VB Syntax

Abstract

This chapter is an introduction to the syntax of the Visual Basic (VB) language. The topics covered here are the glue that binds programs together. We’ll take a close look at types and variables, since the common type system (CTS) is a key component of the .NET common language runtime (CLR). By the same token, the type system is one facet of VB that is very different in .NET from previous versions. We’ll also look at namespaces; this is a .NET concept you’ll put into practice as soon as you write your first program. Understanding namespaces not only helps you navigate the VB namespaces to find the classes you need, but it also helps you to create your own namespaces in a logical manner. We’ll wrap up with an overview of VB control flow statements, which differ in syntax but are the same in concept across all languages.