Language - Visual Basic .NET

Preamble about the language's origin and its main characteristics.

Quick Downloads

Just need the Visual Basic .NET documentation, drivers, libraries, and examples? Here they are:

API Documentation

• API Manual

Example Code

• Example Code

Libraries and Drivers

• .NET Framework Files
• 32 bit Windows Drivers and Libraries
• 64 bit Windows Drivers and Libraries
• 32-bit Windows Drivers Installer
• 64-bit Windows Drivers Installer
• Linux Source
• Mac OS X Drivers Installer

Getting started with Visual Basic .NET

If you are new to writing code for Phidgets, we recommend starting by running, then modifying existing examples. This will allow you to:

• Make sure your libraries are properly linked
• Go from source code to a test application as quickly as possible
• Ensure your Phidget is hooked up properly

Instructions are divided up by operating system. Choose:

• Windows 2000 / XP / Vista / 7
• Mac OS X
• Linux (including PhidgetSBC)

Windows(2000/XP/Vista/7)

Description of Library Files

Visual Basic .NET programs on Windows depend on the following files, which the installers above put onto your system:

• phidget21.dll contains the actual Phidget library, which is used at run-time. By default, it is placed in C:\Windows\System32.

You will also need one of the following two files, depending on the .NET framework version you are targeting:

• Phidget21.NET.dll is the Phidget library for .NET framework 2.0 or higher. Your compiler has to know where this file is. By default, it is placed into C:\Program Files\Phidgets. You can either point your compiler to that location, or copy and link to it in a directory for your project workspace.
• Phidget21.NET1.1.dll is the Phidget library for .NET framework 1.1. Your compiler has to know where this file is. By default, is is placed into C:\Program Files\Phidgets. You can either point your compiler to that location, or copy and link to it in a directory for your project workspace.

You can optionally install the following files:

• Phidget21.NET.XML provides the IntelliSense in-line documentation for the .NET library in Visual Studio/MonoDevelop. This documentation is also visible in the Object Browser in Visual Studio. By default, it is placed into C:\Program Files\Phidgets.
• Policy.2.1.Phidget21.NET.dll is the policy assembly for Phidget21.NET.dll. Our installer places this file in the Global Assembly Cache(GAC) directory. It directs any programs compiled against version 2.1.0 or higher of Phidget21.NET.dll to use the most recent installed version.

If you do not want to use our installer, you can download the five files.

Running the examples and writing your own code can be fairly compiler-specific, so we include instructions for each compiler below.

Visual Studio 2005/2008/2010

Microsoft makes free versions of Visual Studio available known as Express Editions. The Express editions are suitable for most applications, but are limited in features for more complex applications. Please see Microsoft Visual Studio for more information.

Use Our Examples

Please start by downloading the examples and unpack them into a foler. While these examples were written in Visual Studio 2005 and Visual Studio 2008, Visual Studio 2010 will easily open and upgrade them with the Visual Studio Conversion Wizard.

To load all projects in Visual Studio, go to File → Open → Project, and open AllExamples/AllExamples.sln or AllExamples/AllExamples_vs2008.sln for Visual Studio 2005 and 2008, respectively.

This will load all of the examples available for Visual Basic .NET, and then you can set your main project to be the one that matches your device. If you aren't sure what the software example for your device is called, check the software object listed in the Getting Started guide for your device.

The only thing left to do is to run the examples! Click on Debug → Start Debugging. Please note that the projects, by default try to find the Phidget21.NET.dll in C:\Program Files\Phidgets. If you have it installed in another location, please change the path to the file's location accordingly. If you are receiving an error message regarding that the type Phidget is not defined, please re-add the reference to Phidget21.NET.dll. Please see the Write Your Own Code section for details.

Once you have the Visual Basic .NET examples running, we have a teaching section below to help you follow them.

Write Your Own Code

When you are building a project from scratch, or adding Phidget function calls to an existing project, you'll need to configure your environment to properly link the Phidget Visual Basic .NET library. To begin:

1. Generate a new Visual Basic .NET Console Application project with a descriptive name such as PhidgetTest.

2. Add a reference to the .NET Phidget library.

3. Under the .NET tab, select Phidget21.NET.dll. If you used our installer, these files are installed in C:\Program Files\Phidgets, by default. If it does not appear in this list, then you can browse to the Phidget Framework installation directory and add the file.

The project now has access to the Phidget21 function calls and you are ready to begin coding.

The same teaching section which describes the examples also has further resources for programming your Phidget.

Visual Studio 2003

Use Our Examples

As the Visual Basic .NET examples were written in Visual Studio 2005, Visual Studio 2003 is not able to open the examples. Fortunately, taking a look at the source code will give you valuable programming insight. We have a teaching section below to help you follow them.

