy drives were the main source of data transfer and files were small enough to fit on them. However, today even CD drives are getting out of date and are fast being replaced by the DVD ROM and DVD RW Drives.

CD-RW

CD writer is used to write CD. It can also used as a CD drive. CD can be able to write with different formats. By using CD writer we can able to write with different speeds. There are different types of writers are available in the market with different writing speeds.

On a CD drive there is usually some numbers with a x symbol after it. This stands for times, for example common speeds are 4x, 8x, 16x, 18x, 24x, 32x, 40x and 52x. CD RW drives have speeds like 24x-10x-40x or 52x-32x-52x.

How to Choose a CD-RW

When you are choosi ng one CD-RW you have to consider:

Drive Speed
For CD writers, you should generally look for a 40X record speed or faster. If you buy anything that is slower, it will definitely waste a lot of time when you're burning CDs.

Peripherals

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These two input devices are obviously needed, otherwise you can't interact with the computer system. These components are fairly standard stuff and can be purchased at pretty cheap prices.

Keyboards

The keyboard is the main input device for most computers. There are many sets of keys on a typical “windows” keyboard. On the left side of the keyboard are regular alphanumeric and punctuation keys similar to those on a typewriter. These are used to input textual information to the PC.

A numeric keypad on the right is similar to that of an adding machine or calculator. Keys that are used for cursor control and navigation are located in the middle. Keys that are used for special functions are located along the top of the keyboard and along the bottom section of the alphanumeric keys.

Keyboards are mainly divided into two types

1. Multimedia keyboard.

2. Ordinary Keyboard.

Mouse

Mouse is another input device used in computer. Mouse is a device that controls the movement of the cursor or pointer on a display screen.

A mouse is a small object you can roll along a hard, flat surface. Its name is derived from its shape, which looks a bit like a mouse, its connecting wire that one can imagine to be the mouse's tail, and the fact that one must make it scurry along a surface. As you move the mouse, the pointer on the display screen moves in the same direction.

Mouse contain at least one button and sometimes as many as three, which have different functions depending on what program is running. Some newer mouse also includes a scroll wheel for scrolling through long documents.

Network Card

2010-08-28T20:49:00.001-07:00

A network interface card , more commonly referred to as a NIC, is a device that allows computers to be joined together in a LAN, or local area network. Networked computers communicate with each other using a given protocol or agreed-upon language for transmitting data packets between the different machines, known as nodes . The network interface card acts as the liaison for the machine to both send and receive data on the LAN.

The most common language or protocol for LANs is Ethernet, sometimes referred to as IEEE 802.3. A lesser-used protocol is Token Ring. When building a LAN, a network interface card must be installed in each computer on the network and all NICs in the network must be of the same architecture. For example, all must either be Ethernet cards, Token Ring cards, or an alternate technology.

An Ethernet network interface card is installed in an available slot inside the computer. The NIC assigns a unique address called a MAC (media access control) to the machine. The MACs on the network are used to direct traffic between the computers. The back plate of the network interface card features a port that looks similar to a phone jack, but is slightly larger. This port accommodates an Ethernet cable, which resembles a thicker version of a standard telephone line. Ethernet cable must run from each network interface card to a central hub or switch. The hub or switch acts like a relay, passing information between computers using the MAC addresses and allowing resources like printers and scanners to be shared along with data.

A network interface card does not have to be hard wired with physical cable. Wireless Ethernet cards are installed like their wired counterparts, but rather than a port for an Ethernet cable, the card features a small antenna. The card communicates with the central wireless switch or hub via radio waves. Wireless LANs may have some restrictions depending on the material the building is made from. For example, lead in walls can block signals between the network interface card and hub or switch.

When buying components for a LAN, make sure the NICs and hub or switch have the same capabilities. The entire network must be either wired or wireless, so a wireless network interface card cannot talk to a wired switch or hub. In addition, newer versions of hardware will likely support more features and/or greater speeds than older versions. Make sure your central switch or hub can utilize the highest capabilities of the network interface card under consideration.

