ď‚— At the end of the course, students should be able to:
Understand the types of data ii. Apply and use the data types iii. Understand and describe the term of variables which are used to store values in an application. iv. Apply many different types of values can be stored in variables. v. Understand and use the intrinsic Visual Basic controls such as label, textbox, frame, list box option button etc. i.
1. 2.
Computer Programming Program Development
ï‚— WHAT IS A PROGRAM?
Sequences of instructions and decisions that the computer carries out to achieve a task.
ď‚— A computer program tells a computer, in a
minute detail, the sequence of steps that are needed to fulfill a task. The act of designing and implementing these programs is called computer programming.
ď‚— Computer process data under the control
sets of instruction called computer programs.
ď‚— These
computer programs guide the computer through orderly sets of action specified by people called computer programmers.
ď‚— The computer programmer does a great
deal of programming. They must be expert in certain language.
ď‚— There are many programming languages
such as Microsoft Visual Basic, C++, Fortran, JAVA, Pascal and many others. Every language has their own advantages and disadvantages.
ď‚— The choice of programming language is
sometimes a complex decision. It depends on the needs of the program you are creating.
Computer language can be categorized as
follows:
Low-Level Language
-Machine Language -Assembly Language
High-Level Language
ď‚— Machine Language (1st generation)
-
The most basic computer language and provides program in bits. All data stored and manipulated as binary codes. example: 01110101 To represent any operator or data, programmer must remember the machine languages code for various operations and the locations of data in the main memory.
ď‚— Assembly Language (2nd generation)
-
Was developed to make programmer’s job easier. An instruction is an easy to remember form called mnemonic. example: LOAD, STOR, MULT, ADD To perform by using assembly language, the instruction must be translates into machine language.
-
A program called assembler translates the assembly language instruction into machine language. Assembler: A program that translates a program written in assembly language into equivalent program in machine language.
ď‚— High-Level Language (3rd generation)
-
Were closer to spoken languages, such as English. Visual Basic, C++, Fortran and Java are all high level language. example: nettPrice = price*quantity This instruction is much easier to understand and is self-explanatory to novice user who is familiar with basic arithmetic.
-
A program called a compiler needs to translate instruction into machine language. Compiler: A program that translates a program in high level language into the equivalent machine language.