About box - a dialog box that usually displays brief information about the application

abstract data type (ADT) - a data type created by a programmer

abstraction - a model that includes only the general characteristics of an object

accept button - a button on a form that is clicked when the user presses the e key

access key - a key that is pressed in combination with the a key; access keys allow the user to access buttons and menu items using the keyboard; also known as a mnemonic

accumulator - the variable used to keep a running total

Activated event handler - created in response to an Activated event

Activated event procedure - a form event procedure that executes each time the user switches to a form from another form or another application

Active Server Pages (ASP) - Microsoft's technology for creating Web-enabled applications

Add method - used to add items to a collection

algorithm - a set of well-defined steps for performing a task or solving a problem

Alphabetical button - a button on the Properties window that causes properties to be displayed alphabetically

Anchor property - a control property that allows you to anchor the control to one or more edges of a form

And operator - a logical operator that combines two expressions into one; both expressions must be true for the overall expression to be true

AndAlso operator - uses short-circuit evaluation in compound expressions

append - to write new data immediately following existing data in a file

AppendText method - see System.IO.File.AppendText method

application software - programs that make the computer useful to the user by solving specific problems or performing general operations

arguments - values passed to a Sub procedure or function

array - a group of variables with a single name

array bounds checking - a runtime feature of Visual Basic that does not allow a statement to use a subscript outside the range of subscripts for an array

ascending order - when items are arranged in order, from lowest to highest value

ASP.NET - Microsoft's platform for Web applications; an improvement over Active Server Pages

ASP.NET development server - ASP.NET development software that is automatically installed with Visual Studios 2005 and Visual Web Developer 2005

ASP.NET Server Controls - interactive controls such as buttons, list boxes, and text boxes that execute on the server

assignment operator - the equal sign (=); it copies the value on its right into the item on its left in an assignment statement

assignment statement - a programming statement that uses the assignment operator to copy a value from one object to another

attributes - the data contained in an object; the characteristics of an object that will be implemented as properties

auto list box - appears while entering programming statements in the Code window; displays information that may be used to complete part of the statement

AutoPostBack property - used on Web forms to force the page to be sent to the server when the user clicks on the control

AutoSize property - a Label control property that, when set to True, causes the label's size to display all the text in the Text property

Autos window - a debugging window that displays the value and data type of the variables that appear in the current statement, the three statements before, and the three statements after the current statement

BackColor property - establishes the background color for text

base class - the class that a derived class is based on

binary files - files whose contents are not stored as plain text, but as binary data; cannot be read by a text editor

binary number - a number that is a sequence of 1s and 0s

binding source - keeps track of a database name, location, username, password, and other connection information

Boolean property - a value that can be either True or False

BorderStyle property - a Label control property that determines the type of border, if any, that will appear around the control

bounding box - a transparent rectangular area that defines a control's size on a form

Break mode - the mode in which an application has been suspended for debugging purposes

breakpoint - a line of code that causes a running application to pause execution and enter break mode; while the application is paused, you may examine variable contents and the values stored in certain control properties

buffer - a small holding section of memory that data is first written to; when the buffer is filled, all the information stored there is written to the file

button - a rectangular button-shaped control that performs an action when clicked with the mouse

Button control - when clicked by a user on a Web page, causes the page contents to be sent back to the Web server

ByRef - keyword used to declare a parameter variable, causing its argument to be passed by reference

by reference - when passing an argument to a procedure, the procedure has access to the original argument and can make changes to it

ByVal keyword - indicates that arguments passed into the variable are passed by value

by value - when passing an argument to a procedure, only a portion of the argument is passed to the procedure

Call - a keyword that may be optionally used to call a procedure

cancel button - a button on a form that is clicked when the user presses the – key

Cascading Style Sheet (CSS) - file containing HTML styles that affect the appearance of text and graphics on Web pages

Categorized button - a button on the Properties window that causes related properties to be displayed in groups

CausesValidation property - a Boolean property; when the focus is shifting from Control A to Control B, and Control B's CausesValidation property is set to True, Control A's Validating event will fire

central processing unit (CPU) - the part of the computer that fetches instructions, carries out operations commanded by the instructions, and produces some outcome

CheckBox - a box that is checked or unchecked when clicked with the mouse

CheckBox control - allows the user to make yes/no or on/off selections; may appear alone or in groups

CheckBoxList control - looks like a group of check boxes, but works like a list box

CheckedChanged event - occurs when the state of a radio button or check box changes

Checked property - A property of radio buttons and check boxes; it is set to True when the control is selected and False when the control is deselected. Also a MenuItem object property that may be set to True or False; when set to True, the object becomes a checked menu item.

