Visual Basic Concepts

Using Wizards and Add-Ins

See Also

Visual Basic allows you to select and manage add-ins, which are extensions to Visual Basic. These extensions add capabilities to the Visual Basic development environment, for example, special source code control capabilities.

Microsoft and other developers have created add-ins you can use in your applications. Wizards are a type of add-in that can simplify certain tasks, such as creating a form. Several wizards are included in Visual Basic.

To have an add-in appear on the Add-In Manager dialog box, the developer of the add-in must ensure that it is installed properly.

Using the Add-In Manager

You can add or remove an add-in to your project by using the Add-In Manager, which is accessible from the Add-Ins menu. The Add-In Manager dialog box lists the available add-ins.

To install an add-in

1. From the Add-Ins menu, choose Add-In Manager.
   
   
2. Highlight an add-in from the list and click the desired behaviors in Load Behavior. To unload an add-in or prevent it from loading, clear all Load Behavior boxes.
   
   
3. When you are finished making your selections, choose OK.

   Depending upon your Load Behavior selections, Visual Basic connects the selected add-ins and disconnects the cleared add-ins.

Visual Basic saves your add-in selections between editing sessions.

Note   Selecting an add-in may add menu items to the Visual Basic Add-Ins menu.

Using Wizards

Wizards make working with Visual Basic even easier by providing task-specific assistance. For example, the Application Wizard included in Visual Basic helps you to create the framework for an application by presenting a series of questions or choices. It generates the forms and the code behind the forms based on your choices; all you need to do is add code for your own specific functionality.

The Professional and Enterprise editions of Visual Basic include other wizards, including a Data Form Wizard for creating forms to be used with databases, and an ActiveX Document Wizard for converting forms for use in Internet applications.

Wizards are installed or removed using the Add-in Manager. Once installed, they will appear as selections on the Add-Ins menu. Some of the wizards also appear as icons in the related dialog boxes; for example, the Application Wizard can also be accessed using its icon in the New Project dialog box.

To start the Application Wizard

• From the Add-Ins menu, choose Application Wizard.

  –or–

1. From the File menu, choose New Project.
   
   
2. Select the Application Wizard icon.