Modem Card

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A device that translates data from your PC into a form that can be sent to other computers over regular phone lines. The modem also receives signals from other computers and converts it into something your computer can understand. A modem is the device most home computers use to connect to the Internet.

A Modem converts digital information into sound so that it may be transmitted over telephone lines. When the modem hears this sound on the other end it converts the sound back into digital information.

There are two types of modems:

• INTERNAL
• EXTERNAL

External modems are slightly more expensive than internal modems and are housed in an external box or enclosure. External modems require a socket on the computer or port (usually the serial port on the back of your computer.) The serial port is also called a COM port, com for communications.

Sound Card

2010-08-28T20:47:00.002-07:00

The sound card is an essential component in the PC, since it translates digital signals into analog audio for your listening pleasure. Well, that's true, if you want to play games or run multimedia applications in your PC. Otherwise, it may not be necessary, especially in business environments.

Sound card ports

A computer sound card is used by a computer for music, sounds during applications and entertainment (TV, movies and games). A typical sound card usually has four ports. The largest port is the Midi/Game port , which is used for connecting a joystick or gaming controller to. The other three ports look similar and are generally green, pink and blue.

Underneath each port will be a small engraving of what each port does. The pink port is for a microphone which can record sound to the computer. The green port is line out and this is where the speakers are connected to produce sound from the computer. The blue port is line in and this is for connecting a CD-player or cassette tape to the computer.

Remember a sound card by itself is not enough to hear sound. You will still need to purchase some computer speakers or a headphone set. If you want to make use of the microphone feature then you will need to buy a computer microphone and you should then be able to record sound to your computer.

How to Choose a Sound Card

When you are choosi ng one Sound Card you have to consider:

First thing to consider here is your intended usage of the sound card. If all you want is basic sound support and not spectacular 3D surround sound, I'd say go buy a cheap, simple card or even rely on your motherboard's on-board sound.

If you want great surround sound and better speaker connectivity options, then you'll want to consider a dedicated sound card.

Video Card

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VGA Card is the one sending the monitor signal to the monitor.

A computer video card is placed in the motherboard, where it transfers video signals through a cable to your monitor. The video card can either be built into the motherboard or be a separate card that is placed in either the AGP or PCI-Express Slot.

The computer graphics cards major job in a computer is to convert graphic patterns into signals for the monitor's screen. However in recent times as the graphics card has become more advanced it has taken some of the jobs previously assigned with the CPU and through a graphics pipeline adds 2D and 3D effects and it also adds textures.

How to Choose a Video Card

The VGA Card price will change on

VGA Card Processor
VGA Card Ram capacity
Ram type of VGA Card

When you are choosi ng one Video Card you have to consider:

The best way to see what video card to buy is to consider how you're using your computer now.

There are several categories:

Server
If you're using your computer as a mail server, FTP server, print server, or even a game server, you definitely do not need a high-end video card. What you need is a simple, no-frills low-end video card.

Simple Applications
Say you're using the PC for simple applications only, for example, word processing, email or web surfing. Again, you do not need the best video card out there. A cheap and decent one will do the trick.

Complex Applications
If you need to perform more complex tasks like 3D computer aided design or video editing, it will make more sense to go for a heavy duty card. Screen resolution and image quality tend to be important factors for this type of work. Look for a video card whose processor which supports a high screen resolution, with ample graphics memory.

General Games

If you'll only play simple games like Minesweeper, Reverse or Backgammon, then my advice is to save your money and just get a simple video card. No need for the latest 3D graphics gizmo.

HardDisk

2010-08-28T20:45:00.001-07:00

The hard disk (or hard drive) is the permanent storage area of your computer. It stores information whether the computer is on or off. A hard drive is a mass storage device found in all PCs (with some exclusions) that is used to store permanent data such as the operating system, programs and user files.

