Monday, January 5: Welcome back!

Greetings, noble VB programmers!

We are almost at the end of our sojourn through Visual Basic: two short school weeks, then we're at the exam period. By my count, we have only eight classes left until then, INCLUDING today. And then, th-th-th-that's all folks! we are D-O-N-E. So we have to make these remaining days count.

What I would like to begin with today is some basic exam prep. That may sound backwards, but think about it: exactly what kind of exam could we have in a class like this? How do you fit Visual Basic Programming into a multiple choice format? Shall we write an essay about our love for arrays, classes, modules and functions? Nahhhhh, I don't think so! Uncle Paulie don't play that way.

Don't misunderstand: there WILL be an exam, but at least part of it must be done beforehand. You've been working on projects all semester long, both your own, and "mini projects" I have assigned you to explore how various parts of this language work. Sooooooooooooo, at least some part of your exam will necessarily involve a "mini project" of your own design, that you work on BEFORE the actual exam week. (Hey, if we can't get first lunch, we should at least be the first people done with exams, right?)

So here is what we are going to begin with:

A) Come up with a name for your project and a two or three sentence description of what it will do, and how you anticipate that it will work. Post this in our Google group under a heading that includes your name and the phrase "exam project description"

B) Next, you will need to create a new project, name it as you said you would, and then, before you write so much as one line of code, THINK about what your program will need to work. What will it require in the way of arrays? Function calls? Modules? Timers? Loops? THINK, and then

WRITE YOUR COMMENTS FIRST DIRECTLY INSIDE THE CODE FOR YOUR PROJECT

after which, you will copy these comments into an email which you will send to me, said email having a Subject line that includes your name and the phrase "exam project comments"

I will not accept any exam project where this has not been done first, and no kidding, if you're slacking with this part, I will send it back to you, and tell you to re-work it until you get it right.

C) While you're writing these comments, you might want to think about all the lessons you've learned in this class thus far, and compile a list of the blog postings -- including the EXACT website address for that posting-- which you deem will be most helpful in creating your exam project. You will need to include at least ten of these in another email you will send to me; subject line should read "blog postings that will help" plus your name.

Once this is done, you are free to work on your personal projects, or get cracking on your exam project.

Cheers,
Mr. L