Chr function - an intrinsic function that accepts a character code as an argument and returns the character that corresponds to the code

class - a program structure that defines an abstract data type

class declaration - defines a class and member variables, properties, events, and methods

class implementation - the portion of a class that is hidden from client programs

class interface - the portion of a class that is visible to the application programmer who uses the class

class objects - instances of a class

class-level variable - a variable that has class scope

class scope - when you declare a variable inside a class; also known as module scope

client - entity that consumes data and makes requests of a server

client program - a program written to use a class; this term is in reference to the clientserver relationship between a class and the programs that use it

client-server model - describes interaction between users of a program (the clients) and the server (as in a Web server)

Close method - closes a form and releases its visual par from memory

Closed event handler - a form event procedure that executes after a form has closed

Closing event handler - a form event procedure that executes as a form is in the process of closing, but before it has closed

codebehind file - stores the source code for a Web form

code template - code that is automatically inserted into an event procedure, consisting of the first and last lines of the procedure; you must add the code that appears between these two lines

code outlining - a Visual Studio tool that lets you expand and collapse sections of code

Code window - a text-editing window in which you write code

collection - an object that is similar to an array; it is a single unit that contains several items and dynamically expands or shrinks in size as items are added or removed

Color dialog box - allows the user to select a color

ColorDialog control - displays a Color dialog box

columns - the vertical lists of data in a database table

combined assignment operators - combine an arithmetic operator with an assignment operator

combo boxes - similar to list boxes; display lists of items to the user

ComboBox - a control that is the combination of a ListBox and a TextBox

comments - notes of explanation that document lines or sections in a method; also known as remarks

Common Gateway Interface (CGI) - typically written in languages such as C or Perl; process information collected by HTML controls

compile errors - syntax errors, such as misspelled keywords and incorrect use of operators or punctuation; statements containing compile errors are underlined with a jagged blue line

components - special controls in Visual Basic that provide the linking mechanism in a database

component tray - a resizable region at the bottom of the Design window that holds invisible controls

compound operators - see combined assignment operators

conditionally-executed - describes statements that are only performed when certain conditions exist

connection object - provides the low-level functionality to interact with a data source

connector symbol - a flowcharting symbol used to connect two flowcharts when a flowchart does not fit on a single sheet of paper or must be divided into sections

constructor - a method that is automatically called when an instance of the class is created

Contents button - on the Dynamic Help window; displays a table of contents in which related help topics are organized into groups

context menu - a pop-up menu that is displayed when the user right-clicks a form or control

context-sensitive help - a help screen that is displayed when the ! key is pressed (for the item that is currently selected)

ControlChars.CrLf - a value that can be concatenated with a string to produce multiple line displays

controls - objects, usually used as on-screen elements in a Visual Basic application

Count property - a collection property that holds the number of items in the collection

counter - a variable that is regularly incremented or decremented each time a loop iterates

database - a collection of tables that hold related data

database schema - the design of tables, columns, and relationships between tables for the database

data binding - a Visual Basic technique that links database tables to controls on a program's forms

data-bound controls - update their contents automatically when you move from one row to the next in a dataset

DataGridView control - bound to DateTime fields

dataset - an in-memory cache of records that is separate from the data source but still allows you to work with the data

data source - usually a database, but can include text files, Excel spreadsheets, XML data, or Web services

DataSource control - visible only at design time; for example, AccessDataSource or SqlDataSource

DataSource property - identifies the table within the dataset that supplies the data

data type - the type of information that the variable can hold

DateTimePicker controls - bound to DateTime fields

decision structure - a program structure that allows a program to have more than one path of execution

delimiter - an item that separates other items

derived class - a class that is based on another class

design - in a database table, specifies each column's name, data type, and range or size

Design mode - the mode in which you design and build an application

Design window - contains the application's forms; where one designs the application's user interface by creating forms and placing controls on them

DetailsView control - makes it easy to view, edit, delete, or add rows to a database table

disk drive - stores information by magnetically encoding it onto a circular disk

DisplayMember property - identifies the column within the table that displays in the list box or combo box

DLLs - dynamic-link library files

docked - describes windows that are attached to each other or to one of the edges of the Visual Studio window

Dock property - a control property that allows you to dock a control against a form's edge

domain name - in a URL, the specific designation, such as microsoft.com

Do Until loop - a looping structure that causes one or more statements to repeat until its test expression is true

Do While loop - a looping structure that causes one or more statements to repeat as long as an expression is true