The data on hard drives can be erased and/or overwritten, the hard drive is classed as a non-volatile storage device which means it doesn't require a constant power supply in order to retain the information stored on it (unlike RAM).

Inside every hard drive are small round disk-like objects made of either an aluminum/alloy or a glass/ceramic composite, these are called platters, each platter is coated with a special magnetic coating enabling them to store data magnetically. Hovering above these platters are read/write heads that transfer data to and from the platters.

Hard drives come with many different storage capacities, hard drive capacity is measured in bytes, with common capacities being stated in MB (Megabytes) and GB (Gigabytes).

Hard Drive RPM Speeds

You will often see hard drives advertised as being capable of a certain RPM (Revolutions Per Minute), this figure (as the name suggests) refers to how many times the spindle makes a complete 360? turn in any single minute. RPM values range from about 5,400RPM to 12,000RPM and above.

How to Choose a Hard Drive

When you are choosi ng one Hard Drive you have to consider:

ATA and SCSI
In the hard drive world, there are two data access standards, ATA and SCSI (pronounced 'Scar-Zee'). Most of normal hard drives we're used to rely on the PATA standard. Some newer hard drives use the SATA standard.
SATA allows transfer speeds of up to 150 MBs while PATA gives up to 133 MBs. However, to use SATA, you'll need a Serial ATA controller, a SATA drive and a SATA power cable. The speed difference between PATA and SATA is also not significant unless you have a high-end SATA drive.
The SCSI standard is a very fast hard drive standard used for professional computer systems which demand extremely fast data access. SCSI drives provide an access time of about 9.5ms - which I feel is really not needed for average home use.

Disk Space vs. Price
An important factor to consider is the disk space versus price ratio. When you look at the 30 GB, 40 GB and 80 GBPATA hard drives, you'll find they are very close in price. For the average home user, however, 40 GB to 80 GB of disk space is plenty.

Drive Speed
If data access speed is important to you, you can go for faster SATA drives or SCSI drives. But remember that these drives come at a price premium and may not be necessary for average home use.

RAM (Random Access Memory)

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RAM (Random Access Memory) is the basic working memory of your computer system. A computer used RAM to hold volatile (Temporary) instructions and data needed for processing. Volatile simply means that it is not permanent, which means anything written to RAM will be loses if the machine loses power or if it's turned off.

Another key point about RAM is that data stored init can be accessed much more quickly than data retrieved from the hard disk. Theoretically data retrieved from RAM is accessed 100 to 300 times faster then the same information from a hard disk, optical drive, or a floppy.

Memory is measured in bytes, so you'll often encounter the terms megabyte (MB) and gigabyte (GB) in describing RAM sizes (a megabyte is a million bytes; a gigabyte, a billion). RAM is something that you do not want to skimp on. You can choose a slower processor, but with RAM you want as much as you can get.

Types of RAM:

SDRAM
DDR
DDR2
DDR3

SDRAM

Almost all systems used to ship with 3.3 volt, 168-pin SDRAM DIMMs. SDRAM is not an extension of older EDO DRAM but a new type of DRAM altogether. SDRAM started out running at 66 MHz, while older fast page mode DRAM and EDO max out at 50 MHz. SDRAM is able to scale to 133 MHz (PC133) officially, and unofficially up to 180MHz or higher. As processors get faster, new generations of memory such as DDR and RDRAM are required to get proper performance.

DDR Memory (184-pin DIMMS)

These were introduced in 2002 to replace the earlier SDRAM format. To use this type of memory you need a 184-pin socket for the module to fit into.

DDR Memory is available in different speeds of PC2100, PC2700, PC3200 (DDR400), and PC4000 (DDR500). The modules can be used singly or how desired however you cannot mix different speeds together.

DDR2 Memory (240-pin DIMMS).

This format builds on the technology of DDR . This standard has more pins and its main developments are the ability to run faster whilst consuming less power.

To use DDR2 memory you need a 240-pin socket for the module to slot on your motherboard. DDR2 Memory is available in many different speeds including PC2-3200 (DDR2400), PC2-4200 (DDR2533), and PC2-5300 (DDR-667).

