Copyright: VB Directory Pro Copyright® 1994 Peter Jenkins


VB Directory Pro	September 1994

Welcome to VB Directory Pro, a reference listing of Visual Basic third-party add-ons and utilities from commercial, shareware and public domain authors. VB Directory Pro is only $15 for twelve monthly issues, and is it easy to register on CompuServe by GO SWREG and specifying #2660.

Introduction

More About VB Directory Pro

How to Use VB Directory Pro

Registration Information

Feedback

Product Listings

What's New

Products by Category

Product Index

Author Index

Miscellaneous

Copyright

Notes


Copyright

Copyright © 1994 Peter Jenkins.  All rights reserved.

Information in this document is subject to change without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, for any purpose, without express written permission of Peter Jenkins.


More About VB Directory Pro

VB Directory Pro is a reference listing of over 200 custom controls and other VB productivity tools. Each product listing contains an overview, price, author name and address, and where possible a full description of its features and how to use it.

The information in this Directory was compiled primarily from promotional literature, advertisments and demo software. The descriptions are therefore those of the products' developers and not mine, and should be regarded as such.

Future developments of VB Directory Pro will not only include more product descriptions, but in time the existing shorter descriptions will be expanded. It is also planned that more sections will be added, for example a list of commercial and shareware distributors worldwide for VB add-ons. In addition, as and when developers produce OCX controls they will be included in the Directory.

Suggestions for improvements are welcome  - see the Feedback section.


How to Use VB Directory Pro

There are four main ways to navigate VB Directory Pro to find the products you are looking for:

•	Start at the Products by Category section and drill down to a particular category that you know you are interested in

•	Use the Windows Help 'Search' facility to search on product name (eg. 'ImageKnife/VBX')

•	Use the Windows Help 'Search' facility to search on keyword (eg. 'tiff')

•	Use the Product Index section to look up the product in an alphabetical listing

Note than when using the WinHelp 'Search' facility keywords are either product names, in which case they are in mixed case (eg. 'ImageKnife/VBX'), or normal search words or phrases (eg. 'tiff' or 'bar codes') in which case thay are in lower case. This will enable you to distinguish between the two - 'ToolTip' is a product; 'tooltips' is a keyword. There is no keyword searching on author / company name.

When looking in product categories sections always keep in mind that there are products in the Collections of Controls section that may also contain VBXs that fit your requirements. Also note that the Enhanced Form Controls section contains the popular enhanced command buttons, text boxes, grids, gauges and toolbar controls.


Registration Information

VB Directory Pro is currently only available from CompuServe's Shareware Registration scheme (GO SWREG), where the cost of your purchase will be added to your CompuServe account charge. The Directory is only $15 for an Annual Subscription (SWREG Id: 2660), which entitles you to the current edition plus an additional eleven monthly updates.

Once you have registered and your details have been passed to me by CompuServe, you will be emailed within two working days the Password with which to unlock the VBDIRP.ZIP library file containing the Directory, which you can find in the MSBASIC forum '3rd Party Products' section.  Subcribers to the service will be emailed a new Password every six months at the beginning of the year and mid-year. Please note that it is with extreme regret that I have had to encrypt the Directory; previous poor Shareware registrations have forced me to do this.


Feedback

If you use Visual Basic and know of any controls or utilities that are available in the marketplace that are not listed in this Directory then I would be grateful if you could let me know so that I could include them in the next version. Even better, if you know of a good source of information for third party add-ons it would help me maintain a more complete listing. Remember - the more feedback I get the better the service will become!

If you develop VB controls and would like to be included in this Directory, or if you want to correct any inaccuracies or omissions then please also contact me and I will do my best to update the particulars and redistribute the Directory as soon as is practicable. Text should be emailed in RTF form to me at:

Peter Jenkins  100337,125

Finally if you have any suggestions for extending or otherwise improving the VB Directory, then please let me know and I will try to incorporate them in future versions.


Notes

•	All products are runtime free unless otherwise stated

•	Prices are as stated in magazine articles, and may have changed since their entry was entered

•	No responsibility is accepted for the accuracy and claims of these product descriptions as they are primarily culled from promotional literature, advertisments and demo software, not from personal experience or recommendations


Distributers

USA

United Kingdom

QBS Software Ltd

10 Barley Mow Passage,

Chiswick,

London W4 4PH

Tel:	(081) 994-4842

Fax:	(081) 994-3441

email:	qbs@cix.compulink.co.uk

Contemporary Software

Abbey View,

Everard Close,

St Albans AL1 2PS.

Tel:	(0727) 811999

Fax:	(0727) 848991


Products by Category

The following list of categories divide the VB third party add-ons into functional groups. Each category contains a further description of the kinds of controls it covers.

Collections of Controls

Compression

Custom Control Development

Database Tools

Enhanced Form Controls

Fax / OCR / Email

Graphics / Multimedia

Help File Generation Utilities

Mathematics / Financial / Scientific

Mouse / Icon / Menus

Networks / Communications

VB Environment Enhancers

Sound and Music

Word Processing Support

Miscellaneous


Collections of Controls

This topic lists those products which are in fact a collection of different controls, usually small but useful controls and utilities.

3-D Gizmos Data aware controls with a variety of 3-D effects

Borland Visual Solutions Over 25 custom controls

Designer Widgets Dockable toolbar, index tab and form caption controls

Kolibri Includes enhanced animation, slider, swivel, filtered input box and list box

Muscle Hundreds of assembly language routines to increase productivity

VB PowerLibs A collection of low and high level productivity routines

VBParts Sold and priced seperately, incl ZIP, Spell Check, Z-Modem, Clock

VB PowerCtls A collection of VB controls

VBTools Extend VB with over 50 extra controls

VBX Studio Fifteen useful custom controls

VSVBX Elastic, IndexTab and AWK controls

VSView Form title, printer, scrollable window and draw controls

WinWidgets Includes The Grid, edit and button controls, list and combo boxes


Compression

This section lists products that provide compression capabilities to Visual Basic applications.

Compression Plus Compress files, memory and screen images; supports PkZip

JPEG Image Compressor VBX Graphics / multimedia JPEG compression

ZipInf Gives information about the content of ZIP files


Custom Control Development

This section lists products which help in the development of Visual Basic custom controls.

Control Wizard Takes the drudgery out of creating new custom VBX controls

EZ VBX Toolkit Simplifies the creation of VB custom controls

Skeleton VBX Template for creating VBXs

VB/Magic Controls Create original visual input and display controls


Database Tools

This section lists products which help VB developers you to create database applications, for example by facilitating client/server access to remote databases, providing dBase compatibility or just simple database utilities.

Access to Remote Databases

Netware SQL Includes SDK with two APIs for VB development

SequeLink Comprehensive connectivity software for remote database access

Open Engine ANSI SQL gateway to remote database servers

SQL Server Toolkit Allows access to MS SQL Server. From Microsoft itself

VB/Link for Lotus Notes Read, update and display info stored in Lotus Notes

Q+E ODBC Pack Over 20 drivers for ODBC including Oracle, Sybase, SQL Server

ShowCase VISTA Access the IBM AS/400 database via DDE

ShowCase VISTA EIS Object-oriented EIS for AS/400 databases

ShowCase Gateway Connects SQL clients to the IBM AS/400 database

SQL-Sombrero VBX, OLE controls and OLE Automation for Sybase & SQL Server

Integra VDB Six custom controls for ODBC database access

PC Database Access

Agility/VB Complete dBase-aware database management system for VB

Brigit Access dBase and Clipper files

CodeBasic Access dBase, FoxPro and Clipper data, index and memo files

Controls for Btrieve A set of custom controls for linking to Btrieve data

Data Widgets A collection of bound data controls from Sheridan Software

DbControls Data access for either dBase or Btrieve data formats

DDLManager Manipulate Access data dictionary, with strong SQL functionality

DDF Builder Create and maintain Btrieve DDF data dictionary files

DATABasic Features both B-tree and hashing indexes

DBEngine Provides VBX access to the Paradox Engine

Index Manager Lean, fast B+ tree file indexer

MDB->BAS Generates VB code to create Access database from MDB file

ObjecTrieve/VB ISAM data Manager with BLOB extensions

PowerTABLE A replacement for VB's Data Manager

Q+E Multilink/VB Create VB apps using over 20 PC and SQL data formats

Q+E Database/VB Complete multi-user dBase-compatible set of custom controls

SIxBase/VB Small, fast xBase drivers, supports Clipper and FoxPro index/memos

SQL Controls Develop industrial-strength SQL database applications

Visual/db Create dBASE-type database using VB source code

Miscellaneous

SoundX Provides Soundex and Metaphone conversion algorithms

SNDDEXPerforms Soundex word matching comparisons


Enhanced Form Controls

This important section lists custom controls which replace and enhance Visual Basic's standard form controls, like command buttons and list boxes. The ''Various' section deals with the less commonly used controls such as Outline, and other miscellaneous products. See also the Collections of Controls section, which lists a number of products that often includes controls of this type.

Buttons

Gauges

Grids

Labels

List Boxes and Combo Boxes

Outline

Picture Boxes

Shapes

Tab Frames

Text Boxes

Toolbars

Collections of Controls


Toolbars

This section lists products that enable the Visual Basic developer to more easily implement toolbars.

TBar Create floating toolbars from ordinary Visual Basic forms or picture boxes

TbxShield Create floating 3-D toolcubes and more

TOOLBUTT Microsoft style toolbar button

ToolButton Flexible toolbar / command button utility

Designer Widgets Dockable toolbar, index tab and form caption controls


Tab Frames

This section lists products which can be used to simulate the filing cabinet index tab metaphor for developing Visual Basic applications that require more flexible and sophisticated ways of layering form displays.

Designer Widgets Dockable toolbar, index tab and form caption controls

TabFrame Excel 5 and Word 6-like tabbed dialog box container control

Tab/VBX Tab control from FarPoint

VBTools Extend VB with over 50 extra controls

VSVBX Elastic, IndexTab and AWK controls


Picture Boxes

This section lists products that are a direct replacement for the Picture and Image controls available in Visual Basic. More sophisticated controls can be found in the Graphics / Multimedia section.

PicScroll Scrollable, Scalable Picture Box control


Labels

This section lists those products that are a replacement for the standard Visual Basic Label control.

OXDisplay Enhanced 3D label control and more

RoText Bound 'label' control which can be rotated to any angle

XLabel Extended label control


Listboxes and Comboboxes

This section lists those products that are a replacement for the standard Visual Basic List Box and Combo Box controls.

Aware/VBX Data input validation controls

BmpList List Box with bitmaps

DCLIST A data-aware list box

MLIST Enhanced list box

MLISTBOX Multiple selection list box


Text Boxes

This section lists those products that are a replacement for the standard Visual Basic Text Box control. See also the Collections of Controls section.

3D-VB Input Enhanced 3-D text box

Aware/VBX Data input validation controls

ALLText Multifont and multicolour text box replacement

ALLText HT/Pro Multifont and multicolour text box replacement with hypertext extensions

EditTool Replacement text box with 3-D effects and input field masking

FormText Text box with enhanced masked input control

xEdit For developing large data entry applications


Grids

This section lists those products that are a replacement for the standard Visual Basic Grid control, and in particular provide bound grid capabilities.

See also the Collections of Controls section.

CKTBL A spreadsheet custom control from Germany

Formula One/VB Powerful spreadsheet control, incl formulas and Excel 4 support

TrueGrid Fully editable data-aware Grid control

Spread/VBX Versatile and comprehensive bound grid control

Grid/VBX Simple, fast and reliable bound grid control

Visual Architect Sophisticated spreadsheet control


Shape

These controls replace the Shape control that comes with VB but provide more features:

Graphic Custom Control More shapes, incl rectangle, ellipse, polygons, arc and pie


Buttons

This section lists products that replace the standard Visual Basic Command Button control.

See also the Collections of Controls section

Button Tool More flexible Command Button control

Custom Control Factory Create animated and multistate buttons, toolbars, and more

OXButton Enhanced Command Button and Toggle Button controls

SuperButton Enhanced command button control

VButton An enhanced picture button contol.


Outline

This section lists products that replace the standard Visual Basic Outline control.

Outline Replacement for standard Outline control

TLIST Enhanced Outline control


Fax / OCR / Mail

This section lists products that provide fax, scanning, OCR, document imaging, email and other such facilities.

OMS/VBX Quickly and easily e-mail enable VB applications

OPEN/image Document imaging - including scanning, OCR, fax

ImageBasic Sanner, display, OCR and scanfix controls

Fax Plus Send and receive faxes with this custom control and driver

VB/Link for Lotus Notes Read, update and display info stored in Lotus Notes


Graphics / Multimedia

This section lists products that provide import, export, conversion, and manipulation of graphics images such as BMP, TIFF, WMF and GIF files.

3d Graphic Tools Texture mapping, wireframe drawing, hidden surface removal

Accusoft Image Format Library Comprehensive imaging toolkit

Autodesk Animation Player Plays Autodesk FLI and FLC animation files

CANIMATE Create animations in your VB applications

Chartbuilder Create a wide variety of business charts and graphs

Dazzle/VB Display, zoom and adjust 256 colour images

FXTools/VB Add exiting image, text and shape effects to your VB applications

Graphic Custom Control Replaces VB standard Shape control adding more shapes

Graphics Server SDK Create pie, bar, line and other graph types

ImageKnife/VBX Manipulate graphic images using custom controls

ImageMan/VB Add sophisticated scanner, display and print support to your apps

Image SDK Plus Read, write and print BMP, WMF, TIFF, ColorFax, GIF......

ImageStream/VB Powerful file conversion and image management, incl Access link

Image Tool Manipulate graphic images with this custom control

JPEG Image Compressor VBX Graphics / multimedia JPEG compression

Map Control Display maps, plans and CAD drawings using this VBX

Map Editor Edit and modify maps created with Map Server

Map Server As Map Control above, but more powerful DLL version

MediaBlitz! Add multimedia to your VB applications

MediaKnife/VBX Multimedia authoring tool

Picture++ Read, write and manipulate PCX, TGA, TIFF, BMP and GIF files

ProEssentials Three controls for drawing sophisticated graphs and charts

Super Video for Windows Add video to your applications using a custom control

Targa SDK

PCX SDK

GIF SDK

TIFF SDK Read, write and print Targa, PCX, GIF and TIFF files

VBXArtist Custom control providing paint and draw facilities


Help Utilities

This section lists two kinds of products - those that enable you to build Windows help files more easily, and those that allow you to add other forms of help to your VB applications, such as status bars and tooltips.

Creating .HLP Files

$5 Help Word 6.0 macros for creating simple help files

DOC-to-HELP Convert you manuals in Word to Windows help files

ForeHelp A comprehensive Help authoring system including multimedia features

HelpBreeze Automate creating Help files from Word for Windows

Helpfile Helper Generates a map of context ids from VB source code

Help Magician Create Help files using built-in editor or import from Word

IMWHelp Helps to build Windows help files painlessly

RoboHelp Creating a Windows Help files by pointing and clicking

SOS Help! for Windows WYSIWYG help design system

Visual Help Create .HLP files without a word processor, using drag-and-drop

Status Line Help / Tooltips etc

Balloon Control Create 'balloon' help for all controls on a form

ContextHelp Permit a user to request context-sensitive help

InFocus Generate context-sensitive status line help for controls and menus

MenuEv Menu bar selection notification - good for status bar help

MENUWATCH Add a full-featured menu help status bar

RTMOUSE Create right mouse button context sensitive help

STATUSB Microsoft style statusbar

StBar Add a status line to your Visual Basic applications

ToolTip Add ToolTips and a context sensitive status bar to your VB application

ToolTips Add ToolTips and to your VB application

WSHELP A collection of controls for providing context sensitive help


Mathematics / Financial

This section lists products which are typically libraries of mathematical, statistical, scientific, engineering or financial algorithms.

FinLib/VB Calculate interest, amortisation, bond calculations and more

ProMath/VB Over 150 mathematical functions and routines

QuickPack Scientific Tackle engineering and scientific problems using these algorithms

ScatterPlot3D Display and manipulate 3-d scatter plots


Mice / Icons / Menus

This section lists controls that give the Visual Basic developer more control of how the mouse is controlled in applications.

CCF-Cursors Create your own cursors and convert icons to cursors

CsrPlus Extra cursors (mouse pointers) and background patterns

ExtractIcon VBX Extract icons from EXEs and DLLs with this custom control

MouseKeeper Provides more sophisticated control over mouse events

VBCursors More than 40 new mouse pointer graphics


Networks / Communications

This section lists products that can be used to give Visual Basic applications networking and / or communications facilities.

Distinct TCP/IP Write TCP/IP applications by setting properties for Win Sockets

GCP++ TCP & UDP VBXs Develop VB applications with reliable TCP and UDP support

GCP++ TELNET VBX Manage Telnet sessions within your VB application

GCP++ TFTP VBX Get and Put files from any Unix host

GCP++ VT-220 VBX Build your own customised emulator

InfoNable/VBX Access remote information providers with this VBX

IPPort Provides TCP/IP communications through an easy interface to WINSOCK

IPX Toolkit A complete IPX implementation in a custom control

LAN Manager Toolkit Customise your LAN Manager network with this toolkit

Communications Library Background file transfers, terminal emulation and more

NetManage Development Tools Create your own networking applications

NetPak Pro Access to NetBIOS, Netware & Windows for Workgroups services

Network Lib Access Novell, Lantastic and NetBIOS networks

PDQComm Enhancements for MSComm, including ZModem, CompuServeB+

QuickApp Create host front ends for 3270, AS/400 and Unisys systems

RASVBX  Programmatically dial a Remote Access Server

Rumba SDK Create advanced connectivity links to PC and host applications

Rumba Tools Use DDE and EHLLAPI to exchange data with host applications

SequeLink Comprehensive connectivity software for remote database access

VT-220 Emulator VBX Provides VT-220 terminal emulation functionality


VB Environment Enhancers

This section lists those products whose purpose is to extend and improve the Visual Basic development environment by providing, for example, project management, code management and reporting tools.

Code.Print Pro Generate better printouts of your VB code

Crystal Reports Pro Extends VB's built in Crystal Reports

EDI Install Pro Sophisticated program installation utility

Pretty Printer Spruces up your code listings

Project Manager Helps record the amount of time you spend on each VB project

PVCS for Visual Basic Sophisticated source control integrated into VB

TMS Tools A set of productivity, debugging and error handling tools

ToolThings Eleven tools to enhance VB from Bits Per Second

Universal Install A completely user-configurable installation program utility

Valet Quick access to VB features and program modules

VB Add-On Witch Manages a project's add-on VBXs and associated HLP files

VBAssist Extends VB's functionality by attaching a buttonbar to VB

VBcheck Simple, effective and very inexpensive source control for VB

VB Compress Analyses and optimises your VB code

VB Profile Identifies inefficiencies and bottlenecks in programs during runtime

VB Project Archiver Archives projects into a single compressed file

VB ProjectWorks Version control system, including multi-user capability

VB/Rig Automatically generates and manages error handling routines

VBXRef Project cross-reference management for VB applications

VERSIONS Source control for VB and other development environments

Version Stamper-VB Detect version conflicts at runtime

VPrint Source code printer for Visual Basic

XREF Cross-referencing of code forms, procedures, variables etc


Sound and Music

These products add sound, voice and musical capabilities to your applications:

MidiWW Send and receive MIDI data from your MIDI keyboard via your sound card

ProVoice for Windows Synthesize speech by passing text strings to a speech driver

VBVoice Develop interactive voice systems with this set of custom controls

Visual Voice Develop sophisticated voice processing applications

Wave Maker Create a VBX containing up to 64 WAV files with no programming

WavPlus Simplifies programming Wav (and Mid) playback and recording


Word Processing Support

This section lists products that provide Visual Basic applications with word processing-type features.

Early Morning Editor A text editor control that can handles amounts of text

Fast Text Search Performs character-based full text searches

HighEdit Pro Word processor VBX with RTF import, header & footers, tabs, graphics

HighEdit Lite Word processor VBX with font, colour and ruler support

HypertextManager Supply advanced hypertext management to any application

SpellPro Spell checker woth more than 50,000 word dictionary

TX Text-Control A full-featured word processor in a custom control

VT-Speller Spell checker with 100,000+ word dictionary


Miscellaneous

This section lists the many products that do not naturally fall into any particular category.

3DfxPlus Automatically get 3D effects for your forms

Alarm Fire off an event at any time of day

API Servant Easy method of copying Windows API declarations into your VB programs

AppLink Send messages between forms

BarCod Displays Bar Codes

DataAcq-EZ Add data aquisition capabilities to your VB application

DFInfo Provides disk and file information

DriverLINX/VB High-performance data-aquisition engine custom control

DrvPlus Get hard disk and memory info

EasyNet Draw network diagram charts with this custom control

Electronic Forms Designer Create electronic forms using VB and MS Mail

FMDrop Provides notification when a file has been dragged and dropped from File Manager

Home Automation SDK Drive home appliances with this VBX

IEEE 488.2 Control Communicate with National Instruments IEEE 488.2 bus

IniCon Makes access to system and private INI files easy

.INI Control Modify INI files without using the Windows API

Installit/VBX Program installation software

InstallShield Create customised program installation routines

JoyStk Provides information and events for joystick movements

Leong Profile Controls Manage INI files with this suite of VBXs

List & Label Database reporting tool from MicroHelp

M.4 An expert systems tool for your VB applications

Message Blaster Catch and process Windows messages from within VB

Message Spy Used to spy on Windows and Visual Basic messages

NeuroWindows Use neural networks to solve pattern recognition problems

NI-DAQ Three controls for National Instruments data aquisition boards

Object Broker Build interfaces to the ACA Services runtime library

Office Developer's Kit (ODK) Exposes and documents Microsoft Office objects

OpenDlg Encapsulates the Common Dialog Open and Save As dialogs

OXDisplay Enhanced clock control plus label and meter bar

Pen InputMaster Multifunctional pen custom control

PPI8255 Interface to Intel's 8255 Programmable Peripheral Interface (PPI)

SecurityToolkit Implement security at the object, field, menu and/or form level

SHADBX Create Windows help-style pop-up shadow boxes

ShowCase WindowLink Link your application to an AS/400 using DDE

ShellPack Windows Shell API & FileManager drag and drop functionality

SoundX Provides Soundex and Metaphone conversion algorithms

Storc Gold Translates VB Forms into DIALOG/MENU resources for C++

StrPlus Extra string manipulation functions

TITLESPY Change the size and orientation of the form Title (Caption) Bar

VBCTL3D Add 3-D appearance to standard and custom controls

VB Language Manager Build multiple language versions of applications

Vblite Adds communications, printer control, arrays and B-Tree indexing

VB Messenger Subclass a form or control to intercept Windows messages

VBViewer VBX which lets you display Word, dBase, BMP, WK3, Excel ......

XCaliper Industrial measurement tool


Gauge Bars

These controls display a progress indicator or gauge bar for reporting the progress of a non-visual event such as copying files from floppy to disk.

Meter Bar Simulates a gas gauge or progress indicator

OXDisplay Enhanced gauge control and more

PerCnt Percentage bar for status reporting etc.

Slider Similar but more flexible then the standard Scroll bars

VB PowerGauges A collection of gauge, bar and meter controls


Product Index

3DfxPlus

3-D Gizmos

3d Graphic Tools

3D-VB Input

$5 Help

- A -

Accusoft Image Format Library

Agility/VB

Alarm

ALLText

ALLText HT/Pro

API Servant

AppLink

Autodesk Animation Player

Aware/VBX

- B -

Balloon Control

BarCod

BmpLst

Borland Visual Solutions

Bridgit

Button Tool

- C -

CANIMATE

CCF-Cursors

Chartbuilder

CKTBL

CodeBasic

Code Print Pro

Communications Library

Compression Plus

ContextHelp

Control Wizard

Crystal Reports Pro

CsrPlus

Custom Control Factory

- D -

DataAcq-EZ

DATABasic

Data Widgets

Dazzle/VB

DbControls

DBEngine

DCLIST

DDF Builder

DDL Manager

Designer Widgets

DFInfo

Distinct TCP/IP

DOC-to-HELP

DriverLINX/VB

DrvPlus

- E -

Early Morning Editor

EasyNet

EDI Install Pro

EditTool

Electronic Forms Designer

E-Tree Plus

ExtractIcon VBX

EZ VBX Toolkit

- F -

Fast Text Search

Fax Plus

FinLib/VB

FMDrop

ForeHelp

FormText

Formula One/VB

FXTools/VB

- G -

GCP++ TCP & UDP VBXs

GCP++ TELNET VBX

GCP++ TFTP VBX

GCP++ VT-220 VBX

GIF SDK

Graphic Custom Control

Graphics Server SDK

Grid/VBX

- H -

HelpBreeze

Helpfile Helper

Help Magician

HighEdit Lite

HighEdit Pro

Home Automation SDK

HypertextManager

-  I  -

IEEE 488.2 Control

ImageBasic

ImageKnife/VBX

ImageMan/VB

Image SDK+

ImageStream/VB

Image Tool

IMWHelp

Index Manager

InFocus

InfoNable/VBX

.INI Control

IniCon

Installit/VBX

InstallShield

Integra VDB

IPPort

IPX Toolkit

- J -

JoyStk

JPEG Image Compressor VBX

JS3Pak

- K -

Kolibri

- L -

LAN Manager Toolkit

Leong Profile Controls

List & Label

- M -

M.4

Map Control

Map Editor

Map Server

MDB->BAS

MediaBlitz!

MediaKnife/VBX

MenuEv

MENUWATCH

Message Blaster

Message Spy

Meter Bar

MICR Font Check Printer

MidiWW

MLIST

MLISTBOX

MouseKeeper

Muscle

- N -

NetManage Development Tools

NetPak Pro

Netware SQL

Network Lib

NeuroWindows

NI-DAQ

- O -

Object Broker

ObjecTrieve/VB Pro

Office Developer's Kit (ODK)

OMS/VBX

OpenDlg

Open Engine

OPEN/image

Outline

OXButton

OXDisplay

- P -

PCX SDK

PDQComm

Pen InputMaster

PerCnt

PicScroll

Picture++

PowerTABLE

PPI8255

Pretty Printer

ProEssentials

Project Manager

ProMath/VB

ProVoice for Windows

PVCS for Visual Basic

- Q -

Q+E Database/VB

Q+E Multilink/VB

Q+E ODBC Pack

QuickApp

QuickPack Professional

QuickPak Scientific

- R -

RASVBX

RoboHelp

RoText

RTMOUSE

Rumba Software Development Kit

Rumba Tools for DDE/EHLLAPI

- S -

ScatterPlot3D

SecurityToolkit

SequeLink

SHADBX

ShellPack

ShowCase Gateway

ShowCase VISTA

ShowCase VISTA EIS

ShowCase WindowLink

Skeleton VBX

SIxBase/VB

Slider

SNDDEX

SOS Help! for Windows

SoundX

SpellPro

Spread/VBX

SPSS Developers Kit

SpyWorks-VB

SQL Controls

SQL Server Toolkit

SQL-Sombrero

STATUSB

StBar

Storc Gold

StrPlus

SuperButton

Super Video for Windows

- T -

TabFrame

Tab/VBX

Targa SDK

TbxShield

TIFF SDK

TITLESPY

TLIST

TMS Tools

TBar

TOOLBUTT

ToolButton

ToolThings

ToolTip

ToolTips

TrueGrid Pro

TX Text-Control

- U -

Universal Install

- V -

Valet

VB Add-On Witch

VBAssist

VBcheck

VB Compress

VBCTL3D

VBCursors

VB Language Manager

VB/Link for Lotus Notes

Vblite

VB/Magic Controls

VB Messenger

VBParts

VB PowerCtls

VB PowerGauges

VB PowerLibs

VB Project Archiver

VB ProjectWorks

VB Profile

VB/Rig

VBTools

VButton

VBViewer

VBVoice

VBXArtist

VBXRef

VBX Studio

VERSIONS

Version Stamper-VB

Visual Architect

Visual Controls for Btrieve

Visual/db

Visual Help

Visual Voice

VPrint

VSVBX

VSView

VT-220 Emulator VBX

VT-Speller

- W -

Wave Maker

WavPlus

WinWidgets

WSHELP

- X -

XCaliper

xEdit

XLabel

XREF for VB

- Y -

- Z -

ZipInf


Developers Index

This section is an alphabetical listing of the major developers of VB 3rd party add-ons for which there is an entry in the VB Directory. Please note that not all authors are listed here.

- A -

Aardvark Software

Accusoft

AJS Publishing

Apex Software

Autodesk Inc

- B -

BBS Demos

Bennen-Tec Information Systems

Bits Per Second Ltd

Black Ice Software

Blue Rose Software

Brainstorm Technologies

Brain tree

- C -

CDP Consultants

Cimflex Teknowledge Corp

Coromandel Industries

Crescent Software

Crystal Computer Services

- D -

Dart Communications

Data Techniques Inc

Data Translation

DBS GmbH

DB Technologies

DCA

Desaware

Diamond Head Software

Digital Equipment Corporation

Digital PowerTOOLS

Distinct Corp

- E -

EllTech Development Inc

Eschalon Development Inc

- F -

Far Point

First Byte Inc

- G -

GC Consulting Services Ltd

Geosoft Ltd

GigaSoft

- H -

-  I  -

ImageFX

IMCSI

Index Applications Inc

Intelec Systems

INTERSOLV

- J -

JOSWARE Inc

- K -

- L -

- M -

Mabry Software

The Mandelbrot Set

Media Architects

MicroHelp

Microsoft Corp

Micro Systems Options

MM Technology

- N -

National Instruments

NetManage Inc

Novell Inc

New Media Graphics

- O -

OutRider Systems

Opaque Software

oPen Software Systemberatung GmbH

- P -

Pinnacle Publishing

- Q -

- R -

Rainbow Imaging Inc

Raindrop Software Corporation

Revelation Technologies

Rochester Software

- S -

Scientific Software Tools

Sequiter Software

Sheridan Software

Simple Software

Simplex Software

Smithware Inc

SoftCraft Inc

Software Interphase

SPSS Inc

Stylus Innovation Inc

StylusTech Inc

Synergy Technologies

Synergistic Productions Unlimited

- T -

TechGnosis

TeraTech Inc

- U -

Unelko Corp

- V -

VBXperts

Videosoft

Visual Tools Inc

- W -

Wall Data Inc

Ward Systems Group

Weimar Software

WexTech Systems, Inc

Whippleware

Winefred Washington

Winware

- X -

- Y -

Young Software Works

- Z -


TOOLBUTT

TOOLBUTT.VBX - Microsoft style toolbar button

This button requires only a single bitmap image for the up image of the button and the control will generate the down and disable images automatically.  It supports the three styles of buttons (push button, toggles buttons and group buttons).  It has built in data access support to allow a button to perform an action on a given data control automatically.

Price:	Free

Author:	Andrew Westacott

Internet  : AndyWest@sound.demon.co.uk

Compuserve: 100023,702


IPPort

IPPORT.VBX facilitates TCP/IP communications by providing an easy interface to WINSOCK functions. The current version of the control allows a client application to communicate with a server using stream (TCP/IP) sockets.

The operation of the control is almost completely asynchronous. All the calls except the ones that deal with host and address resolution, operate through Windows messages (no blocking calls!!). The gain in performance is considerable when compared to using blocking calls. The first and foremost requirement in designing the control was ease of use. The control has a minimum of properties, and four events: Connected, ReadyToSend, DataIn, and Disconnected. The events are relatively self-explanatory. The connection is attempted by setting the Connected property to true, and then waiting for the Connected event. The destination is defined by setting the Port property and either the HostName or the HostAddress property. Data is sent by assigning the data string to the DataToSend property.

Besides the properties described in the previous paragraph, there are three more properties:  EOL, InBufferSize and OutBufferSize. The first one is used to break the incoming data in chunks separated by the value of the EOL string. The other two set the buffer sizes for the internal Winsock queues. This pretty much sums it up folks! The rest of this file describes the properties in a little bit more detail.

Price:	Free

Author:	Gent Hito

642 Chappell Drive

Raleigh, NC 27606, USA

CompuServe:	73744,2070

Internet:	ghito@bvcd.csc.ncsu.edu


RASVBX

The RASVBX control allows you to programmatically dial a Remote Access Server.  You set the username, password, and phone number, and RASVBX establishes the network connection for you.  An information dialog automatically appears keeping the user notified of the connection status.

Price:	$45

CompuServe SWREG #3087 ($35)

Author:	Cutting Edge Consulting, Inc.

317 Bennington Hills Court

West Henrietta, NY 14586

Tel:	(716)-271-6391

CompuServe:	74362, 2163

Properties

Action	Specifies whether to dial or hang up.  Not available at design time and write-only at run time.

CallbackNumber	Specifies the callback number for the Remote Access Server.  If the user has callback priviledges, then setting this number causes the Remote Access Server to call the user back at the number specified.  If this property is left empty, then no callback information is sent.

ConnectState	Describes the state of the current connection.  Not available at design time and read-only at run time.

Domain	A string specifying the NT domain on which authentication is to occur.  If left empty, this property specifies the domain in which the Remote Access server is a member.  As asterisk (*) specifies the domain stored in the Phone Book for the entry.

Entries	An array of strings that are the entry names as entered in an Entry Name field in RASPHONE.EXE.  This property is not available at design time and is read-only at run time.

EntryCount	Specifies the number of Entries in the phone book specified by the PhoneBook property.  Not available at design time and read-only at run time.

EntryName	A string specifying an entry in the phone book specified by the PhoneBook property.  Setting this property causes RASVBX to use the data in RASPHONE.EXE specified by the entry given.  If RASVBX cannot find the entry, an error occurs.

Password	A string specifying the user's NT or LAN Manager password.  This string is used to authenticate the user's access to the Remote Access server.  Passwords are case sensitive.

PhoneBook	A string specifying the full path to the Phone Book file. This parameter should usually be left so that the default Phone Book is used.

PhoneNumber	A string specifying an overriding phone number.  An empty string indicates that the Phone Book entry's phone number should be used.  If the EntryName property is left empty, the PhoneNumber property cannot be empty.

UserName	A string specifying the user's NT or LAN Manager username.  This string is used to authenticate the user's access to the Remote Access server.

Events

Connect	Indicates that a connection with a Remote Access server has just been established.

Disconnect	Indicates that a connection with a Remote Access server has just been dropped.


CKTBL

CKTBL is a spreadsheet custom control, featuring:

•	in place editing of cells

•	multiple cell attributes:

singleline, multiline or multiline with word wrap

left, right or centered alignment of text

fore- and background colors

full set of font attributes (FontName,FontBold, FontSize,...)

•	optimized performance when scrolling and redisplaying

•	complete selection capability

single cell

rectangular regions of cells

rows, columns

full table

•	multiple selection using Ctrl key.

•	fully Windows like look and feel

•	adjust size dynamically at runtime

•	online documentation in Windows helpfile format.

•	clipboard support

•	free support (see below)

Aside from setting static cell and table attributes, CKTBL also allows dynamic configuration of it´s behaviour through a rich set of events (Windows messages in DLL version) triggered on user interaction.

Price:	DM 385

Author:	CK Softwareentwicklung

Schwarzwaldstr. 31

D - 71131 Jettingen

Germany

Tel.:	+49 (0) 7452 78844

FAX:	+49 (0) 7452 78845

Compuserve:	100044,3216


VBCursors

Although Visual Basic is a very powerful and easy development tool it does tend to lack some of the in-built facilities available in the SDK. One of the limitations we (and our clients) have found is the shortage of available cursors as you only have a choice of 12.  VBCursors provides over 40 more cursors for your VB application.

VBCursors overcomes this problem by containing numerous useful and easy to use cursors within a single DLL (vbcursor.dll). Via a few simple API calls within your VB application you can soon enhance your application with custom cursors. It is also possible to have animated icons by simply altering your code.

