VB.NET Desktop Applications

Comprehensive documentation for building powerful Windows desktop applications with Visual Basic .NET.

Introduction to VB.NET Desktop Applications

Visual Basic .NET (VB.NET) is a powerful, object-oriented programming language that builds on the strengths of Visual Basic and integrates with the .NET Framework. It's an excellent choice for developing robust and feature-rich Windows desktop applications. This documentation provides a comprehensive guide to help you master the art of VB.NET desktop development.

With VB.NET and the .NET Framework, you can create applications that range from simple utilities to complex enterprise solutions. Key benefits include:

Getting Started with Visual Studio and VB.NET

To begin developing VB.NET desktop applications, you'll need Visual Studio, Microsoft's integrated development environment (IDE). Download and install the appropriate version (Community edition is free for individuals and small teams).

Once installed, you can create a new project:

  1. Open Visual Studio.
  2. Click "Create a new project".
  3. Search for "Windows Forms App (.NET Framework)" or "Windows Forms App" (for .NET Core/.NET 5+).
  4. Select the template and click "Next".
  5. Give your project a name and choose a location, then click "Create".
Project Creation Example: You'll be presented with a default form (Form1.vb) and the Visual Studio designer. This is where you'll visually lay out your application's user interface.

Windows Forms Designer

The Windows Forms designer is a visual tool that allows you to drag and drop controls onto your forms and arrange them. You can also use the Properties window to customize their appearance, behavior, and events.

Commonly Used Controls

VB.NET offers a rich set of controls to build user interfaces. Here are a few fundamental ones:

Handling Events

User interactions, such as clicking a button or typing in a text box, trigger events. You write event handler procedures to respond to these events. For example, to handle a button click:


Private Sub btnSubmit_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles btnSubmit.Click
    ' Code to execute when the button is clicked
    MessageBox.Show("Button was clicked!")
End Sub

The Handles keyword links the procedure to a specific event of a specific control.

Data Access with VB.NET

Accessing and manipulating data is a core requirement for many desktop applications. VB.NET provides several ways to connect to databases, including:

Using ADO.NET, you might connect to a SQL Server database:


Imports System.Data.SqlClient

Public Class DataManager
    Private connectionString As String = "Server=myServerAddress;Database=myDataBase;User Id=myUsername;Password=myPassword;"

    Public Sub GetData()
        Using connection As New SqlConnection(connectionString)
            Dim command As New SqlCommand("SELECT * FROM Customers", connection)
            connection.Open()
            Dim reader As SqlDataReader = command.ExecuteReader()
            While reader.Read()
                Console.WriteLine(reader("FirstName").ToString())
            End While
            reader.Close()
        End Using
    End Sub
End Class

Enhance your application's usability with menu bars and toolbars. Use the MenuStrip and ToolStrip controls from the Toolbox to build these navigation elements.

Working with Dialog Boxes

Dialog boxes are essential for user interaction, such as opening files, saving files, or displaying messages. VB.NET provides common dialog controls like:

Deploying Your Application

Once your application is ready, you'll need to deploy it to your users. Visual Studio offers various deployment technologies, including ClickOnce, MSI installers, and others, to package and distribute your application effectively.

Advanced Topics

As you become more proficient, explore advanced concepts such as: