VBView - A utility for viewing VB3 and VB4 source code

Contents

Overview

Opening a project

Listing the source code files in a project

Listing the procedures in a source code file

Setting a filter

Resetting a Filter

Viewing procedures

Copying Code

Printing Procedures

Terminating VBView

VBView Versions

Error Messages

Support

Ordering Information

Shareware License Agreement

Advantages of Registration


Overview

VBView lets you quickly examine the source code of a VB project without the overheads of using Visual Basic itself.

VB3 developers will find it particularly useful when they are working on one project and want to look at or copy code from another project.

VB4 developers running Windows 95 or Windows NT can run multiple copies of Visual Basic but they will still find it easier to use VBView to look at other projects. They will also reduce the risk of accidentally saving a VB3 project as a VB4 project, since VB3View is a read only utility.

VBView displays the components of a project using the VB outline control. The top level node is the .MAK file or .VBP file itself. The next level displays the individual .FRM, .BAS and, for VB4, .CLS files that make up a project. The leaves of the outline show the individual procedures contained in each source file.

Clicking on a leaf brings up a code window showing that procedure. You can copy the whole procedure or a selection to the Windows clipboard.

You can also use VBView to print individual procedures.


Open
Opening a project

There are three ways to specify the VB project you wish to view.

1.	Click on the File menu and choose one the project files listed in the menu (these are taken fron the list of recently referenced VB projects maintained in VB.INI)

2.	Choose Open Project... from the File menu

3.	Click on the Open button

In the latter two cases, a standard Windows File Open dialog box is displayed.


List source files
Listing the source code files in a project

Once you have opened a project, the file name will be displayed in the project display area, as shown below:

Click on file name itself, and VBView will list  all the source code files in the project.


procedures
Listing the procedures in a source code file

Click on a .FRM, .BAS or .CLS name, and VBView will list all the procedures in the file. Click again, and the list will be closed up.


Filters
Setting a Filter

Sometimes, you just want to see the procedures that refer to a particular variable or object. VBView lets you set a global filter that limits the source files and procedures that are listed to those that contain a specified string.

You can set the filter in two ways:

1.	Choose Set Filter... from the Options menu

2.	Click on the Filter button

VBView then displays a window that allows you to enter the specified string. Type in the string that you want to use as a filter, and click on the OK button.

Note that the filtering is case sensitive. VBView will not show source files or procedures that contain HEIGHT or height, for example.


Resetting a filter

You can clear the filter in two ways:

1.	Choose Set Filter... from the Options menu

2.	Click on the Filter button

When the Search Criteria window is displayed, click on the Clear button.


Viewing a procedure
Viewing Procedures

If you click on a procedure name, VBView will open up a Window showing the source code of that procedure. If you click on another procedure, VBView will open another Window for that procedure.

If you don't close these source code Windows, then your desktop may get rather cluttered.

The 16-bit version of VBView can only display about 40,000 bytes in a single code Window. If the procedure is longer than 40,000 bytes, then VB3View will show it in multiple code Windows.

The 32-bit version does not have these limitations.

If a filter is in effect, the first occurrence of the criteria field will be highlighted. You can use the Find Next button to find further occurrences.


Aborting a sort
Copying Code

Once you have opened up a window to view a procedure, you can copy code from the window using the Windows clipboard. The Copy All button copies the complete procedure to the clipboard. The Copy selection button lets you copy the current selection to the clipboard.

Copy All button:

Copy Selection button

Standard Windows editing conventions and keystroke combinations also apply.


printing a procedure
Printing Procedures

Once you have opened up a window to view a procedure, you can obtain hardcopy by clicking on the printer button. Before printing, VBView gives you a dialog that allows you to choose page orientation, font, fontsize and one or two columns.


Terminating VBVIEW

You can terminate VBVIEW by clicking on the Exit button or choosing Exit from the File menu.


Versions

The shareware evaluation version of VBView is written in VB 3.0. It can be used on VB 3.0 and VB 4.0 projects.

Purchasers receive the latest VB 3.0 16-bit version and a VB 4.0 32-bit version that is faster and has fewer limitations.


Support

You may contact the developers by E-Mail.

The E-Mail address is PatDooley@aol.com.


License Agreement and Warranty Disclaimer

Copyright Notice

VBVIEW Copyright  1994-1995 by PD Consulting.
All rights reserved.

License Agreement

You should read carefully the following terms and conditions before using this software.

