Print

[kaylapuppy]

Is it possible to use VB to program for the xbox. If not is there any chance it might be an option in the future. My C, C++ is terrible, but my VB is not too shabby.

Regards,
KP

[Wishi]

Hey BenJeremy, how about a sticky topic on FAQ about Xbox Dev? That would hopefully stop questions like this being asked every 3 days :/

[PlagueViper]

vb = noob...

[deusprogrammer]

Visual Basic does make a lot of things easier.  Like making programs for simple tasks that you may need to whip up in an hour.  For example for the RPG I was developing on the PC, I wrote a program where I could make my map for my RPG out of tiles, and the program would output a file containing all the tile numbers.  Since Visual Basic makes development as easy as drag, drop, and code it can make some really good programs fast.  But just because you use Visual Basic doesn't make you a n00b.  Now if you are using QBasic, this is out of your league   .  C++ is something you can use to write virtually anything (especially when you use inline assembley).  And you can make it as efficient as your creativity will allow you to.  And learning C++ isn't that hard once you understand the basics of Structured and Object Oriented Programming.

Originally I thought VB could be used too, because VB was usuable to write DirectX code because of the use of COM objects.  Always hoped that DirectX would work with Java. LOL

[SHiZNO]

VB is as powerful as C++? what crack are you smoking?
Learning VB in itself teaches you the worst programming habbits, ever.
a runtime "language/script" will never be as fast or memory effecient, having to go thru DLLs to do everything..blah...not to mention the fact its propriety to windows.

sure you could argue, that its faster to make 'small apps' with it, but thats because its point and click! the only reason it takes longer in any other language, is because you have to use the windows api, or whatever platform you are using, and VB dumbs that all down to a simple point and click interface...

to say C++ is only for programming OS's is...well....ignorant.

i used vb for 2, very sad years...never again.

[SHiZNO]

well, yes, ofcourse if you are a single user, making some little calculation app for yourself on your windows box, VB would be a quick fix, but if you were coding anything of decent size, over a wide range of systems (performance issues), VB would obviously NOT be your best choice...

control over the API is valuable for any application, even tho i am aware you can use API in vb, it seems alot of vb users are young, using it as their 1st language, and dont care to know how things work, only that they do....and if they are ever to learn another language...i think buffers, notations, stacks, windows api, the windows pump ...all that trash would KICK THEM IN THE ASS. (ofcourse they can learn).

but anyway...use the tool for the problem... id just prefer to stick to one language, even tho i know some like to know a lot of others and not have a foothold on one.

[Wishi]

Since when have you been able to use VB with the XDK? I'm thinking never.

Why would MS allow it then take it out? Screw that, why would they include it in the first place? They're not expecting developers to be making quick and easy apps using VB.

[deusprogrammer]

Ben Jeremy...if you don't mind me asking.........
*Silence continues for hours as he doesn't know if he wants to know the truth*....why is your avatar Luigi, and why does he look like he wants to molest me?  *Cowers frightened*

[SHiZNO]

it looks like cheech from cheech and chong dressed as luigi lol

[BenJeremy]

QUOTE (deusprogrammer @ May 20 2003, 02:48 AM)

Ben Jeremy...if you don't mind me asking......... *Silence continues for hours as he doesn't know if he wants to know the truth*....why is your avatar Luigi, and why does he look like he wants to molest me?  *Cowers frightened*

My Avatar is Ron Jeremy, originally dressed as Mario, retouched by me to look like Luigi.

He did some porn movie based on Mario Brothers.... and given his most recent history, I'm pretty sure he's looking for somebody to molest.  

[mcfc98]

yeah my apologies, sorry for getting your hopes up, was thinking of directx support in VB.

I suppose you could therefore start learning directx in VB if youre more comfortable with that first, but as i said you'll have to move over to C at some point so bare that in mind.

[MaTiAz]

It is REALLY stupid to say "Youre a n00b!" just because uses VB. Actually, i am 11 years old myself, and im using VB. Qbasic was my first language. Now im working on a project called "XBOX Application Installer", as the name says, installs xbox applications via FTP. And why VB is easy, fast etc. is because it is a RAD(Rapid application development) language.
VB is ideal for making little Evox.ini generators, text editors, etc. And VB 6.0 has a built in feature for "Optimizing for Fast Code", so it is nonsense to tell that VB is sooo slow. And hey, everyone, including SHiZNO, were n00bs some times! BTW Dont worry, i give XBAI to you guy as soon as i get it done & tested. Maybe even the sources someday...

[Mage]

QUOTE (gundamhr @ Jul 8 2003, 02:28 PM)

vb is a good language. what more, the reports that you guys wrote with ms word and anyother ms office thing was made with whatelse, VB. I definately agree, VB.net is much more powerful. M$ didn't just make a revision to 6.0, this is way more than that.

Mind tell us where you got your information as to word being written in VB?
Last time I disassembled it, it was written in C/C++.
(That's the office xp winword.exe)

[BenJeremy]

QUOTE (Mage @ Jul 8 2003, 05:46 PM)

QUOTE (gundamhr @ Jul 8 2003, 02:28 PM) vb is a good language. what more, the reports that you guys wrote with ms word and anyother ms office thing was made with whatelse, VB. I definately agree, VB.net is much more powerful. M$ didn't just make a revision to 6.0, this is way more than that. Mind tell us where you got your information as to word being written in VB? Last time I disassembled it, it was written in C/C++. (That's the office xp winword.exe)

Agreed. Office was not, nor never HAS been written using VB.

MFC, the framework for Visual C++ was designed, in large part, to support development of M$ Office.

There is not a single version of M$ Office, or it's component apps that have not shipped with a variant of MFCxx.DLL

[BenJeremy]

QUOTE (evilnick @ Jul 8 2003, 06:38 PM)

QUOTE vb is a good language. what more, the reports that you guys wrote with ms word and anyother ms office thing was made with whatelse, VB. I definately agree, VB.net is much more powerful. M$ didn't just make a revision to 6.0, this is way more than that. He's on about the reports that you guys wrote with ms word, but I thought that language was VBscript. Pfff, I know nothing about nothing anyway!

Yeah, it's a bit hard to understand him, isn't it?

There's VBScript, there's also VB for Applications, which is sort of between VBScript and full-blown VB.

VB is very powerful, but it's not used to write ANYTHING for the Xbox, nor anything speed dependent. It's not worthless, but don't pump it up into something it's not. When we tell you it ain't happening on the Xbox, it ain't happening.

While Assembler is not used much these days, Visual C/C++ is used EVERYWHERE. Any education in programming should always include C and C++, as well as Structured and OO Programming methodologies.


There is hope. I am implimenting an BASIC interpretor in Media X Menu soon. This will allow people to write structured mini-programs as well as gain access to complex possibilities for skins and scripting. I'd like to give access to graphics routines and resources so things like mini-games will actually be possible.