Visual Basic File Types

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Visual Basic File Types

Types of Visual Basic Files are presented to students new to the Visual Basic programming language.

Each file type has a corresponding designated 3-letter extension. A file named frmMain.frm is most likely the main form of an application. See the article about Hungarian notation for the prefixes used in naming variables and objects. The table below shows the extension (suffix) used in designating file types in Visual Basic.

Extension	Type of File
.vbp	Visual Basic Project
.frm	Form file
.mod	Module file
.cls	Class
.res	Resource file
.exe	Executable file
.bas	Basic file
.ctl	User-defined control file

.pag	Property page file
.dsr	Designer file
.vbg	Visual Basic group

Note for New Visual Basic Students:
The projects done by first semester Visual Basic students are generally SDI projects (Single Document Interface) having only one form. When you save your project to a new folder you need to save the Form As (a .frm file) and you also need to save the Project As (a .vbp file). It is uncommon for beginners to be working with file types other than .frm and .vbp until they have learned the basic concepts about Visual Basic programming.

Files not listed above will be defined at WotsItsFormat, The Programmerr's Resource.

To open a project, from Windows Explorer, open the folder and double-click on the .vbp file. If Visual Basic is not open, this action will also cause Visual Basic to open and to display the project. When in class or in a school computer lab, always follow the directions of your instructor for saving and accessing your Visual Basic projects. You will be needing a floppy disk or two for the class.