Shareware Release

You are hereby licensed to: use the Shareware Release of the software for a 28-day evaluation period; make as many copies of the original installation files as you want; give exact copies of the original installation files to anyone; and distribute the original installation files by electronic or optical means.

You are specifically prohibited from: charging or requesting donations for any such copies, however made; and modifying the program or its documentation without the prior written permission of PD Consulting.

Unregistered use of VBVIEW after the 28-day evaluation period is in violation of federal copyright laws.

Evaluation and Registration

This is not free software. The license allows you to use this software for evaluation purpose without charge for a period of 28-days. If you continue to use this software after the 28-day evaluation period has expired, a registration fee of $10 is required. Payments must be by check drawn on a US bank or by money order made out in US dollars, and should be sent to PD Consulting, 2249 Elm Avenue, Suite 202, Cleveland, OH 44113, USA. When payment is received you will be sent a registered copy of the latest version of VBVIEW.

One registered copy of VBVIEW may either be used by a single person who uses the software personally on one or more computers, or installed on a single computer used non-simultaneously by multiple people, but not both.

You may access VBVIEW through a network provided that you have obtained individual licenses for each workstation that will access the software via the network.

Governing Law

This agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of Ohio.

Disclaimer of Warranty

THIS SOFTWARE AND THE ACCOMPANYING FILES ARE SOLD "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTIES AS TO PERFORMANCE OR MERCHANTABILITY OR ANY OTHER WARRANTIES WHETHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED. Because of the various hardware and software environments into which VBVIEW may be put, no warranty or fitness for a particular purpose is offered.

Good data processing procedure dictates that any program be thoroughly tested with non-critical data before relying on it. ANY LIABILITY OF THE SELLER WILL BE LIMITED EXCLUSIVELY TO PRODUCT REPLACEMENT OR REFUND OF PURCHASE PRICE.


ORDER FORM

VBVIEW  1.1 Registration Form and Invoice

Ordering Information: Send this order form and a check drawn on a US bank or a postal money order in US currency for the total payment amount to PD Consulting, 2249 Elm Avenue, Suite 202, Cleveland, OH 44113.

VBVIEW Single Copy _____ copies at $10 each =	_________

OHIO residents add 7% sales tax	+

Shipping and handling charge	+	           $2.50

Total payment (US Currency)	_________

Price guaranteed through December 1996.

Name:	__________________________________________

Organization: 	__________________________________________

Address 1: 	__________________________________________

Address 2: 	__________________________________________

City, State, Zip: 	__________________________________________

Country: 	__________________________________________

Day Telephone:	__________________________________________

Evening Telephone:	__________________________________________

Fax: 	__________________________________________

EMAIL Address: 	__________________________________________

Comments and Suggestions:


Advantages of Registration

Registered users will receive the following benefits:

1.	Support via E-mail or fax.

2.	The latest 16-bit and 32-bit versions of VBVIEW.

4.	A much smaller splash screen that disappears almost immediately.

5.	The ability to use VBVIEW for real work instead of evaluations.


Error Messages

Most errors trapped by VBVIEW relate to file problems. For example, you may open an old project file that refers to BAS files that you have moved to a new directory.

A few errors may arise due to internal problems with VBVIEW. If you are a registered user, you can contact the developer for support.

VBView may generate the following error messages, where:

<<file>> is the name of the file in question

<<Run time error message>> is the message reported by the VB run time environment

 <<Run time error code>> is the error number reported by the VB run time environment.

1.	Could not access <<file>>

2.	Could not access <<file>>Windows reports: <<Run time error message>>

3.	<<file>> was not saved in Text format. You should open it in VB, select Save As from the file menu, Check the Save as Text box, and click OK."

4.	Error processing MAK file <<Run time error message>>

5.	You have more than 6000 items being displayed. If you continue to expand ".frm", ".bas" and ".cls" files, then an "Out of memory error" may occur. You can avoid this by clicking on some of the expanded entries to collapse them."

6.	Error No<<Run time error number>> Description<<Run time error message>> occurred opening <<file>>. File skipped.",

7.	<<file>> appears to be a binary file.

8.	Error No <<Run time error number>> Description<<Run time error message>>occurred opening <<file>> File skipped.",

The likely Run time error codes and messages are:

52          Bad file name or number

53          File not found

54          Bad file mode

55          File already open

57          Device I/O error

58          File already exists

59          Bad record length

61          Disk full

62          Input past end of file

63          Bad record number

64          Bad file name

67          Too many files

68          Device unavailable

70          Permission denied

71          Disk not ready

74          Can't rename with different drive

75          Path/File access error

76          Path not found