Would visual basic be able to do this?

[duckforceone]

Hiya all. I am currently working on a database of information about a card game.

But i have a question. What i would like to do, is make a stand alone program, that can show the card information, and let users modify a bit of it. It would need to not require any other database software. So being sort of stand alone. Basically a small nifty windows program.

Would VB be able to do this easily enough, while making a simple gui for users to use?

Or is there something better out there to do it in or with?

Hope you can help me.

[Comatose]

I don't understand what you want to do.... I do know that VB can work with databases (both structured database [access, oracle, SQL], and non-structured, such as flat files). I'm not sure what you want to do with the card stuff, but I know VB can show pictures.... of anything, such as cards, or hands or whatever. Let me know in a bit more detail what you want to do, and I can see what I can do for you.

[duckforceone]

hmmm i'll try to describe it by writing what i think...

it's a collectible card game... so it need to store all the information about the cards in the entire game, in text.

How i would like the program to work is like this.

Another card player sees the program listed on a fan site. He downloads it and presses install. Then executes the file, and wupti, a small window opens up, presenting him to a few choices. Something like, search card database, or view all, or manage collection. (now it's not possible to edit the card database, only the collection is possible to edit for the user.)

Now if he chooses search card, he types in a search query, in one of the boxes to search in. When it's found, it lists possible cards, and he clicks on the link of one. Then the window changes to show all the stats of that card. And possibly including a picture of the real card. And giving him an option to add the card to his collection, and how many...

etc etc...

would that kind of stuff be easy to do in VB?

[Comatose]

Yes. You are not talking about doing this over the internet though right? I mean, you don't plan to have this database stored on the internet, and his collection and all? Basically, he downloads the program, installs it. It COMES WITH the entire database (which is not editable) and he has another database of his own collection (that is editable). He can add cards from the main database to his collection, right?

Yes. This is possible in Vb.

[duckforceone]

yes correctly... non web based at all...

should i just start going through the vb for dummies and other books to get to know the way, or is there something that would cater to my specific needs?

[Comatose]

If you don't know VB, you'll want to start off with a guide to learning VB from the ground up. Also, don't let there be any confusion about which language you are using. A lot of people don't know this, but THERE IS A DIFFERENCE between Legacy VB (Vb4, 5, or 6) and VB.Net and Vb Express.... Vb.net and Vb Express are basically the same thing, but they are different than Vb6. They have a different set of properties, a different set of objects, and a different set of methods. So, make sure you know which one you are using, and make sure you know which one you are learning.

If you need help with any of the VB6 issues, you can feel free to ask, and I, or someone knowledgeable here will answer your questions. Your project isn't a simple hello world program. It's not something as intense as building a video game, but it's not a walk in the park either. It's a great project to help you learn. Let me know where you are at, and where you are going, and I'll try to help.