DropDownList control - permits the user to select a single item from a list

Dynamic Help window - displays a list of help topics that changes as operations are performed; topics displayed are relevant to the operation currently being performed

elements - variables stored within an array

empty string - represented by two quotation marks, with no space between them

Enabled property - a control property that, when set to False, disables the control; therefore the control cannot receive the focus, cannot respond to events generated by the user, and appears dimmed or grayed out on the form

encapsulation - the hiding of data and procedures inside a class

event-driven - a type of program that responds to events or actions that occur while the program is running

event handler - a type of method that responds to actions by the user, such as mouse clicks and key presses at the keyboard

event procedure - a procedure that an object executes in response to an event

exception - an event or condition that happens unexpectedly and causes the application to halt

exception handler - in most modern programming languages, a simple mechanism for handling exceptions

execution point - while single-stepping through an application's code, the next line of code that will execute

Exit Do statement - stops the execution of a Do While or Do Until loop

Exit For statement - stops the execution of a For...Next loop

expression - the input to Visual Basic conversion functions

fields - see columns

file - a collection of data stored on a computer's disk

Filename property - a property of the OpenFileDialog and SaveFileDialog controls that holds the name of the file selected or entered by the user with the Open and Save As dialog boxes

File System Web site - runs directly under the ASP.NET development server supplied with Visual Studio and Visual Web Developer

Filter property - a property of the OpenFileDialog and SaveFileDialog controls used to set filters that control what file types are displayed in the Open and Save As dialog boxes

finalizer - a class method named Finalize; automatically called just before an instance of the class is removed from memory

finding the classes - the object-oriented analysis process of discovering the classes within a problem

flag - a Boolean variable that signals when some condition exists in the program

floating - when windows, such as Project Explorer, Properties, or Form Layout are not docked (attached)

flowchart - a diagram that graphically depicts the flow of a method

focus - the control that has the focus is the one that receives the user's keyboard input or mouse clicks

Focus method - gives the focus to a control

Font dialog box - allows the user to select a font, style, and size

Font property - indicates the size and style of a text font

FontDialog control - displays a Font dialog box

For Each...Next loop - a loop designed specifically to access values from arrays and array-like structures

For Each statement - a special loop designed specifically to access values from arrays and array-like structures

foreign key - a column in one table that references a primary key in another table

For...Next loop - a loop specifically designed to initialize, test, and increment a counter variable

ForeColor property - establishes the foreground color for text

form - a window, onto which other controls may be placed

formatting - the way a value is printed or displayed

FormBorderStyle property - a property that configures a form's border; allows or prevents resizing, minimizing, or maximizing a window

FormClosed event handler - used to execute code immediately after a form has closed

FormClosing event handler - used to execute code in response to a form's closing

Friend access - an access type; a class member with Friend access can be used only by other classes inside the same assembly

FTP Web site - references an existing ASP.NET Web site located on a remote computer (network or Web)

function - a specialized routine that performs a specific operation, and then returns or produces information

function procedure - a collection of statements that performs an operation and returns a value

garbage collector - a process that destroys objects when they are no longer neede

Get section - in a property procedure; allows a client program to retrieve the value of a property

global scope - the scope of a module-level or class-level variable that is declared with the Public access specifier

global variable - a module-level or class-level variable that is declared with the Public access specifier

going out of scope - what happens when an object is created inside a procedure, and is automatically removed from memory when the procedure ends

graphical user interface (GUI) - the graphical interface used by modern operating systems

GridView control - displays database tables; allows you to sort on any column, select the column order, and format data within columns

GroupBox - a rectangular border that functions as a container for other controls

GroupBox control - a control that appears as a rectangular border with an optional title that appears in the upper left corner; you group other controls by drawing them inside a GroupBox control

hardware - a computer's physical components

Hide method - removes a form or control, but does not remove it from memory

horizontal scroll bar - a horizontal slider bar that, when moved with the mouse, increases or decreases a value

HScrollBar control - used to create a horizontal scroll bar

HTML controls - controls found on most Web pages (not ASP.NET)

HTML Table control - an essential tool for designing the layout of Web forms; used to align text, graphics, and controls in rows and columns

HTML tags - used to design the layout of a Web form

HTTP Web site - runs under a Windows operating system utility named Internet Information Services (IIS)

Hungarian notation - system in which a threeletter prefix is used in variable names to identify their data type

HyperLink control - Web forms control that displays underlined text; when the user clicks on the text, the program navigates to a new Web page

Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) - the notation used when creating ordinary Web pages; determines fonts, images, and positioning of elements

If...Then - a statement that can cause other statements to execute under certain conditions

If...Then...Else - a statement that will execute one group of statements if a condition is true, or another group of statements if a condition is false

If...Then...ElseIf - a statement that is like a chain of If...Then...ElseIf statements; they perform their tests, one after the other, until one of them is found to be true

