Hi, I’m a novice at programming. How do I use the free version of Xojo to compile source code written in Visual Basic? Can this be done?
Not really since VB and Xojo are similar but not identical
You cannot take a VB program and run it “as-is” in Xojo as the languages are not identical. You’ll need to spend some time updating the UI and changing code.
This blog post gives an overview of some of the differences between VB and Xojo:
http://www.xojo.com/blog/en/2013/06/a-great-alternative-to-visual-basic.php
Samuel, you might also want to have a look at the VB Migration Assistant to help you migrate VB code to Xojo.
Thanks, everyone! I have one other very simple question. The VB Migration Assistant appears to require that I import the VB source code file. But I’m using source code that I found on a webpage, so it isn’t saved as a particular file. What do I save it as? I’m using a Mac, so I assume I should copy and paste it into Text Wrangler and then save it - but what suffix do I give it? Thanks again for your help.
If you just want to add a piece of code to your Xojo project from a webpage, it is probably be easier to just manually translate it directly from the webpage to Xojo, instead of using the VB Migration Assistant.
Thanks, Alwyn. But I’m not adding the code to an existing Xojo project. Instead, I’m just trying to compile the entire code (around 1,200 lines) on my Mac. Since it’s written in VB, wouldn’t the easiest thing to do would be to use VB Migration Assistant? If so, what do I save it as?
I’m thinking VBMA might not be the right tool for what you want to do. From VBMA’s manual:
What does it do?
VBMA creates a REALbasic project from the contents of your Visual Basic project. Specifically, it will move over forms, modules and classes.
What doesn?t it do?
VBMA does not do ANY code conversion. In fact, it comments out all the code that it moves over.
The purpose of VBMA is to move the “structure” of an existing Visual Basic project over to the Xojo environment, so that you don’t have to re-create each individual module and class manually. I doesn’t convert the code line for line.
I still think your best bet might be to create a new Xojo project, paste the code into this project, and then work through it line for line until it compiles.
If you want to use Xojo, you will have to manually translate the code. Xojo isn’t a shortcut to using VB code.
The PismoTek converter did a decent job on the business logic code in my app (provided a good starting point), but the GUI code translation was not useful. But I see they yanked it off their web site, saying it was too old to be useful.
Thanks for the replies. So is Xojo the most natural translation of VB code, or should I try a different programming language? If so, which one? Again, I’m a novice at this; I have hardly any programming experience and appreciate any insight.
If your goal is to be able to use some VB code you got off the net on a Mac, then Xojo is going to be the best path. Beware of any Windows-specific calls in the VB code, though. IMO, taking 1200 lines of VB code off of a website and getting it to run on a Mac is going to be a challenge. I don’t want to discourage you, but depending on what the code actually does, it could be difficult.
Hi there i am trying XOJO and i want to learn this as fast as i can
where i can find full source codes can anyone please host a free website and host source codes for us newbies to learn programming
i used to use VB net but i found XOJO its much easy and less coding then VB net this is what i was looking for all this years less lines of code and fast developer
with source codes it will be easy for learn and develop applications and it will bring more programmers to Xojo
i got the language with codes but does not explain very much and dones’t have the codes i am looking for
doesn’t have combobox i want to build few applications and use combo for hide and show the panel
i real want to learn more XOJO
can anyone from XOJO send me source codes for MAC and WIndows please
thanks
Xojo includes around 150 examples which you can access directly from the IDE (File->New Project and select Examples in the Project Chooser).
You should also check out the Introduction to Programming with Xojo book, plus the QuickStart, Tutorial and User Guides.
And also check out the webinars here: http://documentation.xojo.com/index.php/Videos
Also, it would be better to start a new conversation for your questions (in the Getting Started topic) rather than adding to this conversation.