Price:	$50

CompuServe SWREG #3217

Author:	Rocket Development

Windsor Studios

Royal Lane

Hillingdon Village

Middlesex UB8 3XA, UK.

Tel:	0895 235722

Fax:	0895 235742

CompuServe:	100117,435


SQL-Sombrero

The SQL-Sombrero suite of development tool products support OLE Automation, Microsoft Visual Basic(R) programming system custom controls (VBXes), and OLE Custom Controls, allowing direct access to SYBASE and Microsoft  SQL Server data.

The family of SQL-Sombrero products are designed to increase developer  productivity, simplify access to data, and provide more control when accessing data directly from a server.  They will provide the interface necessary to access the SYBASE Client Library(tm) product and DB-Library(tm) product, including the latest version of DB-Library for Sybase's System 10(tm), without using C or C++.

The SQL-Sombrero product family will support OLE Automation, the VBX architecture and OLE Custom Controls, assisting developers with their current and future needs.  These new tools map to the evolution of Microsoft SQL Server. The next version of Microsoft SQL Server will offer tight integration with OLE technology and Visual Basic, Applications Edition.  The server and desktop database technologies will, therefore, be more closely linked together, providing a unified architecture to meet the needs of large and small organizations.

With SQL-Sombrero/OLE2 products, OLE Automation allows access to the SYBASE DB-Library or Client Library functions from any application that acts as an OLE container and has a programming language that is capable of interacting with OLE Automation.  For example, Microsoft Excel version 5.0 can "contain" OLE objects.  In conjunction with Visual Basic for Applications, Microsoft Excel can access the functions available in the SQL-Sombrero/OLE2 objects.

Price:	$249 (per product)

Author:	Sylvain Faust Inc

Tel:	(800) 567-9127 or (819) 778-5045

Fax:	(819) 778-7943

CompuServe	71162,1050

BBS	(819) 778-8556

Visual Basic Custom Control Products

SQL-Sombrero/VBX/DB-Library

SQL-Sombrero/VBX/Client Library

Microsoft Visual Basic provides a specific class of objects called Visual Basic custom controls.  VBXes are an example of the benefits of component software.  They provide a wide range of services such as data access, report writing and messaging services.  SQL-Sombrero/VBX products can be incorporated easily into any application written in Visual Basic.

OLE Custom Control Products

SQL-Sombrero/OLE Custom Control/DB-Library

SQL-Sombrero/OLE Custom Control/Client Library

As an extension to the existing OLE Automation interface, the OLE control architecture will allow OLE Custom Controls, such as the SQL-Sombrero/OLE Custom Control products, to work with today's OLE-enabled applications across multiple development environments, and across different hardware platforms and operating systems. Microsoft plans to merge OLE with the VBX architecture, providing corporate developers, system integrators and ISVs an open, standard way to receive the benefits of component-based software development.


VSView 1.0

VSView consists of four custom controls which help you write VB programs more efficiently:

•	Inform allows you to customize the non-client area (title bar and window frame) of its parent form or control.

•	Printer allows you to create printed output quickly and easily

•	ViewPort is a scrollable container control.

•	Draw lets you create detailed, scalable, resolution-independent drawings.

Price:	$99

CompuServe SWREG #3244

Author:	Videosoft

InForm

Inform allows you to customize the non-client area of its parent form or control. With Inform, you can add a chiseled look to your window borders and caption, add custom buttons, and control window resizing. And because InForm works with any container control, you can add these effects not only to forms, but also to Picture Boxes, Frames, Elastics, IndexTabs, and so on. InForm also allows you to monitor the clipboard, implement file drag-and-drop, and retrieve information about the environment.

Inform has many properties that are used to customize its parents non-client area (title bar and window frame.) These properties are divided in three groups: Bar... properties control the title bar, Cap... properties control the caption inside the title bar, and Frame... properties control the window frame.

The CustomFrame property determines whether the InForm control should or should not take over managing the non-client area of the InForms parent.  If you set this property to True and the parent is a form, the form must not have a menu.  Remember also to set the forms ControlBox property to False, or users will be able to use alt-space to show the system menu. When using Inform, keep in mind that one of Windowss great virtues is that it promotes a standard interface across applications. Generally, it is not a good idea to change this standard. There are many exceptions to this rule, though: Visual Basic itself is a good example. VBs floating toolbox and palette windows have skinny title bars, to save room. VBs main window can be resized horizontally, but not vertically. With InForm, you can do the same.

Printer

The VideoSoft Printer control allows you to create printed output quickly and easily. It supports multiple columns, text wrapping, headers and footers, and pictures. Best of all, it lets you do Print Previews just by setting a single property.

The Printer control has a fixed coordinate system.  It uses Twips as units, with the origin located at the top left of the page.  To specify measurements in inches or points, remember that one inch is equivalent to 1440 Twips, and that one point is equivalent to 20 Twips.

For convenience, two measurements are expressed in units other than Twips. Font sizes are expressed in points, and line spacing is expressed specified as a percentage of the current font height.

When used in print preview mode, the scale is adjusted automatically so that a whole page always fits the control.  This makes it easy to implement zoming in the print preview: all you have to do is resize the Print control, and its contents will stretch or shrink as needed.

ViewPort

ViewPort is a scrollable container control. With ViewPort, you no longer have to write tedious code to synchronize scroll bars and picture boxes. You decide how big your window should be, then let the ViewPort scroll your controls for you.

The ViewPort automatically scrolls all its windowed child controls, but it does not scroll graphical controls such as Labels and Image Boxes.

Draw

The VideoSoft Draw control lets you create detailed, scalable, resolution-independent drawings. The drawings can be shown on your forms, printed, or copied to the Windows clipboard, where they become available for pasting into other Windows applications such as Word.

After the drawing is created, you can change the drawing extents to provide distortion and zoom.Use the Draw control to create maps, charts, diagrams, or whatever graphics you need.

When you send drawing commands to the Draw control, they are stored in a list, but nothing is actually drawn on the screen or printer until you use the Action property to render the drawing.  This is done this way to improve efficiency.

The Draw control is based on Windows metafile technology, which has limited support for text manipulation.  This makes it less than ideal for text-intensive applications.  If you need to handle a lot of text, use the Printer control instead.


XLabel

XLabel is an extended label control for use with Microsoft Visual Basic for Windows version 2.0 or higher. XLabel supports most of the features of the standard Label control with the following enhancements:

•	Rotated TrueType fonts at any angle

•	Both horizontal and vertical alignment

•	Background bitmaps with multiple styles

•	Shadowed text for 3-D effects

•	Bevel properties for 3-D borders

Price:	$15 (source $55) Make the check or money order payable to Mark Hanson.

CompuServe SWREG #1720

Author:	Mark Hanson

PO Box 10154

Rochester, NY 14610-0154

USA


Storc Gold 2.0

VB stores forms in proprietary format. There is no simple way of reusing VB forms, since most environments require DIALOG resources and standard SDK controls instead of VBX controls. Many programmers write prototypes in VB, but since the forms cannot be reused, there is a lot of time wasted when actual product is written: most people just redesign all forms from scratch!

Storc Gold converts Visual Basic forms to DIALOG/MENU resources, so that you can reuse them in Visual C++, Borland C or any other  environment that supports SDK DIALOG scripts.

STORC GOLD converts VB form files into DIALOG scripts. It can either produce an MFC-compatible resource for use with Visual C++/Borland C++ 4.0 (you can reuse most VBX controls) or map each control into any other Windows control (resulting in a highly reusable generic script).

STORC GOLD works with any window, not just a VB form. Any prototype will do, regardless of the application that created it. This flexibility makes STORC GOLD a good exploration and reverse-engineering tool as well.

Price:	?

Author:	PractiSys

4767 Via Bensa

Agoura, CA 91301, USA

CompuServe:	72010,567


Skeleton VBX

The Skeleton VBX custom control source code provides a logical and elegant template from which you can very easily create new VBX custom controls. The Skeleton VBX, a fully implemented custom control in its own right, contains all the standard properties and events (allowing unwanted properties simply to be deleted from the source code), and several custom properties and events that can be used as templates. Model flags, property flags, parent class names (for subclassing), etc. are all listed in the source code allowing you very quickly to be up and running with your new control.

Note that the source code is in C++, though it is largely of the "C++ as a better C" form. However, being in C++, the additional source code you develop to provide the unique implementation of your own VBX custom controls can easily be performed using object oriented techniques (classes, etc.). Also, the source code is in a much more logical format than that provided by Microsoft with the sample controls in the Visual Basic CDK.

Price:	$50  (GBP 37.5)

CompuServe SWREG #3260

Author:	Tony Scott,

Anton Software Limited

40 Midfield Way

Orpington

Kent, BR5 2QJ, UK

Tel/Fax:  	+44 (0) 81 302 4373

CompuServe:	100265,2172

Internet:	tonys@anton.demon.co.uk

Usage

To develop a new VBX custom control based on the Skeleton source code, perform the following steps:

•	Create a new directory and copy all the skeleton files into it.

•	Rename the skeleton.* files according to the name of your new VBX file.

•	Rename the remaining skel*.* files using an abbreviated form of your new VBX file name.

•	Within the source code (and .DEF files, etc.), perform the following global replacements:

SKELETON to your control's name in upper case

SKEL to an abbreviated form of your control's name in upper case

skeleton to your control's name in lower case

skel to an abbreviated form of your control's name in lower case

Skeleton to your control's proper name (no spaces)

•	Enter your name, the date and your company name in the appropriate places within the source code (mainly module headers). You must not remove any acknowledgements to Anton Software Limited, including from the About Box and within the version information.

•	Create a new project file, or modify the renamed existing one from within VC++, adding the .CPP, .DEF and .RC files. The source code is memory model independent, though large model provides the most flexibility (always choose SS != DS). Remember to link with VBAPI.LIB.

•	If you require any further support functions, create appropriately named new .CPP modules (using your control's abbreviated name) for them.

•	Within the code, the main customisations required are flagged with "TO DO" markers. The remaining changes and additions required should be self explanatory. Nevertheless, become totally familiar with the Microsoft CDK documentation, which should be seen as the definitive guide to VBX development. The sample code within the CDK (CIRC, etc.) can be useful for reference purposes, but you should find the Skeleton format much easier to work with.


PowerTABLE 1.0

A complete VB Data Manager replacement, but far better.

1. Advanced Database Operations (several database formats)

•	Create dBase, Paradox and FoxPro databases

•	Compact external dBase or FoxPro databases (source included)

•	Create Access databases

•	Compact and repair access databases

•	An intelligent routine (sourcecode) lets you forget the error message:  "Installable ISAM not found!"

•	Most-recent-database-list in the menu

2. Advanced Table Operations (all database formats)

•	Create new tables

•	Compact a single dBase or FoxPro table (source included)

•	Delete all records from multiple selected tables and compact them

•	Delete multiple selected tables

•	Query and edit multiple tables at once in a grid

•	SQL-Window with history-list (200 entries)

3. Powerful field and index operations (all database formats)

•	Append new fields

•	Insert new fields

•	Delete fields

•	Rename fields

•	Resize fields

•	Change the type of one or more fields

•	Append new indexes

•	Delete indexes

•	Rename indexes

•	Change index-properties

•	Index-fields are renamed automatically when the sourcefield-name has changed

Price:	US $49.00  (DM 69)

Author:	D.Hilger

bytes & letters

software development

postfach 16 27

66716 saarlouis

germany


VBcheck v1.01

VBcheck is simple, effective and inexpensive source code control for Microsoft's Visual Basic. VBcheck will allow you to manage a Visual Basic project's source code between a team of developers, and takes only a few minutes to set-up and learn.

VBcheck allows developers to select a form or module in the Visual Basic (VB) Project Window and at the press of a button:

•	Check it out for modification

•	Check it in following modification and testing

•	Get the latest version of it

Your master VB source code is stored in read-only format. In the VB Project Window master files are displayed with a red padlock symbol whilst checked-out files without the red padlock are easily identified. When a developer checks out a file, VBcheck checks to see if anyone else has that file checked out first. If so it informs you who has checked it out. If not, a copy of the read-only master code is created and replaces the master version in your VB project. Other developers will still be using the master version. When a developer checks a file in, a backup of the master file is created and the master file is replaced with the version being checked-in which is made read-only. When VBcheck is closed it displays a list of all the files which you still have checked-out. VBcheck works with files saved in Text or Binary format.

Backup files have the following extensions:

.BAK	for 	.FRM

.BAX	for	.FRX	(if the Form was saved in text format)

.BAC	for	.BAS

Prices:	$15 - $30  (UKP 10 - 20)

Author:	J.E.Colton

Explosive Software,

2 Lessingham Road

Widnes

Cheshire WA8 9FU

England

Usage

Visual Basic must be in design mode (VB titlebar text ends with [design], i.e. not running) before using any of VBcheck's options, otherwise an error occurs "Cannot find Visual Basic in design mode".

To check a file out:

•	select the file in the Visual Basic Project Window

•	click on the Out button

To check a file in:

•	make sure that the project works correctly

•	select the file in the Visual Basic Project Window

•	click on the In button

Note: also check in other modified files which depend on it otherwise other developers who use the new version will not be able to run the project.

To get the latest version of a file (after someone else has checked it in):

•	select the file in the Visual Basic Project Window

•	click on the New button

Note that the Out, In and New buttons all save the Visual Basic project before performing their intended function. Therefore unsaved changes will be saved and if a read-only file has been changed then you will be notified and will have to take appropriate action before retrying.

To discard changes after checking a file out:

•	select the file in the Visual Basic Project Window

•	remove the file from the VB project from VB's File menu without saving it

•	add the master file into the VB project from VB's File menu

To discard changes made without having checked the file out:

•	select the file in the Visual Basic Project Window

•	remove the file from the VB project from VB's File menu without saving it

•	add the master file back into the VB project from VB's File menu

To add a new file to the project:

•	create the new form or module as normal

•	save the new file into your own directory (see set-up section below)

•	check file in when fully working

To find out what files you have checked out:

•	try to close VBcheck

•	a list of all the files which you have checked-out is displayed

•	select No to the message "Do you want to close?" to return to VBcheck


InfoNable/VBX

Stock Quotes. Financial News. World News. E-mail and more.  Access CompuServe(R), Delphi Internet(R) and other online information providers directly from Visual Basic using the InfoNable(R)

Information Server component, available as InfoNable/VBX(TM), a Visual Basic custom control.

The component provides a rich set of functions available as VBX properties so that in just a few lines of code, you can send Internet e-mail, get a stock quote or pull down the latest up-to-the-minute news using the powerful Visual Basic language to process the acquired information any way you want, directly inside your VB applications.

"InfoNable's Information Server defines a new category of information access component software," says Mike Davis, InfoNable president, "The developer programatically requests information and the Information Server retrieves it.  The Information Server shields the developer from all the intricacies of interaction with both information providers and communications hardware and converts the incoming information into the appropriate form for your desktop apps."

As a complement to products like WinCIMTM or terminal emulation software, that display information, InfoNable/VBX provide the glue between applications and the information superhighway, allowing the Visual Basic developer to develop custom applications which can, among other things, automate the process of information access.

For example, you can get a stock quote, store it in a Microsoft Access(R) database and then based on a change in the stock quote a trigger can instantly react to the change in price and send e-mail, fetch news, even execute an order.

Price:	$149

Author:	InfoBable

Tel:	800-788-4794

Email:	CompuServe 74511,3354

Usage

Getting and displaying a stock quote in Visual Basic is as easy as executing the following lines of code:

Rem  Tell the Information Server to access CompuServeTM

InfoServer1.Provider = "CIS.DLL"

Rem  Tell the Information Server how to log in

InfoServer1.UserName = "74511,3354"

InfoServer1.Password = "my password"

InfoServer1.PhoneNumber = "555-5555"

InfoServer1.Login = True

Rem  Get the quote

InfoServer1.StockSymbol = "IBM"

Print Str$( InfoServer1.StockQuote )

Print Str$( InfoServer1.StockHi )

Print Str$( InfoServer1.StockLo )

Print Str$( InfoServer1.StockVolume )

Rem Log out and hang up

InfoServer1.Logout = True

Transparent Access

The information superhighway exists today as a disparate collection of online access providers, each with different protocols, giving anyone with a computer and modem access to up-to-the-minute news and information including stocks and electronic mail.

The InfoNable Information Server can talk to these different services because after the developer tells the information server which online service to connect to, eg CompuServeTM, the information server loads an InfoNable Online Connector (IOC), invisible to the developer.

In the stock example, the developer executed the following line of code:

  InfoServer1.Provider = "CIS"

This loads the appropriate IOC so that in the previous stock example, the Information Server knows how to get the quote from CompuServeTM. By changing Provider from "CIS" to "DELPHI" the same stock example above would get the quote from Delphi InternetTM.

"In this way, the Information Server is to Online Information what ODBC is to databases." Says Davis.

Multiple Interfaces

The Information Server provides high level functions via VBX properties.  High level functions like StockSymbol as shown in the above stock example allow you to grab a quote from an online information service.  MailSend another high level function sends an e-mail message.

There are also lower level functions like Capture which captures selected incoming information for you to process using Visual Basic or Visual Basic for Applications.  These functions allow you to access any area of an online service not already available via the high level interface.

At the lowest level you can use functions like BaudRate and ModemCommand to configure your modem.


VBX Studio 1.2

VBX Studio 1.2 provides 15 really useful VBXs:  Bitmapped listbox, Bitmapped combobox, Files and directories bitmapped listbox,  Files and drives bitmapped combobox, 3D and automatic spins,  3D Tabs  to build single or multiple tabbed lines last generation dialog boxes, Pictured edit controls, 3D or classic gauges, Animated pictures for special effects,  Pictured buttons, Static text controls, Automatic 3D generator, Winfile drag and drop control and, a Design time note control to annotate your resources. All VBX are VC++ compatable and improved  (DDX and classes).  Of course,   this package includes  a setup program,  samples source code  and  a Windows HLP file.  As a conclusion, these VBX are affordable: Less than 4$- per control and you can register the package (55$-) through Compuserve SWREG Forum. No royalties.

Price:	$55 or 300Fr

CompuServe SWREG #3336

Author:	Denis Chevron

CompuServe 100333,27

Feature List

•	Bitmapped listbox ( sometimes without any hard coding ),

•	Bitmapped combobox ( as the listbox, you choose bitmap at design time: this is quite easy! ),

•	Files and directories bitmapped listbox ( of course, no coding required ),

•	Files and drives bitmapped combobox ("),

•	3D and automatic spins ( with or without coding ),

•	3D Tabs to build single or multiple tabbed lines last generation dialog boxes,

•	Pictured edit controls ( always to avoid any checking routines ),

•	3D or classic gauge ( sometimes called percentage controls ),

•	Animated pictures for special effects,

•	Pictured buttons ( with\without OnOff mode, button border ),

•	Nice static text controls ( with\without 3D, auto sizing ),

•	Automatic 3D generator ( to draw a 3D border for known and unknown controls... ),

•	Winfile drag and drop control and,

•	Design time specific note control to annotate your resources.


ProEssentials

The ProEssentials provide a professional turn-key graphic presentation / exportation subsystem.  Three custom controls (Graph Object, Scientific Graph Object and Pie Chart Object), implemented in one DLL with three small VBX interfaces also provided.  Nine built in dialogs, floating popup menus, context sensitive help, and extensive export capabilities which include the unique feature of spawning OLE representations.  Designed to produce quality data-driven images with no overlapping labels.  Scrolling subset and point information is fast and clean because images are prepared in memory.

The ProEssentials are the only custom controls to provide a professional turn-key graphic presentation / exportation subsystem.  All you have to do is give these controls data and you're done. Your application will instantly obtain awesome graphic functionality.

Rather than cramming all types of functionality into one control, the ProEssentials break out graphic functionality into three controls.  This makes the controls more logical and user friendly by only offering customizations unique to a graphing situation.  All functionality resides in one DLL with three small VBX alternate interfaces.

The ProEssentials consist of three custom controls:

•	GRAPH OBJECT - line, bar, point, area, area stacked, area stacked%, bar stacked, bar stacked%, and points plus best fit line, histogram.

•	SCIENTIFIC GRAPH OBJECT,	line, point, stick, and points plus best fit line.

•	PIE CHART OBJECT.

Price:	$395

Author:	GigaSoft

Feature List

Here are some more reasons why the ProEssentials represent your best choice in presentation

graphic functionality:

The ProEssentials have the  BEST  built in user interface:

•	The ProEssentials have their own customization dialogs, colors dialog, fonts dialog, print dialog, image export dialog, and text export dialog.

•	By Double-Clicking the ProEssentials, the user is shown a customization dialog that allows the object to be customized, maximized, and exported.

•	By Right-Button-Clicking the ProEssentials, the user is shown a floating popup menu allowing a quick alternative interface to much of the object's customizations and functionality.

•	By Pressing keystrokes, the ProEssentials provide the fastest short-cuts to the object's customizations and functionality.

•	The ProEssentials function like a button, they have a focal-rect and can be tabbed to and from.

The ProEssentials show the  MOST  attention to detail:

•	The Graph Object and Scientific Graph Object both have a scrolling / comparison subset mechanism.  An object can contain multiple subsets worth of information, yet (1) the user can choose what/how much of the information is shown at any one time, and (2) the user can revolve through subset information while comparing individual subsets to other permanent subsets.

•	Comparison subsets are special subsets which are normally graphed as a thin line.  You can combine a line/bar/area/...etc graph with a comparison line graph. Comparison subsets also have the option to be graphed as lines/bars/areas/...etc. The Graph Object has scrolling / random point capabilities.  The developer and user both have control over the amount of point information that is displayed at any one time.

•	The Graph Object has the capability of automatically producing a large variety of statistical comparison subsets.

•	The Graph Object can display a graph, graph plus table, or just the table.  The table can include only those subsets currently graphed, or show all subset information contained in the object.

•	The Pie Chart Object is ideal for showing unpredictable data because it will group small sliver type slices into an *Other slice.  A footnote is placed at the bottom of the control notifying the user what the *Other slice contains.

•	The Graph and Scientific Graph Objects have upper/lower control limits which can be superimposed onto the graph's grid.

•	The ProEssentials provide both a default and a custom set of properties.  The user can make customizations and then toggle back and forth between the original and custom parameter sets.  The developer can also initialize the custom parameter set so that the user only needs to press a key to transform the image into an alternate common form.

•	The ProEssentials have built in maximization capabilities.  A small control on a form can be quickly maximized by the user.

•	The ProEssentials have built in context sensitive help.  There are API calls that the developer can call to receive context IDs that correspond to  ProEssentials based windows.  This allows for an integrated help system.  The ProEssentials even come with everything necessary to adjust the help file text to target a particular audience.

•	The ProEssentials print dialog allows the printing of multiple pages.  Varying amounts of subset information can be automatically placed onto separate pages.

•	During development, the ProEssentials will transmit debug messages to both DBWIN and MS Visual Basic's immediate window.  You don't have to look at function return values (and then look the return values up in a book) to know if your making a mistake.  The ProEssentials will tell you.

•	The ProEssentials provide 40 API calls which form a logical and easy to comprehend programming interface. There are so many properties I don't want to count them. SDK developers will appreciate that they have serialization capabilities.

•	The ProEssentials come with a 150 page manual.  The manuals text and reference sections are written in a clear and familiar format.  SDK Property names contain data-type nomenclature.

The ProEssentials have the  SMARTEST  image construction:

•	The ProEssentials prepare their images in memory.  Scrolling functionality is professionally fast and clean. Your users wont get a headache watching their screen repeatedly redraw.

•	The ProEssentials provide a method to quickly transform an image from color, to monochrome, to monochrome with symbols.  This is possible because the ProEssentials maintain properties for both color and monochrome image construction.

•	The ProEssentials provide control over the font sizes used in image construction.  Small controls placed onto a form can default to relatively large fonts.  Images exported to the printer can have relatively small fonts.  This feature is necessary to produce high quality images under varying situations.

•	The ProEssentials allow the user to adjust the precision of tabled data and data labels.  If the object is a small control on a form, the precision can be set to zero which will cause the text to be larger and more readable.  The user can always maximize the object and increase the precision when necessary.

•	The ProEssentials check label lengths to make sure text doesn't overlap.  If they do, the ProEssentials will determine the correct size the labels should be to prevent overlapping.  Overlapping labels are embarrassing and frustrating.

•	If Graph Object point labels get too small, the point labels are automatically forced into vertical orientation.  No more squinting.

The ProEssentials have the  MOST  export capabilities:

•	Export a metafile to the clipboard, file, or printer (via a print dialog.)

•	Export a device independent bitmap to the clipboard or file.

•	Export varying amounts of text data in various formats (via a text export dialog) to the clipboard or file.

•	Export an OLE object to the clipboard.  The object is served by an OLE-miniserver which is also redistributable.  Imagine the power and convenience of allowing an exported image to retain all the functionality listed on this sheet.


TX Text Control

TX Text-Control is a full-featured word processor in a custom control which allows developers to incorporate sophisticated WYSIWYG text display, editing and printing capabilities into Windows applications.

Price:	449 Deutschemark

Author:	DBS GmbH

TX is effectively compatible with the standard Microsoft edit control, but also contains a whole host of additional functionality which allows the users of your software to:

•	emphasize selected text with attributes like underline or bold in any combination.

•	select the font color as a RGB value.

•	set the justification, indentations and spacing separately for each paragraph.

•	format tables with four different tabulator types.

•	exchange formatted text with other word processors via the clipboard.

•	import and export text in RTF (Rich Text Format) files.

•	use all Windows fonts, including bitmap, Adobe Type Manager and True-Type.

•	support large documents (no 64KByte limitation).

The offers six different scaling factors between 30% and 400%. This gives the user the possibility of reviewing small details or checking the overall appearance of a document. All Text-Control functions are available regardless of the selected scaling factor. zoom feature offers six different scaling factors between 30% and 400%. This gives the user the possibility of reviewing small details or checking the overall appearance of a document. All Text-Control functions are available regardless of the selected scaling factor.or.

Electronic forms with the image in the background and TX windows in the foreground are now possible. With a Text-Control window, you can place text anywhere on a given background. Such windows can be set to be transparent so that nothing is hidden. This, as well as a precise positioning of the characters, makes the display look like the printout. Printing itself is made easy with features that allow you to select the page dimensions, page margins and the page to be printed.

Images can be imported into the text of a Text-Control window with the help of  IC Image-Control which is an integral part of this application. Filters are included for Windows bitmaps, Windows metafiles and TIFF images. Additional filters for all common formats are also available.

A certain part of the text can be defined as a macro field the contents of which can be replaced independently of the surrounding text. The application receives a notification if the user moves the mouse pointer over such a field, clicks on it or changes its contents. This allows applications such as:

•	Mail merge and report generators for databases.

•	Well designed input masks with entry fields set in explanatory text.

•	Information systems with hypertext capabilities.

Using TX Text-Control, you can create all kinds of text-based applications with the ease of programmingease of programming that is characteristic of Visual Basic. TX Text-Control comes with extensive documentation and sample applications for a word processor and a form filler, as well as with a description of how to access data bases. In addition a detailed description of how to use Marked Text Fields is included.

A useful collection of tools comes with TX Text-Control

•	a ruler for setting tabulators and indentations.

•	a status bar.

•	import and export filters for RTF documents.

•	predefined dialog boxes for selecting character and paragraph formatting


PVCS for Visual Basic

Managing changes in today's client/server software development environment is challenging to individual developers and even more challenging when it comes to managing the complexity of multiple tools in team development projects. PVCS, the industry standard for Software Configuration Management on the LAN, provides seamless integration and a special interface that allows you to access PVCS functionality from within the Visual Basic graphical user interface. The result is dramatic improvement in productivity and greater freedom to develop software systems.

PVCS overseas changes to the elements that make up a software system, tracking what changes were made, who made the changes, when the changes were made and why they were made. PVCS enables you to easily retrieve any module revision or system version, and ensures that files aren't inadvertently overwritten. While one programmer has a file checked out, the PVCS Version Manager prevents any other developer from making changes to that file.

PVCS provides seamless integration to Visual Basic that allows you to access PVCS functionality from the VB's Options pull-down menu. PVCS allows you to "get" files from archives, "put" files into archives, report on project status, set your archive directories, and access the PVCS on-line help from the same VB menu.

Price:	call dealers

Author:	INTERSOLV

Feature List

Author, Time/Date, and Text Descriptions

PVCS controls your Visual Basic development environment. PVCS automatically logs the time and date your files were changed, recording who "gets" files from archives, when they "get" them, what changes were made, why the changes were made, and when the files were "put" back into archives to provide full audit control. When the files are "put" into archives, there is a text dialog box that allows you to add a description of the changes that were made to the files. PVCS logs the archive location, who initially created the archive, when the archive was created, and the last time the archive was modified so that you will have a complete change history. When you "get" files you are able to review revision history of the archive to make sure you are retrieving the correct files.

Locking Capabilities

PVCS ensures that your development environment is protected from code overwrites by allowing you to lock files preventing multiple developers from updating an archive simultaneously. When you open a workfile with a lock, the program records your user ID in the archive. The locking option lets you "put" files into archives without removing your lock, allowing additional changes and providing read only access to other developers. PVCS allows you to lock individual files or the entire project and developers can easily see who had locked files.

Management of Multiple Versions

PVCS enables you to manage multiple versions of an application by assigning version labels to modules. A version label is a symbolic name given to a revision or group of revisions that make a version of the software application. Version Labels can be used to identify a particular version of a system such as Beta Test or Production Release.

Reporting

PVCS has full reporting capabilities that provide a complete audit trail of your project. PVCS provides five different reporting formats to track version labels, revision information, locked revisions, archive history, etc. Reports can be generated file by file or on a full project basis. PVCS also reports when an archive was originally created and who was the originator of the archive.

Versatile Project control

PVCS allows you to control complete projects or individual components in a project oriented fashion. When you open files you have the ability to view detailed information about revisions stored in the archives and view the text descriptions of the revision history. When you "get" files from archives, you have the option of accessing files on a one by one basis or accessing the entire project. The Visual Basic interface reads VB .MAK files allowing you to check out and check in entire projects from one screen.

On-line Help

PVCS provides an extensive on-line help facility that is accessible from the VB Options pull-down menu or from any PVCS screen. The help facility provides you with valuable information about the concepts and tasks associated with PVCS for VB. A complete reference section is included inside the help directory.


API Servant

As every experienced Visual Basic programmer knows, it is often necessary to call the Windows API to get functionality that VB doesn't directly provide.  The fact that VB allows this is great, and VB probably wouldn't be very useful if it couldn't call upon external DLL functions.  However, the VB programmer must explicitly declare every API constant, type, and function that he or she plans on using.  Making these declarations is tedious and can really slow down the development process.

Microsoft provides API declarations suitable for Visual Basic in two forms; ASCII text files and Windows help files.  The text files are quite large and cumbersome.  They will not fit into Notepad so you must use a third-party editor to cut and paste the declarations you need.  The help files are indexed alphabetically but there is no search capability.  You must copy and paste declarations one at a time from the help files.  Also, many of the declarations provided with VB are incorrect and/or not entirely safe to use.

API Servant provides a much easier method of copying declarations into your Visual Basic programs.  API Servant contains a database of complete and correct Windows API declarations.  You can perform fast sub-string searches on the database, and copy many declarations all at once.  In addition, API Servant can copy declarations directly to any open VB code window.

Price:	$15

Author:	Mark Hanson

PO Box 10154

Rochester, NY 14610-0154

USA

Usage

To use API Servant, just follow these easy steps:

•	Enter a search string in the text field labeled Look For:.

•	Click the Search button or press the enter key.

•	Select any desired items from the list box on the left by double-clicking or pressing the enter key.  As you highlight different items, the full text of each item is displayed in the window below.

•	Repeat the first three steps until you have selected all the items you need.

•	Click the Transfer button.

•	Select a destination for the transfer.  If any VB code windows are currently open, their titles will appear in the list box.  Otherwise, the clipboard is the only available destination.  Check the "Sort Items" box to have API Servant re-order the items logically before the transfer.


VERSIONS 1.1

VERSIONS 1.1 provides quick, safe and easy-to-use version control. VERSIONS streamlines the process of managing all your project resources, (source code, documentation, project plans, or anything else), either on or off a network. Its specifically designed for the special problems

of developing software under Microsoft Windows and WindowsNT.

There's no limit to the number or types of files you can maintain. VERSIONS is compatible with all programming environments, including Borland's Paradox, dBASE and C++, Microsoft's FoxPro, Visual Basic, Visual C++, and PowerSofts PowerBuilder. Binary files are supported too, so VERSIONS works for any other project materials, such as documentation and other word-processing files, CAD and graphics files, even spreadsheets. VERSIONS 1.1 has visual diffing and delta versioning for ASCII files, plus a DOS command-line interface for easy batch operations.

File check-in and check-out is quick and effortless. VERSIONS even suggests which files you need to check in or out. VERSIONS is network-compatible, supporting multiple developers within the same project. Long-term locking of project resources avoids collisions between users. VERSIONS tracks which user did what, for complete and customizable project reporting.

Price:	$279

Author:	StarBase

Tel:	(800) 891-3262 in the U.S. or Canada

(0) 342 850930 in the UK

CompuServe:	Martha Dudley at 73531,137

Feature List

•	A powerful main application window, for point-and-click access to launch applications on working files

•	New! side-by-side visual diffing for ASCII files

•	New! delta versioning of ASCII files

•	New! DOS command-line interface makes batch operations easy

•	New! Project Wizard simplifies project setup

•	New! Automatic project-based scheduled check in

•	New! Windows File Manager drag-and-drop check-in

•	New! File filter; file wildcard matching inclusion/exclusion rules

•	New! User-definable Build/Test project commands

•	"Smart" suggestions on which files need to be checked in or out

•	Project milestones and project archiving

•	Symbolic version names, such as, "Beta One"

•	File descriptions of up to 256 characters each

•	Version check-in comments of up to 128 characters each

•	Fully customizable version history and project reporting

•	An easy-to-understand project metaphor

•	Send notes or files through Microsoft Mail, (or other MAPI-compliant system)

•	On-line context-sensitive Windows-based help with new hot-spot bitmaps and glossary


3DfxPlus

A programmer might refer to 3DfxPlus add-on as a Graphical 3D SubClassing Interpreter in Dynamic Library Format.  But, what you'll call this utility is a Powerful Enhancement to your Visual Basic (or C) application projects!

The use of 3D user-interface effects is rapidly becoming a standard in the computing world.  In fact, Windows 4.0 (the Chicago Project) includes a huge number these 3D effects. 3DfxPlus automatically adds this eye-appealling effect to your applications.

For example, your normal VB forms are transformed into 3D complete with gray (button color) backdrops, border shading, controls shading, recessed 3D check boxes, recessed 3D option buttons, etc.  And, common dialog boxes (open, save as, etc.) and MessageBoxes are automatically transformed into 3D too.  Plus, since 3DfxPlus works on a form by form basis, it won't interfere with your MDI (multiple document interface) projects (if you don't want it to).  What's more, 3DfxPlus even has an option to turn itself off if the user of your application has Win 4.0 so that you get the best of both worlds.

And, you can customize virtually every aspect of the 3D effects.  You can make borders sunken or raised.  You can have Option Buttons transformed into Sunken Circles or Sunken Diamonds.  You can have Check Boxes transformed into SunkenX's, RaisedX's, SunkenChecks, or RaisedChecks.  You can make Frame (GroupBox) borders raised, sunken, RaisedDouble, or SunkenDouble.  And, you can even choose from several different patterns for form backdrops.  You get nearly 3 dozen customizing functions, each with several options.  You can even change customizations on the fly from one form to another. And, these functions use English words such as, left, right, center, sunken, raised, etc. -- so that you don't have to declare a lot of global constants; just plug 'n play.