ImageButton control - Web forms control that displays an image on a clickable button

Immediate window - a debugging window used by advanced programmers; allows you to type debugging commands using the keyboard

implicit type conversion - when you assign a value of one data type to a variable of another data type, Visual Basic attempts to convert the value being assigned to the data type of the variable

index - see subscript

Index button - a button on the Dynamic Help window that displays a searchable alphabetized index of all help topics

IndexOf method - searches for a character or a string within a string

infinite loop - a loop that never stops repeating

inheritance - an object-oriented programming feature that allows you to create classes that are based on other classes

InitialDirectory property - a property of the used to set the path of the directory initially displayed in Open and Save As dialog boxes

initialization - specifying an initial value for a variable

input - data the computer collects from the outside world

input box - a Windows dialog box that displays a message to the user; it provides a text box for the user to enter input

input device - a device that collects information and sends it to the computer

input file - file from which a program reads data

input validation - the process of inspecting input values and determining whether they are valid

integer division - a division operation performed with the \ operator in which the result is always an integer; if the result has a fractional part, it is discarded

integrated development environment (IDE) - an application that provides the necessary tools for creating, testing, and debugging software

IntelliSense - a feature of Visual Basic 2005 that provides help and some automatic code completion while you are developing an application

Internet Information Services (IIS) - Microsoft professional-level Web server

Interval property - a property of the timer control; the value stored in the Interval property is the number of milliseconds that elapse between timer events

intranet - network within a company, usually protected by a firewall

IPmt function - returns the required interest payment for a specific period on a loan

Is operator - used to compare two object variables to determine whether they reference the same object

IsNot operator - used to determine whether two variables do not reference the same object

IsNumeric function - an intrinsic function that accepts a string as its argument, and returns True if the string contains a number; the function returns False if the string's contents cannot be recognized as a number

Item method - a collection method that searches for a specific member of the collection and returns a reference to it

Items property - items that are displayed in a list box or combo box are stored as strings in the Items property

Items.Add method - a list box and combo box method that adds an item to the end of the control's Item property

Items.Count property - holds the number of items in a list box or combo box

Items.Insert method - a list box and combo box method that adds an item at a specific index of the control's Item property

Items.Remove method - a list box and combo box method that removes an item from the control's Item property

Items.RemoveAt method - a list box and combo box method that removes an item at a specific index of the control's Item property

iteration - one execution of a loop's conditionally-executed statements

JavaScript - scripting language used on Web pages, usually for client-side programming; runs under the control of the browser, not the Web server

keywords - programming language words that have a special meaning; keywords may only be used for their intended purpose

Label - text that cannot be changed or entered by the user; created with a Label control

Label control - used to create labels to display text on a Web form

language syntax - Visual Basic rules that define the correct way to use keywords, operators, and programmer-defined names

leading space - a space that appears at the beginning of a string

Length property - a string method that returns the number of characters in the string

lifetime - the time during which the variable exists in memory

LIKE operator - used to create partial matches with Text column values

line-continuation character - a space followed by an underscore character; used to break a long programming statement into two or more lines

LinkButton control - used on Web forms; looks like a hyperlink, but generates a Click event

ListBox - a control that appears as a box containing a list of items

ListBox control - displays a list of items and allows the user to select one or more items from the list

Load event procedure - a procedure that is executed each time a form loads into memory

local scope - when variables are declared and used inside a single method or procedure

local variables - variables declared inside a procedure

Locals window - a debugging window that displays the current value and the data type of all the variables in the currently running procedure

logic error - a programming mistake that does not prevent an application from running but causes the application to produce incorrect results

logical operators - operators, such as And or Or, which connect two or more relational expressions into one, or Not, which reverse the logic of an expression

loop - one or more programming statements that repeat

machine language - the language of 1s and 0s, which is the only language the CPU can process

Main - a subprocedure that may be designated as the startup object

main memory - also known as random-access memory, or RAM; where the computer stores information while programs are running

MainMenu control - consists of MenuItem objects; used to construct a menu system on a form

Maximum property - a scroll bar or track bar property that holds the control's maximum value

Me keyword - may be substituted for the name of the currently active form or object

member variable - declared inside a class declaration; the variable is a member of the class

menu designer - allows you to create a custom menu system for any form in an application

menu system - a collection of commands organized in one or more drop-down menus

MenuItem objects - menu names, menu commands, or separator bars on a menu system

message box - a dialog box that displays a message to the user

MessageBox.Show method - displays a Message Box

method - a Sub procedure or function that is a member of a class; performs some operation on the data stored in the class

millisecond - 1/1000 of a second

Minimum property - a scroll bar or track bar property that holds the control's minimum value

mnemonic - a key that you press in combination with the a key to access a control such as a button quickly; also called an access key

mnu - standard prefix for menu controls

modal form - when a modal form displayed, no other form in the application can receive the focus until the modal form is closed; no other statements in the procedure that displayed the modal form will execute until the modal form is closed

modeless form - Allows the user to switch focus to another form while it is displayed; statements that follow the modeless Show method call will continue to execute after the modeless form is displayed. Visual Basic will not wait until the modeless form is closed to execute these statements.

