Author Topic: Visual BASIC for OS/2  (Read 22330 times)

Ronald

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Visual BASIC for OS/2
« on: June 15, 2017, 06:06:03 am »
Did someone ever get their hands on this old app?  I've read people talking about it for decades now.  But never seen any proof of its existance.  Enquiring minds want to know. ;)

Andy Willis

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Re: Visual BASIC for OS/2
« Reply #1 on: June 15, 2017, 07:02:31 am »
I had a copy of VisualAge Basic.

Eduardo Vila Echagüe

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Re: Visual BASIC for OS/2
« Reply #2 on: June 15, 2017, 05:19:26 pm »
I have a copy. Years ago I developed an application with it and still use it at times.

Martin Iturbide

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Re: Visual BASIC for OS/2
« Reply #3 on: June 16, 2017, 10:39:07 pm »
Hi.

If you mean "IBM VisualAge for Basic for OS/2", yes I know it exists.

If it is "Microsoft Visual Basic for OS/2" I had never see it. EDM/2 page says it was a version of OS/2 but I have never see it.

Screenshots of both tools will be appreciated to be posted on the wiki.

Regards
Martin Iturbide
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Eduardo Vila Echagüe

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Re: Visual BASIC for OS/2
« Reply #4 on: June 17, 2017, 05:26:50 am »
Matin:

Yes, I meant IBM VisualAge for Basic for OS/2. There was also an IBM VisualAge for Basic for Windows NT which I also have and tested. In my period as IBM Chile Software Manager (1995-1997) I never heard of any MS software capable of running in OS2 (with the exception of those running in WinOS2) If it existed, it must be from a much earlier period.

Eduardo Vila Echagüe
Santiago, Chile

Dariusz Piatkowski

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Re: Visual BASIC for OS/2
« Reply #5 on: June 17, 2017, 05:36:03 pm »
You know, interesting thread. Some years ago, not all that long ago actually, I was trying to introduce the concept of programming to my son, he was about 11-12 yrs old at that time. I struggled to find an easy IDE type environment that would make for a simple type of rudimentary programming, sort of along the lines of what I experienced writing my first BASIC/QBASIC/GWBASIC programs...LOL, ahh, those were the days!!!

Anyways, I came across the Visual Basic mention on-line as well, but nowhere was I actually able to find anything handy. We eventually settled on QBASIC and that was fun. Other Windows based environments were availabe, such as Python for example, and since they appeared a lot more digestable to my kid that's what he pursued.

So that begs the question: given the age of this type of stuff, has any of it actually gone to that "abandon-ware" status? There certainly are vasts amounts of previously commercial software that has goen down that path...

Ronald

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Re: Visual BASIC for OS/2
« Reply #6 on: June 18, 2017, 01:58:22 pm »
I thought someone would have dug up a copy by now.  Oh well.

Jean-Yves

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Re: Visual BASIC for OS/2
« Reply #7 on: June 19, 2017, 04:30:14 pm »
Just as an interesting addition, the VisualAge for Basic programming help file mentions that:

Quote
If you are familiar with Visual Basic, you will find the transition to VisualAge for Basic an easy one. VisualAge for Basic supports the Visual Basic** language, while extending it in several ways. In VisualAge for Basic, you can load and run your Visual Basic** programs that have been saved in text format.

I just tried a few simple Visual Basic programs (no forms, just loops and message boxes etc) and they worked fine.

A more detailed comparison is also to be found in the manual:

Quote
This section provides an overview of the differences between VisualAge for Basic and Microsoft Visual Basic. They include:

Visual Basic is only available for the Microsoft Windows operating system. Versions of VisualAge for Basic exist for several operating systems, including Microsoft Windows, OS/2, and AIX.

The VisualAge for Basic language is compatible with Visual Basic. However, VisualAge for Basic contains a number of unique statements and functions as well.

Visual Basic uses proprietary "custom controls" as application elements. VisualAge for Basic's components are classes from which you can derive subclasses.

Visual Basic does not allow you to define or derive classes. VisualAge for Basic lets you define new non-visual classes. In addition, you can use VisualAge for Basic to derive from existing visual component classes. Derivation can be done interactively or using VisualAge for Basic statements.

VisualAge for Basic assigns the extension .i to new forms. VisualAge for Basic also recognizes forms assigned the extension .frm by Visual Basic.