Write Your Own Code

When you are building a project from scratch, or adding Phidget function calls to an existing project, you'll need to configure your development environment to properly link the Phidget Visual Basic .NET libraries. Please see the Use Our Examples section for instructions.

Then, in your code, you will need to include the Phidget library:

  using Phidgets;
  using Phidgets.Events;

The project now has access to the Phidget21 function calls and you are ready to begin coding.

The same teaching section which describes the examples also has further resources for programming your Phidget.

Mono

This section will provide instructions on how to compile using the mcs compiler. Other compilers such as gmcs, smcs, and dmcs all work in the same way. Start by downloading the Visual Basic .NET Examples.

Use Our Examples

Download the examples and unpack them into a folder. Here, you can find example programs for all the devices. If you aren't sure what the software example for your device is called, check the software object listed in the Getting Started guide for your device. Please only use the simple examples. The full examples uses Windows Forms, which Mono and the Gtk# toolkit are not completely compatible with. Locate the Program.cs file as this contains the example source code. Copy the file into your working directory, and rename it to example.cs.

To compile and build an executable, run:

mcs /out:example.exe /lib:"C:\Program Files\Phidgets" /r:phidget21.NET.dll example.cs

If you have the Phidget21.NET.dll installed in another location, please change the path to the file's location accordingly.

Afterwards, you will have an executable named example.exe that you can run. Place the Phidget21.NET.dll in the same directory as the executable and type the following to run the program:

mono example.exe

Once you have the Visual Basic .NET examples running, we have a teaching section below to help you follow them.

Write Your Own Code

When you are building a project from scratch, or adding Phidget function calls to an existing project, you'll need to configure your development environment to properly link the Phidget Visual Basic .NET libraries. Please see the Use Our Example section for instructions.

In your code, you will need to include the Phidget library:

Dim  WithEvents phidgetIFK As Phidgets.InterfaceKit

The project now has access to the Phidget21 function calls and you are ready to begin coding.

The same teaching section which describes the examples also has further resources for programming your Phidget.

MonoDevelop

Use Our Examples

Download the examples and unpack them into a folder. Here, you can find example programs for all the devices. These examples were written in Visual Studio 2005 and 2008, but are also compatible with MonoDevelop.

To load all projects in MonoDevelop, go to File → Open, and open AllExamples/AllExamples.sln

This will load all of the examples available for Visual Basic .NET, and then you can set your main project to be the one that matches your device. If you aren't sure what the software example for your device is called, check the software object listed in the Getting Started guide for your device. If you are running under the .NET framework, you can use either the full or simple examples. Otherwise, if you are running under the Mono framework, please only use the simple examples. The full examples uses Windows Forms, which is not completely compatible with Mono's Gtk#.

The only thing left to do is to run the examples! Right click the project, and click on Run With and select the target framework. Please note that the projects, by default try to find the Phidget21.NET.dll in the C\Program Files\Phidgets. If you have it installed in another location, please change the path to the file's location accordingly. If you are receiving an error message regarding that the namespace Phidgets cannot be found, please re-add the reference to Phidget21.NET.dll. Please see the Write Your Own Code section for details.

Once you have the Visual Basic .NET examples running, we have a teaching section below to help you follow them.

Write Your Own Code

When you are building a project from scratch, or adding Phidget function calls to an existing project, you'll need to configure your development environment to properly link the Phidget Visual Basic .NET libraries. To begin:

1. Create a new Visual Basic .NET empty project with a descriptive name such as PhidgetTest.

2. Add a reference to the .NET library.

3. Select Phidget21.NET.dll. If you used our installer, by default, this file is placed in C:\Program Files\Phidgets. If it is in another location, please change the path to the file's location accordingly.

4. Then, in your code, you will need to include the Phidget library:

Dim Shared WithEvents phidgetRFID As Phidgets.RFID

The project now has access to the Phidget21 function calls and you are ready to begin coding.

The same teaching section which describes the examples also has further resources for programming your Phidget.

Mac OS X

Visual Basic .NET has excellent support on Mac OS X through the Mono framework.

The first step in using Visual Basic .NET on Mac is to install the Phidget libraries. Compile and install them as explained on the getting started guide for your device. Then, the OS - Mac OS X page also describes the different Phidget files, their installed locations, and their roles....

Linux

Visual Basic .NET has support on Linux through the Mono framework.

The first step in using Visual Basic .NET on Linux is to install the Phidget libraries. Compile and install them as explained on the main Linux page. That Linux page also describes the different Phidget files, their installed locations, and their roles.

Follow the Examples

By following the instructions for your operating system and compiler above, you probably now have a working example and want to understand it better so you can change it to do what you want. This teaching section has resources for you to learn from the examples and write your own.

Next, comes our API information. These resources outline the Visual Basic .NET Phidget functions:

Common Problems and Solutions/Workarounds

Here you can put various frequent problems and our recommended solutions.