And, what 3D package would be complete without some 3D effects for text output on forms.  3DfxPlus includes the SuperTextOut function which not only displays 3D text, but can also rotate text on Forms and PictureBoxes.  You also get a JustifyLine command which justifies text evenly between two margins.

Why turn your design desktop into a mosaic of toolbox buttons when a single DLL will transform your existing controls into 3D for you?  Note:  You MUST NOT have any VB design forms open (displayed) when you run a program in design mode that uses 3DfxPlus.DLL; you should either close or minimize them before running the application in design mode.

Price:	$10

Author:	Digital PowerTOOLS


CsrPlus

CsrPlus.DLL is a collection of icons and backdrop patterns for VB (or any Windows programming environment) complete with easy-to-use functions for utilizing the new, appealing graphics in your own applications.  You get nearly 100 new cursors and 18 eye- appealing backdrop patterns.  Of course, you can create your own cursors for VB, but this takes a lot of time along with numerous VB functions and API calls.  CsrPlus does all this work for you ... and all your applications can use the same DLL!!!

VB only gives you 13 cursors (mouse pointers).  This greatly restricts your creativity with sophisticated applications.  To use the nearly 100 CsrPlus cursors you simply invoke the MakeCursor command using the name of cursor (yes, real names are used instead of numbers; this frees you from having to declare a lot of global constants).  There are five classes of cursors provided:  FUNCTIONAL (ContextHelp, Eraser, EyeDropper, Pencil, etc.), STANDARD (CheckMark, FatArrowNE, MagicWand, TrekPointer, etc.), NOVELTY (Bug, Knight, Skull, Sword, etc.), ANIMATED (Timer and HourGlass), and USER-DEFINED (named User1 - User8).

Pattern backdrops is a brand new concept to VB programs, although professional C programmers have been using them for years.  With the new FormBackDrop command you instantly fill the background of a form (or PictureBox) with a pre-defined pattern design.  This feature greatly enhances 3D-effects with the included VB subroutines to generate 3D effects on controls and forms.

Price:	$10

Author:	Digital PowerTOOLS


DrvPlus

DrvPlus.DLL is a collection of nearly three dozen functions not included in VB.  Most of these are difficult, if not impossible, to duplicate directly within the VB environment.  For instance, there are functions to ascertain the size of a drive, the amount of free space on a drive, and the amount of used space on a drive.  And, there is a function to determine how many CD drives are present and a function to determine if a particular drive is a CD.  Also included are functions for changing file date and time stamps.  You can also change or delete volume names.  And, you can easily determine if a given filename already exists.

In fact, most of the functions involve drive and file functions left out of VB.  There are also RAM size and low-level data manipulation functions.  This collection of functions should add considerably to your control of the system your application is installed on.

The demo program (written in VB 3.0 standard) demonstrates most of the included functions and reveals a small arsenal of VB programming tricks too.  The VB point-and-click date selection form for changing file date stamps can be easily modified for many similar uses.

Most of the routines in DrvPlus.DLL are written in assembly language to conserve space on your end users' system and to increase response speed within your applications. And, since DrvPlus.DLL comes with a complete Help file and a practical demonstration project in VB, you'll quickly understand how to use all the new functions so that you can incorporate more power into your own projects.

Price:	$10

Author:	Digital PowerTOOLS


StrPlus

Visual Basic comes with numerous, useful string functions.  However, StrPlus.DLL re-creates several string commands that are included with other languages, but are missing from VB.  For example, the new GetToken command parses substrings.  This lets you easily count words, sort comma-delimited strings for database conversions, parse the Command$ parameters, or create a command interpreter for your own applications.  Have you ever wanted the facility of the old BASIC Data/Read commands?  Many folks do.  We've included a VB subroutine, ReadData, that uses GetToken to allow you to have that facility in Visual Basic.  In fact, it's superior to the old Read command because it actually counts the data elements for you.

Also included are commands such as ToName (instantly converts the first letter of every word in a string to uppercase), ReverseString (reverses a string so that you can use INSTR$ in the opposite direction),  Encrypt and Decrypt (which encode and decode strings), and  CountWords (a C routine written in Assembly which quickly counts the words in a document).  Also included are number conversion commands such as GetOrdinalExt (which returns the Ordinal extension of a number "st" for "1", "nd" for "2", and so on), GetRomanNumber (which returns the Roman number for a given integer), and GetWordNumber (which converts a number, usually currency, to the word equivalent; for example, "1,234.56" returns "One Thousand Two Hundred Thirty-Four and 56/100" -- this is great for printing checks).

Do you find that you have to refer to color charts to find the values for colors? StrPlus.DLL includes a new command, WordColor, which can be used anywhere that you'd use RGB or QBCOLOR.  However, WordColor accepts strings instead of hard-to-remember numbers.  For example, WordColor("blue") is the same as QBCOLOR(1).  All 16 basic colors and 20 system colors ("BtnHighlight", "BtnShadow", etc.) are supported.

StrPlus.DLL also comes with two string output commands.  SuperPrint displays text rotated, in 3D, and with programmer-selected alignment.  JustifyLine displays lines of text justified evenly between two margins.  The new GetStateOfKey command returns the state of certain system keys (for those who don't have VB Pro) such as LeftShift, RightShift, NumLock, CapsLock, etc.

Price:	$10

Author:	Digital PowerTOOLS


WavPlus

The VB Pro version comes with the Multimedia MCI Control that allows you to play and record WAV and MIDI files.  Until now, users of the VB standard version have not had this capability without resorting to the complex functionality of the Windows 3.1 MCI (Media Control Interface) API.  WavPlus.DLL simplifies programming Wav (and Mid) playback and recording by providing an easy-to-understand command structure.  You can even playback sections of Wav files which conserves valuable disk space by combining several waveforms into a single file.  WavPlus.DLL utilizes both MCI and low-level access.

Price:	$10

Author:	Digital PowerTOOLS


MDB->BAS

This is a simple VB app that reads the structure of a MS Access MDB database file and produces the necessary VB code to create the file. It handles all of the usual field and table attributes including attached tables, version 1.0 and 1.1, query defs etc. It also optionally produces documentation of the MDB in the form of source code comments.

Typically I create an MDB file with Access and when I am happy with the structure of the MDB I use this to generate the code. If you dont save yourself at least 1 hours coding with this handy little tool I'd be most surprised.  I know it's saved me at least 20 hours this month!

Price:	$20  (CompuServe SWREG 3070)

Author:	Peter G Jones

Zero-1 Software Ltd.

PO Box 4475

Christchurch

New Zealand

Phone/Fax:  64, 3, 352 6481

CIS 100032,40


OXDisplay

OXDisplay consists of enhanced label, meter and clock controls:

OXLabel is a 3D label control that adds new features the standard Visual Basic label control did not. OXLabel can give the text and and a border a 3D look. It also allows for different alignment of the text and different text angle. OXDisplay includes PropertyMenus and ControlWiz. OXLabel gives the Visual Basic developer the ability to easily change the look and characteristics of the control. (Text formatting, 3D look, Fonts, Alignment, Default Property, Text Angle, Settings and Other Properties) using the the right-mouse button or with the ControlWiz.

OXMeter is a 3D meter or graph control which has many features which are not available on any other graph or meter control. OXMeter can give the text and border a 3D look. It also allows for different alignment of the text and picture. Pictures a also supported which allow the progress to be shown using bitmaps or icons. OXMeter includes PropertyMenus and ControlWiz. OXMeter gives the Visual Basic developer the ability to easily change the look and characteristics of the control. (Text formatting, 3D look, Fonts, Alignment, Default Property, Text Angle, Settings and Other Properties) using the the right-mouse button or with the ControlWiz.

OXClock is a 3D Clock, Time and Date control which control allows the display of the current Date and/or Time in your application. Any format is possible. OXClock can give the text and and a border a 3D look. It also allows for different alignment of the text and different text angle. OXClock includes PropertyMenus and ControlWiz. OXClock gives the Visual Basic developer the ability to easily change the look and characteristics of the control. (Text formatting, 3D look, Fonts, Alignment, Default Property, Text Angle, Settings and Other Properties) using the the right-mouse button or with the ControlWiz.

Price:	$22

Author:	Opaque Software


VButton

VButton is an enhanced picture button contol.

There are  three types of a VButton control.  When   the VButton  is clicked it  changes one of its available state to another. The VButton can contain from zero to five different bitmaps of any size and any color resolution (e.g., 250x150 monochrome bitmap, 100x100 16color and 200x100 256color). This take to a programmer possibility to create fine looking applications. Every bitmap may be displayed in every  button states (e.g., when  a button is enabled, disabled, pushed down, released).  Any bitmap corresponding to some button state can be easely changed at run time. Transparency is supported.

Some of VButton controls can be united in groups. All VButton controls in the group may to change state when a state of any control in the group changes. Groups may be numerated from 0 to 32656. Programmer can change group number for any control both at design and run time.  One of the main features of the VButton control  is fast and simple programming for group changes.

Every VButton control has four events: MouseDown, MouseUp RightClicked and LeftClicked. In this way the VButton control works and may be programmed as a standard Command button control in Visual Basic.

Price:	$30

Author:	Speech Therapy Systems Ltd.

P.O. Box 80

Kiryat Arba 90100

ISRAEL

Tel:	972-2-963880

Fax:	972-2-961571

Email:	sts@datasrv.co.il


MidiWW

MidiWW is a Visual Basic control which allows you to send and receive MIDI data from your MIDI keyboard via your Windows sound card.  The control can transfer data at precise intervals to/from the keyboard.  If you do not have a MIDI keyboard, the control can still play notes via your sound card.

Price:	$20  (Compuserve SWREG 2650)

Author:	Winefred Washington

Properties and Events

•	ChannelMask Property - Specifies the channels that an internal synthesizer device responds to, where the least significant bit refers to channel 0 and the most significant bit to channel 15. Port devices transmit on all channels and so will set this field to 0xFFFF.

•	DriverVersion Property - Specifies the version number of the device driver for the MIDI output device. The high-order byte is the major version number, and the low-order byte is the minor version number.

•	ErrorNum Property - Returns the error number from the device driver if an error is generated.

•	ErrorText Property - Returns the text corresponding to the current error number.

•	hMidiOut Property - Returns the handle to the Midi Output device.

•	InCount Property - Returns the number of Midi Input events in the incoming buffer.

•	InputDevice Property - Identifies the MIDI input device to be opened.

•	InputEnabled Property - Setting this property TRUE allows the control to receive events from the input device.

•	InputTime Property - Specifies the time from when the input was enabled to when the event was received.

•	ManID Property - Specifies a manufacturer ID for the device driver for the MIDI output device. Manufacturer IDs are defined in Manufacturer and Product IDs.

•	Msg Property - Reading this property retrieves the next event data received from the MIDI input device.

•	NumInDevs Property - Returns the number of MIDI input devices present in the system.

•	NumNotes Property - Specifies the maximum number of simultaneous notes that may be played by an internal synthesizer device. If the device is a port, the field is not meaningful and will be set to 0.

•	NumOutDevs Property - Returns the number of MIDI output devices present in the system.

•	NumVoices Property - Specifies the number of voices supported by an internal synthesizer device. If the device is a port, the field is not meaningful and will be set to 0.

•	OutCount Property - Returns the number of output messages in the outgoing buffer.

•	OutputDevice Property - Identifies the MIDI output device that is to be opened.

•	OutputEnabled Property - Setting this property TRUE will allows control to send messages to the output device.

•	OutputTime Property - Specifies the delay time BETWEEN the last message and the next message.

•	ProdIDProperty - Specifies a product ID for the MIDI output device. Product IDs are defined in Manufacturer and Product IDs.

•	ProductName Property - Specifies the product name.

•	ShortMsg Property - Setting this property sends a message to the output device.

•	Support Property - Specifies optional functionality supported by the device.

•	Technology Property - Describes the type of the MIDI output device according to one of the following flags:


VB/Rig

VB/Rig's mission is to make runtime error-handling so easy to implement that you'll do it every time, all the time, as part of your normal development.

One of your goals as a serious developer is to design applications that cannot fail unexpectedly.  If you're a VB programmer, that means you must write a separate and unique error-handler for, at minimum, every event-procedure in every .FRM module of your project.  And for complete control and accuracy in dealing with errors, you really should write an error-handler for every non-trivial procedure in your application.

The sheer monotony of writing dozens (or perhaps hundreds) of nearly-identical error-handling routines, not to mention the time involved, has provided VB programmers with a convenient excuse for not implementing comprehensive error-handling schemes: "It's too tedious to do, and it takes too long."  Well, no longer -- VB/Rig can do it all for you automatically, painlessly, consistently, and effectively.

Price:	$29 (Standard Edition)

$59 (Pro Edition)

Author:	PC HELP-LINE

35250 Silver Leaf Circle

Yucaipa, CA 92399

United States

Tel:	909-797-3091

Fax:	909-797-3091

CompuServe:	72357,3523

Standard Edition

•	"Rig" an entire VB application for error-handling with a few mouse-clicks.  VB/Rig gives you selective control over each module in your project.

•	Program logic is not altered or disturbed in any way.  VB/Rig inserts error-handling routines around your existing code, and frames it with conspicuous comments.  The comment frames also enable VB/Rig to completely remove the error-handling subsystem when desired, restoring the source code to its original state.

•	A complete application "procedure stack" is maintained at runtime.  This enables the error-handling subsystem to identify both the procedure in which the runtime error occurred, and the procedure in which it was actually handled, or trapped.  A valuable debugging feature in its own right, the procedure stack can be displayed in the Debug window as the application is running, or routed to the printer or a file for later examination.

•	The error-handling subsystem can popup a modal form whenever a runtime error occurs.  The form can display VB's built-in error explanations, or custom error messages that you provide.  The procedure stack is also displayed, with the "origin" and "trap" procedures highlighted.

•	Build a skeleton "Select Case" block in the error-handler of each rigged procedure.  This is a handy time-saver when you need to write custom code to handle certain kinds of errors.

•	VB/Rig can be directed to skip over any procedure that you don't want to disturb, simply by placing a specially formatted comment line, or "tag", at the top of the procedure.  You can use this feature to "lock-in" rigging that you've customized, or protect specialized error-handling code that you've written yourself.

•	Modules can be rigged and unrigged multiple times without ill effect.  If you add a new procedure to a module that has already been rigged, simply rig the entire module again to pickup the new routine.  Procedures that have already been rigged are skipped automatically.

•	VB/Rig is implemented totally in native VB code, so it integrates seamlessly into your application. Simply add the two provided VB modules to your project (one form and one code module), and compile them along with the rest of your code.  There are no additional .VBXs or .DLLs to ship, and no licensing fees.

•	VB/Rig requires that all your forms and code modules be saved "As Text".

•	VB/Rig always makes a backup copy of each module before rigging is inserted or removed.

Professional Edition (in addition to the Standard features)

•	Rig your entire application, or just a part of it.  You have total, selective control over each procedure in your project, and the level of rigging applied.

•	Runtime errors can be time-stamped and logged to a sequential file to help document and solve problems "in-the-field".  Log records contain all available information on the error, including a snapshot of the procedure stack, and the names of the procedures where the error occurred and where it was trapped.

•	Error-handling routines can be enabled or disabled at runtime, if desired.Professional Edition


ToolThings

ToolThings is a set of 11 tools that enhance the Visual Basic development environment, inluding:

•	Improved form creation - tools for interactively designing, sizing, positioning and ordering those controls

•	Better code management - tools that comment or uncomment blocks of code, remove unused routines and find user-defined functions and global/constant declarations

•	Re-use existing code - searches external VB source code files, selects the fragment you specify and inserts it into your VB document.

•	Plus - tools to generate forms, message boxes and common dialogues

Price:	£129

Author:	Bits Per Second


TMS Tools

TMS Tools is a set of development productivity, debugging and error handling tools which significantly enhance the way you develop your VB applications. Includes:

•	Automatic configurable boiler-plate code generator

•	Form/control consistency validator

•	INI file processing made easy

•	Trace debugging and error handling facility

•	DLL loader

•	DLL unloader

•	Resource/memory usage analyser

•	CPU load meter

•	Control resource usage analyser

•	Advanced find file

•	Screen zoomer

•	System stress debugger

•	Error code generator

Price:	£99

Author:	The Mandelbrot Set


EDI Install Pro

EDI Install Pro is a complete installation utility that you can use "right out of the box". It allows your users to easily copy and set up your application on their system. It presents users with a friendly, easy to use interface, that provides a simple and precise method of installing applications. This is especially important under Windows, a market so fierce that the user's first impression can make or break your product.

EDI Install Pro can prompt the user for information, create the proper directories, copy the files to be installed, create the Program Manager group items, modify .ini files, display README.TXT files, and more. The user is always has control over the installation, yet never feels burdened by too much information. EDI Install Pro is easy to use by you and your customers, yet allows both of you great deal of latitude in customization. EDI Install Pro reads the INSTALL.INF file (referred to as an INF file from now on), which contains the necessary information describing the layout of your files on the distribution disks, as well as a variety of settings and options. To customize your installation process you simply modify the INF file to suit your application.

Unlike some other installers, there are no scripts to write nor new languages to learn. In fact, no programming is required. EDI Install Pro uses a simple utility, INF Maker, to create the INF file for you. INF Maker will scan your disks for files and allow you to enter components, INI file entries, Program Manager items, and more. If you prefer, you can manually create the INF file, using a simple text editor. EDI Install Pro is so complete, and so customizable, that almost anything you need can be easily accomplished. With EDI Install Pro you won't spend days writing scripts, and your users won't be infuriated trying to set up your product. Trust EDI Install Pro and your installation hassles will disappear.

Price:	$129.95  (Standard Edition)

$179.95  (Developer Edition)

Author:	Eschalon Development Inc


IEEE 488.2 CONTROL 1.00

IEEE4882.VBX is a Windows Visual Basic Control for communication on the IEEE 488.2 instrument

bus.  It is compatible with National Instruments IEEE 488.2 hardware and software packages.

Price:	$35

Author:	send a check or money order to:

wY'East Consulting

6917 S.W. 33rd

Portland, OR, 97219

Usage

Programming IEEE 488 control programs is simple using Visual Basic. Here are the procedures to create a simple example program using the IEEE4882 Control.

•	Connect your computers National Instruments GPIB output to an IEEE 488.2 compatible instrument.

•	Start Visual Basic

•	If Not already in the Control Panel use File - Add File to include IEEE4882.VBX

•	Select the IEEE 488 control and paste a copy onto Form1. This copy will be named Ieee1.

•	Open the Properties Window and set the Ieee1 Bus and Address properties for your hardware.

•	Select Form1 and double click to bring up the forms code.

•	Add the following code to the Form1_Load Subroutine

Ieee1.Send = "*idn?"        ' Ask instrument Id

Form1.Print Ieee1.Receive   ' Print Id in Form1

When you run this program it will send your instrument the IEEE 488.2 identify message query. It will then receive the response from the instrument and print it in Form1.


STATUSB

STATUSB.VBX - Microsoft style statusbar

This statusbar has been designed to have the same look as the one used in most of the new Microsoft products, such as Word 6 and Excel 5.

Price:	Free

Author:	Andrew Westacott

Internet  : AndyWest@sound.demon.co.uk

Compuserve: 100023,702

Feature List

•	Tooltips.  By embedding a special command string into a Visual Basic controls Tag property you can get popup help windows automatically as the mouse moves over the control.  These strings are formatted like so:  TT:[your help text\n <-- this means a new line].

•	When placed on a main MDI form the statusbar will automatically fire an event when the mouse moves over a menu item.  This allows you to easily have context help displayed in the statusbar for any of the menu items.

•	Extra caption area which can now have both its foreground and background colours changed as well as having a small bitmap displayed left justified before any text.

•	The date and time can be automatically displayed in the statusbar using the WIN.INI date format.  You can also opt to have both the date and time displayed or just either one of them.

•	Automatic Numlock and Capslock indicators.

•	Three user-defined indicator areas which can have a short text string assigned to them dynamically to show such things as macro recording etc.


Message Blaster 2.1

Message Blaster is a control that will allow the VB programmer to catch and process Windows messages directly from within VB. This is accomplished by placing a message blaster on your form and specifying the object you want to catch messages for and what messages to catch. The message blaster should be able to catch just about any message for any control or form. You can catch up to 25 messages per target object.

Price:	$25

Author:	Ed Staffin

Internet:  edstaff@mcs.com


Helpfile Helper

The Helpfile Helper is a tool that should make it easy for Visual Basic programmers to generate context sensitive help files.  This difficult task is often managed by teams of developers, designers and writers, with the cross member coordination done by spreadsheet or other document..  With the Helpfile Helper, the coordination of help context identifiers between the application, help project control file (.HPJ) and the rich text document is automated.

To do this, the Helpfile Helper analyzes your Visual Basic project source files and maps out a list of help context identifiers that have been assigned to the controls and menus that make up your application.  This map is projected into the help file helpers main context ID map.  Using the map (which may be printed) you can determine if you have assigned context identifiers to the controls that require help support.

The Helpfile Helper requires Microsoft Word version 2.x  and the Microsoft Help Compiler (HC31.EXE).

Price:	Free

Author:	Big Dog Software

25 Shirley Parkway

Piscataway, NJ 08854


CANIMATE

CANIMATE will allow animation controls to be created and manipulated in Visual Basic. In the current release, only 2D animation is supported. There are two types of animation supported: sprite and cell animation. They may be used concurrently or separately. Sprite animation is moving an image about on the screen. Cell animation uses frames, or pictures of the same thing in various states of motion, much like a motion picture. Combining the two techniques results in a much more realistic mode of animation than either technique alone. A bird can beat its wings as it flies about the screen, for example. Sometimes only one is needed; a fire stays in one spot and flickers, while an arrow flies without ever changing its shape.

Price:	$39

Author:	Componere Software

1381 Kildaire Farm Rd #119

Cary, NC, 27511-5525

Internet:  Compomere@aol.com

Description

CANIMATE accomplishes this through the use of two controls: Stage and Player. Stage is the background, a container in which Players are created. Players are animated (or not; they can be simply still pictures) objects to be displayed on the background.

The Stage supplies keyboard and mouse input. It is a control which accepts focus.

The Player is a potentially complex object. In the original design, there were to be several different types of animated objects. But as development proceeded, it became evident that all of them were really just the same object with some properties predefined, and rather than risk not allowing the combination that might be most desirable for a particular situation, a single object was created with all the properties available. Don't be frightened by its complexity; if one is created and a picture assigned, then it will show the picture and not do anything else. If sprite animation is required, the target coordinates are set and moving is enabled. If cell animation is needed, it gets a bit more complicated as described below.

A bitmap assigned to a Player is assumed to be a single picture by default. However, if cell animation is required, the fastest and most efficient way to "package" all the frames is to put them in a single bitmap that is larger than a single frame. The cells are organized in a grid, much like a spreadsheet (only no lines!). On a row, from left to right, are images which should be shown in a logical sequence. If there are multiple logical sequences, then the other sequences are on other rows. For instance, let's say you have a player that is 48 pixels high and 24 pixels wide. On the first row you might have him face to the right, one picture with his feet together, one with them spread apart. On the second row you might have him do the same, only facing left. To do this, you create a bitmap that is 96 pixels wide and 48 pixels wide and draw (or paste - I suggest that somewhere you keep the images unique, but it's up to you, of course) the first row in the upper half and the second row in the second half. Then when this bitmap is assigned to a Player control, set XFrames and YFrames each to 2. Set Cycle to True (I know, I am getting ahead) and he runs in place. But set a target location off to the right, and off he goes. Set the FrameRow to 1 and a target off to the left and he walks that way. The example will help to clear this up a bit.

Events for mouse clicks are generated if Player objects are clicked on. There are additional events that can be generated when a Player object arrives at a target location, runs into another Player object or completes a cycle of cell animation (has shown all the frames on a row). These events must be "turned on"; by default they are not reported, so that Player objects like a flickering fire will have minimal impact on performance.

An important concept to remember is that every object on the Stage is a Player, but that does not mean that you have to move them all with keystrokes. Not at all. Generally speaking, one Player will be your "hero" or "heroine" and the others will be props, hazards, bullets or bad guys.

Another important thing to note: There is a lot that can be done with animation besides game programming, such as sprucing up a logo display in the about box or even simulating screens for training.

Planned enhancements will allow 3D scenes to be created, easing the creation of games such as adventures or golf where the player (or ball) moves in a room or landscape. If sound is a common request, it may be implemented, though the multimedia controls should work with CANIMATE without any problem. Perhaps sound might be desirable using the old voice functions for lesser/older machines. Suggestions are welcome.


HelpBreeze
HelpBreeze 1.6

HelpBreeze provides an integrated environment for developing Windows help files under Microsoft Word for Windows and allows developers to add animations, slide shows, 256-color graphics and sound to help files.

HelpBreeze 1.6  includes comprehensive point and click support for all aspects of the Windows 3.1 help engine.  A complete set of visual tools makes the more advanced features of the help system, such as secondary windows and help macros, more accessible to help file authors.  Automated, two-way conversion between help files and normal Word documents allows authors to use the same material as the basis for both on-line help and printed documentation.  Extensive support is included for establishing context-sensitive links between help files and Windows applications.

Price:	$349

Author:	Solutionsoft

Tel:    (408) 736-1431

Fax:   (408) 736-4013

CompuServe 75210,2214

Features

In addition, HelpBreeze 1.6 includes the Topic Wizard--a custom Word 6.0 wizard which automates help file development.  Using the Topic Wizard is somewhat similar to using a database application to generate a report or print mailing labels.  The developer specifies a list of topic titles and chooses a format for the topics.  The Wizard then expands the list of titles into a series of fully formatted topics and inserts them into the document.  All help topic elements, including topic titles, context strings, keywords and browse sequences, are created automatically.The author can choose from a set of pre-defined topic styles or create a completely custom topic layout.  Once the topics have been formatted, the developer adds his or her own text and graphics to complete the help file.

Included with HelpBreeze, is Slide Show for WinHelp(tm), a distributable DLL which can be used to add slide shows, sound and bitmap animations to help files.  VCR-style controls allow the user to control presentations directly.  Individual slides can act as hotspots linked to hypertext jumps or pop-ups, and a Windows sound file can be attached to each slide.  The Slide Show DLL is particularly effective when used to create WinHelp-based product demos, electronic brochures and simple multimedia presentations.


VBVoice

VBVoice is a rich set of Visual Basic custom controls that create a graphical environment within Visual Basic for the design, development and testing of interactive voice systems. VBVoice provides high-level voice and data controls that allow integration of the telephone system with databases, fax and other custom controls.

This innovative design system allows users to graphically create the voice menu trees in a point-and-click environment. To build a system, all that is required is to place the voice controls on a form, fill in a dialog for each one and connect the controls together to create a menu tree.

Price:	from $395

Author:	PRONEXUS  (contact Ian Bowles)

Tel:  613 839 0033

Fax  613 839 0035

CompuServe:  71054,3225

Features

Voice systems can be created with VBVoice using little or no code, but VBVoice objects can be extended with Visual Basic code using the built-in properties of each control or by calling voice card functions directly. VBVoice takes care of multi-tasking between the different voice lines, allowing each system to handle at least 24 lines within the same application. VBVoice applications can of course use all the other custom controls developed for Visual Basic.

VBVoice has powerful prompt creation capabilities with built-in phrase types for saying numbers, dates, times etc. VBVoice includes an integrated voice editor for prompt creation with support for .WAV files. VBVoice also has a simulation and test mode allowing developers to test their applications just with a sound card.

VBVoice handles all of the following functions:

•	waiting for inbound calls

•	playing and recording voice files and voice prompts

•	monitoring line connection

•	making outbound calls and detecting ringing,  connection, busy signals, etc.

•	prompting for and detecting Touch-Tone input

•	receiving and sending faxes

•	built-in handling of error conditions

•	accessing and updating databases from touch-tone keys

A PC can be equipped for voice processing by simply installing a voice response board.  VBVoice is a high level, easy to use interface which controls boards from several vendors, including Dialogic, NewVoice and Bicom. Systems are available to support from 1 line to as many lines as your PC can handle - at least 24 lines on a 486.

TAPI Support

PRONEXUS will be shipping VBVoice/Tapi in September 94. VBVoice/Tapi will provide all the same capabilities as standard VBVoice using the Microsoft Telephone Application Programming Interface (TAPI). Designs created now with VBVoice can be moved transparently to TAPI hardware using VBVoice/Tapi. VBVoice/Tapi will hide from programmers the complexity of the TAPI spec and allow applications to be created easiliy and quickly regardless of the hardware or API in use.

A sample VBVoice form

Each VBVoice control has inputs and outputs. The controls are connected together to graphically display the menus and choices presented by the voice system. All you have to do is place the controls, connect them, and fill in the setup dialog for each control. Some VBVoice controls interact directly with the caller to play greetings, take messages, and collect digits, while others control call flow based on database entries, time of day, and other parameters. Each can be configured from a setup dialog. You can add code at any point to override or add to the system.

Seven steps to a voice-enabled application:

•	Select the controls from the toolbox and place them on the form.

•	Connect the controls together with the mouse to create the call flow.

•	Fill out the dialogs for each control, to select the greetings, connect to databases and configure actions on received digits.

•	If needed, add code to the VBVoice controls to customize their behaviour, and to link the voice system to your application.

•	Use VBVoice Test mode to check each part of your system. Test each control one at a time, or test a group together.

•	Run the system in the Visual Basic design environment and perform final testing of the complete system. Use the log file and line status windows to ensure everything is running properly.

•	Make the executable with the Visual Basic Make Exe. command.


VB Add-On Witch

VB Add-On Witch helps you bringing order into chaos. With VBXs broadly available even the average VB programmer uses several add-on libraries with usually more than just one VBX and related help file.

To use one of these libraries or browse its help file he/she has to load the VBX through a standard dialog box or switch to the Windows file manager. Both can be quite time consuming, since loading the Add-dialog box with the contents of the Windows system directory might take a while. Fortunately there is VB Add-On Witch. With it loading a VBX into your project or looking up a related help file is a snap.

The witch´s main features are:

•	Provide quick access to all VBX/DLL, help files and any application with a simple directory tree of your favorite add-ons.

•	Load any VB project without reverting to browsing through DOS directories.

•	Create VB project templates for various purposes, e.g. database programming, spreadsheet applications etc. When VB Add-On Witch is loaded, every time you use the VB ´New Project´ menu command, you can choose among your templates to start your new project with.

Price:	TBA

Author:	Mey & Westphal

RIPOSTE Software GbR

Schottweg 1

22087 Hamburg

Germany

Tel +49 (0)40 - 22 17 23

Fax +49 (0)40 - 22 17 72

CompuServe: 100111,305


Early Morning Editor

 The Early Morning Editor Control is a text editor control for Visual Basic that can handle large amounts of text.  The control has these useful features:

•	handles lines up to 64K in size.

•	can handle a practically unlimited (2,147,483,647) number of lines.

•	supports line and column blocks as well as stream blocks.

•	supports fixed as well as proportional fonts.

•	can automatically load and save whole files.

•	multi-level Undo/Redo

•	built-in Search/Replace functionality

•	can be programmed/controlled from Visual Basic/C++.

 The control comes with integrated online help and a sample program.

Price:	$30

Author:	Ted Stockwell

Orders:	 You can order with MC, Visa, Amex, or Discover from Public (software) Library by calling 800-2424-PsL or 713-524-6394 or by FAX to 713-524-6398 or by CIS Email to 71355,470. You can also mail credit card orders to PsL at P.O.Box 35705, Houston, TX 77235-5705.


Message Spy

The Message Spy custom control is used to spy on Windows and Visual Basic messages sent or posted to Visual Basic controls and forms.

The Message Spy custom control allows a Visual Basic application to intercept, filter or otherwise process Windows and Visual Basic messages sent or posted to Visual Basic controls and forms. This operation is known as subclassing and, if used carefully, can allow very powerful effects to be achieved, including functionality not otherwise provided by Visual Basic.

Price:	$20

Author:	Anton Software Limited

40 Midfield Way

Orpington

Kent, BR5 2QJ, UK

Phone/fax:  +44 (0) 81-302 4373 (24 hours)

E-mail:	100265,2172  (CompuServe)

tonys@anton.demon.co.uk  (Internet)


Universal Install

Universal Install is a completely user-configurable installation program creation utility. With Universal Install, you can create your own INSTALL.EXE that matches the look and feel of your own software with a minimal amount of work.

Universal Install also gives you all the features that users have come to expect in an installation program: automatic decompression of files, automatic modifications to system files, disk space checking, user-definable installation destinations, and more.

Having a good installation process is crucial for forming a positive first impression with your customers. With Universal Install, you can focus on making your software the best it can be while we focus on making your customer's installation the EASIEST it can be.

Price:	$39.95

Author:	The GoodSoft Co.

1630 30th Street, Suite 235

Boulder, CO 80301, USA

FAX U.S. purchase orders to: 303-444-0977

The Universal Install Process

•	You create or modify an "ACTION" (.ACT) file. This file contains all the details of what you want your installation program to look like, such as screen colors, what files to install, etc. This is a text file that uses plain-English keywords. For example, the GOODSOFT.ACT file was used to create the INSTALL.EXE program you are running right now.

•	Run the ACTION.EXE utility to build your installation program. This utility reads your .ACT file and creates an EXE file (any name you specify). You also have the option of specifying a different language or custom message file (such as ITALIAN.MSG). More details are in INSTALL.DOC.

•	You now have an installation program. You simply distribute the program with your software and your customers just "INSTALL".

•	All you need to distribute is INSTALL.EXE!


DCLIST

This is maybe the most missing control in VB: A listbox for displaying data from the data control. Simply place it on a form, set the DataSource and DataField properties and enjoy your applications becoming more visual.

•	Supports contiguous browsing through the records with a scrollbar.

•	Supports positioning by simply clicking on an entry

•	Supports handling millions of records.

Price:	$10  (Shareware)

Author:	S Software

c/o Torsten Schlabach

Harzburgerstr. 16

D-47259 Duisburg

Germany

CompuServe: 100335,243


MENUWATCH
MENUWATCH 1.1

The "MenuWatch" custom control allows you to easily add a full-featured menu help status bar to your application.  By placing this custom control directly on your main form, you can display help "snippets" in a help status bar at the bottom of the window as the user highlights menu items. This control supports MDI windows, The MDI "WindowList" property, and it does not interfere with the normal activation of menu-related context-sensative help.

Price:	$15

Author:	Steve Lathrop

19101 Willow Spring Drive

Germantown, MD 20874, USA

CompuServe ID:  70540,370

Properties

Changed	Returns -1 if the menu has been changed since the application started or the Refresh method was last invoked, 0 otherwise.This property is read-only.

NumOptions	Returns the total number of options under the pulldown menu identified.  For example, an application which provides only "File" and "Edit" menus has 2 pulldown menus, and if the "Edit" menu has only "Cut", "Copy", and "Paste" options, NumOptions with PulldownID% = 2 returns 3. This property is read-only.

NumPulldowns	Returns the number of pulldown menus currently associated with the application.  For example, an application which provides only "File" and "Edit" menus has 2 pulldown menus. This property is read-only.

Events

Open	Occurs when the user first begins to interact with the menu, but before a Select event occurs.

Close	Occurs when the user stops interacting with the menu by closing it or selecting an option.

Select	Occurs when the user highlights a menu option.

Methods

Refresh	Use this method to update the MenuWatch control when the menu changes.  If this method is not invoked, any changes to the menu will not be reflected when a Select event occurs.


VPrint
VPrint 2.2

VPrint is a Visual Basic For Windows source code printer, with many options to let the user decide how the output should look.  Files to be printed must be saved in text format for VPrint to work.