modularize - to break an application's code into small, manageable procedures

module-level variable - a variable declared inside a module, but not inside a Sub procedure or function

module scope - the scope of a module-level variable declared with the Dim keyword or the Private access specifier

Multiline property - a TextBox control property that, when set to True, allows the text box's text to span multiple lines

MyBase keyword - refers to a derived class's base class

Name property - a property that holds the control's name; controls are accessed and manipulated in code by their names

named constant - like a variable whose content is read-only and cannot be changed by a programming statement while the program is running

naming conventions - guidelines based on recommendations of professional designers, programmers, and educators

narrowing conversion - if you assign a real number to an integer variable, Visual Basic attempts to perform this conversion, which sometimes results in lost data

nested If statement - an If statement in the conditionally executed code of another If statement

nested loop - a loop inside another loop

New Project dialog box - used to indicate the type of application you are starting

newline character - an invisible character that separates text by breaking it into another line when displayed on the screen

Not operator - a logical operator that reverses the truth of an expression; it makes a true expression false and a false expression true

object - a programming element that contains data and actions

object box - a drop-down list of the objects in the project that appears in the Properties window

Object Browser - a dialog box that allows you to browse the many classes and components available to your project

Object class - all classes are derived from the built-in Object class

object variable - a variable that holds the memory address of an object and allows you to work with the object

object-oriented analysis - during object-oriented design, the process of analyzing application requirements

object-oriented programming (OOP) - a programming technique centered on creating objects; a way of designing and coding applications that has led to using interchangeable software components

one-to-many relationship - when connecting two database tables indicates multiple occurrences of a foreign key

Open dialog box - gives users the capability of browsing their disks for a file to open, instead of typing a long path and filename

OpenFileDialog control - displays an Open dialog box

operands - pieces of data, such as numbers, on which operators perform operations

operating system (OS) - a set of programs that manages the computer's hardware devices and controls their processes

operations - actions performed by class objects

operators - perform operations on one or more operands

Options dialog box - accessed from the Tools menu; allows you to set various options in the Visual Basic environment

Option Strict - in Visual Basic, a configuration option that determines whether certain implicit conversions are legal

ORDER BY clause - In SQL, lets you control the display order of the table rows

OrElse operator - uses short-circuit evaluation in compound expressions

Or operator - combines two expressions into one; one or both expressions must be true for the overall expression to be true (it is only necessary for one to be true, and it does not matter which one)

output - data a computer sends to the outside world

output device - a device that formats and presents output information

output file - a file into which a program writes data

Output window - displays various messages while an application is being compiled; you may write your own messages with the Debug.WriteLine method

Overridable keyword - in a procedure declaration, indicates that the procedure may be overridden in a derived class

override - to override a property or method in a base class means to create one of the same name in a derived class; when an object of the derived class accesses the property or procedure, it accesses the one in the derived class instead of the one in the base class

Overrides keyword - in a procedure declaration, indicates that the procedure overrides a procedure in the base class

parallel arrays - two or more arrays that hold related data; the related elements in each array are accessed with a common subscript

parameter - a special variable that receives an argument being passed into a method, Sub procedure, or function

Pascal casing - a style of mixing uppercase and lowercase characters in procedure, method, and class names; the first character in the name and the first character of each subsequent word in the name are capitalized and all other characters are lowercase

Peek method - a StreamReader method that looks ahead in the file, without moving the current read position, and returns the next character that will be read; returns –1 when it reaches the end of the file

PHP - popular server-side scripting language used for many Web applications; major competitor of ASP.NET

PictureBox - displays a graphic image

PictureBox control - a control that can be used to display a graphic image

platform - Operating system + computer hardware; creates a complete environment under which programs can run. May also mean a virtual machine such as JVM (Java Virtual Machine) or CLR (Common Language Runtime).