The modules can be used singly or you can install different speeds of DDR2 memory together if your motherboard supports the faster speed however faster modules will perform at the lower speed.

This may be worth considering if you want to run Dual-Channel memory where you must use the same speed and ideally matching pairs to ensure compatibility.

DDR3 Memory (240-pins)

THIS is the latest memory standard (2008 onwards) taking over from the previous DDR and DDR2 standards. Although DDR3 comes with 240-pins the same as DDR2 the notch is in a different place so people can not install the wrong type.

DDR3 is not backward compatible with DDR2 in addition to the notch the voltage runs at a lower 1.5V than DDR2 1.8V. DDR3 memory will not fit into a standard DDR2 DIMM socket or an earlier DDR memory socket.

To use DDR3 memory, your system motherboard must have 240-pin DIMM slots and a DDR3-enabled chipset.

How to Choose a Motherboard

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As everything you have on the PC at some point needs the motherboard, you need to consider these components when buying a motherboard. For example, if you have a lot of devices with a PCI interface that you wish to use, there is little point buying a motherboard that only offers you 3 PCI slots. Like wise with memory, you have to make sure that there are enough slots for the amount of memory you have or wish to have.

The motherboard also needs the correct type of interface for your Memory, Graphics card, Hard disks and other items as well. You will find that most motherboards offer everything you need however it needs checking on when buying. Its especially important to pay detail to your motherboard if you want to use older components, which a new motherboard may or may not support.

The major difference between motherboards that support the same CPU is the model of the chipset (more on the chipset later). Different chipsets offer different performance and different features in terms of memory support, AGP port speed, Multiplier numbers, Bus speeds and much more.

When you are choosi ng one motherboard you have to consider:

What's Your Processor?

First and most important thing to consider when buying your motherboard - what CPU or processor are you using? Motherboards are made differently, not all motherboards will support all CPUs.

What CPU you select will determine the type of motherboard you get. For example, if you want to use an Intel Pentium 4 CPU, the motherboard you select must be able to support that brand and model of CPU.

The motherboards are also designed to support specific speeds for a CPU, so make sure it can support the speed of the processor as well.

Choose Your Chipset

What is a chipset? Well, chipsets are the main controllers on the motherboard - they allow the CPU to interface with the various components and expansion cards installed.

When choosing your chipset, always bear in mind the type of memory supported by the motherboard. Make sure that the board supports the type and amount of RAM you need. Generally, choosing a chipset that supports high speed memory will allow your system to perform better.

What is a Motherboard Chipset?

A motherboard chipset controls all the data that flows through the data channels (buses) of the motherboard. The primary function of the motherboard chipset is to direct this data to the correct area's of the motherboard, and therefore the correct components.

Expansions Slots and Connectors

If you intend to various peripherals to the computer, then the number and type of expansion slots and connectors is important. By default, most motherboards these days have USB 2.0 ports incorporated into their design.

If you intend to buy expansion cards, make sure the board comes with an ample number of PCI slots.

Other Features

These days, most motherboards have a whole host of extra features loaded into them. These can include things such as on-board VGA, audio, a RAID controller, Modem or Network Card.

Motherboard

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The motherboard is the main circuit board inside your PC. Every components at some point communicates through the motherboard, either by directly plugging into it or by communicating through one of the motherboards ports. The motherboard is one big communication highway. Its purpose inside your PC is to provide a platform for all the other components and peripherals to talk to each other.

Modern motherboards come with the following features:

Processor slot : Processor slot is used for processor.

Memory banks : Memory banks are used for RAM modules.

AGP slot : AGP slots are used for graphics accelerators.

PCI slots : PCI slots are used to provide connectivity for PCI cards such as modems and sound cards.

IDE : IDE are used to connect and control IDE devices such as hard drives and CD-ROM drives.

USB ports : USB ports are used to connect USB devices.