VPrint will allow you to print multiple files, or multiple/selected subroutines/functions from one file.  If you choose a MAK file from the file selection folder, all files from that project will be added to the list of files to be printed.  Another neat thing about the file selection folder is a box which lists the last four directories from where files were printed.  A simple click on one of these will jump to that directory.

Different fonts can be selected for various parts of the output - page headings, VB code, Sub/Function header lines, comments, and form/control declarations.

Price:	$15  (Shareware)

Author:	Scott M. Pazur

11225 Quailbrook Chase

Duluth, GA  30136

COmpuServe ID: 74457,2772

Options

•	Line numbers - You can have none, module level (reset to 1 at the start of a new sub or function), or global (start at 1 and keep going until the end of the file).

•	Index - The index will list each sub/function and the page number of the output where it can be found.  If the line number setting is "global," the index will also include the line number where the sub/function starts.

•	Separator Lines - If this option is set, VPrint will separate each sub/function with a line, making the printouts much easier to read. Note: If this option is selected, the next is automatically turned off.

•	Sub Per Page - This will cause each sub/function to start on a new page. Note: If this option is selected, the last is automatically turned off.

•	Form Declarations - By default, the form/control declarations found at the beginning of a VB .FRM file are NOT printed.  This option allows you to print this information if desired.

•	Left Indent - You can offset the left side of the printout from 0 to 3 inches to allow for "binder blindness" - the part of pages in three ring binders that you can't read once you jam in a whole lot of pages.

•	Path In Header - If set, the VPrint output header will include the whole path of the file being printed.  By default, only the file name will be printed.

•	Sync Code Fonts - This option sets the printer fonts for the sub/function headers and comments to whatever is selected for the code.  If you change the setting for the code, the other two are updated automatically.


MouseKeeper

MouseKeeper Mouse Hook Custom Control for Visual Basic is a VBX that triggers MouseDown, MouseMove, and MouseUp events for all controls in your application or in other applications.  With MouseKeeper, you can maintain a centralized location to execute code based on mouse events such as displaying a status line or providing context sensitive help.  MouseKeeper also gives you the option to return a property (i.e., Tag, Caption, Name, etc.) of the control that the mouse is over!

Price:	$29.95  ($49.95 source code)

Author:	JOSWARE Inc

Properties

HookType	Determines if the control should report mouse activity for all tasks of the current task.

0	Within Same Task - The control will only fire mouse events for mouse activity that occurs within the application or task.

1	Across All Tasks - The control will fire mouse events for all mouse activity for all tasks.

ReturnProperty	Determines the property value of the control that the mouse is over that will be passed to the MouseDown, MouseMove and MouseUp events in the PropValue parameter.

0	None - No property will be passed to the events.

1	Caption - The Caption property will be passed to the events.

2	Name - The name of the control will be passed to the events.

3	Tag - The Tag property will be passed to the events.

4	HelpContextID - The HelpContextID property will be passed to the events.

Events

MouseDown, MouseMove, MouseUp Events

These events are triggered to notify you when and what type of mouse activity occurred.

If the mouse is pressed, the MouseDown event is fired.  When the mouse moves, the MouseMove event is fired.  When the mouse button is released, the MouseUp event is fired.  In each of these cases, parameters are passed to the event so that you can identify which window the mouse is over when the event occurs.

hWindow	Identifies the window handle that is associated with the window that the mouse is over.

PropValue	This string contains the value of the property of the window if it is a Visual Basic custom control.  The property passed depends on the setting of the ReturnProperty property.  Note:	This value is not sent when the mouse activity occurs over a window within a different task.

Button	The state of the mouse buttons, in which a bit is set if the button is down.  The Button argument is a bit field, with bits corresponding to the left button (bit 0), right button (bit 1), and middle button (bit 2)values 1, 2, and 4, respectively.  It indicates the complete state of the mouse buttons; some, all, or none of these three bits can be set, indicating that some, all, or none of the buttons is pressed.

Shift	The state of the Shift, Ctrl and Alt keys.  Bit is set if the key is down.  The Shift argument is a bit field, with the least-significant bits corresponding to the Shift key (bit 0), the Ctrl key (bit 1), and the Alt key (bit 2 ).  These bits correspond to the values 1, 2, and 4, respectively.  Shift indicates the state of these keys.  Some, all, or none of the bits can be set, indicating that some, all, or none of the keys is pressed.  For example, if both Ctrl and Alt were pressed, the value of Shift would be 6.

X, Y	The current location of the mouse pointer.


OMS/VBX

OMS/VBX is a Visual Basic Control which allows Visual Basic developers to quickly and easily e-mail enable their applications.  OMS/VBX simplifies the creation of applications that perform common mail tasks such as logging in, sending mail, checking incoming mail, sending documents, enumerating users and logging out.  All without programming the underlying native mail system.

OMS/VBX makes implementing e-mail into an application simple and straightforward. Without OMS, the developer must provide native support for targeted mail platforms.  This requires a significant investment in time and effort as the various mail protocols differ in substantial ways.  In addition, when support for a new protocol is needed the application must be modified.  This method also makes an application mail protocol dependent.  What if you do not choose the mail protocol which your users utilize?  Why not implement support for most, instead of some?  Once an application is working with OMS, it automatically supports all common mail platforms: Microsoft MAPI, Lotus VIM and Novell MHS.  These protocols drive popular e-mail applications such as cc:Mail, Lotus Notes, Microsoft Mail, DaVinci and others.

OMS supports Microsoft's Messaging Application Programming Interface (MAPI), Lotus's Vendor Independent Messaging (VIM) and Novell's Message Handling Service (MHS). These three account for nearly all PC e-mail installations.  An application mail-enabled with OMS works seamlessly with most of the currently installed base of e-mail systems.  In addition, due to the capability of adding new protocol drivers other e-mail platforms can be added in the future.  Look for Raindrop to add CompuServe e-mail support to  Open Mail System soon!

OMS can be used by any application capable of utilizing Visual Basic Controls.  Raindrop Software Corporation also has the OMS DLL's, any application capable of calling Microsoft Windows DLL's.  Common examples are applications developed in Visual Basic, C, C++, Pascal, Assembler, or MS Excel and MS Word macro languages.

Price:	$495   (DLL $995; both $1195)

Author:	Raindrop Software Corporation

Feature List

•	Drop in replacement for Microsoft's MAPI Control.

•	Supports VIM, MAPI and MHS (cc:Mail, Lotus Notes, Microsoft Mail, DaVinci and others)

•	Switch between mail systems at run-time.

•	Detect presence of various mail systems.

•	Proven technology.

•	Scalable, more protocols to OMS/VBX will be available.

•	E-mail enable in minutes.

•	Royalty free license.

Usage

OMS/VBX contains two controls:  OmsSession and OmsMessage.

OmsSession controls are used to provide a session with the e-mail system; OmsMessage controls do the actual work involved in sending, receiving, enumerating, etc., of e-mail.

OmsSession properties:

Property	Description

About	Gives a description of the object.

Action	Tells the object to change state.

DownloadMail	Used to cause mail to be read from the post office.

Left

LogonUI  	Tells the object whether to show a user interface at login time.

Name  	The user's name.

NewSession  	Determines whether a new session is created at login time or whether the current session, if one exist, is piggy-backed.

Password  	The user's password.

Query Available  	Flag to indicate that the Mail System property is used only to query the presence of a mail system.

SessionID  	A handle to the underlying e-mail system.

TransportType  	Chooses which e-mail transport protocol to use.

UserName  	The user's name.

OmsMessage properties:

Property	Description

Action	Causes an action to happen.

AddressCaption	Used to specify the caption used when the address book is displayed.

AddressEditFieldCount	Specifies what address fields to display in address dialog box.

AddressLabel	Used to override "To" in address book.

AddressModifiable	Allows address book to be modified.

AddressResolveUI	Determines if a dialog box is presented when resolving ambiguous address names.

AttachmentCount	Number of attachments in a message

AttachmentIndex	Specifies current attachment of a message.

FetchAttachment	Whether the attachment file should be actually retrieved.

AttachmentName	Filename of indexed attachment.

AttachmentPathName	Pathname of indexed attachment.

AttachmentPosition	Location to display attachment.

AttachmentType	Type of the currently indexed attachment.

FetchMsg	What type of messages to fetch.

FetchSorted	Specify order of fetched messages.

FetchUnreadOnly	Causes only unread messages to be fetched.

MsgConversationID	Used to specify the conversation thread id.

MsgCount	Number of messages in a message set.

MsgDateReceived	Specifies when a message is received.

MsgID	Specifies the id of currently indexed message.

MsgIndex	Index of the current message.

MsgNoteText	The body of the current indexed message.

MsgOrigAddress	Originator of a message.

MsgOrigDisplayName	Originators long name.

MsgRead	Indicates a message has been read.

MsgReceiptRequested	Specifies that a receipt is requested for a message.

MsgSent	Specifies that a message has been sent.

MsgSubject	The subject line of a message.

MsgType	The type of a message.

RecipAddress	Recipient of a message.

RecipCount	Number of recipients of a message.

RecipDisplayName	The long name of the recipient.

RecipIndex	Index of the current recipient.

RecipType	Type of the current indexed recipient.

SessionID	Handle of the current mail session.


3-D Gizmos

3-D Gismos 2 is a collection of 3-D and data-aware controls that include a virtual list box and combo box. Most of the controls offer a choice of traditional 3-D, etched steel or shadowed styles. Also included is a data-aware calendar control, a command button that can stay down, and more.

Price:	$99

Author:	MicroHelp Inc


ExtractIcon VBX

This ZIP contains a VBX file that implements a custom control which extracts and displays icons for all kinds of icon files, especially executable files and DLL's.

The control is simple to use. It has three properties relating to the icons:

ExecutableName	the name of the icon file

IconNumber	the number of the icon to extract from the above file

IconLoaded	this is set to indicate whether the combination if the above two properties make sense (i.e., if the icon exists in the file).

Price:	Free

Author:	Peter Ashton

petera@cix.compulink.co.uk


$5 Help

$5 Help is a complete set of hypertext authoring tools for Microsoft Word for Windows 6.0. that take most of the drudgery and difficulty out of writing help files and hypertext that runs from inside Word for Windows 6.0.

Like many programmers, we tried to build WinHelp files with nothing more than MS Word for Windows and found the syntax unintuitive, cumbersome, and tedious. Authoring hyper-text of any kind is difficult without active jumps during editing, and proofing the file as a whole required shelling to DOS and recompiling every on every pass. We searched for tools on-line and found none that met our needs. We already knew the basic syntax and layout. Our help file needs were fairly simple and did not include sound, multi-media, version tracking, or even printed manual layout. We just couldn't justify spending $100's on a commercial help tool. The share ware tools we found seemed either over-priced, under-featured, or not much easier than using Word by itself. We needed WYSIWYG layout, active jumps during editing and proofing, and automated compliance with help compiler syntax. It seemed that all these things could be provided with a simple set of WordBasic macros and that there was probably a market for a powerful, inexpensive help and hyper-text tool set for MS Word 6.0.

Price:	$5

CompuServe SWREG #2414

Author:	Synergistic Productions Unlimited

Usage

1.	Divide your draft information into pages (topics), separated by hard page breaks. Make sure that there are no hard page breaks inside topics, even if some topics are longer than a page. You can avoid confusing soft page breaks by setting the height of page on the paper size tab of the page setup dialog to longer than your longest topic.

2.	Select each topic (BUT NOT the page breaks which separate them) and click on the Make Topic button on the $5 Help tool bar. A dialog will prompt you for a topic name and give instructions for naming topics. These are actually naming rules for Word 6.0 bookmarks, which is how topics are stored.

3.	Once your topics are defined you can create jumps that jump to those topics. Just select the hot text for your jump and click one of the jump buttons. A dialog will appear listing all of your defined topics. Select a topic and click OK. If you plan to make a help file, the three types of jumps will determine the style of jump. If not you can use the three types any way you want.


Accusoft Image Format Library 4.0

The Accusoft Image Format Library is an image processing tool for Visual Basic developers, including graphics import and export, scanning, conversion, display, printing, image-processing and special effects.

•	All functions implemented as properties

•	Fastest library on the market

•	Highest quality imaging library

•	no royalties

•	Ultra-fast 32-bit VBX also available

Price:	UK£ 430

Author:	Accusoft

Format Support

•	Reads and writes TIFF, PCX, JPEG, TGA, BMP, WMF, WPG, DIB, DCX, EPS, DCX, EPS, GIF and PICT formats with auto-detect.

•	Supports non-standard group 3 and 4 formats

•	Handles multi-page files easily, both reading and writing

•	High-level interface for fast integration

Display and Printing

•	High quality printing to any printer

•	High speed image display

•	Zoom, pan and scroll features built-in

•	Auto palette optimisation for multiple palette images

•	High quality display for all video modes

•	Gamma correction

•	Special display effects including fades, wipes, blocks etc.

Image Processing

•	Rotate, flip, invert

•	Resize images to any size

•	Sharpen and blur images

•	Set contrast and brightness

•	Matrix concolutions

•	isolate points

•	Edge detection

•	Laplacian filter

•	Roberts Cross filter

•	Colour reduction and conversion

•	Convert 24 bits to 8 bits

•	Convert 8 bits to 4 bits

•	Convert 24/8/4 bits to 1 bit

•	Promote to 8 or 24 bits

Compression

Supports all types of compression found in each format including LZW, Packbits, Huffman, Run length encoding, Group III (1 dimensional), Group III (2 dimensional), Group IV and JPEG.

Miscellaneous

•	Built-in scanning support for TWAIN

•	Includes sample application code

•	Ultra-fast 32-bit VBX also available for Windows 3.1


ALLText
ALLText 3

AllText is a multiple font custom control text box designed for Visual Basic programmers by Bennet-Tec Information Systems.   AllText looks like a textbox on your form, but supports the simultaneous display of multiple fonts, font characteristics and colours; paragraph formatting; and even inclusion of any bit map as the background to the control.  Using AllText, you can include a WYSIWYG edit/display text box as part of your Visual Basic programs.  The ability to highlight with colours as well as font characteristics make it the ideal choice for use in word-processing and hypertext applications.  See Also AllText HT/Pro

Price:	$125  ($125 International)

Author:	Bennen-Tec Information Systems

New to Version 3

•	Significantly faster and simpler I/O methods

•	Enhanced access to paragraph formatting

•	Transparent background

•	Sub and superscript support

•	Improved underlining (vary the colours and styles)

•	and more (of course)

Unique Features:

•	The ALLText control supports display and editing of text in multiple simultaneous fonts and font characteristics:

FontFamily, FontName, FontSize,

Bold, Underline, Italic, StrikeThrough, Super and Sub Scripts

Colours (the 16 QBColor settings are supported),

CustomShadowing.

•	Text entered into the ALLText control can be broken into independently formatted paragraphs supporting:

Alignment: centred, left, right or left/right justify,

Margins: left and right,

Vertical spacing.

•	ALLText supports creation and use of a Font Table, facilitating the smooth and rapid changing of fonts; i.e.; changing to Arial Bold 25 pt, italics all in one step.

•	ALLText supports a unique BitMapped Background.

Any bitmapped image can be displayed and positioned BETWEEN the standard background (choice of colours) and the text.  This can be used for special effects such as animation within the text box, or sliding windows to hide or reveal coloured text.

•	ALLText supports several Write Protect and Screen Protect modes for presentation of text, with controlled user interaction, as well as allowing full programmatic manipulation of text without refresh until ready.

•	ALLText "Design Paragraph" structures allow for manipulating the contents of a paragraph off-screen and then modifying the control contents in one step, making for a smoother presentation.

ALLText beats the competition hands down when it comes to flexibility and power, full programmatic access to, and manipulation of, formatted text content - everything can be set by property as well as by direct manipulation of the formatted strings.  Unlike the competition, with ALLText, you have control!  We're smaller too, requiring far fewer resources (including those in your wallet).


ALLText HT/Pro

See Also AllText

A whole new Hypertext Enhanced Professional product offering all the support of ALLText 3.0 plus new features designed in to fit the needs of our most aggressive users:

•	HYPERTEXT tagged phrases - HT properties and events even Hypertext mouse pointers.

•	Embedded OLE  objects - including graphics!

•	DATA AWARE.

•	RTF input and output.

•	Paragraph Borders.

•	and more

Price:	$350  ($375 International)

Author:	Bennen-Tec Information Systems

Unique Features:

•	The ALLText control supports display and editing of text in multiple simultaneous fonts and font characteristics:

FontFamily, FontName, FontSize,

Bold, Underline, Italic, StrikeThrough, Super and Sub Scripts

Colors (the 16 QBColor settings are supported),

CustomShadowing.

•	Text entered into the ALLText control can be broken into independently formatted paragraphs supporting:

Alignment: centered, left, right or left/right justify,

Margins: left and right,

Vertical spacing.

•	ALLText supports creation and use of a Font Table, facilitating the smooth and rapid changing of fonts; i.e.; changing to Arial Bold 25 pt, italics all in one step.

•	ALLText supports a unique BitMapped Background.

Any bitmapped image can be displayed and positioned BETWEEN the standard background (choice of colors) and the text.  This can be used for special effects such as animation within the text box, or sliding windows to hide or reveal colored text.

•	ALLText supports several Write Protect and Screen Protect modes for presentation of text, with controlled user interaction, as well as allowing full programmatic manipulation of text without refresh until ready.

•	ALLText "Design Paragraph" structures allow for manipulating the contents of a paragraph off-screen and then modifying the control contents in one step, making for a smoother presentation.

ALLText beats the competition hands down when it comes to flexibility and power, full programmatic access to, and manipulation of, formatted text content - everything can be set by property as well as by direct manipulation of the formatted strings.  Unlike the competition, with ALLText, you have control!  We're smaller too, requiring far fewer resources (including those in your wallet).


TLIST

TLIST is an enhanced outline control designed to be more flexible and more reliable than the standard outline control shipped with VB professional edition.

Price:	$125  ($150 International)

Author:	Bennen-Tec Information Systems

Feature List

•	Supports any number of images - assign a distinct bitmap or icon to each item in the list.

•	Supports images of varied sizes - each item may have a different or same size image.

•	Supports multiple fonts and colours - each item may be displayed using a distinct font and combination of font characteristics (bold, italics, colour, strikethrough, etc.).  Even vary the background colour of the items.

•	Supports multiple selections - while the standard outline supports only one selection, TList supports multiple selections just as does Windows FileManager.

•	Supports Drag&Drop - drag between controls or even within TList.  With drag drop and our internal TreeBuffers, even copy and paste tree structures for reorganisation of your outline, or copying outline elements between multiple Tlist controls.

•	Controlled refresh - manipulate the control as desired behind the scenes and then refresh.  No need for your end users to watch painfully as items are added or changed.

•	Turn off text and use TList as a picture oriented list box, in effect a toolbox of image buttons.

•	Multi-Line text - with definable word wrap width.

•	Supports storage of user definable data (numeric or string) with each item.

Specifications

•	Unlimited number of entries. (we'll ok, subject to available memory)

•	Maximum 4,000 Visible (expanded) entries at once

•	Maximum of 3,999 subordinates per item

•	Characters of text per item: 32,680

•	Levels of indentation supported: 32

•	Item pictures up to 255x255 pixels each


ScatterPlot3D

ScatterPlot3D is designed for the display and manipulation of  3-d scatter plots.  The picture can be quickly rotated or zoomed programmatically.  End users of ScatterPlot3D applications can rotate the view via mouse dragging or select particular groups of points and lines with the mouse. ScatterPlot3D is especially useful for statistical or other math applications.

Price:	$125  ($150 International)

Author:	Bennen-Tec Information Systems

Feature List

•	Plots in 3 dimensional space - points or lines

•	Supports colours and symbols,  every point can have it's own setting.  Even change the point size.

•	Select Zoom and Perspective via properties.

•	Built in rotation - just set the rotate angles and speed.

•	End user control of viewing perspective by mouse dragging

•	End user selections of points may be captured


ShellPack

ShellPack consists of two controls, FileIcon and DragDrop.

FileIcon is a multifunctional icon control designed for Visual Basic programmers by Bennet-Tec Information Systems encapsulating Windows Shell API functionality in an easy to use VBX.

DragDrop is a container control translating between Visual Basic and FileManager drag drop messages.  It also functions as an enhanced file list box for dragging between VB Applications.

Price:	$50  ($75 International)

Author:	Bennen-Tec Information Systems

Feature List

•	FileIcon will automatically display the correct icon for any document, help file or application - simply assign the filename to a property and it's ready.  The icon for an EXE is taken from the EXE file, the icon for a document is taken from the EXE file associated with the document in the Windows registration database.  VB programmers may of course override the automatic setting and use their own customised icons.

•	FileIcon will also automatically read the proper associations from the Windows registration database and when clicked will activate the appropriate application.  Of course the event is trappable and may be replaced by any processing code desired in a VB application.

•	Parameters may be set in the control for passing to EXE files upon execution, or for passing to the Windows Help program as a search term when activating an icon associated with an HLP file.

•	FileIcon is "drop-file" aware and will accept dropped files and can be used as a convenient destination point in a drag&drop based application. Combining the functionality of Drop_file support with support for display of custom icons, makes FileIcon an ideal tool in designing file processing applications.

•	The DragDrop container control translates between FileManager and Visual Basic Drag Drop messages for any child controls placed within it.  This allows easy population of a file list box, and makes for great file processing applications.

•	The DragDrop control may itself be used as a file list box, enabling the simple dragging of files between VB applications.


AppLink

The AppLink control provides interform transmission capabilities for the VB Programmer. When you place an AppLink socket on a VB form, that form then has the means of transmitting and receiving messages up to 64K in length between itself and other sockets.

Price:	$69.95

Author:	Synergy Technologies


Aware/VBX

Aware/VBX, the ultimate in data input validation controls, offers effortless input edit controls for all data types.  Each edit control can be bound to and Access database field, giving your application the ideal database front end.  the formatted edit controls have over 80 properties, allowing them to be fully customised to fulfil any user's needs and expectations.  The virtual data manager loads only specified amounts of data allowing Aware's combo boxes and list boxes to handle large amounts of data easily.  Data is validated with each keystroke or using free formatted edit mode, data is validated when the control loses focus.  Choose the best option for your application, to prevent the user from entering incorrect information. Quickly develop applications capable of thriving in the international market by relying on Aware's international support, or combine Spread/VBX and Aware/VBX to promote rapid, robust system development.

Price:	$145

Author:	FarPoint Technologies Inc

Feature List

•	Bound to Access

•	Multi-column Combo box and List box

•	Binary

•	Boolean

•	Calendar and Clock

•	Currency

•	Date/Time

•	Double/Single

•	Long/Integer

•	Mask

•	Memo

•	Text

•	No 64K data limit

•	Virtual data management


Control Wizard

The Control Wizard takes the drudgery out of creating new custom VBX controls.  With the Control Wizard you specify the properties, events and methods.  The Control Wizard generates all of the C and project files to build the new control, including help files for use with WinHelp.

Price:	$289

Author:	VBXperts


VB PowerLibs

PowerLibs provides a set of routines to simplify your programming tasks.

Low level functions include:

•	fast data manipulation

•	in-line memory access

•	process yielding

•	DOS wrapper calls

•	easy DPMI access

•	debugging aids

High level functions include:

•	sound

•	friendly delays

•	timing

•	string manipulation

Price:	$149.95

Author:	Eschalon Development Inc


VB PowerCtls

VB PowerCtls is a collection of VBX controls that enhance any Visual Basic application. The MS Word styled toolbar and status bar (automatically displays menu hints) give your application a professional appearance. The innovative directory/drive selection combo box control allows easy access to directories, while the new file list enhances file selection. VB PowerCtls also includes a MS Word styled spin control, a check box list box control, owner-drawn list box and button controls, a calendar control, and a meter bar control. All controls supported by Microsoft's 3D look.

Price:	$99.95

Author:	Eschalon Development Inc


VB PowerGauges

VB PowerGauges is a collection of gauge, bar and meter VBX controls for Visual Basic. Perfect for scientific applications, data acquisition, machinery control, simulations or any application that requires dynamic displays. Gauges can be displayed in 1/4, 1/3, 1/2 or full views, in a variety of styles. Bars and meters can be displayed as thermometers, percentages, "equaliser" LED bars and more. Also included are seismographs, histograms and graphs.

Price:	$149.95

Author:	Eschalon Development Inc


VB Viewer

VBViewer lets VB programmers display files in approximately 20 formats, including Word for Windows, dBase, Excel, PCX, TIFF, GIF, BMP, Write, WordPerfect, AmiPro, Paradox, Lotus, Lotus WK3, ZIP, Quattro Pro, Windows Sound files, Q&A (Windows & DOS) and MS Works.

Price:	$99

Author:	MicroHelp Inc

Feature List

•	Drag and Drop from File Manager or other Drag and Drop servers

•	Optional automatic determination of file format

•	Limitless file sizes

•	Scrolling through the file can be done by mouse or keys

•	Search function for text files


Muscle

Muscle 2.0 is a collection of hundreds of assembly-language routines designed to yield increased productivity, faster program execution, smaller executable files, and increased functionality. Some of the routines included are diskette format/copy, read file directory (including date, time and size) into an array in one operation, delete sub directory contents with a single statement, arrays with more than 32,767 elements using all available memory, byte arrays and Microsoft common dialogs.

Price:	$199

Author:	MicroHelp Inc


HighEdit Lite

HighEdit is a word processing custom control that you can add to your own applications. Features include the ability to edit multiple documents and to print documents using True Type. The VBX control is a WYSIWYG word processing control that supports multiple fonts, multiple colours and search-and-replace. It comes with a ruler, choice of visibility for tabs, paragraph marks and control characters, and the ability to read ASCII files.

See Also HighEdit Pro

Price:	$249

Author:	MicroHelp Inc


HighEdit Pro

HighEdit is a word processing custom control that you can add to your own applications. Features include all those in HighEdit Lite plus:

•	Importing of bitmaps through the clipboard, RTF files, or the import function

•	Header and footers can be edited in separate windows, or even include images

•	Set tabs left, right, centre and decimal as well as indenting

•	Graphics support for PCX, GIF, TIFF and TARGA

•	Also supports C, C++, Pascal etc.

Price:	$499

Author:	MicroHelp


Communications Library

The MicroHelp Communications Library lets you simultaneously access up to eight serial ports. Includes XMODEM, YMODEM, YMODEM-G, ZMODEM and CompuServe B+ protocols for automatic file transfers that take place in the background, while your program is performing other chores. A high-performance Text Box is included for flicker-free terminal emulation. Sample programs are provided.

Price:	$149

Author:	MicroHelp, Inc


Network Lib

MicroHelp's Network Library is designed to provide easy access to network interface routines. The product currently supports Novell, Lantastic and NetBIOS-compatible networks.

•	NetBIOS routines work under and NetBIOS emulator, including Novell's Control messages, datagrams and Lantastic mail files

•	Provide redirection capabilities in all supported environments

•	Change user passwords

•	Login and logout routines

•	Control print queues

Price:	$99

Author:	MicroHelp. Inc


VBXRef
VBXRef 2

VBXRef is a cross-reference and project management tool for applications developed using VB.

•	Complete listing of all properties and events, including custom controls

•	Cross reference all variables in your program, including telling you where in code your variables are changed

•	All procedures can be cross-referenced so you know what code invokes other code

•	You determine what reports are created.

Price:	$99

Author:	MicroHelp, Inc


WinWidgets

WinWidgets 2.0 includes The Grid, an edit control, button controls and a data aware list and combo box. The Grid is designed for database tables and lets you display, edit and update tables without writing code.

Price:	$149

Author:	Simple Software


ZipInf

This control gives you information about the content (directory) of a ZIP file. Many, many useful uses (File Manager replacement, drive searching, etc.). Shareware.

Price:	$10 ($12 international) for VBX

$25 ($30 international) for source and VBX

Payment:	Cheque or Money Order to:

Author:	Mabry Software


Alarm

Alarm is a Visual Basic custom control that lets you set multiple alarms to go off (i.e., fire events) at various times during the day.  This control makes it easy to schedule events to happen at various times.  Just set the properties and wait for Alarm to notify you. Alarm even tells you when the date has changed.  You can use this to remove all of the current alarms and set new ones for the day.  A must if you're writing a PIM. Shareware.

Price:	$10 ($12 international)

$25 ($30 international)  -  source + VBX

Author:	Mabry Software


Balloon Control

The BALLOON Control adds a new technique of providing help to the user that is not available any other way. This control allows the developer to provide the user with a dynamic popup help system for all the controls on each form in the VB application. The popup help text information provided is especially useful to new user and is ideal for custom in-house applications where the user may not have a manual to refer.

When enabled, the control provides a custom event that defines when the user moves the mouse cursor over a form's control. The VB application then passes a help text string to the BALLOON.VBX control that then moves the popup window to the vicinity of the selected control and displays the help text in the popup window.

A separate BALLOON Control must be placed on each form that will have a popup help session available. A "popup balloon help session" is defined from the time the popup balloon appears on-screen to the point at which the popup balloon window is removed.

Price:	$18 (+ tax)

CompuServe SWREG #1222

Author:	Weimar Software


BarCod

BarCod makes bar code display really easy.  Just pick the orientation, set the size, and pick the bar code style.  Then, set the caption to whatever you want the bars to be. BarCod uses the Caption property to determine what to display.  ForeColor is used for the colour of the Bars.  BackColor is used for the colour of the background.  If BarCod cannot fit the entire bar code in the control window, it will fill the entire control with the background colour. Under VB 3.0, BarCod will bind to a data control.  It uses the DataField, DataSource, and DataChanged properties. Supports 3 of 9, 2 of 5, and more.

Price:	$15 ($17 international)

$45 ($50 international)  -  source + VBX

Payment:	CompuServe SWREG #1314 (#1315 for source)

Cheque or Money Order to:

Author:	Mabry Software


BmpLst

BmpLst is a Visual Basic custom control that provides a list box with pictures.  The picture and the text below it are centred within the list box. BmpLst combines both a line of text and a picture into one item in a list box.  Both are centred within the list box and the picture is positioned above the line of text.

The placement of both objects for the item is determined by the TopMargin, VertGap, and

BottomMargin properties.  The use of each property is shown below:. Shareware.

Price:	$20 ($22 international)

$45 ($50 international)  -  source + VBX

Payment:	CompuServe SWREG #1059 (#1060 for source)

Cheque or Money Order to:

Author:	Mabry Software


DFInfo

DFInfo is a Visual Basic custom control that gives convenient access to disk and file information.  VB programmers are able to read and modify miscellaneous information about files (date, time, size, etc.).  Information about the computer's drives is available through another set of properties.

Shareware.

Price:	$15 ($17 international)

$35 ($40 international)  -  source + VBX

Payment:	CompuServe SWREG #1069 (#1070 for source)

Cheque or Money Order to:

Author:	Mabry Software

Disk Properties

ClusterSize

DefaultDrive

Disk

FreeClusters

FreeSpace

Network

NumFloppies

SectorSize

StartupDrive

TotalClusters

TotalSpace

VolumeName

File Properties

FileDate

Filename

FileTime

IsArchived

IsHidden

IsReadOnly

IsSystem

Size


EasyNet

This Custom Control allows to draw network diagrams. Drawings can be made interactively with the mouse (See Quick Start) or programmaticaly. A network diagram is a set of nodes that can be linked. So an EasyNet control contains items that can be nodes or links. You can associate data to each item and you can navigate in the network diagram.

EasyNet control is useful in following applications:

•	work flow diagrams

•	data base diagrams

•	organisational flowcharts

•	communication networks

•	and all application that needs to manage a network diagram.

Price:	590 French Francs ($117)

CompuServe SWREG #2547 ($99)

Author:	Patrick Lassalle

2 , rue Gutenberg

92100, Boulogne

FRANCE

Usage

Items	Items are nodes or links. Two nodes can be linked with a link. A link cannot exist without its origin and destination nodes. If one of these two nodes is deleted, the link is also deleted. You can make an item be the current one either with the mouse or with Item property, allowing you to work with it, get or set its properties. You can also select several items with the mouse if multi-selection is allowed (in such a case MultiSel and SelectMode properties are true).IsLink property allows to know if current item is a link or not.

Drawing	You can change colours, styles and shapes of each item:

•	X1, X2, Y1, Y2 properties allows to set or get position and size of each item.

•	Picture property allows to associate a bitmap or an icon to each node.

•	Shape property allows to specify a shape for a node (ellipse or rectangle)

•	DrawColor and DrawWidth properties allow to specify the colour and width of the pen used to draw nodes or links.

•	FillColor property allows to specify the colour used inside a node.

•	PointCount, PointX, PointY  properties allow to have a link composed of several segments.

Oriented property specifies if a link is oriented or not. If the link is oriented, it has an arrowhead. You can create items, delete items and do other edit actions (like copying the network diagram onto the clipboard in a metafile format) with EditAction property.

Data Association	You can associate data to each item (node or link) with following properties:

•	Text property associates a string. The EasyNet control maintains the memory for the strings associated to items.

•	Data property associates a long integer that can be used to store a reference to a user data.

•	Type property associates an integer that can be used to store an identifier or a type.

•	Picture property associates a picture (bitmap or icon). The EasyNet control does not maintain the memory for that picture.

Navigation	You can navigate in the network diagram with LoopAction, LoopCount and LoopItem properties:

•	LoopAction property has to be called first in order to indicate the type of navigation to perform.

•	Then, a call to  LoopCount gives the count of items involved in this navigation.

•	Then, you get each item with LoopItem property.

You can retrieve origin and destination node of a link with Org and Dst properties. Oriented property specifies if a link is oriented or not.


FMDrop

This custom control (VBX) notifies you when a file has been dragged and dropped from the Windows File Manager (FILEMAN).

Price:	$10 (CompuServe SWREG #1378),  $15 (US Mail),  $17 (International Mail)

Source Code:	$30 (CompuServe SWREG #1379),  $35 (US Mail),  $40  (International Mail)

Author:	Mabry Software


.INI Control

The .INI control provides easy access to the initialisation file features of Windows v3.1.  When developing your own applications with Visual Basic v3.0 you can create .INI files or modify the win.ini file in your Windows directory.  No more fooling around with the API commands or messy C strings!

Price:	Free

Author:	Scott Stubbs


IniCon

This VB custom control makes INI file access simple.  WIN.INI and private INI file access are both supported.  No API calls required. Shareware.

Price:	$3 (CompuServe),  $5 (US),  $7 (International)

Source Code:	$25 (US),  $30 (International)

Payment:	CompuServe SWREG #833 (#1003 for source),

Author:	Mabry Software

Reading from WIN.INI

Set Filename property to blank

Set Application property to the name of the application section in WIN.INI

Set Parameter property to the name of the entry within the section

Read value in Value property (it now contains the value of the profile string specified by Application and Parameter)

Writing to WIN.INI

Set Filename property to blank

Set Application property to the name of the application section in WIN.INI

Set Parameter property to the name of the entry within the section

Write value into Value property (this will write the value given into the profile string specified by Application and Parameter)

Deleting an application in WIN.INI

Set Filename property to blank

Set Application property to the name of the application section in WIN.INI

Set DeleteApp property to True

Deleting a property in WIN.INI

Set Filename property to blank

Set Application property to the name of the application section in WIN.INI

Set Parameter property to the name of the entry within the section

Set DeleteParm property to True

Reading from a private INI file

Set Filename property to the path and filename of the private INI file

Set Application property to the name of the application section in the private INI file

Set Parameter property to the name of the entry within the section

Read value in Value property (it now contains the value of the profile string specified by Filename, Application and Parameter)

Writing to a private INI file

Set Filename property to the path and filename of the private INI file

Set Application property to the name of the application section in the private INI file

Set Parameter property to the name of the entry within the section

Write value into Value property (this will write the value given into the profile string specified by Filename, Application and Parameter)

Deleting an application in a private INI file

Set Filename property to blank

Set Application property to the name of the application section in the private INI file

Set DeleteApp property to True

Deleting a property in a private INI file

Set Filename property to the path and filename of the private INI file

Set Application property to the name of the application section in the private INI file

Set Parameter property to the name of the entry within the section

Set DeleteParm property to True


JoyStk

JoyStk gives your program information and events about the joystick's movement and buttons.  One or two normal joysticks, or on 3-D joystick are supported. Shareware.

