Visual Basic 6 (VB6)

Written By TheVBProgramer.

This tutorial explains how you can create a simple test harness that you can use when you are trying different tests. Many of the tutorials on this site use this test harness to demonstrate things. It is recommended that you save this sample program in its own folder (for example, you might call the folder where you save the sample project below "VBTestHarness"). You can then copy this folder over to another folder for each subsequent sample program. When you open the new, copied folder to do the new example, the basic structure for the program will be there, and you can concentrate on modifying the code behind the "Try It" command button.

 

• Start a new "Standard EXE" project in VB

 

• Set the following properties of the form:

Property Value

(Name) frmTest

Caption Test

AutoRedraw True

Font Courier New

 

• Place a command button on the form and set the following properties:

Property Value

(Name) cmdTryIt

Caption Try It

 

• Place a second command button on the form and set the following properties:

Property Value

(Name) cmdClear

Caption Clear

 

• Place a third command button on the form and set the following properties:

Property Value

(Name) cmdExit

Caption Exit

 

• Place the command buttons toward the bottom of the form, center them horizontally on the form and set their horizontal spacing equal. Your form should look like this:

 

 

 

• Double-click the cmdClear command button and place the single statement Cls in the cmdClear_Click event:

 

Private Sub cmdClear_Click()

 

Cls

End Sub

 

 

• Double-click the cmdExit command button and place the single statement End in the cmdExit_Click event:

 

Private Sub cmdExit_Click()

 

End

End Sub

 

• Double-click the cmdTryIt command button and place the following code in the cmdTryIt_Click event:

 

Private Sub cmdTryIt_Click()

 

Dim strName As String

strName = InputBox("Enter your name:", "Input Test")

Print "Hello there, "; strName

End Sub

 

• Run the program and click the "Try It" command button. The input box will appear. Type your name in the data entry area and click OK:

 

 

• The output (as a result of the Print statement) will be displayed on the form:

 

 

• Pressing "Try It" repeatedly will cause the output to be repeated on successive lines. Pressing the "Clear" button will clear all the output. Pressing the "Exit" button will exit the program and return you to the design-time environment.

 

• If desired, save the program (both the project file and the form file) to the folder of your choice.

 

Download the VB project files for the example above here.