Pmt function - returns the periodic payment amount for a loan

postback - when a Web page is sent back to the Web server for more processing

posttest loop - evaluates its test-expression after each iteration

PPmt function - returns the principal payment for a specific period on a loan

precedence - a ranking system that determines which operator works first in an expression where two operators share an operand

pretest loop - evaluates its test-expression before each iteration

primary key - a field, or the combination of multiple fields, that uniquely identify each row in a database table

Print method - a method of the PrintDocument control that triggers a PrintPage event

PrintDocument control - gives an application the ability to print output on a printer

PrintPage event procedure (handler) - a PrintDocument control event procedure in which you write code that sends printed output to the printer

Private keyword - used to explicitly declare class-level variables private, making the source code more self-documenting

procedural programming - a programming technique centered on creating procedures

procedure - a set of programming language statements that are executed by the computer

procedure call - a statement that calls, or executes, a procedure

program - a sequence of instructions stored in the computer's memory; the instructions enable the computer to solve a problem or perform a task

program code - generally, statements inside methods

program logic - program source code, written in languages such as Visual Basic and C#; in ASP.NET, the program logic is stored in the codebehind file

programmer-defined names - words or names defined by the programmer

programming languages - languages that use words instead of numbers to program the computer

project - a group of files that make up a Visual Basic application

project file - a file ending with the .vbproj extension that contains data describing the Visual Basic project

Prompt - a string displayed, typically on a Form or in an Input Box, requesting the user to enter a value

properties - in Visual Basic, an object's attributes

Properties window - shows and allows you to change most of the currently selected object's properties, and those properties' values

property procedure - a function that is a member of a class, and behaves like a property

Protected access specifier - Protected base class members are like private members, except they may be accessed by methods and property procedures in derived classes. To all other code, however, protected class members are just like private class members.

protocol - in a URL, the designation http://, https://, or ftp://

prototype - a demonstration copy of a program

pseudocode - statements that are a cross between human language and a programming language

Public keyword - used in the declaration of a module level variable or procedure, which makes it available to statements outside the module

queries - SQL statements that retrieve and/or manipulate data in a database

query parameter - when a query contains more than one parameter, these required values are passed as arguments when calling the Fill method

RadioButton - a round button that is either selected or deselected when clicked with the mouse

RadioButton control - usually appears in groups and allows the user to select one of several possible options

RadioButtonList control - Web control that displays a grouped list of radio buttons

RadioChecked property - a MenuItem object property that may be set to True or False; when set to True for a checked menu item, the item appears with a radio button instead of a check mark

random access file - a file whose records may be accessed in any order

random-access memory (RAM) - see main memory

Random class - provides methods and properties that make generating random numbers fairly easy

Random.Next - a method that returns the next integer in the series

Random.NextDouble - method that returns a random floating point number between 0.0 and 1.0 (not including 1.0)

Read method - a StreamReader method that reads the next character from a file

read position - the position of the next item to be read from a file

ReadLine method - a StreamReader method that reads a line of data from a file

Read-only property - a property whose value may be read, but may not be set by a client program

ReadToEnd method - a StreamReader method that reads and returns the entire contents of a file, beginning at the current read position

record - a complete set of data about a single item, consisting of one or more fields

relation - a link or relationship that relies on a common field value to join rows from two different tables

relational expression - uses a relational operator to compare values

relational model - in databases; relations exist between tables

relational operator - determines if a specific relationship, such as less than or greater than, exists between two values

remarks - also known as comments; notes of explanation that document lines or sections in a method

Remove method - a collection method that removes a member

repetition structure - see loop

report body - the part of a report that contains the report's data, and is often formatted in columns

report footer - an optional part of a report that contains the sum of one or more columns of data

report header - the part of a report that is printed first and usually contains the name of the report, the date and time the report was printed, and other general information about the data in the report

Response.Redirect method - transfers control from the current Web form to another Web page or URL on the Internet

Rnd function - generates a single precision random number in the range of 0.0 to 1.0

row - see record

Run mode - the runtime mode in which you run and test an application

running total - a sum of numbers that accumulates with each iteration of a loop

runtime errors - mistakes that do not prevent an application from executing, but cause it to produce incorrect results

Save As dialog box - gives users the capability of browsing their disks for a location to save a file to, as well as specifying a file's name

SaveFileDialog control - displays a standard Windows Save As dialog box

SaveFileDialog property - displays a Save As dialog box

scope - the part of the program where the variable is visible, and may be accessed by programming statements

Search button - a button on the Dynamic Help window that allows you to search for help topics using keywords

secondary storage - a device, such as a disk drive, that can hold information for long periods of time

seed value - a value used to determine the sequence of random numbers generated by the Rnd function

SelectAll method - can be used in code to automatically select the text in the text box

Select Case statement - a statement in which one of several possible actions is taken, depending on the value of an expression

Select statement - the SQL statement used to find records within a database table

SelectedIndex property - holds the index of the selected item in a list box or combo box