Price:	$15 ($17 international)

$35 ($40 international)  -  source + VBX

Payment:	CompuServe SWREG #1340 (#1341 for source)

Cheque or Money Order to:

Author:	Mabry Software


JS3Pak

This is a combination of Mabry Software's three most popular controls: IniCon, PerCnt, and DFInfo.  When registered, SoundX is included as a bonus. Shareware.

IniCon

PerCnt

DFInfo

SoundX

Price: 	$25 ($27 international)

$50 ($55 international)  -  source + VBX

Payment:	CompuServe SWREG #1269 (#1242 for source)

Cheque or Money Order to:

Author:	Mabry Software


PerCnt

PerCnt displays a percentage bar on your form. This makes status reporting very easy.  3-D effects, fonts, and colours are all at your control.

Type:	Shareware

Price:	$10 ($12 international)

$25 ($30 international)  -  source + VBX

Payment:	CompuServe SWREG: # 966 (#1004 for source)

Cheque or Money Order to:

Author:	Maybry Software


Code.Print Pro

Code.Print for Visual Basic is designed to provide the developer with an affordable, capable tool to produce easily maintainable presentation quality source code documentation. Code.Print for Visual Basic provides the user with a rich set of printing options.

Price:	$99

Author:	Pinnacle Publishing (USA)

Bits Per Second (UK)

Description

Managing source code documentation is an important element of application development - especially if someone is paying you to program.  Code.Print for Visual Basic gives you the power and the options to easily make professional, presentation quality VB source code printouts: what you want, the way you want it.

Anyone who has done any programming in Visual Basic quickly learns two things:  They love the development environment and they hate the source code printer.  At best, most programmers find the source code printing capabilities of Visual Basic lack the options required for formal documentation.  Many have had to resort to copying source code from the clipboard to a word processor to add the formatting components necessary to do the job right.

With Code.Print you can format your source code with headers and footers, project title, date and time, page numbers, module and routine name.  You have full margin control on all sides and a printer setup function lets you specify printer drivers and orientation.  Full font control of titles, header/footer notes, code, and comments gives you command over the appearance of your code and improves readability.  Code.Print can sort your routines from A to Z.  It can print a complete index detailing what page each sub-routine can be found.  This is a real time saver with large applications.  While you are sorting your printouts Code.Print can sort your files too.  It will even make serialised backups of your files so you can maintain a complete revision history.

Printing options range from printing a complete application (Code.Print can read MAK files) to just a single routine.  Select a file and Code.Print will display a sorted list of all routines in the file.  You can select a single routine, the declarations header, or the entire file.

All options can be saved to disk and are loaded on startup.  Once you define a layout you like you can us it to print any code you want.  This will give your documentation a consistent appearance across applications.

Feature List

•	Format you code printouts for better readability - chose fonts, print procedure names in bold, add headers and footers, set margins and line spacing

•	Highlight a section of code and print only those lines

•	Sort procedures before you print them

•	Print only files that have changed since the last printout

•	Create reusable print-job files you can print from outside VB

•	Put print jobs in a batch file for printing later

•	Generate an index showing where each form, object or subroutine appears in a printout

Header/Footer Options:

•	Date and Time

•	Project Name

•	File Name

•	Header/Footer Notes

•	Routine Name

•	Page Numbers

•	Continuous page numbering

•	Starting Page

•	Three header lines for additional notes

•	Three footer lines for notes

Page and Output Options:

•	Line Spacing

•	Top, Bottom, Left and Right Margin Control

•	Sort Output by Sub-Routine

•	Sort File by Sub-Routine

•	Serialise Backups

•	Page Breaks on New Routines

•	Fit Subroutine on Page

•	Background Printing

•	Bold Routine Name

•	Subroutine Index

Fonts:

•	Individual fonts, styles, and sizes can be designated for Header/Footer, Procedure Title, Comment, and Code lines. Any font available to the printer is available for your selection.


SoundX

This control provides Soundex and Metaphone algorithms.  Soundex and Metaphone convert words or names to codes that represent how they "sound". This can be really useful in a database application where users need to find names they may not know how to spell exactly.

Use this control to make it easier for them. Just put the word or name you want converted in, and the appropriate codes come out. Shareware.

Price:	$10 ($12 international)

$25 ($30 international)  -  source + VBX

Payment:	CompuServe SWREG #1272 (#1273 for source)

Cheque or Money Order to:

Author:	Mabry Software


MenuEv

MenuEv provides menu selection notification.  In other words, it tells you when the user has selected a menu item.  This is really useful for status bar-style help.

MenuEv is really easy to use.  All you need to do is place it on your form.  There's nothing to set. Events start coming in automatically.  The events give you the text of the menu item selected. Shareware.

Price:	$10 ($12 international)

$25 ($30 international)  -  source + VBX

Payment:	CompuServe SWREG #1270 (#1271 for source)

Cheque or Money Order to:

Author:	Mabry Software


Outline

The outline control is a custom control for Microsoft Windows 3.x.  Outline can be used with any Windows development language that is capable of calling functions from a Visual Basic Extension (VBX). The outline control can be used as a numerically numbered outline or with numbering and indenting turned off can be used as a editable list box.

The outline control is unlike most other outline controls available in that it is not intended to be a tree control.  It should be used as either an editable list box or an outline (ex 1.1, 1.2).

Price:	$75  Shareware

Author:	Todd J. Abel

2585 Cooley Road

Canandaigua, New York 14425-9728

CompuServe: 73611, 1023.


OXButton

This control adds new features the standard Visual Basic command button did not. OXButton can give the text and a picture a 3D look. It also allows for different alignment of the text and picture. A moving drop-shadow is automatically created when the button is pressed.

OXToggle is a 3D picture and text toggle button for Microsoft Visual Basic. This control adds new features the standard Visual Basic toggle or check box button did not. OXToggle can give the text and a picture a 3D look. It also allows for different alignment of the text and picture. A moving drop-shadow is automatically created when the button is pressed.

OXButton gives the Visual Basic developer the ability to easily change the look and characteristics of the control (Text formatting, 3D look, Fonts, Alignment, Default Property Settings and Other Properties) with the right-mouse button using the included PropertyMenus or with the ControlWiz.

Price:	$15  Shareware

Author:	Opaque Software


3D-VB Input

This control emulates the standard Visual Basic text box control which allows the user to enter text. 3D-VB Input can give the text and the control a 3D look. It also allows for different alignment of the text. Plus the first VB control with Property Menus.

3D-VB Input gives the Visual Basic developer the ability to easily change the look and characteristics of the control. (Text formatting, 3D look, Fonts, Alignment, Default Property Settings and Other Properties) using the Right Mouse Button.

Price:	$15  Shareware

Author:	Opaque Software


RoText

This control lets you place a label on your forms at any angle or degree of rotation.  This control can be bound to a data control. Shareware.

Price:            $15 ($17 international)

                     $35 ($40 international)  -  source + VBX

Payment:       CompuServe SWREG #1338 (#1339 for source)

                     Cheque or Money Order to Mabry Software


Leong Profile Controls

The Leong Profile Controls are a set of Visual Basic Custom Controls that make it easy to use INI files with your Visual Basic programs. There are four controls:

•	the Leong Ini Color Control,

•	the Leong Ini Font Control,

•	the Leong Ini String Control.  You can use the String control to store and retrieve many types of data in INI files, including numbers, dates and times.

•	the Leong Expose Control, which makes the Captions of all the controls in your program accessible via INI files

Shareware.

Price:	Registered Developer -  $25  (15 UK Pounds), CompuServe SWREG #2313

Professional Version  -  $35  (20 UK Pounds), CompuServe SWREG #2328

Author:	Mabel Leong

21, Meadowbank,

Hitchin,

Herts SG4 0HX,

United Kingdom


Compression Plus
Compression Plus v3.0

With Compression Plus, you can design your programs to utilise available memory and disk space more efficiently by compressing files, arrays (and other blocks of memory) and screen images to a fraction of their original size, and decompressing them when needed. Our lightning-fast assembly routines will do the job quickly and easily. Support for six compression algorithms, including PkZip 1.10 and 2.04.

Price:	$249  (DOS version $149)

Author:	EllTech Development Inc

Feature List

•	Compression and decompression routines written in-house using optimised assembly language for the smallest, fastest code possible

•	Support for more than seven different compression algorithms including static and adaptive Huffman coding, several Lempel-Ziv variants

•	NEW! - Run-length encoding (RLE), Imploding, Shrinking and Deflating (as used by PkZip). Unlike other products available, our implementation of the "Deflation" algorithm does not infringe on patented technology !

•	Supports archives created with PkZip. read ZIP archive directories, add, extract, encrypt and decrypt files stored in ZIP archives

•	NEW! - Version 3.0 now supports multi-volume archives (not ZIP-compatible, but more flexible), individual file comments, freshening, updating, filtering file selections based on attributes, and much more

•	Not only can you compress files, but also strings, arrays and blocks of memory. You can even compress a portion of a compressed image.

•	Our DOS version includes a customisable installation utility with full source code. Reduce your production costs by shipping your applications in compressed format, royalty-free.

•	All the DOS routines only add 50k to your EXE files

•	Windows DLL was written in assembly and is only 40k

•	Includes comprehensive manual, many example programs, no runtime royalties, free tech support, 24-hour BBS and free minor updates


E-Tree Plus

E-Tree Plus is a B+Tree database library designed specifically for Basic programmers. Supports record locking and network-ready.

Price:	$249

Author:	EllTech Development Inc


Fax Plus

Now you can write your own WinFax Pro in VB ! With this custom control and printer driver you can:

•	Send faxes from any Windows application that supports printing

•	Automatically receive incoming faxes

•	Convert between Group 3, DIB, BMP, and PCX files

•	Fully supports EIA Class 2 and Class 2 fax/modems (including CAS and Sendfax)

•	Demo program and source code

Price:	$249

Author:	EllTech Development Inc


VB/Magic Controls

VB/Magic Controls is the complete control design system which creates entirely original visual input and display controls for your VB programs.

Spiff up ordinary-looking applications with the kind of slick controls you've seen in other Windows products, or invent new controls no one has ever seen.  Just think how roll-ups, sliders, cascading menus, 3-D effects, floating tool palettes and image based buttons will make your VB programs sizzle !

Using the exclusive ControlEditor, you can construct re-usable buttons, toolbars, palettes or sliders to create visual interfaces other Windows developers can only dream about.  Why pay for VBXs you can't change, when you can design exactly the control you want in just minutes ?

VB/Magic Controls' 40+ easy-to-use controls will flat outperform ordinary VBXs and DLLs for speed and flexibility.  VB/Magic Controls supplies all control source code, a 200-page manual and demos/samples for everything.

Price:	$149

Author:	AJS Publishing, Inc


Visual/db

Visual/db is a complete relational DBMS that lets you create, read and write industry-standard dBase-type database DBF, index NDX and memo DBT files and add extensive database capabilities to your VB applications. Visual/db is implemented entirely using VB source code, and includes several fully-commented, ready-to-run Database Management Forms.

Price:	$149

Author:	AJS Publishing, Inc


MICR Font Check Printer

MICR Font Check Printer prints your business, personal, even scenic checks and deposit slips on your laser printer, including the special MICR bank and account number encoding. Use blank stock or even plain paper.

Price:	$39.95

Author:	AJS Publishing, Inc


CodeBasic

CodeBasic allows you to access dBase, FoxPro and Clipper data, index and memo files from your VB application, including dBase IV multiple indexes and FoxPro compound indexes. Includes functions to skip, seek, lock, create, pack and delete. Automatic update of index files.

Price:	$195

Author:	Sequiter Software, Inc


Integra VDB

Integra VDB is the visual database builder which enabled the VB developer to create sophisticated ODBC compliant database solutions quickly, easily and often with virtually no code. Integra VDB consists of Database Objects (Custom Controls), a Visual Data Manager, Database Functions, ODBC compliant SQL engine and optional ODBC drivers to other databases.

Price:	?

Author:	Coromandel Industries

Availability:  from dealers

Feature List

•	Integra VDB controls encapsulate substantial database functionality. Simply drag and drop the 13 controls from the Toolbox on a form to build your application.

•	Visual Query Builder lets you define powerful queries without any knowledge of SQL. Invoke Query Builder from the Query control. Compose your queries using point and click. View results at design time. Save queries. Use them across application modules. Or use them ad hoc through the Query control on any form.

•	Visual Data Manager manages your  databases from within Windows. Create databases, schemata, tables, views and indexes interactively. Obtain system information such as supported data types, special columns. Import and export data, alter or browse through tables, or insert, delete and update records in a table.

•	All VDB applications benefit from specific features that enhance the performance of your application. These include intelligent caching, memoery cursors, optimised database access and a virtual grid object.

•	Integra VDB eliminated the need to write code for many aspects of database development without comprimising performance. Reusable database controls and flexible design tools are integrated visually with your programming environment to improve development speed dramatically.

Key Controls

Form Builder	Automatically generate simple or master / detail forms to contain appropriate visual objects and operations to be performed on your database.

Query	Use this control to invoke the query builder to build SQL queries. Use Query By Example, Add Triggers to easily build multi-table master-detail applications.

Form Definition	Map visual objects in your forms to database objects. Or map third party controls included in the Visual Control Pack to database columns or expressions specified through the query control.

Data Source	Specify connections to different ODBC data sources such as dBASE or SQL Server for a single application and automatically retrieve data from multiple databases.

Application	Set properties that are global to the application, such as error handling.

Operation	Specify database operations such as Update, Delete, Insert, Browse to be performed on data when a button on a form is activated.

Grid	Display results of queries and other data, perform in-line editing, scroll forward and backward. Insert, update or delete records. Include multiple grids on a single form.

Other Controls	Check Boxes, Text Boxes, List Boxes, Combo Boxes, Frames and Radio Buttons.


Agility/VB

Complete database management system for VB. Includes data-aware grid, text, and picture custom controls, and built-in Query By Example (QBE). Supports dBase and ASCII format.

Price:	$189

Author:	Apex Software


Netware SQL

Netware SQL is Novell's database management system and includes the Netware SQL Developer's Kit which contains two APIs for VB developers.

Price:	$795 to 10,995

Author:	Novell Inc


SequeLink

SequeLink is the enabling technology for client/server computing, providing direct, transparent access to Oracle, Ingres, Sybase, SQL Server, SQL/400, DB2, Rdb, OS/2DBM, Informix and Interbase from within Windows, Macintosh, UNIX, OS/2 and VMS applications. VB applications can access object libraries , and supports most major networking protocols including NetBIOS, TCP/IP, APPC, AppleTalk, DECnet and NetWare.

Price:	?

Author:	TechGnosis


Open Engine

Open Engine is a powerful Windows database engine that lets VB programmers develop applications that perform intelligent data access and transaction across multiple database servers. Includes a relational database, data dictionary, ANSI SQL and gateway technology to directly access remote data sources.

Price:	$695

Author:	Revelation Technologies


SQL Controls

To develop industrial-strength SQL database applications, SQL Controls custom controls allow the developer to associate VB forms with SQL tables. Queries, updates and reports can be constructed in this manner using ODBC drivers for connectivity, including special features for Oracle and SQL Server databases.

Price:	?

Author:	Coromandel Industries, Inc


ObjecTrieve/VB Pro

ObjectTrieve/VB is a multi-user ISAM database manager for VB, with a BLOB Manager for large (mainly graphic) objects. Supports variable-length fields and transaction processing.

Price:	?

Author:	Coromandel Industries, Inc


DbControls

DbControls is a set of high-level custom controls and low-level functions for database access, and is available for either dBase or Btrieve file formats. Applications can be developed for either single or multi user mode.

Price:	?

Author:	Coromandel Industries, Inc


SQL Server Toolkit

The SQL Server Toolkit is a custom control that allows VB programmers to interface with Microsoft SQL Server's DB-Library API.

Price:	$495

Author:	Microsoft Corporation


LAN Manager Toolkit

Use VB to customise your LAN Manager network using Microsoft's LAN Manager Toolkit for Visual Basic. Includes a graphing facility for displaying performance information and other statistics, and network management and diagnostic utilities.

Price:	?

Author:	Microsoft Corporation

Feature List

•	Sample programs including remote performance meter, home directory setup, threshold analysis utility and performance logging utility

•	Incorporate LAN Manager facilities, including named pipes, network statistics, server parameters and user information

•	Use the Toolkit's custom control to display system information graphically

•	Performance monitoring service makes server performance information available to clients using the Windows system via a DLL over named pipes


DDL Manager

DDL Manager allows the VB and Access programmer to expose the data map (dictionary) of their Access database, without having to write programs. It also acts as an SQL parser, helping the VB programmer to write and debug SQL requests.  It also allows the programmer to edit the contents of a returned SQL dynaset in an editable grid.

Price:	$29.95

Author:	MM Technology


DDF Builder

DDF Builder for Windows is a tool for creating and maintaining Btrieve data dictionary files.  Most database and reporting programs use DDFs to access Btrieve data.  DDF Builder for Windows includes a file browser screen for viewing and updating defined files, and a DDF Wizard utility to help define DDFs for existing Btrieve files with unknown file formats.

Price:	$130

Author:	Smithware Inc


DATABasic

DATABasic 2.16 is a database engine that features both B-tree and hashing indexes, runs up to 30 percent faster with up to 300 insertions per second. It now contains more than 50 subroutines that control everything from database creation to data manipulation.

Price:	$189

Author:	Blue Rose Software Inc


DBEngine

The DBEngine custom control provides a VBX interface to the Paradox Engine v3.0 for VB programmers.

Price:	$75

Author:	DB Technologies


Home Automation SDK

The Home Automation SDKTM  X10 Custom Control (VBX) is a special interface to the DBTX10A controller card that provides programmer's with a very simple easy-to-use interactive tool for the Microsoft Visual Basic, Microsoft Visual C++, and the Borland C++ 4.0 development environments.The Home Automation SDK includes several example programs complete with source code demonstrating how simple it is to write home automation application programs.

Contact DB Technologies for a list of peripherals such as light dimmers and home security systems that are supported.

Price:	$299 (hardware and software package - components may be purchased separately)

Author:	DB Technologies

Background

The X-10 system was first established in the late 1970s as a simple, AC power-line-based, remote control system.  Commands are transmitted over the AC power lines already installed in virtually all homes throughout the U.S.A. and other countries thereby eliminating the need to install extra wires and cables.

To use the X-10 system, the user sets a house code (A-P) and a unit number (1-16) on a control module and plugs the module into an AC wall outlet. The user then plugs a lamp or appliance into the module. To control the module, a remote control console is set to the same house code, then buttons are pressed to select the particular module and to issue it commands.

The X-10 system has been expanded since it was first introduced.  In addition to modules, there are also wall switches, switched outlets, chimes, relays, motion detectors, security systems, and other devices available that are X-10 compatible.

A natural extension to the X-10 system is to allow a computer to send and receive X-10 commands through the power line.  Computers generally are not designed to be connected to the power line (beyond their simple power supply), therefore great care must be taken.  The TW523 computer interface module (included in the Home Automation SDKTM package) provides a safe, UL-approved, optoisolated connection to the power line allowing a computer to send, and receive X-10 commands.

The main drawback of the TW523 is the code complexity needed to drive the module.  The module provide a very basic interface, requiring the host microprocessor to handle all of the complex timing, encoding, and decoding. In order to handle the demanding timing requirements of the X-10 interface, assembly language routines are a virtual necessity.

The Home Automation SDK TM  includes a TW523 Two-Way Power Line Interface module and a DBTX10A PC Controller Card.  The DBTX10A PC Controller Card has been designed to remove the burden of complex programming from the system designer.  The DBTX10A uses a simple parrallel port interface that can be accessed from virtually any programming language including interpreted BASIC.  It takes care of all the complex timing involved in sending and receiving commands to and from the power line.  It also notifies you when AC power has been lost in battery backed (UPS) systems.


Formula One/VB

Formula One/VB is the first and only real spreadsheet tool available for VB.  Formula One lets you manipulate data faster and easier than any of the primitive grid controls.  For example, no other grid tool will let you create formulas and cell references, then insert a row or column and still maintain your data integrity.

Price:	$295

Author:	Visual Tools Inc

Feature List

•	Add all the functionality of a real spreadsheet to your database application

•	Provides a powerful, flexible, easy-to-use database browser and record editor

•	Fast 'virtual mode' data table supports any size of database

•	Format cells with any size font, and change background or foreground colour

•	Automatically supports database updates without any additional code

•	Supports screen display and printing of presentation quality output

•	Reads ands writes Excel 4 .XLS files

•	126 most-used spreadsheet functions built in


GCP++ TCP & UDP VBX

GCP++ TCP & UDP Custom Controls provide a rich set of tools to develop TCP/IP applications within the Visual Basic environment, relieving the programmer of the detailed programming that the Windows Sockets interface requires.  GCP++ TCP & UDP Custom Controls operate over all Windows Sockets compliant kernels, allowing your application to utilise a large installed base of existing TCP/IP licenses.

All controls support outbound buffering, fault-tolerant operation, explicit event notification, and completely asynchronous, event driven operation:

UDP	-  Datagrams sent and received on any port.  Broadcast also supported.

TCP	-  Passive and active stream connections.

Price:	$298 - $598 (Developers Edition)

$698 - $4998 (Developer's Runtime Distribution Fee)

Author:	Dart Communications


GCP++ TELNET VBX

The GCP++ TELNET Custom Control provides a rich set of tools to develop TCP/IP applications within the Visual Basic environment, relieving the programmer of the detailed programming that the Windows Sockets interface requires.  GCP++ TELNET Custom Control operates over all Windows Sockets compliant kernels, allowing your application to utilise a large installed base of existing TCP/IP licenses.

It supports outbound buffering, fault-tolerant operation, explicit event notification, and completely asynchronous, event driven operation, including complete option and sub-option negotiation support!  Passive connections too!

Price:	$298 - $598 (Developers Edition)

$698 - $4998 (Developer's Runtime Distribution Fee)

Author:	Dart Communications


GCP++ TFTP VBX

The GCP++ TFTP Custom Control provides a rich set of tools to develop TCP/IP applications within the Visual Basic environment, relieving the programmer of the detailed programming that the Windows Sockets interface requires.  GCP++ TFTP Custom Control operates over all Windows Sockets compliant kernels, allowing your application to utilise a large installed base of existing TCP/IP licenses.

It supports outbound buffering, fault-tolerant operation, explicit event notification, and completely asynchronous, event driven operation including getting and putting files from any UNIX host.  Both server and client functionality!

Price:	$298 - $598 (Developers Edition)

$698 - $4998 (Developer's Runtime Distribution Fee)

Author:	Dart Communications


GCP++ VT-220 for Workgroups

GCP++ VT-200 for Workgroups provides a rich set of tools to develop TCP/IP applications within the Visual Basic environment, relieving the programmer of the detailed programming that the Windows Sockets interface requires.  GCP++ VT-220 for Workgroups Custom Control operates over all Windows Sockets compliant kernels, allowing your application to utilise a large installed base of existing TCP/IP licenses.

All controls support outbound buffering, fault-tolerant operation, explicit event notification, and completely asynchronous, event driven operation. Build your own customised emulator using this visual control without writing any TCP/IP or emulation code!  Dial-up interface included!

Price:	$298 - $598 (Developers Edition)

$1998 - $5998 (Developer's Runtime Distribution Fee)

Author:	Dart Communications


Grid/VBX

Grid/VBX 1.0 is a new grid custom control, based on FarPoint's award winning Spread/VBX.  Grid is simple, fast and reliable allowing you to create a professional database front end quickly without alot of overhead.  For VB users, Grid/VBX is the only grid available that is bound to the Q+E/Lib database, allowing VB users to read/write easily.  The virtual data management feature allows you to handle large amounts of information by reading and updating data in segments.

Price:	$99

Author:	FarPoint Technologies Inc

Feature List

•	Bound to Access

•	Bound to Q+E/Lib

•	User can resize row/column

•	Multiple cell types: date, time, float, formatted pic, static, combo box, button and picture

•	Virtual data management

•	Change font for row or column

•	Lock or freeze row or column

•	Insert or delete row or column

•	Clear cells, rows or columns

•	Editing within individual cells

•	Clipboard support

•	Change height and width of row or column

•	2 billion rows and columns

•	International support


InFocus

InFocus is a custom control for Microsoft Visual Basic for Windows. InFocus can be used to easily provide true context-sensitive status lines in your application.  InFocus generates events under the following circumstances:

•	When any control receives the input focus

•	When any menu item is highlighted by the user

•	When the mouse moves over any control

InFocus is not just a "status line" control, as it is not even visible at run-time.  The developer can respond to the events in any way he or she chooses.  This is an important feature, because the unique look and feel of your application is not compromised by InFocus.

InFocus can be placed on both MDI and non-MDI forms.  To place InFocus on an MDI parent form, simply put InFocus in a picture box on the form. The included demo program explores many of the possibilities of InFocus.  Please take some time to look at the demo program from within the VB environment.  You will surely see how effortless a professional status line can be!

Price:	$20

CompuServe SWREG #2277

Author:	Mark Hanson

PO Box 10154

Rochester, NY 14610-0154

USA


Q+E Database/VB

Q+E Database/VB is a complete multi-user database system for VB developers. This custom control adds a set of buttons to the VB toolbar for writing database applications with little or no coding. Q+E Database/VB is dBase-compatible and supports transaction processing, record locking and 256-colour bitmaps.

Price:    $199

Author:	Q+E Software


Index Manager

Not another database engine but a lean, fast B+ tree file indexer. Assembler code and cache buffering allows IM to run lightning fast using as little as 20k. Only indexes managed - you control your data. Only one function - making IM easy to use.

Price:	$99

$299 (network version)

Author:	CDP Consultants


Data Widgets
Data Widgets 3.0

Data Widgets is a set of data-aware bound controls for VB which lets you design front ends for database applications without code. data Widgets eliminates the need for time-consuming coding. Just drop one of its custom controls on a form, and Data Widgets does all the rest.

Data Widgets includes a DataGrid that is bound to Visual Basic's data control and breaks the 64k barrier. It supports in-place editing and works in conjunction with Data Widget's new bound control, the DataDropDown. Other controls include the DataCombo, DataOption, Enhanced DataControl and DataButton.

Price:	$129

Author:	Sheridan Software Systems

DataGrid

•	Functionally and visually consistent with the MS Access grid

•	Automatically provides Add, Update and Delete functionality with no coding

•	Bound to new VB3 data control

•	Breaks the 64k barrier

•	Loads only enough records into memory to fill display areas

•	Supports in-place editing

•	Supports DataDropDown by column which can be optionally linked to other data controls

•	Provides an optional ellipsis button for displaying a specialised editing form for a column

•	variable forecolour and backcolour for each column

•	Optional column headings and row labels

•	Column headings will default to field names, but can be overridden

•	Supports unbound columns for displaying calculated fields

Enhanced Data Control

•	In addition to the previous, next, first and last button on the standard control, this control provides two additional buttons that will allow the user to go forward or backward multiple records in the RecordSet for each click - the number of records can be set via properties.

•	The buttons have been enhanced to keep moving forward or backward in the RecordSet while the button is held down - a delay between the single and multiple moves can be specified

•	Provides two more optional buttons. One button allows the user to set a bookmark to save the current position of the dynaset. The second button is used to return to the saved bookmark.

•	Can have either a vertical or horizontal orientation

•	Default bitmaps on buttons can be overridden with programmer supplied bitmaps

•	Caption area can display a picture as well as text

DataDropDown

•	Used in conjunction with DataGrid and DataCombo

•	Bound to VB's data control

•	Breaks the 64k barrier

•	Loads only enough records into memory to fill the display area

•	Optional column headings

•	Column headings will default to field names, but can be overridden

•	Supports unbound columns for displaying calculated fields

DataOption Button

•	3-D appearance

•	Each option button in a group represents a different value for the same DataField

•	Set one option button's DataSource or DataField and the other option buttons in the group will synchronise themselves automatically

Data Button

•	A 3-D command button

•	Can be linked to the Data Control

•	Automatically provides positioning functions for moving to the beginning or end or forward or backward in the DataControl's RecordSet one or more records

DataCombo

•	Bound to VB's data control

•	Edit and drop down portions can be linked to separate data controls


Designer Widgets

Designer Widgets from Sheridan Software is a set of custom controls that lets you create applications with the look, feel and power of today's most popular commercial applications. Create floating toolbars with the Dockable Toolbar control, maximise the use of screen real estate with the Index Tabs control, and design high-impact forms with the FormFX control.

Price:	?

Author:	Sheridan Software Systems

Dockable Toolbar control

The Dockable Toolbar control lets you create floating toolbars of buttons that the user can 'dock' (attach) to the top, sides or bottom of an MDI (Multiple Document Interface) form. In addition, when the toolbars are not docked, the user can resize and reshape the 'floating' palette as needed. This gives your user the flexibility to customise the work area to suit his or her working habits. Creating toolbars of multiple buttons is as simple ad placing a Dockable Toolbar control on a form and using the Toolbar Layout Editor to set the number of buttons and assign a button attributes.

•	Toolbars can be dragged from the docking area at runtime to create a floating toolbar palette

•	Toolbars can be 'docked' onto a docking area either at the top, bottom or sides of a form

•	Multiple toolbars will automatically be positioned or stacked to fit within the docking area

•	You can define buttons in groups to keep them together when palette is docked or resized

•	Floating 'tool palettes' can be resized or moved

•	Buttons are automatically positioned when floating tool palette is resized

•	Floating tool palettes can be moved by clicking anywhere on the palette

•	Toolbar buttons are 'graphical', therefore they save scarce resources

•	The Toolbar Layout Editor lets you define and position buttons at design time

•	You can specify the font and font size of the text in the caption of the floating tool palette

•	Caption height defaults to a small caption, but can be customised or automatically sized based on the font size

•	Caption text can be displayed in 3-D

Index Tabs control

The Index Tab control lets you design efficient dialogs using the index tab metaphor to group collections of related options. With this control you can effectively present several screen's worth of data in the space of one screen extending a metaphor that is already familiar to all users - the index card. With labelled tabs neatly presented in multiple rows, the user can see at a glance what options are available and easily navigate between them by pointing and clicking on the destined tab. And since the tabs are active at design time, the developer can easily place controls on the cards by selecting the desired tab and drawing the controls right on the card. Simply place an IndexTab control on the form, set the 'Tabs' property to the number of cards you need and start drawing controls.

•	Each index tab is defined as a separate container allowing you to visually place controls on a tab in design mode as they will appear at runtime. The control will manage the display of its child controls automatically at runtime and at design time.

•	Multiple rows of index tabs

•	Can specify text for each tab at design time or runtime

•	Can include a separate bitmap, icon or metafile for each tab at design time, so you're not forced to load them only at runtime

•	Configurable tab shapes and sizes

•	Adjust the alignment of the text on the tabs

•	Adjust the alignment of the picture on the tabs

•	Index tabs can be displayed in 3D or 2D

•	Specify custom colours for each tab

•	Allows custom fonts and font sizes

•	Specify the font of the active tab

•	Specify a separate picture for the active tab

•	Specify the foreground and background colour of the active tab

•	Specify colours for bevel shadow, highlight and face

•	Can display text on each tab in 3D

•	Disable/enable each index tab

•	Make each index tab invisible/visible

•	Displays a 'focus rectangle' optionally on the selected tab when the control has focus

•	Keyboard interface provides selection of tabs at runtime

•	Tabs can be activated with the keyboard using mnemonic characters

FormFX control

The FormFX control gives you total control over the appearance and behaviour of your forms to maximise the effectiveness of each screen. Need a form with a small toolbox-like caption ? FormFX can do it ! How about a form with an oversized 3-D caption that contains left justified caption text and a bitmapped graphic ? FormFX can do it ! Did you ever want to give a form sizable borders but limit the minimum and maximum size of the form without VB code and annoying flicker ? FormFX can do it !

•	Change the height of the caption on a form

•	Include multi-line text in captions

•	Adjust the alignment of the text in the caption

•	Add a bitmap, icon or metafile to the caption area

•	Includes complete picture alignment options

•	Position custom picture at specific location in the caption

•	Add a 3D look to the caption, border and client area

•	Specify colours for bevel shadow, highlight and face

•	Can display text in caption in 3D

•	Allow custom fonts and font sizes

•	Can automatically adjust size of caption area based on font size

•	Customise the control box, minimise and maximise buttons

•	Adjust the width of the control box

•	'Instant Close' feature allows you to close a form with one click of the control box

•	Lock movement and/or size of a form

•	You can keep the form on top so it never goes behind another window

•	Forms can be moved by clicking on any area, not only the caption

•	Custom colours for active and inactive windows


ShowCase VISTA

ShowCase VISTA is a decision support tool that features client/server computing by integrating Windows with the AS/400 database. Supports DDE-capable applications, with built-in data viewer and complete SQL interface.

Price:	$1295

Author:	Rochester Software Connection, Inc


ShowCase VISTA EIS

ShowCase VISTA EIS is an Executive Information System that provides decision support functions for your VB application using ShowCase VISTA to access the IBM AS/400 database.

Price:	$1295

Author:	Rochester Software Connection, Inc


ShowCase WindowLink

Use ShowCase WindowLink to link Windows applications to the AS/400 using DDE.

Price:	$495

Author:	Rochester Software Connection, Inc


ShowCase Gateway

ShowCase Gateway connects SQL clients on a LAN to the IBM AS/400 database using Microsoft's ODS (Open data Services). Applications can write to the DB-Library or ODBC interfaces to connect to the AS/400 database.

Price:	?

Author:	Rochester Software Connection, Inc


Bridgit

Bridgit is a Windows DLL that contains over 60 functions for opening, reading, writing, indexing and updating dBase data files. Also includes compatibility with Clipper index files.

Price:	$79.95

Author:	Unelko Corporation


EZ VBX Toolkit

The EZ VBX Toolkit is a polymorphic C++ implementation of the VB Control Developers Toolkit, which eases the development of VB controls.

Price:	$149

Author:	Micro System Options


XCaliper

XCaliper from Xiris Inc is a general purpose non-contact measurement VBX tool for accurate, repetitive measurements in an industrial environment.

Price:	$?

Author:	Xiris Inc

Tel:  (905) 681-8107

Fax: (905) 681-9844


VB Language Manager

VB Language Manager enables the VB developer to use a single set of code but produce multi-language versions of an application, using tables of control captions and string literals.

Price:	$99.95

Author:	Whippleware


VB Profile

VB Profile monitors the runtime behaviour of VB programs to identify inefficiencies and bottlenecks. This product helps fine-tune VB applications for optimal runtime efficiency.

Price:	$99.95

Author:	Whippleware


VT-220 Emulator VBX

VT-220 Emulator VBX provides VT-220 terminal emulation functionality to Visual Basic applications running on TCP/IP networks.

Price:	$398

Author:	GENISYS Comm, Inc

Tel:  (315) 339-5502

Fax: (315) 339-5528


ForeHelp

ForeHelp is a comprehensive Help authoring system including multimedia features. The development environment looks and feels like Windows Help itself, and topics can be navigated using hypertext links.