These are just some of the features that a motherboard may have as standard, some motherboards come with integrated components such as a sound card, graphics card, modem, NIC (Network Interface Card) and more.

Types of Motherboards

The type of motherboards depends on the CPU it was designed for. You can therefore categories motherboards by which socket type they have. e.g. Socket A, Socket 478 etc.

The Type of motherboard you buy is very important, as it will need to house your CPU, and they are not interchangeable. When buying a motherboard, it will always tell you what socket type it has.

Processor

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The Central Processing Unit, Which is often referred to as the “Processor” is the brain of the computer. The chip that performs the majority of calculations and instructions needed to make your computer run. Without this chip, no other function of the PC is possible. The processor is attached to the motherboard (Processor slot).

The speed of the CPU

The computer's speed or clock rate is integral to its overall design. The computers clock rate is the frequency at which it can execute a set of instructions. Computer clock rates are measured in Megahertz (million of clock ticks per second).

There are two types of speeds that should be considered when evaluating the system performance:

Internal clock speed – Is the speed at which the processor can obtain information within itself, like with internal cache and registers. (Pentium III 800 MHz. the 800 MHz is the internal clock speed)

External clock speed – Is the speed at which the CPU communicates with components outside itself.

Some commercially available processors

• Pentium I-IV

• Celeron
• Athlon
• Duron
• Cyrix C3
• Itanium (64 bit)
• Opteron (64 bit)

How to Choose a CPU

When you are choosing one CPU always consider your computing needs when selecting a CPU. If you want to do simple word processing or general computer tasks, go for the budget or low end processors. If you are more into gaming or do CPU intensive work like video editing, go for a mid-range or high-end processor.

Introduction

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Your PC (Personal Computer) is a system, consisting of many components. Some of those components, like Windows XP, and all your other programs, are software. The stuff you can actually see and touch is hardware.

Hardware

The hardware are the parts of computer itself including the Central Processing Unit (CPU) and related microchips and micro-circuitry, keyboards, monitors,case and drives (hard, CD, DVD, floppy, optical, tape, etc...). Other extra parts called peripheral components or devices include mouse, printers, modems,scanners, digital cameras and cards (sound, colour, video) etc...

The devices which are Necessary to assemble a computer

• Motherboard

• Processor

• Memory

• Hard Drive

• Video Card (if motherboard didn't come with it)

• Sound Card (if motherboard didn't come with it)

• Modem and/or Network Card

• Floppy Drive

• CD-Rom

• Keyboard and Mouse

• Case And Power Supply

• Monitor

Shortcut Keys for Using Visual Basic

2010-08-27T02:09:00.001-07:00

Shortcut Keys for Using Visual Basic:

Key(s)	What the shortcut does
Alt + Q	Exits out of Visual Basic
Ctrl + N	Creates a new project
Ctrl + O	Opens an existing project
Ctrl + P	Prints a project
Ctrl + S	Saves a file
F7	Displays the code window for the currently selected object
Shift + F7	Displays the object for a particular event procedure.
Shift + F2	Jumps to the definition of the word identified by the cursor.
F2	Displays the Object Browser window
Ctrl + R	Displays the Project Explorer window
F4	Displays the properties window
Ctrl + E	Displays the menu editor window
Ctrl + D	Adds a file to a Visual Basic project
F5	Runs a Visual Basic Project

Write code - Creating Event Procedures

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Code in a Visual Basic application is divided into smaller blocks called procedures . An event procedure , such as those you'll create here, contains code that is executed when an event occurs (such as when a user clicks a button). An event procedure for a control combines the control's actual name (specified in the Name property), an underscore (_), and the event name. For example, if you want a command button named Command1 to invoke an event procedure when it is clicked, use the procedure Command1_Click.

To create an event procedure

1. In the Object list box, select the name of an object in the active form. (The active form is the form that currently has the focus.)

For this example, choose the command button, Command1.
2. In the Procedure list box, select the name of an event for the selected object.

