Datasheet

The only exception would be if you already have SQL Server installed on your system. In that
case, you could use the existing installation for any database server examples instead, although
I cannot guarantee they will work as expected if you are using an older version of SQL Server.
The only other decision that you have to make is to where to install the application. Note that you don’t
actually get to choose the location of the optional components or the underlying .NET Framework. In
addition, this location does not affect the location of the projects you will create—you’ll set that location
later in this chapter. Once you’ve made that decision, click Next to start the actual file copy and registra-
tion process.
As the installer copies each component over to your computer, it will mark the status on an interim
screen. The obvious icons will point out any errors, but most likely you’ll encounter nothing but success.
In the event of an error, the installation process will advise you as to what steps to take to rectify it
before you try again.
Fortunately for you, the rest of the installation is automatic, and while it can take quite some time, you
can sit back and have a coffee (and perhaps a Danish) while you wait. When you’re presented with the
final screen, you have the capability to submit to Microsoft a copy of the installation log so they can
check it against what they expect.
While many people believe submitting this information is either pointless or a way for Microsoft to gain
access to private data, Microsoft does actually find the information useful in fine-tuning its processes,
and anything that improves the speed and efficiency of an installation process is something I am 100
percent behind.
What It Looks Like
Once you have successfully installed Visual Basic 2005 Express, you can start it up by selecting it from
your Start menu. Click Start ➪ All Programs➪ Visual Basic 2005 Express Edition. After the obligatory
splash screen identifying the application and version, you’ll be presented with an interface much like the
one shown in Figure 1-2.
The main program is known as an Integrated Development Environment, or IDE for short. The IDE of
Visual Basic Express has been formed from the experiences of many programmers and many other envi-
ronments, but it will definitely be familiar to anyone who has programmed in Visual Basic before.
To explore the main elements, you should expand and pin several windows and explorers. As you can
see in Figure 1-2, to the right of the Welcome page is an area entitled Solution Explorer. In the top-right
corner of this area are three small buttons. The middle one is the pin, or auto hide, button. When clicked,
this tells the IDE to always show the area, or to automatically hide it when it is not needed. Another win-
dow that is currently hidden is the toolbox to the left of the Welcome page.
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Basic Installation
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