VB Is Not Just For Gumbies: Episode V - Mort Strikes Back
Since VS2K5 came out, slowly but surely a few starter kits have been trickling out.
I think these starter kits are a neat idea, useful to experienced people and n00bs alike. Each starter kit is simply a project template that compiles and runs without writing a single line of code.
A little while ago I noticed a new one had appeared - the Web Log Analyzer Starter Kit. It was really good timing - we've just installed a local proxy at work to track unauthorised web surfing by staff in our building, so something that let us go through the logs nicely would be cool - and it uses the client-side reporting services controls too, so I'd have a nice simple example of how they work as well.
I figured (and I was right in my assumption) that it only handles log files from IIS, so I'd have to do a few mods to handle a log file for Apache (which is what we are using) - but this was no big deal.
What I didn't expect was the other problems.
One of the core requirements of Start Kits is that they work, and that they work instantly - it's even explicitly stated on a page that describes what they are and how to make them:
If you are creating a sample application or plug-in:
- Create a project that builds without errors.
- Add template code to implement additional tasks (optional).
- Prepare the documentation.
If you are creating a learning tool:
- Create a project that builds without errors.
- Organize the resources, such as code snippets and item templates.
- Prepare the documentation.
So what happens when you open this starter kit? Well, if you were Mort, you'd have no problems. Hit F5, and away we go.
But I'm not Mort. I hope most of the VB programmers out there aren't (I do - I really hope this :) I've gone into my preferences for VS and set Option Explicit on at all times. So now when I open this starter kit I get something like 16 Build Errors.
They're all simple stuff - either not declaring the data type of a variable, or not explicitly marking a one character string as a char.
*sigh*
How can VB get treated seriously if Mort himself works for Microsoft? A sample is great, but any sample that comes out really should be a sample of some functionality and a sample of good coding practice.