Summary

This chapter introduced the concept of writing software not just for Visual Basic .NET but also for all programming languages. We started by introducing the concept of an algorithm the underpinnings of all computer software. We then introduced the concept of variables, and you looked closely at the most commonly used data types: Integer, Double, String, Date, and Boolean. You saw how you could use these data types to perform operations such as mathematical operations, concatenating strings, returning the length of a string, splitting text into substrings, retrieving the current date, and extracting date properties. You then looked at how variables are stored in the computer.

After this, you looked at methods what they are, why you need them, how to create them, and how the variables you declare within your methods have local scope within that method and do not apply outside of it. We also described the difference between a function and a subroutine.

To summarize, you should know:

• What an algorithm is and how it applies to software development

• How to declare and use the most common types of variables

• How to use the most common string functions when working with the String data type

• How to use the Date data type and display dates and times so that they are automatically localized to the user’s computer settings

• How to create and use simple methods

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