Visual Basic assigns the extension .mak to project files. VisualAge for Basic assigns the extension .prj to project files.

VisualAge for Basic's debugging facilities are contained in the Inspector and the Watchpoints and Breakpoints window. You use these tools to set breakpoints and watchpoints, examine the call stack, and change the values of variables using the Immediate window.

VisualAge for Basic lets you incorporate the following into your applications:

-Visual or non-visual C++ objects
-SOM objects
-OLE objects
-Native GUI controls
-OpenDoc components and OCXs

Jean-Yves

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Re: Visual BASIC for OS/2
« Reply #8 on: June 19, 2017, 04:32:56 pm »
@Martin, I can do some screenshots of VA Basic if you like? I just noticed that you requested some.

Update: screenshot attached - this is the client edition, I have not installed the server edition as I do not currently have a copy of DB2/2.  I opened a sample app at random, in this case a currency converter.

« Last Edit: June 19, 2017, 04:39:13 pm by Jean-Yves »

Martin Iturbide

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Re: Visual BASIC for OS/2
« Reply #9 on: June 20, 2017, 04:55:07 am »
Thanks Jean-Yves.

I had posted it on the EDM/2.
http://www.edm2.com/index.php/VisualAge_for_Basic

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Martin Iturbide
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Martin Iturbide

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Re: Visual BASIC for OS/2
« Reply #10 on: June 20, 2017, 04:22:34 pm »
Hi.

By the way does Microsoft Visual Basic for OS/2 exists? Or was it only a Win-16 version?
Some pictures of that, if exists, will be interesting too.

Regards
Martin Iturbide
OS2World NewsMaster
... just share the dream.

Daniel

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Re: Visual BASIC for OS/2
« Reply #11 on: June 20, 2017, 06:00:26 pm »
Don't forget Visual Basic for DOS. I have a copy. It uses characters to create radio buttons etc.

xynixme

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Re: Visual BASIC for OS/2
« Reply #12 on: June 20, 2017, 11:38:51 pm »
I can do some screenshots of VA Basic

What are all of its desktop objects, templates, settings, and so on? So far I've got:

Code: [Select]
Main folder VisualAge for Basic (SF1_OS2.ICO, SF2_OS2.ICO)
   Folder Information (DB2INFO.ICO)
      Data Access Guide
      Programming Guide
   Program VisualAge for Basic (VW.EXE)

CONFIG.SYS
   SET LIBPATH=x:\VABASIC
   SET VWDIR=x:\VABASIC

Jean-Yves

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Re: Visual BASIC for OS/2
« Reply #13 on: June 21, 2017, 10:55:03 am »
Hi Andre,

See attached screenshot for the desktop objects I have - remember that this is just the client version - I did not install the server.

With regards config.sys, these lines have VABASIC in them. Note that I installed into C:\Programs rather than direct to the root of C:

Code: [Select]
LIBPATH     C:\Programs\VABASIC\SOM\LIB; C:\Programs\VABASIC\DLL;
PATH        C:\Programs\VABASIC\SOM\BIN; C:\Programs\VABASIC\BIN;
DPATH       C:\Programs\VABASIC\SOM\MSG;
HELP        C:\Programs\VABASIC\HELP;
SOMIR       C:\Programs\VABASIC\SOM\ETC\SOM.IR;
INCLUDE     C:\Programs\VABASIC\SOM\INCLUDE;
VWDIR       C:\Programs\VABASIC;
LIB         C:\Programs\VABASIC\SOM\LIB;
SOMBASE     C:\Programs\VABASIC;
SMINCLUDE   C:\Programs\VABASIC\SOM\INCLUDE;
SMTMP       C:\Programs\VABASIC\SOM\TMP;

xynixme

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Re: Visual BASIC for OS/2
« Reply #14 on: June 21, 2017, 11:30:46 am »
See attached screenshot for the desktop objects I have - remember that this is just the client version - I did not install the server.

Excellent (to reconstruct even more components of an install). Is there at least one template and/or registered WPS class too?

Code: [Select]
/* Rexx, query WPS class list, FWIW */
CALL RxFuncAdd 'SysQueryClassList','RexxUtil','SysQueryClassList'
CALLl SysQueryClassList 'list.'
DO i=1 TO list.0
   SAY list.i
END i
EXIT