Price:	$395

Author:	ForeFront

Tel:  (303) 499-9181

Fax: (303) 494-5446


JPEG Image Compressor VBX

JPEG Image Compressor VBX adds JPEG compression and decompression to Visual Basic multimedia applications, supporting TIF, TARGA, PCX, BMP, DIB and GIF formats in 24-bit, 256 and 16-colour formats. Also provides image printing capability and colour reduction and dithering.

Price:	$169

Author:	Crisp Technology, Inc

Tel:  (408) 257-0588

Fax: (408) 257-5840


Kolibri

Kolibri is a collection of custom controls including:

•	animation

•	slider

•	swivel

•	filtered input

•	database list box

•	and more....

Price:	$249

Author:	European Software Connection

Tel:  (913) 832-2070

Fax: (913) 832-8787


MediaBlitz!
MediaBlitz! 3.0

Add multimedia to your VB applications with Asymetrix MediaBlitz! 3.0. Using a custom control, VB developers can combine and synchronise graphics, sound and animation to create true multimedia effects for your applications.

Price:	$95

Author:	Asymetrix

Tel:  (206) 462-0501

Fax: (206) 455-3071


Visual Architect

Spreadsheet custom control provides a super sophisticated grid capability. Cell width, height, font, colour and data type may be changed row or column or cell. Edit types include: edit, date, time, integer, float, static, formatted, pic, combo box, button and picture. Formulas can be added to any cell. Rows and columns may be locked and frozen. Spreadsheet can be saved to file. Automatic recalculation.

Price:	£190

Author:	Far Point, Inc


VBXArtist

The VBX Artist custom control for Visual Basic provides full image editing/painting support within VB Applications.  Together with our PicScroll control (included at no extra charge) creating graphic editing applications is a snap.

Price:	$250  ($275 International)

Author:	Bennet-Tec Information Systems

Feature List

•	VBX Artist can paint on any control and any window (even other applications).  VBX Artist paintings on the image property of forms and picture boxes can be saved and reloaded at any time.

•	VBX Artist Provides the end user with a complete set of painting tools for image editing in Visual Basic:   Pen, PaintBrush, Line, Eraser, Shapes, Spray Can and Flood Fill, Text.  Selecting a paint mode is as easy as setting a single property of the control.

•	VBX Artist Text handling includes choice of fonts, colours, sizes, and even angular orientation.

•	VBX Artist tools can be customised to support a range of drawing widths, brush shapes and brush patterns.  Brush patterns, and shapes can be taken from a user defined bitmap or an icon file.  Yes you can even paint with a coloured icon as a brush!

•	VBX Artist painting can be end-user controlled (dragging the control in a mouse-move event) or controlled programmatically.

•	VBX Artist includes a built in Screen Grabber mode allowing the clipping of any portion of the screen.

•	The VBX Artist package edits the image held in any form or picture box, but also includes a FREE copy of our PicScroll Control for scroll and zoom support (plus a host of other wonderful features).

•	VBX Artist supports editing of bitmaps, metafiles and icons.


PicScroll

PicScroll is a Scrollable, Scalable Picture Box control designed for Visual Basic programmers by Bennen-Tec Information Systems.

Price:	$50  ($75 International)

Author:	Bennen-Tec Information Systems

Feature List

There are already several types of picture boxes provided with Visual Basic. Why do we believe that another one is needed? The PicScroll control has several useful features, not available in other Visual Basic controls:

•	PicScroll supports all the types of images produced by LoadPicture() function.

•	PicScroll images can be scrolled.  PicScroll offers three flavours of scroll control: dragging with mouse, scroll bars and programmatically setting of X and Y offset values. The scroll facility can also be used in creating animation effects.

•	PicScroll pictures can be scaled. You can specify a picture size different from the original size and the picture will be stretched or condensed accordingly.  The Stretch property allows automatic upon end-user resizing of the control.

•	PicScroll accepts Dropped Files.  One or more files can be dragged from the File Manager or our own enhanced file list control and dropped into the PicScroll control.  Unlike standard VB Drag and Drop, PicScroll's DropFile event captures the filenames directly, facilitating the implementation of file processing applications.

•	PicScroll supports Clipping of Icons and metafiles, not just the bitmaps supported by VB's own PicClip control.

•	PicScroll's unique Metafile support allows selection and display of individual metafile records - great for layering different graphics

•	PicScroll can also convert file formats between Bitmaps, Metafiles and Icons.

•	PicScroll is a container control and may function as a scrollable form!  Internal controls can even be automatically resized as needed, or leave them stationary, floating above the scrolling bitmap on which they are placed.


OpenDlg

A custom control which encapsulates the Common Dialog Open and Save As dialogs which come with Windows 3.1

Price:	Free

Author:	Zane Thomas

POB 300

Indianola, WA 98342

CompuServe 72060,3327

Properties

Property	Type	Function

Filter	String	At the bottom-right of the Open and Save As Common Dialogs there is a drop-down list box which allows the user to select what type of files to display in the 'File Name' combo-box.

FilterIndex	Integer	A filter string specifies one or more file types. The 'FilterIndex' property determines which file type will initially be presented in the 'File Name' combo-box. In the previous example a value of 3 for this property would open the dialog box with all files having the extension 'c'.

File	String	When using the Open dialog this property will contain the full path name of the user-selected file. When using the Save As dialog you may initialise this property with a default 'Save As' path name.

FileTitle	String	This property contains the filename part of the 'File' property.

InitialDir	String	You may set this property to select the initial directory presented in the dialog box. If you do not set this property the current directory will be used.

Title	String	The dialog box title defaults to either 'Open' or 'Save As', you may choose a different title for the dialog box by setting this property.

DefaultExt	String	The 'Open' or 'Save As' dialogs append this string to the filename if the user fails to enter and extension.

DoIt	Bool	Setting this property to TRUE invokes the dialog box, when the statement which sets this property completes the user will have closed the dialog box.

CreatePrompt	Bool	Setting this property to TRUE causes the dialog box to generate a message box to notify the user when a specified file does not exist and to make it possible for the user to specify that the file should be created.

HideReadOnly	Bool	Setting this property to TRUE hides the Read Only check box.

FileMustExist	Bool	Setting this property to TRUE specifies that the user can type only the names of existing files in the File Name edit control.

OverwritePrompt	Bool	Setting this property to TRUE causes the Save As dialog box to generate a message box if the selected file already exists. The user must confirm whether to overwrite the file.

PathMustExist	Bool	Setting this property to TRUE specifies that the user can type only valid paths.

FileOffset	Integer	After the dialog box exits this property contains a zero-based offset from the beginning of the path to the filename specified by the File property.

ExtOffset	Integer	After the dialog box exits this property contains a zero-based offset from the beginning of the path to the filename extension specified by the File property.


MLISTBOX

MLISTBOX.VBX is a custom control for Microsoft Visual Basic which provides support for extended- and multiple-selection list boxes as well as the standard single-selection list boxes that are built into Visual Basic.

Price:	Free for PD or Shareware authors

Author:	Mike Warning

warninm@xanth.cs.orst.edu

Feature List

AutoRedraw -	Controls how the list box is updated when an item is added or removed. The default is TRUE.

If AutoRedraw is TRUE, the list box acts just like the standard single-selection VB list box - the entire box is redrawn at the end of an event procedure (or during a DoEvents() call) if an item has been added or removed.

If AutoRedraw is FALSE, then the list box will not get redrawn until you change it back to TRUE.  This is useful when you need to add alot of items in a loop with a DoEvents() call and want to avoid flashing.

Empty -	When reading this property, a TRUE will be returned if the list box is empty, otherwise a FALSE will be returned.  Writing any value to this property will force the list box to reset, discarding any items that it contains.

FindString -	This property is used to find strings in a list box.  When this property is set, the 'FindIndex' property may then be checked to find the index of the first string in the list box matching the FindString.  After a string is found, this property will reset to the value of the string in the list box.

FindString will reset to null ("") if there is no string in the list box matching the value that you gave it.

FindIndex -	This property hold the index of the string found using FindString.  It will be set to -1 if there is no matching string.

hWnd -	This property is the window handle associated with the list box and is exactly like the 'hWnd' property that forms have.  This function is useful when a window handle must be passed to a Windows API function or other DLL function.

ItemData -	This property associates a long-integer value with an item in the list box.  For example, if you have a list box containing names, you could put there ages (or whatever) in the ItemData for a particular item.

This property is similar to the standard 'Tag' property, except that it is numeric, and each item in the control can have it's own data.

ListIndex -	For single-selection list boxes, ListIndex returns the index of the currently selected item.  For multiple-selection list boxes, ListIndex returns the index of the last item that the user clicked on, the 'Selected' property may then be used to find out if that item is currently selected or not.

If there is no current selection, single-selection list boxes will return -1.  If no selection has ever been made, multiple-selection list boxes will return 0.

NOTE:  The Windows SDK says that this should not work for multiple-selection list boxes; however, it seems to work fine under Windows 3.0 and 3.1.  Therefore, I cannot guarantee that this property will work correctly for multiple-selection list boxes under future versions of Windows.

SelCount -	Returns the number of selected items in the list box.

Selected -	When read, this property returns a TRUE if the item is selected, otherwise a FALSE is returned.

When writing, this property may be used to select (or deselect) an item in the list box.  For single-selection list boxes, if another item is currently selected, the selection will change to a new item.  Also, an item cannot be deselected in a single-selection list box using this property (use ListIndex instead).

SelList -	The property is an array that contains the indexes of the currently selected items in the list box.  The first selected item is SelList(0), etc.

Style -	This property sets the style of the list box (single-, extended-, or multiple-selection).

Style = 0: single-selection.  This type of list box may only have one item selected at a time.

Style = 1: extended-selection.  This type of list box may have more than one item selected.  The user must hold down the 'CTRL' or 'SHIFT' keys while clicking the mouse to select more than one item

Style = 2: multiple-selection.  This type of list box may have more than one item selected.  The user does not need to hold down any keys while selecting items.

You should probably set the Style property at design time.  While you may change the Style at run-time, doing so clears out the contents of the list box.

Tabs -	A string that contains the location of tabs within the list box.

If you do not specify any tab locations (i.e. Tabs = ""), Windows will automatically set a tab every 32 dialog units.

If you specify only one tab, the list box will have a tab at every 'n' dialog units.  For example:  Tabs = "10" will set a tab every 10 dialog units.

For more than one tab, There will be a tab set at just the positions that you specified, and then every 32 positions from then on.  For example:  Tabs = "10 20" will set a tab at 10, then at 20, then at 32, 64, etc.

Text -	For single-selection list boxes, Text returns the currently selected item in the list box.  For multiple-selection list boxes the item that was most recently clicked is returned, you can then use the 'Selected', and 'ListIndex' properties to determine if the item is selected or not.

NOTE:  The Windows SDK says that this should not work for multiple-selection list boxes; however, it seems to work fine under Windows 3.0. Therefore, I cannot guarantee that this property will work correctly for multiple-selection list boxes under future versions of Windows.

TopIndex -	Sets the index of the item that is at the top of the list box.   If you try to set the top index to an item number less than 0, the list box will start from item 0.  If you try to use an index that is to high the list box will not change.

Version - (1.1)	Version is a read-only property that returns the version of the MListbox custom control file.


MLIST

MLIST is a custom control for managing the way your data appears in a list box.  MLIST is a property for property replacement of the standard List Box control which comes with Visual Basic 3.0.  In addition, there are many more features which MLIST can do that you can't do with the normal List Box.

Price:	$15

CompuServe SWREG 1585

Author:	McKean Consulting

Robin W. McKean

1042 Braddock Circle

Woodstock GA  30188

Feature List

•	Set up owner draw columnar data in the list box.  This is NOT a MULTI-COLUMN list box.  MLIST now has this feature, but the MLIST List Box scrolls vertically, like a normal list box.  Your data is arranged in columns, with specific drawing flags setup for each "Drawing Region".  Think of each line as being broken up into different areas, each with its own drawing flags and data.

•	Make a drawing region a bitmap or a check box.  You have control over the entire list's bitmaps through the default bitmap property, or you can set individual lines bitmap properties.

•	Control individual line colours in the list box

•	Total control over the checked and unchecked states of lines

•	Now MLIST has aligned bitmaps as well.  You specify the bitmap, the text, and the alignment (top, bottom, right, left), and MLIST will draw the text and the bitmap in the area you define.

•	New in versions 4.00.  You can now have true MUTLIPLE COLUMN list boxes, with bitmaps and check boxes.  Multiple columns are set up through setting the LBS_MULTICOLUMN style for the list box. You control the width of each item.  This attribute differs in that each line has a certain width.  So it may take two or more columns of items to actually fill a line

•	Checking and Selecting a range of line items

•	Properties to find closest match and find exact matches in the list box.

•	Complete control over colours in the list box.  Colours can be set for normal lines, individual lines, normal highlight colours, and individual highlight colours.

•	MList V4.10 now has 3-D effects

•	You can now setup vertical and horizontal grids

•	Virtual List Boxes.  A notification event is sent when more data is required by the application.

•	Properties to aide you in drag and drop, including identifying which line item was dropped upon, and being able to select multiple line items before starting a drag

•	New ScrollMessage event for drawing column headers over scrolling list boxes

•	Handle entire drawing of items in your code

•	Set individual fonts for individual lines

•	Resort entire lists

•	Resize list box to fit windows

•	Improved string searching

•	Variable height lines in the list box


ImageStream/VB

Add powerful file conversion and image management to any VB application.  ImageStream/VB links images to any Access supported database, indispensable for multimedia and imaging databases.  ImageStream supports printing, zooming, compression and image processing including the following formats: AI/EPS, BMP/DIB, CDR, CGM/CTM, CH3/SY3, DRW, DXF, GEM, GIF, HGL, JPG, MET, NAP/PDI/PIC, PCD, PCT, PCX, PIC, RND, TGA, TIF, WMF, WPG.

Price:	$295

Author:	Visual Tools Inc


VT-Speller

VT-Speller is a 100,000+ word dictionary which adds powerful spell checking functionality to your VB application.  Provides 22 design- and run-time properties, 34 run-time only properties and 20 run-time Action properties.  The developer defines order of searches; enable/disable dictionaries without closing; set automatic suggestion; create new standard or custom dictionaries; even use multiple dictionaries simultaneously for multilingual spell checking.

Price:	$99

Author:	Visual Tools Inc


Graphic Custom Control

This control is similar to the Shape control that comes with VB but is more capable and provides more basic shapes, properties, events and options.  Basic shapes include rectangle, ellipse, polyline, freeform polygon, regular n-sided polygon, arc and pie.

Price:	$295

Author:	SoftCraft Inc


ButtonTool

OutRider Systems' ButtonTool provides a greatly enhanced version of the button control provided with Visual Basic. With this new control, you can place a graphics symbol in addition to a caption in your buttons. This can be one of the 18 pre-defined symbols provided with this package, or you can specify a bitmap, metafile or icon of your own to appear on the button. You also have the ability to set a button's shadow to any thickness or colour as well as control the button's 3-D appearance. You can determine how the button will appear when it is clicked and all components of a button may be any colour.

If you are already familiar with using controls in the VB environment then you already know how to use the ButtonTool control.

Price:	$69.95

Author:	OutRider Systems


ImageTool

ImageTool is a custom control for displaying and manipulating graphic images, such as BMP, WMF, GIF, PCX and ICO files. Effects supported include contrast, brightness, wipe, fade, dissolve and limited animation.

Price:	$199

Author:	OutRider Systems


EditTool

EditTool provides an enhanced version of the edit control, or "text box", provided with Visual Basic. With this control you can add shadows, customise borders and provide 3-D effects to your edit controls. Input mode can be switched between insert and overstrike and an additional feature is available to each control - the "spinner": vertically or horizontally aligned arrows placed on either the left or right-hand side of the control which allow the user to cycle through a specific range of values in the control. This range is determined by you, the programmer.

The most significant feature of EditTool is the ability to perform input field masking; that is, limiting each character entered into the control to a certain range, such as alphabetical or numerical values. This technique, and the actual field mask characters, are very similar to those found in xBase environments. Users of those environments will be familiar with the EditTool "Picture Fields".

Price:	$69.95

Author:	OutRider Systems


VBCTL3D

Instantly gives a stylish 3-D appearance to VB standard controls, forms, menus and custom controls. Can be downloaded from CompuServe (vb3d.zip) from the MSBASIC forum.

Price:	?

Author:	Simplex Software


VSVBX
VSVBX 3.0

VSVBX consists of three controls in one VBX:

•	Elastic is a container that, when resized, can automatically resize its contents. Without a single line of code, you can create VB forms that are resolution independent. Includes a splitter bar, flooding and 3-D.

•	IndexTab uses notebook-style tabs to group controls in containers so that clicking on any tab calls up its container.

•	AWK is a parsing control for VB.

Price:	$45  (Shareware)

Author:	Videosoft

New in Version 3.0

•	VSVBX 3.0 is a vast improvement over previous versions.  It is easier to use, faster, and offers incredible new functionality.  It also loads and saves forms much faster than previous versions.

•	VSVBX 3.0 supports context-sensitive help.  Press F1 from Visual Basic while one of the VideoSoft controls is active, and you'll get a summary screen with all properties, methods, and events for the control.  (The help file must reside in the same diretory as the VBX file.)

•	We have also improved the documentation to make it more accurate, complete, and accessible to new users.  Check out the "Getting Started" chapters on the IndexTab and Elastic.

•	Elastic - The new Elastic features faster and more accurate child positioning, better handling of graphical child controls, and is also easier to use than before.  You no longer have to tell Elastics to resize themselves when the form is resized.  The new Elastic is smarter and resizes itself automatically.

•	IndexTab - The new IndexTab features multiple access keys (&-keys) in the caption and new tab styles.  Redrawing is faster, tab scroling is smoother, and the new tabs look better than before.Using the AutoSwitch property is now much easier.  You no longer have to worry about keeping track of the Z-Order of the controls: the new IndexTab does that for you automatically, based on the position of the controls.

•	Awk - The new Awk has a larger buffer for parsing really long strings (up to 64k versus 256 bytes in previous versions), the ability to read binary files, and improvements to the way the FS property works.

The Elastic Control

The VideoSoft Elastic control is a versatile smart container.  It can save you hundreds of lines of VB code by allowing you to:

•	Automatically resize the Elastic to the left, right, top, bottom, or to fill its container, be it a form or another control.

•	Automatically resize the Elastic's child controls, evenly or unevenly, vertically, horizontally, or proportionally.

•	Label child controls based on their Tag property, instead of using several Label controls.

•	Allow the user to resize controls inside the Elastic at run time, using the mouse (splitter bars).

•	Create multi-line labels, 3-D gauges, or both at the same time in a single Elastic.

•	Give plain controls a 3-D look.

The IndexTab Control

The VideoSoft IndexTab control allows you to group controls by subject, using a familiar notebook metaphor. To use the IndexTab control, follow these steps:

•	Draw the IndexTab.

•	Set the Caption property to create as many tabs as you need.

•	Create one Picture Box or Elastic per tab, inside the IndexTab control.

•	Create the controls inside each container.

•	Set other IndexTab properties as desired.

Some applications need to change the text in the tabs at run time.  You can do this easily using the TabCaption property.

The Awk Control

The VideoSoft Awk control allows you to quickly scan and parse text files.  It is the ideal tool for doing simple data manipulation -- changing its format, checking its validity, retrieving items, generating reports, and the like -- without having to write a lot of code to scan and parse files.

The VideoSoft Awk control is similar to the original AWK language in concept and purpose, but it is substantially different in syntax, since the VSVBX Awk is embedded in Visual Basic.  The most apparent omission is a pattern matching mechanism, which is provided by VB's Like operator.

Although Awk was designed primarily for scanning and parsing files, you can use it to parse anything you want. Awk can read lines up to 64k characters long while scanning files.  If a line exceeds this limit, Awk truncates the line and generates an Error event.

Awk is different from most other custom controls in that it does not generate run time errors.  Instead, it fires the Error event and sets its own internal Error property.  Therefore, Awk ignores errors by default.  You can trap errors either by trapping the Error event or by testing the Err property immediately after using any other Awk property.


Q+E Multilink VB
Q+E Multilink/VB 2

With Q+E Multilink VB, you can create powerful VB database applications that access data in over 20 PC and SQL database formats. Now you can build true client/server database applications and distribute them across your network royalty free.

Q+E Multilink VB includes several graphical development tools so you can quickly develop powerful database applications. Take advantage of the custom controls, the Q+E Database Manager and the Q+E Query Builder to transform VB into a complete client/server development tool.

Price:	£325

Author:	Q+E Software

New in Version 2

•	Search string in list and combo boxes

•	Mapped list and combo boxes

•	Find records function

•	Edit masking

Feature List

•	Connect Control allows you to log on to several database systems at one time

•	Query Control lets you specify which database tables you want to access. Use the Query Builder to design powerful SQL Select statements with the click of a button

•	Picture Box enables you to include images stored in Memo fields as part of your database

•	Text Box Control references a field in the database

•	Command Button which can support a broad set of database functions, such as GET NEXT RECORD

•	Check Box references a logical field in the database

•	Radio Buttons reference a value field

•	Combo Box or List Box is used to directly reference a text field in the database

•	Scroll Bars allow you to quickly scroll through the records returned from a query

•	Query Grid works like a spreadsheet, allowing an easy way to browse the results of a query, each row displaying a record


Q+E ODBC Pack

The Q+E ODBC Pack provides over 20 superior drivers for access to external databases. Includes support for Oracle, Sybase, Microsoft SQL Server, dBase, INGRES, Paradox, DB2, SQL/400*, Btrieve, DB2/2, INFORMIX, Netware SQL, Excel .XLS files, text files, PROGRESS, XDB, SQLBase, SQL/DS*, Teradata*, HP ALLBASE and HP IMAGE/SQL.

* requires a gateway

Price:	$199

Author:	Q+E Software

Feature List

•	Connect all ODBC-compliant application to all major SQL and PC DBMS

•	Q+E ODBC drivers make all databases look the same so you don't have to change the way you work if you change database

•	Q+E ODBC Pack gives you the same database access technology used by leading software publishers, and all drivers are certified through Q+E Software's ODBC Verification Suite

•	With Q+E ODBC Pack you get full SQL, transaction processing and even network locking support for non-SQL DBMS. And it's the only set of drivers that supports a consistent level of ODBC Core, Level 1 and selected Level 2 functions.


Custom Control Factory
Custom Control Factory 2.0

The Custom Control Factory by Desaware provides a powerful tool for creating your own custom button controls for Visual Basic. CCF controls are created interactively while working in VB design mode and may be distributed with a royalty free runtime library.

Price:	$48

Author:	Desaware

New in version 2.0

•	Multiline captions with flexible alignment

•	Automatic 3D style borders with user definable colours

•	256 colour support

•	Image compression reduces executable size

•	Custom cycle/drawing capabilities

•	Improved synchronisation events during animation

•	Improved metafile support, including flexible positioning and sizing

•	DDE support

•	Ability to load cursors for improved compatibility with CCF-CursorsCCFCursors

Feature List

With their unique ability to hold virtually unlimited numbers of bitmaps and icons, CCF controls can be used to create the following:

Animated Buttons	Books that flip their pages when pressed, trash cans that "burn", and flags that raise and lower are but a few of the possibilities. Through remote triggering, continuous animation or user defined frame sequences are possible (in addition to the four standard animation cycles provided). A special 2-state animation mode allows creation of animated check-boxes.

Multistate Buttons	Each button may have virtually unlimited numbers of states, each with its own appearance (and optional "pressed" appearance). States can sequence automatically when the button is clicked, or be set under program control.

Toolbars	Toolbar buttons may be configured like those used in VB and Excel, or like those in Word for Windows (which are actually 3-state buttons - up, down and pressed).

All CCF controls also provide for flexible text placement, use of any icon, bitmap or metafile to create the control, image scaling and automatic control sizing, ability to save frame and configuration information to a file, controls fully configurable at runtime, programmable animation speed, animated form icons, and more....


Meter Bar

The Meter Bar control simulates a gas gauge or progress indicator.  It allows you to "fill up" the control in any direction and at any rate.

The Meter Bar has a few custom properties that allow you to change the appearance of the control.  The rate at which you fill the control can be set at any number between 1 and 32767.  You do not have to worry about displaying the "percentage complete", the control will figure this out for you.

Price:	Free

Author:	Scott Stubbs


SpyWorks-VB
SpyWorks-VB 2.0

Spyworks-VB is an advanced programming tool for VB. It consists of a set of custom controls, DLLs and applications that not only extend the power of the VB language, but provide valuable debugging tools as well.

Price:	$129

Author:	Desaware

VB Enhancements

SBC.VBX	This generic subclass custom control provides you with complete access to the underlying Windows message stream for the controls and forms in your application. The messages that you specify will trigger events in the SBC control. Each message can be processed before or after the default VB processing for that message, or the event can simply be posted so that your program will know that it has occurred. The subclass control can even intercept VB messages to forms, controls and graphical controls.

CBK.VBX	This generic callback custom control handles those situations where you are accessing a Windows API function or third-party DLL function that requires a function address as a parameter. Generic callback provides a "callback" function addresses which are mapped into VB events.

SBCLBD.VBX	This keyboard custom control allows you to detect all keystrokes before they are sent to your application, or to detect all keystrokes for the entire system.

DWSPYDLL.DLL	This DLL not only provides the underlying code used by the above controls, but also provides a powerful set of functions for accessing hard to get at Windows API functions (such as those for printer drivers).

Debugging Tools

SpyParam.exe	uses the Windows 3.1 built-in parameter error detection capability to detect and trap errors that occur while accessing API functions - errors that are often hard to find because they are simply ignored by Windows.

SpyMem.exe	is a complete memory/resource/module and task browser. Not only does it provide detailed information on various windows objects, but you can compare the current state of the system to a saved reference - ideal for determining if you have forgotten to free memory or resources before your program terminates.

SpyMsg.exe	is a classic "spy" type program with the ability to record any or all events to one or more Windows in your system. SpyMsg.exe adds a couple of new twists, however, with its ability to detect not only Windows and VB messages, but also VB events. You can obtain a complete list of every event that occurs during the course of your program.

SpyWin.exe	is a system window browser that lets you examine information about any or all windows, forms and controls in your system. This application is provided with complete source code so you can learn some of the techniques used.


CCF-Cursors
CCF-Cursors 2.0

The cursor's primary role in a windows program is to indicate the position of the mouse on the screen. However, in many applications the cursor plays a key role in indicating the state or operating mode of a program. For example, in a paint program, cursors are often used to indicate the paint tool in use. A pencil or paint can might indicate the draw and fill commands respectively.

Visual Basic comes with only 12 built-in cursors ("mousepointers") and could not be easily extended - until now. CCF-Cursors provides a complete package for design and use of custom cursors and includes other enhancements relating to mouse and cursor control in VB.

Price:	$35

Author:	Desaware

Feature List

•	Create cursors from scratch, or convert any icon into a cursor

•	Set the cursor for a form or control

•	True animated cursors - with automatic animation at a specified interval

•	Support for new VB graphic controls

•	Detect mouse events for any control

•	detect menu selection events

•	Ability to set and retrieve the cursor location under program control

•	A set of co-ordinate transformation, resource manager and other utilities

•	Full compatibility with Desaware's Custom Control Factory

•	Over 50 sample cursors including those needed to implement and animated hourglass

•	Includes sample programs and complete documentation


OPEN/image

What's the fastest way to image-enable your applications ?  Simple: Imaging Custom Controls.  Wang's OPEN/image Custom Controls for VB is the only software that enables software with client/server document imaging - in just 3 minutes.  You get scanning, document and file management, OCR, Fax and alot more.  It's scaleable - from PC to mainframe.  It's cheap - for a limited time only, all 8 controls for $199.

Price:             $199  (limited duration special offer)

Payment:       dealers


Image Basic
ImageBasic 1.1

The ImageBasic custom controls include a scanner, display, OCR and scan fix control. The scanner control supports more than 65 document scanners as well as Kofax hardware and TWAIN. The Display control includes compression / decompression, zoom, rotation, scale-to-grey, and printing. The suite also includes bar-code recognition at any angle of the page.

Price:	$895 per control,

$2995 for the suite.

Author:	Diamond Head Software Inc

Display and Print Control

The Display and Print Control is the keystone of the ImageBasic library. This module provides high performance compression / decompression, display, zoom, rotation, file conversion and image printing capabilities. The Control supports Group III and Group IV TIFF, PCX, PDA and other formats. ImageBasic supports multi-page TIFFs, permitting document pages to be kept together in a single TIFF file. The user can scroll from one page to another for viewing, or print a page, range, or entire document. Image caching provides great display performance.

Place objects and define regions on the screen for special processing. All Windows displays from VGA up to Cornerstone ImageAccel ScaleToGrey monitors with 2048 x 1536 resolutions are supported, as are Sigma Designs monitors and Xionics XipPrint.

The Recognition Controls

Recognition controls add essential image processing capabilities to the ImageBasic environment. Automatic recognition of image data may be invoked on a zone-by-zone basis or as defined by the user with a pointing device. Recognition is automatic. Choose among OCR, ICR (Intelligent Character Recognition - for handwriting recognition), Mark-Sense and Bar Code.

Recognised Options

•	Recore Library from Ocron

•	WordScan Library from Calera

•	TextBridge Library from Xerox

•	OCR/ICR and Mark Sense from Nestor

•	Bar Code Library from VisionShape

The Scanning Control

ImageBasic provides for individual or automated batch-scanning of images from more than 100 popular scanners, plus Kofax hardware and TWAIN. Captured images may be displayed for manual keying, or, when used in conjunction with the Recognition Controls, invoked for on-screen verification and editing of indexed fields. Scanned pages may be sent to individual files or appended to document files stored as multi-page TIFFs.

The Scanfix Control

Post-processing of scanned images greatly enhances OCR results, and reduces image storage size. ScanFix's processing options include rotation, skew correction, document registration, line removal and de-specking of the scanned image. Noise and line removal reduces the image size by as much as 40 percent.


Chartbuilder
Chartbuilder 2.60

The graph control in VB Pro edition is a previous edition of the Chartbuilder graph control, which includes 2D and 3D business and scientific graphs. Chartbuilder 2.50 is significantly enhanced from user feedback. Now also available as an OCX !

Price:	$149

Author:	Pinnacle Publishing (USA)

Bits Per Second (UK)

New Features

•	'hot' graphs for the EIS look

•	null values for missing data points

•	curve-fitting and other stats - 10 different algorithms

•	total control of axes, fonts

•	bitmap/metafile backdrops

•	new graph types - bubble, tape and 3-d area

•	device context printing


Graphics Server SDK
Graphics Server SDK 2.50

With graphics Server SDK - voted 1992's Best add-on DLL by the readers of Data Based Advisor - you can turn your Windows data into hard-hitting graphs and charts !

Graphics Server is called as a DLL from VB. You just add a few easy functions to your code to create pie, bar, line and many other graph types.

And now Graphics Server comes with a FREE copy of ChartBuilder, a WYSIWYG custom control for VB, creating graphs will be easier than ever.

Price:  $299

Author:	Pinnacle Publishing (USA)

Bits Per Second (UK)


Dazzle/VB

Effortlessly display, zoom, pan and adjust 256 colour images in your program with custom control properties.

Price:	$299  (standard)

$499  (professional)

Author:	TeraTech, Inc

Feature List

•	Bring realistic, full colour pictures to your programs

•	Adjust colours collectively and individually

•	fade and wipe between images

•	Stretch vertically and horizontally

•	Zoom in and out

•	Pan vertically and horizontally


Map Control

Map Control provides all the features necessary to display maps, plans and CAD technical drawings quickly and simply in your VB application.

See also  Map Server, Map Editor

•	Data accepted in ARC/Info, DXF, GIMMS, OS NTF and BMP formats

•	Display vectors, points, lines, polygons and text with complete control over visibility and colour

•	Full zoom and pan control, with maps displayed/printed to true scale

•	Point and click object query

•	Link objects to external database attribute data

Price:    £250

Author:	Geosoft Ltd


Map Server
Map Server 2

MapServer is a powerful development tool in DLL form which allows you to display maps, plans and CAD technical drawings quickly and simply in your applications.

See also  Map Control, Map Editor

Map Server provides all the functionality of the Map Control VBX plus

•	multi-layer overlays

•	export in several formats

Price:    £250

Author:	Geosoft Ltd


Map Editor

Map Editor is an extension tool-kit for Windows software developers using the new Map Server 2.  Powerful facilities for map editing and modification are easily incorporated into existing applications.  As a Dynamic Link Library (DLL), Map Editor is accessible by the majority of Windows development tools, including C, C++, Turbo Pascal, SQL Windows and Visual Basic.

Map Editor is designed for the revision and updating of maps to meet visual, aesthetic or content requirements.  It gives comprehensive capabilities and the professional edge to digital mapping applications in desktop and in-the-field mapping.

See also  Map Control, Map Server

Price:    ?

Author:	Geosoft Ltd

Feature List

•	Map objects and text can be created, modified, copied or removed  includes vector points, line segments and polygons, and text annotations

•	Full control of digital map layers, allowing the creation of new map layers or removal of existing map layers

•	On-screen editing of objects with full pan and zoom features, and options to confirm or discard changes made

•	Fully compatible with the new features of Map Server 2

•	Compatible with most portable and hand-held systems for real-time, field-based map revision

•	Map Editor run-time can be distributed free of royalty payments.

Map Data Compatibility:

Editing of all digital map data imported and displayed by Map Server 2, which supports all major digital map formats, including AutoCAD DXF, ArcInfo Export, Ordnance Survey NTF Version 2, Atlas GIS and Digital Chart of the World VPF.  Imported map data can be printed, or exported in a choice of standard formats.

Object editing:

Objects to be edited are placed in the Edit Store where modifications can be made.  Objects are represented at true scale with comprehensive zoom and pan functions.  Changes made in the Edit Store can be committed or discarded at the end of the editing process.  Object detail and text can be tailored to the needs of the end application.


Super Video for Windows

Super Video for Windows adds Video to your applications using custom controls, and provides demo applications to show you how.

Price:	$995

Author:	New Media Graphics


ImageKnife/VBX

ImageKnife/VBX provides custom controls that greatly simplify using graphics images in your VB applications. TIFF, PCX, GIF, BMP, DIB, WMF, and other file formats can be automatically read in, modified using built-in or user-written filters, and output to Windows-supported graphics devices. ImageKnife has all the features that you would expect for viewing, file conversion, resizing, colour reduction and thumbnails. It also includes an extensible set of advanced capabilities, such as:

•	Image processing (rotate, mirror, smooth, sharpen)

•	Multiple image operations (eg. cut/paste, compositing)

•	Use of masks to restrict image processing to specific areas

•	Palette editing operations (eg. remap, fitting)

Price:	$125

Author:	Media Architects


MediaKnife/VBX

MediaKnife/VBX makes Visual Basic a multimedia authoring tool, offering speed, flexibility and value for developing multimedia games, titles and applications. Includes:

•	transitions to images by simply setting control properties

•	manipulation of high-performance image displays, hotspots and sprites based on a sophisticated underlying architecture

•	use of MediaKnife/VBX's powerful subroutine libraries to save coding complex actions

Price:	$125

Author:	Media Architects

Feature List

•	High performance media window for backgrounds with transition and hotspot management

•	Flexible window management permits media windows to be placed on VB forms, and VB forms (with controls) to be overlaid on media windows - while providing seamless user interaction

•	High performance sprites that can be flown across one or more windows (with collision detection between sprites and with background objects)

•	Direct passage of MCI strings for greater control

•	Authoring utility (using companion software ImageKnife/VBX) providing an environment for modifying, assembling and testing backgrounds and sprites

•	Sophisticated palette editor


ImageMan/VB

ImageMan/VB adds professional, high-quality image and scanner support to your applications, including:

•	Support for TIFF, PCX, GIF, BMP, TGA, WMF and EPSF images

•	Panning, zooming and scaling

•	Palette manipulation, brightness adjustment, contrast enhancement, rotation and mirroring

•	Support for TWAIN scanner interface

Price:	$249

Author:	Data Techniques Inc


Image SDK+

The updated Image Software Development Kit Plus now reads, writes and prints TIFF, PCX, DCX, BMP, DIB, CLP, TGA, GIF, WMF and the new ColorFax format. It also includes a library of bitmap routines that includes anti-aliasing conversion, zooming of bilevel images, rotation of large images, skewing, colour space conversion and interpolation.