Here, the Click procedure is already selected, because it's the default procedure for a command button. Note that a template for the event procedure is now displayed in the Code window.
3. Type the following code between the Sub and End Sub statements:
4. Text1.Text = "Hello, world!"
The event procedure should look like this:

Private Sub Command1_Click ()

Text1.Text = "Hello, world!"
End Sub

You'll note here that the code is simply changing the Text property of the control named Text1 to read "Hello, world!" The syntax for this example takes the form of object.property, where Text1 is the object and Text is the property. You can use this syntax to change property settings for any form or control in response to events that occur while your application is running.

Running the Application

To run the application, choose Start from the Run menu, or click the Start button on the toolbar, or press F5. Click the command button you've created on the form, and you'll see "Hello, world!" displayed in the text box.

Write code - Code Editor window

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The Code Editor window is where you write Visual Basic code for your application. Code consists of language statements, constants, and declarations. Using the Code Editor window, you can quickly view and edit any of the code in your application.

To open the Code window

Double-click the form or control for which you choose to write code –or– from the Project Explorer window, select the name of a form or module, and choose the View Code button.

Below figure shows the Code Editor window that appears when you double-click the Command button control, and the events for that command.

You can choose to display all procedures in the same Code window, or display a single procedure at a time.

To display all procedures in the same Code window

From the Tools menu, select the Options dialog box.
On the Editor tab in the Options dialog box, select the check box to the left of Default to Full Module View . The check box to the left of Procedure Separator adds or removes a separator line between procedures –or– click the Full Module View button in the lower left corner of the Code Editor window.

To display one procedure at a time in the Code window

From the Tools menu, select the Options dialog box.
On the Editor tab in the Options dialog box, clear the check box to the left of Default to Full Module View –or– click the Procedure View button in the lower left corner of the Code Editor window.

The Code window includes the following elements:

Object list box — Displays the name of the selected object. Click the arrow to the right of the list box to display a list of all objects associated with the form.
Procedure list box — Lists the procedures, or events, for an object. The box displays the name of the selected procedure — in this case, Click. Choose the arrow to the right of the box to display all the procedures for the object.

Seting The Properties - Icon Properties

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All forms in Visual Basic have a generic, default icon that appears when you minimize that form. However, you will probably change this icon to one that illustrates the use of the form or your application.

To assign an icon to a form, set the Icon property for that form. You can use 32 x 32 pixel icons that were standard in 16-bit versions of Microsoft Windows and are also used in Windows 95/98 and Windows NT, as well as the 16 x 16 pixel icons used in Windows 95/98.

Seting The Properties

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The Properties window provides an easy way to set properties for all objects on a form. To open the Properties window, choose the Properties Window command from the View menu, click the Properties Window button on the toolbar, or use the context menu for the control.

The Properties window consists of the following elements:

Object box — Displays the name of the object for which you can set properties. Click the arrow to the right of the object box to display the list of objects for the current form.
Sort tabs — Choose between an alphabetic listing of properties or a hierarchical view divided by logical categories, such as those dealing with appearance, fonts, or position.
Properties list — The left column displays all of the properties for the selected object. You can edit and view settings in the right column.

To set properties from the Properties window

1. From the View menu, choose Properties , or click the Properties button on the toolbar.

The Properties window displays the settings for the selected form or control.

2. From the Properties list, select the name of a property.

3. In the right column, type or select the new property setting.

Enumerated properties have a predefined list of settings. You can display the list by clicking the down arrow at the right of the Settings box, or you can cycle through the list by double-clicking a list item.

For the "Hello, world!" example, you'll need to change three property settings. Use the default settings for all other properties.

Object	Property	Setting
Form	Caption	Hello, world!
Text box	Text	Text
Command button	Caption	OK

Create the interface - Resizing, Moving, and Locking Controls

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Notice that small rectangular boxes called sizing handles appear at the corners of the control; you'll use these sizing handles in the next step as you resize the control. You can also use the mouse, keyboard, and menu commands to move controls, lock and unlock control positions, and adjust their positions.