SelectedItem property - holds the currently selected item of a list box or combo box

separator bar - a horizontal bar used to separate groups of commands on a menu

sequence structure - a code structure where the statements are executed in sequence, without branching off in another direction

sequential access file - a file whose contents must be read from beginning to end

sequential search - an algorithm that uses a loop to search for a value in an array; it examines the elements in the array, one after the other, starting with the first one

server - entity that produces data consumed by a client

Set section - in a property procedure; executes when a client program sets the property to a value

short-circuit evaluation - allows you to skirt the CheckValue function; it is the default in languages such as C#, C++, and Java

shortcut key - a key or combination of keys that cause a menu command to execute

Shortcut property - a MenuItem object property that allows you to select a shortcut key

ShowDialog method - displays a modal form and causes it to receive the focus

Show method - displays a modeless form and causes it to receive the focus

ShowShortcut property - a MenuItem object property that may be set to True or False; when set to True, the MenuItem object's shortcut key (selected with the Shortcut property) is displayed, when set to False, the shortcut key is not displayed

single dimension array - an array with one subscript, which is useful for storing and working with a single set of data

single-step - a debugging technique where you execute an application's programming statements one at a time; after each statement executes you can examine variable and property contents, which allows you to identify code causing a logic error

SizeMode property - a PictureBox property that determines how the control will position and scale its graphic image

sizing handles - small boxes that appear around a control when it is selected during design mode; used to enlarge or shrink the control

SmallChange property - a scroll bar or track bar property that holds the amount by which the Value property changes when the user clicks one of the scroll arrows at either end of a scroll bar; track bars also respond to the arrow keys, which cause the Value property to change by this amount

software - programs that run on a computer

Solution - a container for holding Visual Basic projects

Solution Explorer window - allows quick navigation among the files in the application

solution file - a file that ends with the .sln extension and contains data describing a solution

splash screen - a form that is displayed while an application is loading

standard module - a file that contains variable declarations, procedures, and functions

standard toolbar - situated below the menu bar; contains buttons that execute frequently used commands

startup object - the object that is initially displayed or executed when an application executes; it may be a form or a Sub procedure named Main in a standard module

Static - keyword used to declare static local variables

static local variable - variables that are not destroyed when a Sub procedure or function returns; they exist for the lifetime of the application, even though their scope is only the Sub procedure or function in which they are declared and they retain their values between procedure calls

static text - ordinary text typed directly onto a Web form in Design mode

Step Into command - a debugging command that allows you to execute a single programming statement (see single-step); if the statement contains a call to a procedure or function, the next execution point that will be displayed is the first line of code in that procedure or function

Step Out command - a debugging command executed while the application is in Break mode; it causes the remainder of the current procedure or function to complete execution without single stepping; after the procedure or function has completed, the line following the procedure or function call is highlighted, and single-stepping may resume

Step Over command - a debugging command executed while the application is in Break mode; it causes the currently highlighted line to execute; if the line contains a procedure or function call, however, the procedure or function is executed and there is no opportunity to single-step through its statements; the entire procedure or function is executed, and the next line in the current procedure is highlighted

step value - the value added to the counter variable at the end of each iteration of a For...Next loop

StreamReader class - a class that provides methods for reading data to sequential files

StreamReader object - an instance of the Streamreader class; used to read data to sequential files

StreamWriter class - a class that provides methods for writing data to sequential files

StreamWriter object - an instance of the StreamWriter class, used to write data to sequential files

string concatenation - when one string is appended to another

string literal - a group of characters inside quotation marks

structure - a data type created by the programmer that contains one or more variables, which are known as members

Structure statement - used to create a structure

Structured Query Language (SQL) - the standard database language for data storage, retrieval, and (SQL) manipulation

Sub - a keyword that precedes the name of a procedure

Sub procedure - a collection of statements that performs a specific task and does not return a value

Sub procedure declaration - the code for declaring a Sub procedure

subscript - a number that identifies a specific element within an array; also known as an index

Substring method - returns a substring, or a string within a string

syntax - rules that must be followed when constructing a method; dictate how keywords, operators, and programmerdefined names may be used

syntax error - the incorrect use of a programming language element, such as a keyword, operator, or programmer-defined word

System.IO.File.AppendText - a method that opens a text file for data to be written to it; if the file method already exists, data is appended to its current contents

System.IO.File.CreateText - a method that opens a text file for data to be written to it; if the file does not exist, it is created

System.IO.File.Exists - a method that returns True if the specified file exists, or False if it does not

System.IO.File.OpenText - a method that opens a text file for reading

tab order - the order in which controls receive the focus

tab order selection mode - establishes a tab order when you click controls in the desired sequence