Price:	$299.95

Author:	Black Ice Software, Inc


Targa SDK

The Targa SDK allows the user to read, write and print true colour 24, 8, 4 and 2-bit images and image manipulation like rotation, inverting and scaling.

Price:	$199

$499 (source code)

Author:	Black Ice Software, Inc


PCX SDK

The PCX SDK allows programmers to read, write and print PCX and DCX files, including support for 24-bit images and image manipulation like rotation, inverting and scaling.

Price:	$149.95

Author:	Black Ice Software, Inc


GIF SDK

The GIF SDK allows the developer to read, write and print 24-bit colour GIF images and image manipulation like rotation, inverting and scaling.

Price:	$149.95

$299 (source code)

Author:	Black Ice Software, Inc


TIFF SDK

The TIFF SDK allows the user to read, write and print true colour 24, 8, 4 and 2-bit images and image manipulation like rotation, inverting and scaling. Supports fax Group 3 & 4 formats, LZW and Packbit compression.

Price:	$299

$999 (source code)

Author:	Black Ice Software, Inc


3d Graphic Tools
3d Graphic Tools 3.11

3d Graphic Tools is a toolkit for developing three dimensional graphic applications, including contour plotting, texture mapping, wireframe drawing and hidden surface removal. Four custom controls provide easy access the DLLs, implementing Scenes, Lights, Cameras and Objects.

Price:	$149

Author:	Micro System Options

Feature List

•	Monochrome through 32 bit colour functions

•	Sophisticated lighting using multiple, movable colour light sources with optional ambient light, depth cueing and special effects

•	Flat and Phong shaded rendering

•	Depth sorted painters and z-buffered (pixel-level) hidden surface removal algorithms

•	Colour contour plotting

•	Device independent output

•	3d point, line, wireframe drawing and clipping

•	Field of view and viewpoint control

•	Parallel or perspective projection

•	Easy to use camera and lens metaphor

•	Procedural textures (wood, rock etc) and mapping of pictures and bumps onto objects

•	Edge anti-aliasing and image post processing

•	Object generators (cube, cylinder, sphere, etc.)

•	Extruded, rotated, swept, lofted, spline and arbitrary curves and surfaces

•	Linked object orientation and placement using nested instance transforms

•	Flexible, colour, translucency and other object level attributes for control of object's appearance

•	three tiered object hierarchy

•	Fixed and floating point math

•	Vector and matrix operations

•	Matrix based transform functions

•	Grids and labels at 3d points

•	Offscreen drawing, bitmap and metafile support

•	DXF polyline mesh imports

•	Wireframe pen selection for colour and style

•	variable interrupt Events

•	3GT file support

•	User texture DLLs

•	24 bit independent DC (DIDC)

•	Sample code, including animation, data graphing, file importing, lighting, geographic mapping, object modelling and texture mapping


FormText

FormText is a custom control from oPen Software Systemberatung GmbH which provides enhanced masked input features in a text box.

Price:	$29

Author:	oPen Software Systemberatung GmbH


SuperButton

SuperButton allows you to create buttons with geometric shapes or underlaid with bitmaps, metafiles or icon images.

Price:	$29

Author:	oPen Software Systemberatung GmbH


FXTools/VB

Multimedia applications that include special effects are far more effective than those that are restricted to static elements.  Multimedia elements include graphics, sound, images, text, animation and video.

Visual Basic has the ability to produce Microsoft Windows applications that contain multimedia elements.  However, anyone who has tried to use Visual Basic for multimedia development quickly discovers that it lacks the ability to produce the image, text and shape effects that multimedia applications demand. FXTools/VB from ImageFX solves this problem by giving the Visual Basic developer the power to add sophisticated, high-performance, production quality effects to images, text and shapes with the ease of Visual Basic custom controls.  FXTools/VB contains a rich selection of effects and dissolves including horizontal and vertical wipes, diagonal wipes, blinds, interlaces, pushes, pulls, crushes, and more.  FXTools/VB also supports 1, 2, and 3 pass dissolves and, optionally, a transition effect or dissolve.

FXTools/VB provides more than just effects.  Single pass dissolves can be used to display text on a diffused surface.  Images can be resized, cropped, or displayed with a transparent colour.  Text can have coloured drop or block shadows, 3D fonts, and patterned backgrounds.  Additional features include colourful 3D bevels that can simulate picture frames with matting, speed control, and a multitasking option that allows background tasks to run during effects.

The incredible flexibility provided by FXTools/VB gives Visual Basic developers the ability to add exciting special effects to their multimedia presentations, demos and applications at a fraction of the cost of expensive, less capable, authoring tools.  Why pay thousands of dollars for a multimedia authoring tool that lacks the capabilities of Visual Basic combined with FXTools/VB? FXTools/VB opens the door to realistic Visual Basic multimedia development.

Price:	$129

Author:	ImageFX

Feature List

•	50 main effects

•	50 transition effects

•	42 dissolve effects (single, double, and triple pass supported)

•	Speed control

•	Image resize and colour transparency

•	Sophisticated 3D borders for images and text

•	6 - 3D text styles including drop and block shadows

•	Coloured shadows

•	9 - Text alignment styles

•	Multitasking allows background tasks to run during effects

BONUS FREE

The FXTools/VB Bonus Pak which includes an enhanced shape control and a rotating text control is included free of charge when you order FXTools/VB. These controls have the following features:

Shape Control:

•	50 Main Effects

•	42 Dissolve Effects

•	3D Coloured Borders for Rectangles and Squares

•	16 Shapes

•	Coloured Drop Shadows

•	Multitasking

Rotating Text Control:

•	50 Main Effects

•	42 Dissolve Effects

•	Text Rotation

•	Six 3D Font Styles

•	Coloured Shadows

•	Multitasking


Autodesk Animation Player

The Autodesk Animation Player is a custom control that allows the Visual Basic developer to play FLI and FLC animation files at speed

Price:	$25

Author:	Autodesk Inc


Picture++

Picture++ is an imaging library for VB, with the ability to display grey scale and colour images with at least 16 colours. Reads and writes TGA, PCX, BMP, TIFF and GIF formats, and manipulation includes crop, flip, rotate, sizing, format conversion, hue/saturation/brightness colour adjustment, clipboard and more.

Price:	$425

Author:	Rainbow Imaging Inc


Visual Help

Visual Help is a completely integrated help development environment that will help you produce your help files and on-line documentation quickly and easily.  You may have spent days before using some of the other help authoring tools that require you to type in special codes and use a separately purchased word processor.  But when you're using Visual Help, this development time can be cut down from days to just minutes!

To start a new help file, you simply just use the Project Wizard, answer the questions, and click the finish button.  A base project will then be created with all the initial elements that you have selected: title, icon, copyright, contents topic, glossary topic, glossary terms/definitions, index topic, and all formatted in one of three styles.  From this base project, you can then add additional topics, drag and drop any of the 18 object types, and most importantly -- enter your help text.

The real advantage of Visual Help is its object oriented interface.  This is most evident whenever editing the contents of a particular topic; an area you'll be spending 90% of your time.  Whenever you edit a topic, it is opened in its own special 'design window' containing its own toolbar and status line.  You can then add paragraphs, headings, bullets, jumps, bitmaps, sound, video, and other objects by dragging them off the toolbox and dropping them onto topic window.  All properties of each object such as style, action, and links can be easily changed within the topic window by clicking the right mouse button to display the popup Menu Assistant.  This floating menu provides instant access to the most common commands and properties -- a definite time saver.

Price:	$49

Author:	WinWare

Feature List

•	Project Wizard With just a few clicks of the mouse you can create a custom help file structure in just seconds!

•	Runtime test Test your help files without the need to compile.

•	18 Common Object Types Headings, paragraphs, footnotes, bullets, bitmaps, and jumps; just to name a few!

•	User-Defined Object Styles You can define your own custom styles for each object type allowing you more control over colors, fonts, and margins.

•	Multimedia Support Supports these file formats: AVI, WAV, MID, and MMM.  Simply click on an environment option and your help file can be recompiled as a Multimedia Viewer file!

•	Help Window Designer Lets you have complete control of the size, position, caption, and colors of the different windows you may choose to include in your project.

•	Image Designer Imports existing files (.bmp, .dib, .ico, & .wmf) or create new bitmaps; you can add colors, text, 3d effects, and even a Windows button style.

•	Help Button Designer Add more menu-buttons to your help window that can call any of the many supported WinHelp macros.

•	WinHelp Macro Support Jump to a topic in another help file, copy topic to clipboard, print topic, run an executable program, and many others.

•	Popup Menu Assistant Click the right mouse button over any editable area within a topic form and the Popup-Menu-Assistant will display a full set of common commands.

•	Letter Scroll Bar Object Create a professional looking index or glossary with a complete Alphabetic Toolbar allowing immediate access to any selected letter

•	File-Export Generate either a manual document or an include file containing context ID  declarations.


IMWHelp

IMWHelp builds great Windows help files painlessly. Word processor independent. Automatically builds HPJ files and compiles the help system. Outline view organises topics. Format text with paragraph/character styles. Handles jumps, bitmaps and much more.

Price:	$89.95

Author:	IMCSI


Help Magician

The Windows Help Magician is the fast and easy way to develop Help files for Windows. To create help text use the built-in editor or import previously created manuals from Word via RTF. Creating jumps, popups, bitmaps and custom fonts is as easy as marking text with the mouse. You can also make numbered/bulleted lists; indent words or blocks of text; and edit browse sequences seamlessly. You can test the help system without compiling, and when you're ready to make the help file, Help Magician will create the RTF file and run the Help Compiler for you.

Price:	$199

Author:	Software Interphase


FinLib/VB

Add financial computations to your VB application using Financial Library/VB, including simple, compound and discounted interest, annuities, depreciation, bond calculations and cash-flow analysis.

Price:	$149

Author:	TeraTech Inc


VBlite

VBlite is a collection of 150 DLL routines and custom control properties to make your programming life easier.

Price:	$99

Author:	TeraTech, Inc

Feature List

B-Tree Index Control - a complete B-Tree indexing system that allows you to create, find, add, edit and insert keys in balanced B-Tree indexes. You will find that B-Tree is very flexible: index on any expression, not just fields, and even create conditional indexes. Written in assembly language, these routines are very fast and small. Routines include insert, delete, full and partial searches, get next, previous, first and last keys. Open as many indexes as you need to search on multiple keys.

Array Control - the high speed VBlite routines speed array operations tremendously. Array services include routines to add or subtract a value from certain array elements; get the MAX, MIN or SUM of an array; push or pop elements from an array; and rotate, sort or search arrays. The many sort routines include fast assembly language string, numeric, array, and pointer sorts for multiple data types.

Comm Control - gives you complete control over serial communications. You can set and get DTR and port assignments; change parameters, such as baud rate (up to 115 kbps), parity, word length and stop bits on the fly, without dropping carrier; and do CRC-16 and checksum calculations. You can control the serial port buffers including timeouts, flushing, flow control (via Xon/Xoff, RTS/CTS or DTR/DSR protocols). Select either ASCII or Binary data, alternate null character handling, Auto bad character replacement, change the EOF character, even query the hardware to determine Transmit status, line status, ring detection, carrier connect and more. Plus read/write strings from ports, push characters to the front of queue, reset ports and get the current port status.

Printer Control - change your printer's setup from within your application. Select orientation, scale mode, paper size, bin, print quality, colour print, double sided printing and other print parameters by setting properties. Print bitmaps (from files or memory), and text, rectangles, polygons in any font anywhere on the page.


ProMath/VB

ProMath/VB allows the VB developer to add sophisticated mathematical functions to their applications, including

•	trigonometric functions

•	factorial

•	gamma

•	error

•	beta

•	hyperbolic Airy

•	Fresnel and Bessel functions

•	statistics

Price:	$125

Author:	TeraTech, Inc


QuickPak Scientific

QuickPak Scientific is a collection of routines for use in developing scientific, mathematical and engineering applications. Function categories include linear algebra, differential equations, non-linear equations, fast Fourier transforms and numerical integration. There are also advanced statistical algorithms. Source code included.

Price:	$149

Author:	Crescent Software Inc


QuickPack Professional

QuickPack Pro is a collection of custom controls that includes a 256-plus colour picture control supporting BMP, GIF, PCX and TARGA files; six input/edit controls for text input; a multisession, multicolumn list box, a new data-aware list box and combo box; four common dialog controls; attractive 3-D label and group box controls; monthly calendar control that can be linked to any date field.

Price:	$199

Author:	Crescent Software Inc


TrueGrid Pro
TrueGrid Pro 2.1

TrueGrid is a bound database grid for Visual Basic 3.0.  Using technology derived from our Agility database product, TrueGrid manages the interface with the database completely, freeing you to concentrate on important application-specific tasks.

TrueGrid is very easy to use, requiring no more work than simply dropping the grid on a form and setting the DataSource property---that's all!  You don't need to write a single line of code to get the grid up and running, making it ideal for an instant data browser or data display window.

This new version of TrueGrid also adds significant power to the original design.  Full Excel-like split

capability, customisable fonts and colours, calculated and unbound columns, and drag-and-drop features are just some of the things which have been added.  Yet, TrueGrid is still very easy to use, and the new features are there only if you want to use them.

Price:	$99.95

Author:	Apex Software

Feature List

•	Easy To Use:  TrueGrid's features are familiar, intuitive, and easy to use.  In most cases, they require no code.

•	Drop and Go:  Simply drop TrueGrid on a Visual Basic form, set the DataSource property, and instantly you have a fully functional database-aware browse table - without writing a single line of code!

•	Database Formats:  Supports all database formats Visual Basic recognises.

•	No Size Limit:  Automatically handles databases of any size - programmers do not need to adjust any virtual memory settings.  There is no delay or additional memory overhead for large databases.

•	Fast and Efficient:  Only data required for display will be retrieved, TrueGrid is simply the fastest grid in the market.

•	Bound Controls:  Automatically works with other Visual Basic bound controls.  All Data Control operations, data validation events, and error trapping are supported seamlessly.

•	Editing and Data Validation:  In-cell editing with automatic update and data validation events.

•	DropDown Text Edit:  A multi-line text control will dropdown automatically when editing large data.

•	Configurability:  Most properties are configurable at both design time and by code.  In addition, splits, column width and column order are configurable interactively by end-users at run time.

•	Layout Editor:  Allows programmers to visually and interactively configure various column and split properties at design time.  Features such as locked columns are automated.  TrueGrid is the only grid that allows the programmer to visually configure the appearance of the grid at design time.

•	Tab and Arrow Keys:  Complete control of the use of the tab and arrow keys to navigate through the cells of the grid or to move focus to another control.

•	AddNew:  Allow end-users to enter a new record at the bottom of the grid with automatic update and error trapping.

•	Select and Mark:  Select and mark non-contiguous records by mouse clicks, or by code.

•	Callback: TrueGrid can be used with data managed by programmers; it doesn't have to be bound to a Data Control.

•	EditMask:  The EditMask property fully supports the Visual Basic Format$ string.

•	Cross-Form Binding:  TrueGrid Pro can be bound to a Visual Basic Data Control in another form.

•	Splits:  Splits a grid into any number of independent grids.  The splits can scroll simultaneously or independently, or be locked from scrolling.  An Excel-like split bar allows end-users to create splits interactively.  Programmer can decide how much interactive control the end-users have.

•	Per-Cell Colour and Font:  Control the color and font style of each individual cell based on cell contents and cell status.  If cell contents or status are updated, the colour and font will be adjusted automatically.

•	Indentation:  Control per-cell text indentation, ideal for building outlines and subtitles in a grid column.

•	Multi-Line Row and Heading:  Heading and row heights are independently controlled.

•	Drop Down Combo or List Box:  Easy to program features to drop down a combo or list box, or even any Visual Basic control from a cell.

•	Drag and Drop:  Easy to program features to allow drag and drop of data to and from other controls.

•	Calculated Columns:  Create columns to display calculated expressions simply by entering a Visual Basic expression in a ColumnExpression property.  No code required.  Visual Basic constants (e.g., null, True, False, date constants, etc.), operators, field names, functions (over 35 Visual Basic functions are supported), and even other calculated columns are supported.  TrueGrid automatically resolves all dependencies and calculation orders.

•	In-Cell Graphic:  You can display graphical images in a cell, not just textual information.

•	In-Cell Combo Box and Radio-Button:  For easy data entry and inspection; eliminate end-user typing and error.

•	Value List:  Values from bound or calculated columns can be translated to any textual strings or pictures for display purposes.  For example, (0, 1) may be displayed as (Yes, No), country names may be displayed as bitmaps of their respective flags.  Value lists can be defined at design time using the Layout Editor - no code necessary!

•	Column Summaries:  Built-in properties to support column summaries such as column sum.  An event will be fired when the column sum changes.

•	Built-in Crystal Reports support:  You can perform ad-hoc SQL queries, display and edit the resulting (dynaset) data on TrueGrid, configure the grid (hide, resize or rearrange field columns) at runtime or design time, and generate reports on the fly.

•	Complete Programmer Control:  Programmer can override all default and inherited data and attributes and dictate what data, colour, and font styles the grid should display in a cell using the UnboundFetch and FetchAttribute events.

•	Royalty Free:  TRUEGRID.VBX can be distributed free with your runtime applications.

•	On-Line Help:  Context sensitive help with detailed overview, property and event references, and plenty of examples.

•	Samples:  TrueGrid Pro comes with plenty of sample applications to illustrate product features.  They also provide useful tips and tricks.


TbxShield

The TbxShield library allows developers to create toolboxes, ribbon controls and 3-D rotating toolcubes. Features include complete control over shape and size, Hide, Show and Move functions, control over Selector mode, Animated buttons and low level access for advanced users.

Price:	UK£ 250

Author:	Sterling Systems

From:	dealers


InstallShield

InstallShield lets you create sophisticated, bullet-proof graphical installation programs. Includes file compress, customised screen colours and backgrounds, change profile and system files, automatically add programs, groups and icons, built-in dialog boxes, completely script driven with access to DLLs, file i/o operations. No programming required.

Price:	UK£ 250

Author:	Sterling Systems

From:	dealers


Microsoft Office Developer's Kit (ODK)

With the Microsoft Office Developer's Kit (ODK) you can harness the power and usability of the Microsoft Office applications for your custom solutions. The ODK makes it easy to use the hundreds of programmable component objects in The Microsoft Office, and to reap the full benefits of technologies such as OLE 2.0, ODBC and Visual Basic. CD-ROM.

Price:	Free with Visual Basic Pro

contact Microsoft for upgrades

Author:	Microsoft Corporation

Feature List

•	The Office Developer's Kit (ODK) brings together the indispensable set of objects in the Microsoft Office with the necessary online user and developer documentation, developer kits and tools, to make it easier to rapidly create powerful custom solutions using Visual Basic

•	Includes with the ODK are two books: Designing Integrated Solutions with Microsoft Office, which outlines development strategies; and Programming Integrated Solutions with Microsoft Office, which describes specific ways of implementing these strategies.

•	A key item is the Object Browser, which allows you to examine the contents of the object library for Microsoft Office applications and display modules, methods, declarations and constants. Object Browser works with both internal application objects and user-defined modules.

•	The ODK also includes an expandable chart with a graphical representation of the object hierarchy for Microsoft Office applications, enabling you to find objects at a glance and to see which methods relate to each of them.

•	There are numerous sample applications in addition to those included with each application-specific development kit, showing you how to integrate Microsoft Office applications into a total solution. These examples include a General Ledger, Mailing List, Help Desk and an Executive Information System.

•	Finally, the ODK contains complete online user documentation for all Microsoft Office applications - Excel, Word, Mail, Access and Powerpoint - plus the individual developer documentation normally supplied separately for these applications.


PDQComm

PDQComm for Windows is based on the MSComm control that Crescent Software Inc wrote for the VB Professional edition, and it adds several important enhancements.

Included are background file transfers using ZModem, YModem, XModem, CompuServB+, or Kermit protocols, optional display of a status dialog box with a percentage complete meter, and TTY, ANSI, DEC VT100 and VT52 terminal emulations. All of these features are extremely easy to use - just add the PDQComm control to a form, set a few properties, and within 30 seconds you're dialling to your favourite on-line service.

PDQComm includes a 64K scroll-back buffer, session logging , and a complete set of VB routines for handling modems (including a database of commands for nearly 450 modems). Extensive documentation and examples are provided and C source is also available.

Price:	$149

Author:	Crescent Software Inc


List & Label

MicroHelp's Report Generator is the easiest and fastest way to design database reports, mailing labels and lists of data. Because the product is database independent, you're not locked into a proprietary data file format.

Price:	UK£ 175

Author:	MicroHelp

Feature List

•	The product consists of two modules: The Designer lets you design objects (much like VB in design mode). At runtime, you use a set of DLL routines to supply data to the report.

•	The objects you design can include lines, boxes, multiline text (with optional word-wrap), pictures, a table object and barcodes. The text object can take alignment and selectable fonts and colours. You can also use pictures (RLE, BMP and WMF files).

•	The optional 'End User Module' allows you to give your users the ability to modify the reports that you provide for them.

•	We even give you the flexibility to do things like 'skip the first n records' before commencing the print operation. This is ideal for situations such as a printer jam in the middle of a report.

•	Since the Report Generator is job oriented, the user is allowed to incorporate and manipulate the variables and fields within a report's data structure, adding to the flexibility of the product and its printed results.

•	You can use table objects to design columnar reports (complete with lines and requested spacing), horizontal and vertical separators, multiple fonts and even pictures. You can also modify the text attributes for each individual 'data segment', which includes the alignment, line spacing, font type, word wrapping and more.


RTMOUSE

The RTMOUSE Control adds a new technique of providing help to the user that is not available any other way. This control allows the developer to provide the user with a dynamic popup help balloon for all the controls on each form in the VB application. The popup help text provided is especially useful to new user and is ideal for custom in-house applications where the user may not have a manual to refer to.

When enabled, the control provides a custom event that defines when the user moves the mouse cursor over a form's control and clicks the right mouse button. The VB application then passes a help text string to the RTMOUSE.VBX control which then pops up a help balloon in the vicinity of the selected control and displays the help text in the popup balloon. If help text for a control is not desired, then no return text should be provided by the VB application. The popup help balloon is removed when the user releases the right mouse button. Releasing the right mouse button terminates the help session.

A separate RTMOUSE Control is placed on each form that will have a right mouse button popup help session available. A "popup help session" is defined from the time the RTMOUSE popup help balloon appears on-screen to the point at which the RTMOUSE popup help balloon is removed.

Price:	$18 (+ tax)

CompuServe SWREG #1432

Author:	Weimar Software


Project Manager

Project Manager functions as a shell which loads and unloads Visual Basic with an appropriate project loaded.  It tracks the files used in each project, including VBX's, external modules and DLL's called.  The program will track and total the time spent on each project.  The information on the projects is stored in an Access 1.1 database vbprojs.mdb.  Times are written to this database as well.  In addition, two utilities are included, one to compact the database, and one to write error handling and logging code to your project.  A backup path can be entered and all project files are backed up to this path in one pass.

Price:	$15.00 Canadian ($10.00 U.S.)  (Shareware)

Author:	Bud Street,

A.F. Street Consulting,

R.R.#1,

Peterborough, ON, Canada

K9J 6X2

Tel: 705-292-6621

CompuServe 72152,333


PPI8255

The PPI8255.VBX provides the Visual Basic developer with an easy-to-use Custom Control (VBX) interface to Intel's 8255 Programmable Peripheral Interface (PPI) integrated circuit. Using this VBX programmer's can directly manipulate up to 24 digital input/output lines on any available 8255 PPI chip.

Simply assign the I/O base address of the 8255 (located on any PC adapter card) to the VBX's BaseAddress property. You now have complete control of the 8255 PPI chip and any devices it may be connected to.

This custom control was developed to provide Visual Basic programmers with an easy-to-use VBX interface to the DBTDIO24 Programmable  Digital I/O adapter card (available from DB Technologies for $75). However, this VBX can be used to control an 8255 PPI on any PC adapter given the I/O base address.

Price:	$15  (cheque or money order)

CompuServe SWREG (search for title PPI8255)

Author:	Douglas A. Bebber

2420 Briar Oak Circle

Sarasota, Florida 34232

Tel:  (813) 378-3760


Slider
Slider 2.2

The control appears to the end user as a slider similar to those used on audio/video equipment such as stereos, tuners, and amplifiers. To the application programmer, the interface to the slider is similar to the one for the MS Windows standard scroll bar. The programmer can set a range of values that will be fed back to the application as the end user adjusts the position of the slider on its scale.

Being a VBX control, the programmer can add the Slider Control to the tool palette in Visual Basic. This allows use of the control in Visual Basic forms. Since Visual C++ supports use of VBX controls, the slider control can also be used in the Visual C++ environment.

The slider can appear in a horizontal or vertical orientation. A horizontal slider can have top "tick marks", bottom tick marks, no tick marks, or tick marks on both the bottom and top. This is also true for vertical sliders, where tick marks are left and right rather than top and bottom. The range of the slider can be set to any range with low and high values varying from 0 to 32767.

Price:	$55  (Source Code - $299)

Author:	Northeast Data Corp

2117 Buffalo Road, Suite 290,

Rochester NY, 14624

Properties

BackColor	Sets the background color.

BevelInner	None (0), Inset (1), raised (2), or solid (3)

BevelOuter	None (0), Inset(1), raised (2), or solid (3)

BevelInnerWidth	The width of the inner bevel in pixels.

BevelOuterWidth	The width of the outer bevel in pixels.

BorderWidth	Width of the border in pixels.

CtlName	Name of the control.

DragIcon	Name of the icon that will appear when the control is dragged.

DragMode	Normal or automatic.

Enabled	Disables or enables the slider.

FocusPict	Bitmap to use for the thumb when it has focus. This bitmap should be the same size as the ThumbPict bitmap.

Height	Height of control.

Index	Index of control.

Left	Left position.

Max	Maximum slider value. This must be greater than the minimum slider value.

Min	Minimum slider value. This must be less than the maximum slider value.

Picture	A bitmap you can specify for painting the slider background. This picture must be a bit map. This bitmap will be positioned at the upper right corner of the control, inside the area specified by the BorderWidth and BevelWidth.

Pos	Current slider position. This must be a value between or including the current minimum and maximum values of the slider.

Range	Normal (0) or Inverted (1). If inverted, a vertical slider will increase in value from top to bottom and a horizontal slider will increase from right to left.

TabIndex	Control tab order.

TabStop	If this is turned on (1 instead of 0), the slider can be activated by tabbing to it with the TAB key.

Tag	Control tag.

ThumbPict	Bitmap to use for the thumb.

TickMarks	Left, right, none or both for vertical sliders. Top, bottom, none or both for horizontal sliders.

TickStyle	0 for black tick marks. 1 for inset marks, 2 for raised marks.

Top	Top of control window.

Visible	Visible/Invisible attribute.

Width	Width of control.


SHADBX

The SHADBX Control adds a new technique of providing help to the user. This control allows the developer to provide the user with a dynamic popup help window for advisory information, error reporting, or expansion and elaboration on of a user action. The SHADBX.VBX custom control closely approximates the actions obtained by Window's help engine. You can now add this feature to VB applications.

Price:	$18 (+ tax)

CompuServe SWREG #1432  ($9)

Author:	Weimar Software


SIxBase/VB

SIxBase/VB from SuccessWare is an database driver for developing applications based on xBase technology. SIxBase/VB was designed from the ground up to be the smallest, fastest database driver available. Supports Clipper and FoxPro indexes/memos and LAN locking mechanism. This means support for compact and conditional indexes as well as SIx Driver features like index SCOPEs, record level ENCRYPTION and an xBase syntax function set. SIxBase/VB includes the Mach SIx query-optimisation system for effortlessly fast SET FILTERs.

Price:	$149

Author:	SuccessWare

27349 Jefferson Avenue

Temecula, CA 92590, USA

Tel:	(800) 683-1657

(909) 699-9657

Fax:	(909) 695-5679


Spread/VBX
Spread/VBX 2.1

Spread/VBX is a versatile control used to implement not only spreadsheets, but grids, list boxes, toolbars and any other control imaginable.  With over 250 properties, Spread/VBX is the most comprehensive VB control available.  A proven package used in commercial applications such as Microsoft Profit, this data aware control can be bound to the Access engine, giving you full read/write and virtual functionality.  Being memory and resource smart prevents you from paying a penalty for unnecessary functionality.  FarPoint's new Spreadsheet Interface Designer, included with Spread/VBX, allows the developer to quickly and easily prototype and generate code, thus decreasing the learning curve and increasing productivity.  Writing a database front-end has never been easier.

Price:	$245

Author:	FarPoint Technologies Inc

Feature List

•	Bound to Access and Q+E/Lib

•	Text overflow

•	Single/Multiple text selection

•	2 billion rows and columns

•	Virtual data management

•	Repainting optimisation

•	Lock/Freeze rows or columns

•	Multiple cell types, font, background colour, foreground colour, border, lock, formulas

•	In-cell editing

•	Add user defined formulas

•	Direct clipboard support

•	Save and read spreadsheet files

•	Sort data

•	Print support by page or selected cell range

•	Spreadsheet Interface Designer


Tab/VBX

Tab/VBX is a custom control from FarPoint Technologies that enables you to add filing cabinet-like index tabs, like those in Word 6 and Excel 5, to your Visual Basic application.

Price:	$49

Author:	FarPoint Technologies Inc

Feature List

•	Simple to use design time interface

•	Assign text to caption headings

•	Align text in headers left, right, centre, vertical and horisontal

•	Change grey area colour to match form background

•	Flip text 180 degrees within the header

•	Word-wrap text within a header

•	Place representative pictures on tab headers for clarity of meaning

•	Position tab headers on the top, bottom, left or right

•	Set any number of tabs

•	Set number of tabs per row with optional variable width tabs

•	Assign colours and fonts to tabs on an individual basis or to the active tab

•	Choose shape of tabs between cornered, slanted and reounded

•	Determine the client area coordinates

•	Set left and right margins for tabs in a row with optional variable width tabs

•	Place controls on individual tabs, or designate controls to appear on every tab

Free IMPRINT control !

•	Place borders on your tab with text on the top, right, bottom or left

•	Justify border text to the left, right, centre and even flip 180 degrees

•	Frame the Imprint control with one of the following choices: lowered, raised, GroupBox Lowered, GroupBox Raised

•	Add a frame around the interior, choosing the framesize, 3-D effect and colour

•	Divide the Imprint control into cells or blocks to give it a grid format to better display information. Tab delimited text is used to fill each cell with data

•	Produce an unlimited number of 3-D effects

•	Bind the Imprint control to a field using the Access engine in Visual Basic giving your data an exciting new look

•	Outline the inside and outside boxes in the Imprint control with coloured borders

•	Add 3-D text for an unique appearance


SPSS Developers Kit

SPSS Developer's Kit allows the VB programmer to incorporate statistics, reports, graphics and data viewing using OLE 2 Automation.

Price:	?

Author:	SPSS Inc

Feature List

•	Create and edit over 50 high resolution charts

•	Easily generate canned or user-driven ad hoc reports

•	View and edit data with the SPSS Data Editor

•	Produce instant statistical reports

•	Read or write ASCII, Excel, dBase, Lotus 1-2-3, SPSS/PC+, SYLK and SAS transport files

•	SPSS Developer's Kit Handbook

•	OLE 2.0 Automation

•	User interface modification kit

•	User code documentation

•	SPSS 3rd-Party API

•	Application examples


XREF for VB

XREF for VB generates listing of all keywords, forms, controls, properties, events, methods, variables, arrays, constants and procedures by type and scope - even across separate modules. It automatically recognises properties and events of custom controls as well as VB 3 data objects. A unique call-tree report identifies your procedures showing the hierarchy of procedures that are present but never used, and it also generates a formatted listing of your source code complete with headers, footers and a table of contents.

XREF can also extract quoted strings and/or remarks from your source code and save them in a separate text file for spell checking. Corrected text can then be merged back into your program with the supplied utility program. Reports can be viewed with the built-in file browser or sent directly to your printer.

Price:	$99

Author:	Crescent Software Inc


NetPak Pro

NetPak Pro for Windows provides seamless access to many NetBIOS, Netware and Windows for Workgroups network services. This product provides a comprehensive collection of 100+ network functions that help the novice and professional programmer add advanced network capabilities to their VB programs.

Services are included for Netware print and bindery functions; Netware QMS functions; Netware Connection functions; Netware Workstation and File Server Environment functions; Netware Message and Directory functions; Netware TTS and 386 (F2) specific functions; Windows built-in functions; Windows for Workgroups functions and miscellaneous Windows API functions.

Price:  $179

Author:	Crescent Software Inc


QuickApp

When you use QuickApp, a communications middleware development tool with VB you can create host front ends - or powerful new client/server applications that integrate information from 3270, AS/400 and Unisys systems - faster than you ever believed possible. And you can do it without writing a single line of HLLAPI code.  No competitive product can do that.

Used with the appropriate IRMA or INFOConnect software, QuickApp records keystrokes, action keys and screens while you work with the existing host application.  Then you use VB along with the QuickApp custom controls to build your new GUI application.

Finally, a single command allows the development tool to navigate to the appropriate screens, associate host fields with those in the new application, and automatically update chosen fields.  Other competitive tools can link fields, but you still have to write lines of HLLAPI code.

Price:    ?

Author:	DCA


NetManage Development Tools

NetManage provides a variety of development tools that allows you to easily create your own networking applications using VB. Support for Berkley 4.3 BSD, FTP DLL and SMTP DLL, ONC RPC/XDR and NFS.

Price:    ?

Author:	NetManage Inc


Distinct TCP/IP SDK
Distinct TCP/IP

The Visual Edition of the Distinct TCP/IP for Windows Software Development Kit allows VB programmers to write TCP/IP applications in VB as an alternative to the complex Berkley Sockets environment.  TCP/IP connections can be made by setting the properties in a custom control for Windows Sockets.

Price:	$195

Author:	Distinct Corporation

Featuring

Sockets	Distinct's support for Windows Sockets now extends to the non-TCP/IP programmer. Through these easy-to-use custom controls, programmers can access Windows Sockets without actually making any socket calls themselves.

FTP	Distinct's FTP custom control is a highly sophisticated control that allows VB programmers to incorporate FTP based file transfer capabilities inside of their VB applications to meet their specific needs

Telnet	Custom Telnet programs can now be written hassle free. Opening and closing connections could not be easier than this. This custom control allows you to include Telnet type login capabilities from within Visual Basic applications.


TabFrame

The increasing complexity of the dialog boxes needed for today's Windows applications has lead to the development of the tabbed dialog box which originally appeared in Microsoft Word for Windows V6.0. The TabFrame custom control allows you to include tabbed dialog boxes in a Visual Basic application in a simple and straightforward manner.

Price:	$39.95 (CompuServe SWREG #2018)

£25 (mail check or money order)

Author:	GC Consulting Services Ltd

Feature List

•	Control over the appearance of the tabs.

•	Stacked (or multi-line) tabs.

•	Tab selection at design time using the right mouse button.

•	Property synchronisation between tabs.

•	Automatic 3D appearance for child controls.

•	Focus tracking when tabs selected/deselected.