To resize a control:

Select the control you intend to resize by clicking it with the mouse. Sizing handles appear on the control.
Position the mouse pointer on a sizing handle, and drag it until the control is the size you choose. The corner handles resize controls horizontally and vertically, while the side handles resize in only one direction.
Release the mouse button –or– Use SHIFT with the arrow keys to resize the selected control.

To move a control :

Use the mouse to drag the control to a new location on the form –or– use the Properties window to change the Top and Left properties. When a control is selected, you can use the CTRL key with the arrow keys to move the control one grid unit at a time. If the grid is turned off, the control moves one pixel at a time.

To lock all control positions

From the Format menu, choose Lock Controls –or– click the Lock Controls Toggle button on the Form Editor Toolbar. This will lock all controls on the form in their current positions so that you don't inadvertently move them once you have them in the desired location. This will lock controls only on the selected form; controls on other forms are untouched. This is a toggle command, so you can also use it to unlock control positions.

To adjust the position of locked controls

You can "nudge" the control that has the focus by holding CTRL down and pressing the appropriate arrow key –or– you can change the control's Top and Left properties in the Property window.

You now have the interface for the "Hello, world!" application, as shown below.

Create the interface - Draw a control using the Toolbox

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Forms are the foundation for creating the interface of an application. You can use forms to add windows and dialog boxes to your application. You can also use them as containers for items that are not a visible part of the application's interface.

For example, you might have a form in your application that serves as a container for graphics that you plan to display in other forms. The first step in building a Visual Basic application is to create the forms that will be the basis for your application's interface. Then you draw the objects that make up the interface on the forms you create.

Toolbox :

The Toolbox contains a set of controls that are used to place on a Form at design time thereby creating the user interface area. Additional controls can be included in the toolbox by using the Components menu item on the Project menu. A Toolbox is shown below.

Control	Description
Pointer	Provides a way to move and resize the controls form
PictureBox	Displays icons/bitmaps and metafiles. It displays text or acts as a visual container for other controls.
TextBox	Used to display message and enter text.
Frame	Serves as a visual and functional container for controls
CommandButton	Used to carry out the specified action when the user chooses it.
CheckBox	Displays a True/False or Yes/No option.
OptionButton	OptionButton control which is a part of an option group allows the user to select only one option even it displays mulitiple choices.
ListBox	Displays a list of items from which a user can select one.
ComboBox	Contains a TextBox and a ListBox. This allows the user to select an ietm from the dropdown ListBox, or to type in a selection in the TextBox.
HScrollBar and VScrollBar	These controls allow the user to select a value within the specified range of values
Timer	Executes the timer events at specified intervals of time
DriveListBox	Displays the valid disk drives and allows the user to select one of them.
DirListBox	Allows the user to select the directories and paths, which are displayed.
FileListBox	Displays a set of files from which a user can select the desired one.
Shape	Used to add shape (rectangle, square or circle) to a Form
Line	Used to draw straight line to the Form
Image	used to display images such as icons, bitmaps and metafiles. But less capability than the PictureBox
Data	Enables the use to connect to an existing database and display information from it.
OLE	Used to link or embed an object, display and manipulate data from other windows based applications.
Label	Displays a text that the user cannot modify or interact with.

For this "Hello, world!" application, you'll use two controls from the Toolbox.

Text box
Command Button

To draw a control using the Toolbox

1. Click the tool for the control you choose to draw — in this case, the text box .

2. Move the pointer onto your form. The pointer becomes a cross hair.

3. Place the cross hair where you want the upper-left corner of the control.

4. Drag the cross hair until the control is the size you want.

5. Release the mouse button. The control appears on the form .

Another simple way to add a control to a form is to double-click the button for that control in the Toolbox. This creates a default-size control located in the center of the form; then you can move the control to another location on the form.