TabIndex property - contains a numeric value, which indicates the control's position in the tab order

table - holds data in a database; organized in rows and columns

table adapter - pulls data from one or more database tables and passes it to the program

TabStop property - when set to True, causes a control to be skipped in the tab order

TextAlign property - a property that aligns text within a control

TextBox - a rectangular area on a form in which the user can enter text, or the program can display text

TextBox control - allows you to capture input that the user has typed on the keyboard

text file - contains plain text and may be opened in a text editor

Text property - in Visual Basic, stores the value that becomes the text in a control

TickFrequency property - a TrackBar control property that holds the number of units between the tick marks on the control

Timer control - allows an application to automatically execute code at regular time intervals

Title property - a property of the OpenFileDialog and SaveFileDialog controls used to set the string displayed in the Open and Save As dialog box title bars

ToLower method - a string method that returns a lowercase version of a string

Toolbar, layout - contains buttons for formatting the layout of controls on a form

Toolbar, standard - contains buttons that execute frequently used commands

Toolbox window - contains buttons, or tools, for Visual Basic controls

ToolTip - a small box that pops up when you hover the mouse over a button on the Toolbar on in the Toolbox; it contains a short description of the button's purpose

ToolTip control - a control that allows you to create ToolTips for the other controls on a form

TopMost property - a form property that, when set to True, causes the form to be displayed on top of all the other forms currently displayed

ToString method - a method that returns the string representation of a variable

ToUpper method - a string method that returns an uppercase version of a string

TrackBar control - used to create a track bar

trailing space - a space that appears at the end of a string

Trim method - returns a copy of the string without leading or trailing spaces

TrimEnd method - returns a copy of the string without trailing spaces

TrimStart method - returns a copy of the string without leading spaces

Try-Catch block - a construct used for handling exceptions

twip - 1/1440th of an inch; twips are used as a measurement for positioning input boxes on the screen

two-dimensional array - an array of arrays; can be used to hold multiple sets of values

type conversion error - a runtime error that is generated when a nonnumeric value that cannot be automatically converted to a numeric value is assigned to a numeric variable or property

type mismatch error - see type conversion error

Unicode - A set of numeric codes that represent all the letters of the alphabet (both lowercase and uppercase), the printable digits 0 through 9, punctuation symbols, and special characters. The Unicode system is extensive enough to encompass all the world's alphabets.

unhandled exception - a way of expressing a runtime error; we say that an exception was thrown and the exception was not handled

URL (Uniform Resource Locator) - universal way of addressing objects and pages on a network

Validated event - triggered after the Validating event is triggered and the focus has shifted to another control

Validating event - before the focus shifts from Control A to Control B, and Control B's CausesValidation property is set to True, Control A's Validating event will fire

Value property - a scroll bar or track bar property that holds the control's current value

variable - a storage location in the computer's memory, used for holding information while the program is running

variable array - a group of variables with a single name

variable declaration - a statement that causes Visual Basic to create a variable in memory

variable scope - the area of a program in which a variable is visible

vertical scroll bar - a vertical slider bar that, when moved with the mouse, increases or decreases a value

Visible property - a Boolean property that causes a control to be visible on the form when set to True, or hidden when set to False

Visual Web Developer 2005 Express - Microsoft product that simplifies the way you develop Web applications

VScrollBar control - used to create a vertical scroll bar

Watch window - a debugging window that allows you to add the names of variables that you want to watch; displays only the variables that you have added

Web applications - applications that run on a network (including the Internet) that use Web browsers as clients

Web.config file - used by ASP.NET applications to save configuration information; we used it to store a debugging option, for example

Web form - a Web page that contains text, HTML tags, HTML controls, and Web server controls

Web server - the program running on a host Web site that processes requests from end users running Web browsers

Web server controls - same as Web forms controls - type of interactive controls used on Web forms that must be decoded and processed by a Web server; generate runtime events such as Click, SelectedIndexChanged, and TextChanged

WHERE clause - in SQL, used to filter, or select zero or more rows retrieved from a database table

widening conversion - a conversion in which no data is lost

wildcard - a symbol that matches unknown characters

With block - a set of statements enclosed in a With...End With statement

With...End With statement - allows you to create a With block; statements inside a With block may perform several operations on the same object without specifying the name of the object each time

wizard - software tool that guides you through the process of linking a control to a database

WordWrap property - a TextBox control property that causes the contents of a multiline text box to word wrap

Write method - a StreamWriter method that writes data to a file

WriteLine method - a StreamWriter method used to write a line of data to a file

Xor operator - Combines two expressions into one. One expression (not both) must be true for the overall expression to be true. If both expressions are true, or both expressions are false, the overall expression is false.