Visual Basic's integrated development environment (IDE) has been getting better and better with each new version. I really like the option that lets you run the environment in Single Document Interface (SDI) mode or in Multiple Document Interface (MDI) mode and the capability to simultaneously load multiple projects into the environment as a single project group. SDI mode is what you're familiar with if you've used versions of Visual Basic prior to Visual Basic 5. In SDI mode, shown in Figure 1-2, the various windows open independently on your display, with the desktop or previously opened applications visible behind and between the Visual Basic windows. The MDI mode (now the default mode), shown in Figure 1-3, behaves more like Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, or Microsoft Access, with one large window for the overall application and multiple child windows displayed in and limited to the area of the main window. At first, especially if you're used to the SDI mode, this new MDI mode feels strange, but give it a try—you'll probably like it much better than the old SDI mode once you get used to it.
Figure 1-2. The integrated development environment in SDI mode.
Figure 1-3. The integrated development environment in MDI mode.
The Object Browser is a powerful feature in the Visual Basic development environment. From the Object Browser, shown in Figure 1-4, you can jump quickly to modules and procedures in your project. With built-in search capabilities, a description pane, and other versatile features, the Object Browser makes it much easier to locate and understand all the component elements that are in your project or available to your project.
Figure 1-4. The enhanced Object Browser.
The Code Editor has some interesting features that are really slick. As you type, drop-down lists appear that help you complete the spelling of keywords, help you determine the properties or methods available for a control or an object, and provide other appropriate options. Figure 1-5 following shows an example of the Auto List Members feature. Another helpful feature is Auto Quick Info. The Auto Quick Info feature displays the syntax for statements and functions, as shown in Figure 1-6.
Numerous other recent enhancements include improved debugging windows, improved toolbars, dockable windows, an improved color palette, margin indicators that assist in code editing (such as creating breakpoints), a quick menu link to Microsoft's help information on the Internet, and the capability to add comment characters to and remove comment characters from all lines in a selected block of code. I find the block commenting capability especially useful during the development process. (Look on the Edit toolbar for the Comment Block and Uncomment Block buttons.)
Figure 1-5. Example of the Auto List Members feature.
Figure 1-6. Example of the Auto Quick Info feature.
Visual Basic includes several handy utilities to assist you during the development process. For example, the Application Performance Explorer (APE), a software utility written in Visual Basic, is included in the Enterprise Edition of Visual Basic. The APE aids you in the design, deployment planning, and performance tuning of distributed client/server applications. The APE lets you easily run automated "what-if" tests to profile the performance of a multitier application in different network topologies, taking into consideration such factors as network bandwidth, request frequency, data transfer requirements, server capacity, and so on. All the source code for this application is provided with your Visual Basic installation for your study and modification.