Introduction To Visual Basic 6.0

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Welcome to Microsoft Visual Basic, the fastest and easiest way to create applications for Microsoft Windows. Whether you are an experienced professional or brand new to Windows programming, Visual Basic provides you with a complete set of tools to simplify rapid application development.

The "Visual" part refers to the method used to create the graphical user interface (GUI). Rather than writing numerous lines of code to describe the appearance and location of interface elements, you simply add prebuilt objects into place on screen. If you've ever used a drawing program such as Paint, you already have most of the skills necessary to create an effective user interface.

The "Basic" part refers to the BASIC (Beginners All-Purpose Symbolic Instruction Code) language, a language used by more programmers than any other language in the history of computing.

Visual Basic has evolved from the original BASIC language and now contains several hundred statements, functions, and keywords, many of which relate directly to the Windows GUI. Beginners can create useful applications by learning just a few of the keywords, yet the power of the language allows professionals to accomplish anything that can be accomplished using any other Windows programming language.

There are three main steps to creating an application in Visual Basic:

1. Create the interface.

2. Set properties.

3. Write code.

Basic Maintenance Tasks to Keep Your PC Error Free

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Basic Maintenance Tasks to Keep Your PC Error Free
A recent study has found that people’s dependence on computers has increased dramatically over the last decade. So it is now surprise that slow computer performance and frequent computer breakdowns can lead to frustration and anger among PC users.
Because of this dependence on computers it becomes even more important that you get to know your computer better. While there is no need to become an expert, a few basic maintenance tasks, if followed on regular basis, can make your life easier and keep your PC error free.
Basic Step 1: Keep your computer and work area clean and free from dust.
It is often noticed that computer users tend to concentrate more on what’s inside the PC. Slowdowns of your PC can be avoided if you keep the work area free from dust particles, as these particles can become deposited on the internal computer components and result in overheating problems. This is the reason why, it is advisable that you regularly open the PC case and clean the PC components with the help of a vacuum cleaner.
Basic Step 2: Take care to avoid power problems.
A sudden surge in power and power failures may cause your PC to crash or cause irreparable damage to the data stored on it. Your computer’s hardware may also get damaged to due to these power problems. To avoid such power damage, make sure that you install an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) for your PC.
Basic Step 3: Regularly Scan your Computer for Viruses
A major threat to any PC user today is the large number of malicious software floating around in cyberspace. They not only damage files and cause errors in the system, but also have a potential to permanently delete data from your PC. Therefore, you must scan your computer regularly in order to keep your system free from such malicious content.
Basic Step 4: Update your system with the latest releases
Manufacturers of operating systems and software, release new updates, patches and fixes on a regular basis. These updates are required to ensure that any security holes or errors that have come up are taken care of. In addition to fixes, some of these updates make the operating system and software perform better, thereby improving the overall performance of your PC. Your Windows XP or Windows Vista computer comprises the Automatic Update utility that you may enable to ensure that your PC is up-to-date at all times. A few users complain of the svchost error that occurs during Windows Automatic Update. If you are a victim of this issue, you may turn off Automatic Updates and perform manual system updates on a regular basis.

Basic Step 5: Clean Your Hard Disk Regularly
It is important that your hard disk remains free from unwanted programs and files. This can be easily achieved by performing two tasks – Disk Cleanup, which removes unwanted content and Disk Defragmenter, which consolidates data on your hard disk. Both of these tools come with your Windows operating system and play a vital role in keeping your PC error free.
Basic Step 6: Scan and Repair Your Computer Registry
Several PC errors, such as DLL and runtime errors are caused by incorrect and invalid entries in the Windows registry. The registry has the responsibility to hold critical information about the software and operating system installed on your PC. To perform DLL repair and to resolve other problems on your computer, it is essential for you to regularly, scan, clean and repair your registry. To perform these tasks easily and efficiently, you may use a reliable registry cleaner to scan and clean your registry, which will perform critical tasks like scanning for errors in the registry, repairing these errors, backing up the registry, and restoring the contiguity of registry.