Usage

To create a tabbed dialog you create the first TabFrame control in the normal way setting the size and position as required. Additional TabFrame controls are then created for each tab option by double clicking the TabFrame icon in the Visual Basic toolbox. Tabs are selected in design mode by clicking with the right mouse button and controls can then be drawn on each tab as required.

The TabFrame controls within any form or container make up a TabSet and some of the properties apply to the TabSet as a whole. Since the TabFrame control is itself a container it is easy to create nested TabSets. The TabFrame control is fully integrated with the ToolTip VBX which can be used to provide MS style tool tips and a context sensitive status bar for your Visual Basic applications.


Valet

Valet is a great programmers utility tool that helps you get the most out of Visual Basic by putting additional information at your fingertips.  It does this by giving you quick access to all those text files you have sitting around with CONSTANT declarations, help files with descriptions and examples, *.BAS *.FRM & *.VBX files that make up your library of code, standard forms that you use, and all those custom controls you have that you just can't live without.  All this plus a great logging feature that tracks the amount of time you have spent working on your project and support for Drag-N-Drop.

Price:	$15

Author:	Donald R. English

5526 North Salina

Wichita, KS  67204

CompuServe  70724,2576


TITLESPY

This VBX lets you change size and orientation of Title (Caption) Bar within Visual Basic, Visual C++ or Borland C++ 4.0 applications. Make Title Bar small, as it is in VB ToolsBar, or make it huge as you want. Let to choose Title Bar's font. Also lets you modify the System Menu.

Price:	36$ + $3.50 post & handling (CompuServe SWREG 2493)

Author:	Alex Spektor,

610 Valley Stream Circle

Langhorne, PA 19053

(215) 741-5611.

CompuServe: 73321,1525

Internet: aspektor@susq.com.

Usage

To modify Title Bar:

•	Put control on form.

•	Choose Caption Bar size in TitleSize property.

•	Choose Caption Bar orientation in TitlePlace property.

•	Run application. Enjoy.

If you want to append your items into System Menu:

•	Put control on form.

•	Add next line into your code:

TitleSpy1.AddItem ItemStr$, n

where

'ItemStr$' is a String, you want to appear in System Menu,

'n' is Menu Item ID between 100 and 1000. This ID will be

send into SysMenu Event of TitleSpy, when user will select

this Item in the System Menu.

To append separator make n equal 0.

•	In SysMenu Event of TitleSpy append code what will executes when user selected your Item from System Menu.

•	Run application.

Fonts

This version let you possibility to use any font in a Caption Bars.

But you have to remember:

if you use Non-True-Type fonts:

- Vertical oriented Caption will not have a text.

- Size of font, used for Title Bar, will be nearest

  existing size for this particular font, what matches

  to current height of Title Bar.

if you use Vertical oriented Caption

- StrikeThrou and Underline don't work property for

  vertical oriented fonts.

Restrictions

•	You can not to have a menu in window that have TITLESPY as a child. If you use menu, it will be invisible in Run Mode.

•	If you make 'BorderStyle' of the Form equal to 'Fixed Double' or 'No border', TitleSpy changes it to 'Fixed Single'.


Wave Maker

Wave Maker V1.0 is an utility which can create a VBX custom control containing up to 64 WAV files you select.  NO PROGRAMMING is required.  The created control is ready-to-use and can play the WAV files in any Visual Basic or Visual C++ program via a Windows compatible sound card.  Wave Maker eliminates the need to use cumbersome Windows API calls and external WAV files.

Price:	$20 (CompuServe SWREG #2368)

Author:	Winefred Washington

Usage

First, you must select the WAV files you wish to include in the new VBX control.  Use the "Add..." dialog box to add the path names of the .WAV files you wish to include in your control.

Next, save the file.  The filename you select is the name of the new wave control plus the .VBX extension. The filename you choose also determines the control name which appears in the VB properties dialog.  You can create multiple wave control with different control names and add them to the same project.

Finally, press the Build button to create the control and the TXT file containing the file sound constants.


ToolButton

ToolButton is a custom control for Visual Basic that supports command and attribute buttons in toolbars.  You can use the standard button images supplied, and/or you can "roll your own".  A

second custom control, ContextHelp, is bundled with ToolButton to facilitate implementation of "point and click" style context-sensitive help.

Price:	Free

Author:	Brett Foster [CompuServe: 70444,135]

Fulcrum Technologies, Inc.

Feature List

•	Standard button images are supplied for Edit Cut, Edit Copy, Edit Paste, File New, File Open, File Save, File Print, Help, and Context Sensitive Help.

•	ToolButton can generate six different button faces from one supplied bitmap.  A command button uses three (Up, Mouse Down, and Disabled), while an attribute button uses six (former plus Down, Down Disabled, and Indeterminate) .  All you have to do is supply the "Up" bitmap, and ToolButton takes care of the rest.

•	Another nifty feature of ToolButton is the fact that it generates MouseDown and MouseUp events, so you can put a help message in a status bar when the user presses a button.  These events are generated even when the button is disabled.

•	Microsoft Word for Windows 2.0 was used as a model for the behaviour of ToolButton and ContextHelp.  Command buttons behave like Word toolbar buttons, attribute buttons behave like Word ribbon buttons, and context-sensitive help behaves in a similar fashion to Shift+F1 in Word.

•	ToolButton uses the "Buttons & Cursors" (v1.01) code from Microsoft.

•	As mentioned above, ToolButton is compatible with Windows 3.0. However, the Help Reference requires WinHelp 3.1.


ContextHelp

ContextHelp is a control that you can use to permit a user to request context-sensitive help.

Price:	Free

Author:	Brett Foster [CompuServe: 70444,135]

Fulcrum Technologies, Inc.

Usage

An application sets the Enabled property to True (-1) to enable context-sensitive help mode.  ContextHelp displays the mouse cursor shown in the icon above and clips it to its parent form, so that the user can only select controls belonging to that form.  The ControlClick event procedure is called when the user presses the left mouse button to select a control, or cancels.  The user may cancel by either pressing the right mouse button or the Esc key.


StBar

The Visual Basic Status Bar Control (StBar) is a custom control, which allows to add a status line to your Visual Basic applications. This gives your program an appearance comparable to standard Windows applications.

The different segments of the status bar can be used to display program information and as an indicator for toggle keys (NUM, CAPS, ...). In addition, the control offers special events to reflect the occurrence of some important system messages (menu selection, colour changes, ...).

Price:	$ 50

CompuServe SWREG 1264

Author:	Bernd Beekes

Klosterstr. 56

D 51645 Gummersbach

Germany

Tel:	49 2261 300185, 49 2261 55369

Fax:	49 2261 300168

CompuServe ID:	100031,2063

Usage

The main idea behind StBar is to use an extra instance of the control for each segment (information field, NUM and CAPS indicators, ...) of the status line. To add a status line to an application

•	Add STBAR.VBX to the project (compare What is a Custom Control).

•	For each status bar segment, add an instance of the control to the form (double click on the toolbar bitmap or click and draw as with any other control). The status bar segments are automatically placed at the bottom of the form. Sizing the form also stretches or shrinks the status line (in fact, only the width of the leftmost StBar instance changes). This automatic placing and sizing works in design as well as in run mode.

•	Set the properties for each status line segment (for more information see StBar Properties).

StBar and MDI applications

Visual Basic 2.0 and above support the Multiple Document Interface (MDI). In an MDI application, the user expects to have a status line only at the bottom of the main window. Here is how you can achieve this with the StBar control:

•	Draw a picture control on the MDI form (align to bottom, no border).  Make it high enough to contain the status bar.

•	Draw the StBar instances inside the picture control (just like you draw a check box inside a frame control).

•	Add the following code to the MDIForm_Load procedure to adjust the height of the picture box:	picStBar.Height = sbMain.Height


xEdit

The xEdit control package contains 3 Visual Basic custom controls:

•	xEdit	Extension of the Visual Basic Text Box control.

•	ValCtl	Centralised field validation control.

•	MsgCtl	Message control for inter-form and inter-task communication.

These controls are designed to help the Visual Basic programmer developing large data entry applications.

Price:	$ 50,

CompuServe SWREG 1285

Author:	Bernd Beekes

Klosterstr. 56

D 51645 Gummersbach

Germany

Tel:	49 2261 300185, 49 2261 55369

Fax:	49 2261 300168

CompuServe ID:	100031,2063

xEdit: The Extended Edit Control

This control is a complete replacement of the Visual Basic Text Box control with a lot of valuable

enhancements:

•	The xEdit control can switch between Insert and Overtype mode. The edit mode is toggled with the INSERT key and is valid for all xEdit fields on a form.

•	xEdit controls can be displayed with an optional 3-D border.

•	The xEdit control supports the definition of a data type, which restricts the valid keystrokes for a field already at design time without additional coding. There are other properties (Mask, MinValue, MaxValue, ValidationCtl, ...), which offer even more control over the field contents.

•	The xEdit control works together with the StBar status line control. The connection is made with a special StBarText property, which holds the text to display in the status line of the control's parent form or MDI container. This text is displayed in the first section of the status bar whenever the control gets the focus, and it is removed when the user leaves that field. In addition, the edit mode displayed in the status line of a form or MDI container matches the Insert/Overtype setting of the xEdit controls on the form.

ValCtl: Centralised Field Validation

The validation control is used to perform field validation for xEdit controls. In large applications, the same field is often placed on more than one form. The idea behind ValCtl is to write the validation code for such a field only once and to invoke that code by simply setting properties at design time.

To access the validation control you place one or more instances of the validation control on a form (you can use a separate form for this, which then may be shared between different applications). The validation control is invisible at runtime and there are no special properties and only one event, 'validation'.

MsgCtl: The Message Control

Visual Basic does not allow to call the subroutines and functions of a form from outside, i.e. from code in other forms or modules. There are situations, where this isolation is a problem, e.g. it might be desirable to call the event handler for a control from anywhere in the program to trigger a specific action. One solution for this problem is to use the message control to exchange messages between forms. The LinkedToHwnd property extends the use of this control to inter-task communication.


RoboHelp

RoboHelp is an automatic authoring tool that makes the process of creating a Windows Help System - just a matter of pointing and clicking. The user just fills in the actual help text when prompted. Features a customised tool palette. Generates source code for context sensitive help, hypertext link, cross reference.

Price:	UK£ 370

Author:	Blue Sky Software Corp.,

7486 La Jolla Blvd. Ste 3,

La Jolla, CA  92037, USA

Contact: (619) 459-6365, (800) 677-4WIN


DOC-to-HELP

Doc-To-Help customizes Microsoft Word for Windows™ to create a graphical authoring environment that allows simultaneous creation of printed documents and online Help. Doc-To-Helps true single-source approach enables you to create and maintain printed documentation and online Help from one source document without having to compromise in either medium. You can format your document and Help independently from within the single-source document, and you can indicate material as Help Only or Document Only. Revisions made to the source document are reflected in both your printed output and recompiled Help.

Price:	UK£ 280

Author:	WexTech Systems, Inc

Detailed Description

Because Doc-To-Help is an extension of Word for Windows, you are always working in a familiar environment with full access to Words editing, outlining and formatting tools. Doc-To-Help transforms Word into a friendly and intuitive Help-authoring environment as wellall Help features are implemented using everyday techniques such as selecting text, choosing menu items, pushing toolbar buttons and interacting with point-and-click editors. Doc-To-Help even runs the Help Compiler (included with the package) and comes with a Help Setup Wizard which creates Help file distribution disks without programming to ensure proper installation of your Help files.

Doc-To-Help automatically creates basic hypertext structures for your Help by intelligently mapping your flat documents information structures to their hypertext equivalents. Doc-To-Help can derive and implement a robust Help hierarchy, Help topics and subtopics, browse sequences, pop-up definitions and a full keyword search system all based on how youve organized your printed document.

Depending on your experience and preferences, you can override, extend or build on the Help features that Doc-To-Help creates automaticallyyou always retain complete control over the structure and workings of your Help. And Doc-To-Help provides an array of tools that let you easily implement all the advanced hypertext features supported by the Windows Help Engine (including multiple hotspots on graphics, custom menus, secondary windows, Help macros, sound, video and more).

But theres more to good documentation than just organization and contentDoc-To-Help lets you polish every facet of your documents and Helps appearance. On the document side, Doc-To-Help offers great-looking customizable document templates and automatically handles layout details such as headers and footers, tables, crop marks, sideheads, even and odd pages, gutters, page numbering and margin notes. Powerful utilities speed the creation of your documents Table of Contents, Glossary of Terms and Index. Your document and Help can include graphics in many formats, including 256-color bitmaps.

You can easily control all aspects of your Help files appearanceincluding window size, placement and colorswith Doc-To-Helps graphical window editor. Doc-To-Helps Watermarker extends the Help engine to let you display artwork behind the text in your Help screens. You can create multiple hotspots on your graphics with drag-and-drop ease. Doc-To-Help can also automatically create an interactive Help Navigator that lets your users see exactly where they are in the Help file, instantly jump to any Help topic and print any or all topics.

Doc-To-Help offers cutting-edge tools to the expert Help author. The Doc-To-Help API allows integration of an authors own WordBasic macros to extend and customize the Help conversion and compiling processes. Context-sensitive Help is fully supported: a remapping utility allows developers to retain their own map numbers; Visual Basic programmers can create context-sensitive Help using a drag-and-drop interface; sample code for C, Visual Basic™, Word, Excel™ and Access® applications is provided.

No matter what kind of documentation you have to write, Doc-To-Help is with you at every step to make your documents and Help look better, work better and take less time to write and maintain. WexTech Systems, Inc. can be reached at 1-800-939-8324, or 212-949-9595.


SOS Help! for Windows

SOS Help! from Lamaura Development Ltd is a true WYSIWYG help design system for Windows which creates all the files required by the help compiler, making the need for a Rich Text Format (RTF) editor (eg. Word for Windows) redundant.

Create complex hypertext information systems in hours rather that days using SOS Help! for Windows. Add jumps, pop-ups and Windows Help macros from words, phrases or pictures quickly and easily using the Topic Editor. Supported picture types are Windows metafiles, bitmaps and segmented hypergraphics (created with the hot spot editor SHED.EXE).

The Topic Editor has full support for styles and stylesheets; design a house style for use in any Help project, or create different styles for different clients.

All help compiler commands and options are supported eg. setting the topic to be displayed when the user selects the Contents button in WinHelp.

Price:	?

From:	dealers

Feature List

•	Uses Stylesheets to control the formatting of help text

•	Converts Norton Guides to Windows .HLP files

•	Application Programming Interface - create context sensitive help from within an application with one function call

•	Simple "point and shoot" user interface

•	Supplied with a screen capture utility called SnapShot

•	Add notes to topics and topic macros

•	Create Browse Orders, add keywords (for the WinHelp Search function)


VB Messenger

VB Messenger is a custom control to be used in Visual Basic applications.  VB Messenger allows a programmer to tap into the power of Windows by intercepting Windows messages while still providing the ease of use of Visual Basic.

VB Messenger allows the Visual Basic programmer to subclass a Visual Basic form or control (or any Windows control or window) to intercept messages that are intended for the form or control.

Price:	$30  (CompuServe SWREG #961)

Author:	JOSWARE Inc

Usage

VB Messenger extends Visual Basic allowing you to define which messages you would like to intercept for a given form or control.  VB Messenger can trap a message for any window that is loaded in memory including those that are not in your Visual Basic application.

VB Messenger can be used for a countless number of reasons.  One practical use may be to display a Dynamic Information Line (DIL) on a status bar.  A DIL is a line that reports context sensitive help when the mouse moves over a portion of the screen.  For example, as seen in many Windows applications, while the user is selecting a menu item, your application can detect this and display a message on your status bar.

VB Messenger can also be used as a diagnostic tool.  For instance, if you wanted to create a program that prints the literal form of a message (i.e., "WM_PAINT") for a specific window to see what it is doing, you can use VB Messenger to trap that window and report back each message.  You can then translate the message to a string by using VB Messenger's built in message decoder, which translates the message number to a literal.

Or, a more complicated use could be to synchronise two or more list boxes.  For instance, if you have a requirement to display column headings for a list of columnar data in a list box and allow horizontal scrolling, you cannot do this with a standard list box because when the list box scrolls horizontally, the column headings are no longer above the correct columns.  However, you could stack two list boxes vertically, one on top for column headings and one on the bottom for the data.  Using VB Messenger, you can detect when one list box scrolls and then programatically scroll the other one the same amount and direction.

Your VB Messenger disk comes with several samples of Visual Basic code that perform a variety of

different functions using the VB Messenger Custom Control.


ToolTips

The ToolTips Control makes it easy to provide context-sensitive hints to the user of your application. It passes the value of the Tag property of controls when the mouse pointer passes over them (including menu items). When the mouse pointer lingers over a control, it will display an MS-style ToolTip under the pointer until the user moves the mouse off of the control.

Price:	$30 + $6 shipping and handling

Author:	Jim Lamb

Attn: ToolTips

4489 W. Horseshoe Dr.

Beverly Hills, FL 34465

Usage

Only one control is required to support ToolTips. It should be placed on the first form loaded by your application for proper initialisation.

The MenuSelect event, which provides notification of menu selection, functions only for the Form on which the ToolTips control is placed. If your application has more than one Form with top level menus, place another ToolTips Control on that Form to provide support for the MenuSelect event within that Form. (Note: for MDI child forms, you only need one ToolTips Control on your parent MDI Form).

Follow these simple steps to add ToolTips to your application:

•	Add the  TOOLTIPS.VBX file to your project. Select Add File from Visual Basic's File menu.

•	Drag a ToolTips Control from the toolbox to your startup form.

•	Does your application have a status line? If not, you'll want to create one now. The SSFrame control from THREED.VBX (which comes with VB Pro) works well, though I recommend VideoSoft's Elastic control.

•	Double click on the ToolTips Control you added to your form.

•	Add a line of code in the MenuSelect event that sets the Caption of your status line to the value passed in the MenuTag argument. (This will support menu selection hints on your status line).

•	Add a line of code in the OnToolTip event that sets the Caption of your status line to the value passed in the LongTip argument.

•	Set the Tag property of the related controls in your project to the desired Tip String.

•	Unfortunately, you cannot set the Tag property for menu controls at design time, so you need to write some code (ugh!) in the Load event of your startup Form that sets the Tag property of your menu controls (e.g. mnuFile.Tag = "File Operations")


ToolTip

The ToolTip control allows you to add MS style ToolTips and a context sensitive status bar to your Visual Basic applications quickly and easily.

Price:	$29.95 (CompuServe SWREG #2275)

£20 (mail check or money order)

Author:	GC Consulting Services Ltd

Feature List

•	ToolTips

•	Mouse Tracking

•	Menu Tracking

•	Focus Tracking

A single ToolTip control placed on the main form of the application is all that is normally required to provide context sensitive information throughout.

The ToolTip control is fully integrated with the TabFrame VBX which can be used to provide tabbed dialog boxes to your Visual Basic applications.


TBar

The ToolBar control, TBar, is an object which adds miniature captions and control menus to container objects. TBar is used to create floating toolbars from ordinary Visual Basic forms or picture boxes.  Forms containing a TBar control can be moved or closed.

Price:	$20 (CompuServe SWREG #2543)

Author:	Winefred Washington

Usage

To use TBar, place the TBar object inside the container object.  A miniature caption and control menu will appear inside the container.  If the container is a form, do the following:

•	Delete the text in the form's Caption property.

•	Set the ControlBox property to False.

•	Set the MaxButton property to False.

•	Set the MinButton property to False.

Changing these properties removes the caption, control menu, and max/min buttons found normally on a form.


IPX Toolkit

A complete IPX implementation with IPX/SPX support in a custom control. This control allows the VB programmer to very easily develop client/server applications and communicate with peers running Windows, Windows NT, OS/2 or any operating system capable of IPX communication.

Price:	$295

Author:	Intelec Systems


Rumba Software Development Kit

The Rumba SDK provides the VB developer with sophisticated tools for developing advanced connectivity applications.

Price:	$7500

Author:	Wall Data, Inc


Rumba Tools for DDE/EHLLAPI

Rumba Tools for DDE and EHLLAPI enable advanced VB developers to create simplified and transparent connectivity links between PCs and host computers. Rumba Tools for DDE allows VB applications to exchange data continuously with Rumba via DDE, whilst Rumba Tools for EHLLAPI uses EHLLAPI.

Price:	$195 each

Author:	Wall Data Inc


Crystal Reports Pro
Crystal Reports Pro 3.0

The stock version of Crystal Reports that comes bundled with VB is a great piece of software.  But when you're ready to move into high gear you're going to want to upgrade to Crystal Reports Pro version 3.0.

Then you'll find out what life is like in the fast lane.  Because you can pass queries to Crystal Reports Pro directly from the VB Data Control.  And the responsive Pro Report Engine delivers thirty additional calls to the Print Engine giving you optimal control of runtime reports. Hot rodders can customise the 'look' of the Print Window to ensure a consistent application interface. The extensible formula language puts you in the drivers seat.  You can write functions in C, C++ or any language that will compile to a DLL and Crystal Reports Pro will automatically integrate it.

Crystal Reports Pro 3.0 is loaded with new features; an enhanced visual interface, new export formats, OLE 2.0, integrated E-mail support and Data Dictionaries.

Price:	Upgrade from VB Pro 3.0 - $199

 	      "        "    Crystal Reports Pro 2.0 - $149

Author:	Crystal Computer Services Inc

Feature List

Client Server Data Access

•	Oracle, Netware SQL, Gupta SQL base, SQLBase, SQL Server and Sybase compatibility

•	Support for the Q+E ODBC driver pack including Informix and Ingres

•	Mix and match information from PC and SQL databases on one report

PC Data Access

•	dBASE, Clipper, Agility/VB, R:Base, Paradox, Btrieve and FoxPro compatible

•	Mix and match information from different databases in one report

Power for Professional Programmers

•	User defined functions to customise Crystal Reports for use with your application

•	additional calls to the Report Engine API enabling the development of powerful applications with a variety of printers

Point and Click Ease-Of-Use

•	drag and drop fields, formulas or text anywhere on the report

•	WYSIWYG Report Designer is easy to understand and fast to work with

•	Right mouse button Property Inspector makes changing field attributes, inserting subtotals, and selecting data very simple

•	Print to the PrintWindow to interactively create reports

•	Easily produce mailing labels by selecting standard Avery formats or custom lay-outs

Presentation Quality Reports

•	Full Windows printer and font support

•	Add graphics, boxes, drop shadows, lines and colour to reports

•	print in colour to colour printers

Industrial Strength Data Analysis

•	Over 100 functions and operators including standard deviation and variance summary types

•	2-pass reporting on any calculation

•	unlimited sort levels

•	group sorting and group record selection

Print Reports From The Windows Desktop (even when you're not there!)

•	The unique Report Compiler generates report icons for printing from the Windows desktop

•	Set reports to print after hours, when network traffic is lower

•	Change the record selection at time of print

One Corporate Reporting Solution

•	Simple-to-use end user report designer

•	Powerful M.I.S. report writer with multi-database access and Report Compiler

•	FREE distribution of executable reports

•	Time saving programming tool, Report Engine DLL, Visual Basic custom controls

•	FREE runtime


Pretty Printer

Do you want program listings that are easier to read?  That are fun to read?  If so, the Aardvark Pretty Printer is for you. Whether you have a black and white or colour printer, the difference between the new VB pretty printer and ordinary listings is striking.  Pretty Printer produces listings of your VB source programs that use your choice of fonts, types sizes and styles (bold, italics, ...) and even colour to enhance the readability of your listings.  These can be set for comments, identifiers, keywords, literals and page headings.  Optionally autoindents.  Optionally produces module table of contents.  Allows proc selection, margin option, printer selection and page heading selection. This makes it easier to find bugs, understand and modify programs. And, Pretty Printer listings will help you impress your customers, managers and friends.

Compared to Pretty Printer, everything else is ugly!

Price:	$79.99

Author:	Aardvark Software Inc


VB Compress

VB Compress is an unique utility that:

•	Integrates analysis, xref, optimisation and debugging

•	Identifies all unreferenced, duplicate and obsolete code

•	Creates optimised copy and new EXE without a single unnecessary byte

•	Knows every optimising trick in the book

Price:	$59.95  (Standard)

$99.95  (Professional)

Author:	Whippleware


Visual Voice
Visual Voice 2.0

Visual Voice is a custom control and toolkit that allows developers to quickly build sophisticated voice processing applications.  Using Visual Voice, developers can create applications such as Fax-on-demand, touch-tone order entry and voice mail.  Typical business applications include prospects requesting faxed product brochures, customers placing orders or sales reps accessing shipment status.

Visual Voice also includes the Voice Workbench, a set of graphical tools designed for rapid application development.  The Workbench helps create and revise all voice processing objects including voice files, queries, strings, and subroutines.

Visual Voice for Dialogic works with industry standard Dialogic telephony boards to allow you create industrial strength multi-line voice applications.  Dialogic has shipped boards supporting more than 1,000,000 phone lines worldwide and includes a comprehensive suite of telephony features.

Visual Voice for Mwave works with single-line voice/fax/modem boards based on the IBM's revolutionary  Mwave DSP technology.  Using Visual Voice for Mwave, you can develop low-cost, single line voice/fax applications.  Mwave-based boards also support SoundBlaster audio, MIDI, JPEG video, and are software upgradable as new features are made available.

Finally,  Stylus Innovation previously announced support for Microsoft's TAPI standard and will be shipping a TAPI enabled version this fall.  By supporting TAPI, Visual Voice will support all TAPI- compatible voice/fax modems and PBX's as they become available.

Price:	Visual Voice for Dialogic

$495 for the 2-Line Standard Edition,

$995 for the 4-Line Edition,

$1895 for the 24-Line Professional Edition.

upgrade to Version 2.0 at no additional charge

Visual Voice for Mwave

$695 for software and hardware

$495 for software only.

Author:	Stylus Innovation Inc

New in Version 2

•	Sophisticated switching facilities allowing call transfers and conferences to be handled completely by a PC (no PBX required)

•	A graphical virtual phone allowing developers to build, test, and demo applications before installing a telephony board

•	Advanced tone detection making it easy to integrate any Visual Voice application with a PBX or detect fax machine or modem calls

•	Inbound caller identification revealing the phone number of the person calling them

•	International language support enabling applications to speak foreign dates, times, etc.

•	Support for up to 24 simultaneous phone lines

Feature List

•	handling inbound/outbound calls & detecting ringing, connection, line drop, etc.

•	prompting for Touch-Tone input once calls are established

•	playing and recording voice files

•	sending and receiving faxes

•	The Voice Workbench - Using the Voice Workbench, simply point and click to create the building blocks of your application.

•	Record and Manage Voice Files - Voice files are voice recordings digitally stored on your PC.  The Voice Workbench allows you to record and play voice files and store relevant information about their contents.

•	Speak Variable Information With Voice Strings - Voice strings are sequences of voice files and variables played smoothly together.  Voice strings are commonly used to play variable information retrieved from a database (e.g. - "Your balance is $45.10").

•	Receive Caller Input With Voice Queries - Voice queries are used to collect Touch-Tone digits or a voice recording from your callers.  The voice query plays a prompt (a voice file or string) and then waits until the appropriate response is received (e.g., 5 digits, a recorded message, etc.).

•	Construct Voice and Fax Subroutines - Subroutine templates (not shown) are sets of actions (pick up phone, play file, search database, etc.) that are executed in sequence.  The Voice Workbench allows you to graphically construct these subroutines and paste them into your Visual Basic application.

•	Test and Develop Without Special Hardware - Test, develop and demonstrate the application before installing any telephony board using the Virtual Phone.  Simply use any MPC compatible sound device (e.g. SoundBlaster or Windows Sound System) to hear your applications answer or place "virtual calls".  When testing is done, simply install a telephony board and your voice application is up and running!


ProVoice for Windows

ProVoice for Windows allows the VB developer to add synthesised speech to their application by simply sending text strings to a speech driver. Includes sample code.

Price:	$595

Author:	First Byte


SpellPro

SpellPro is a custom control VBX that lets you add spell-checking capabilities to your applications.

Price:	$129

Author:	MicroHelp Inc

Feature List

•	Built-in bad word dialog box

•	50,000 word US English dictionary with facility to add words

•	Common word cache to help speed spell checking

•	Ability to check an individual word, multiple words, sentences, or a string buffer

•	Ability to generate suggestions, ignore or change all bad words

•	Support for custom dictionaries


Borland Visual Solutions

Visual Solutions is a collection of more than 25 custom controls that Borland has gathered together from a variety of custom control developers. In many cases these products are cut-down versions of the products available from the original developers, such as Coromandel's Integra VDB, Media Architects ImageKnife/VBX and MicroHelp's VBTools.  There is also some question as to who will actually provide the support for this product - Borland or the original developers.

Includes controls for:

•	Word processing

•	Communications

•	Spreadsheets

•	Databases

•	Image Editor

•	3-D Charts

•	Tabs

•	Animated Buttons

•	Gadgets

•	Sliders

•	Clocks

•	Alarms

•	Spinners

Price:	$99.95

Author:	Borland International

available from dealers, or

call 1-800-336-6464, ext 8026


Version Stamper-VB

Version Stamper-VB is the ultimate toolkit for distributing Visual Basic-produced executables. Lets you instantly detect version conflicts at runtime. Includes extensive documentation and source code.

Price:	$129

Author:	Desaware

Feature List

•	Embed version resource info into your executables

•	Detect obsolete DLLs and VBXs at runtime

•	Embed DLL and VBX version info into your executable

•	Customisable rescue program

•	Version Spy program with source

•	Installation program tips and techniques

•	Multi-language support


HypertextManager

Five minutes is all it takes to supply advanced hypertext management to any application. Only BrainTree's HypertextManager allows end-users and administrators to view and edit simultaneously. With spell check, thesaurus, OLE graphics, text import/export and more. Supports pop-up and navigational hotwords, multiple font/sizes, colours, characters attributes.

Price:	$89

Author:	BrainTree


SecurityToolkit

You're just 5 minutes away from unique program-wide and task-specific security management with BrainTree's SecurityToolkit. Finally, you can have fully configurable security at the object, field, menu and/or form level. Also, user management and activity tracking, plus a host of security management reports, and batch update tools, and a Project Security Wizard.

Price:	$89

Author:	BrainTree


Fast Text Search

Fast Text Search for Windows is a library of functions for performing full text searches in applications. It is particularly useful within database applications for searching through memo fields for text strings.

Price:	$189

Author:	Index Applications Inc


Pen InputMaster

Pen InputMaster is a VB custom control that provides pen input for VB applications. Includes function to pop up user-definable pick list, ink capture and sample code.

Price:	$99

Author:	StylusTech Inc


NeuroWindows

NeuroWindows is a Windows DLL which provides neural network functions to the VB developer, used for pattern recognition and forecasting. Typical applications include stock market price forecasting and race track handicapping.

Price:	$369

Author:	Ward Systems Group Inc


Installit/VBX

Installit/VBX does compression library management, multinational software release production, patching and distribution, deinstallation and more.

Price:	$199

Author:	BBS Demos


Object Broker

Object Broker is a collection of Visual Basic extensions that allow developers to build interfaces from VB into the ACA Services runtime library.  This allows users to build a common, iconic desktop interface to network and legacy applications.

Price:	$500  Development Licence

$125  Runtime

Author:	Digital Equipment Corporation


Electronic Forms Designer

The Microsoft Electronic Forms Designer allows the use of VB to create electronic forms for users of MS Mail for Windows.  Users can fill in, send and receive the resulting forms across their messaging network.

Price:   $395

Author:	Microsoft Corporation


DataAcq-EZ

DataAcq-EZ is the least expensive way to add quality data aquisition to your VB application. Everything you need to sample, analyse and display data is provided, including VB custom controls that easily manage data aquisition and high-speed display.

Dont be fooled by the price: DataAcq-EZ incorporates the time-saving software standards and quality analog design you've come to expect from Data Translation. We don't trade performance for low cost.

Price:	$195

Author:	Data Translation


DriverLINX/VB

DriverLINX/VB is a custom control for high performance data acquisition for use with third-party analog to digital I/O boards. It supports more than 100 analog I/O, digital I/O, timer/counter and memory management services.

Price:	$400

Author:	Scientific Software Tools


NI-DAQ

NI-DAQ for Windows is a DLL for functions for controlling National Instruments PC plug-in data acquisition boards, with three custom controls designed especially for responding to user-defined data-acquisition events.

NI-488.2 for Windows and NI-VXI for Windows are DLLs with functions for controlling National Instruments PC IEEE 488 (GPIB) interfaces and VXIbus controllers.

Price:	?

Author:	National Instruments


VBAssist

VBAssist 3.0 is the perfect tool for dramatically improving the productivity of your Windows application development efforts.  Unique among VB add-ons, VBAssist is a Windows program that actually becomes an integral part of VB itself visually and functionally.  It seamlessly extends Visual Basic's functionality by attaching a buttonbar of tools to the main VB window.  And now version 3.0 includes tools that take maximum advantage of VB3's new data access extensions.

With features that include control alignment, property synchronisation, visual tab settings and use of the right mouse button to quickly access controls' property settings, you will notice significant productivity gains by using VBAssist.

Price:	$179

Author:	Sheridan Software Systems

Feature List

Some of the tools that make up VBAssist are:

•	a Data Assistant that greatly simplifies the task of linking bound controls to database fields using drag and drop

•	a Form Wizard that creates a complete VB form from any table

•	an Alignment Palette which lets you easily align controls left, right. top or bottom, make them the same size, center them or stack them vertically or horizontally

•	a Lock mode which prevents accidental moving of controls

•	a Form/Picture box control allows you to design large forms that can be scrolled both in design and run-time modes

•	a DB Assistant which manipulates table and index structures without leaving VB

•	click the right mouse button over a control and VBAssist displays a menu of available property types

•	an integrated Code Assistant which allows editing of forms, modules ASCII text and Code Librarian files. It includes a 'Visual Clipboard' which provides a convenient place for assembling code from multiple sources

•	a Property Assistant provides convenient filters which let you focus on logical subsets of a control's properties (eg fonts)

•	clicking on the right mouse button over a control and VBAssist displays a menu of available property types (eg. font), then select the desired property type and the Property Assistant will show you only properties of that type

•	clicking on the right mouse button over a VB code window and VBAssist displays a menu of code items (eg Do/While) from a Code Librarian group, then select a code item and VBAssist will insert into your code

•	Property Templates allow you to save and reapply commonly used property settings for control types

•	A Property Synchronisation facility that lets you propagate one or more property settings from one control to others, even on different forms

•	A facility that lets you create dialog scripts and menu resources from your VB forms for use with other languages

•	A picture capture utility that lets you set 'Picture' properties from files (with preview) or by capturing images from anywhere on your desktop

•	Control Array Management functions for visually creating, deleting, renaming, compressing, modifying and merging control arrays

•	A colour dialog that lets you set colour properties using standard and custom palettes, RGB sliders, hex values or a list of Windows 'System Colours'

•	Click on the Tabs button and VBAssist displays each control's Tabindex right on the form. Just move the cursor over a control, type in the new number and click - the new order is reflected immediately


VB/Link Notes
VB/LINK for Lotus Notes

VB/Link for Lotus Notes enables developers to create customised applications to read, update and display information stored in Lotus Notes databases.

Price:	$695 (single user), $1195 (3-user), $4995 (corporate)

no runtime licence fees.

Author:	Brainstorm Technologies

Feature List

VB/Link provides the following standard set of functionalities:

•	read and update info from multiple fields of any Notes document

•	create new documents based on any Notes form

•	delete existing documents from Notes databases

•	rapid access to data stored in Notes views

•	create virtual data grids of Notes forms based on selection formulae

•	one-step access to a list of all Notes databases, forms, views etc

•	create column joins between Notes data and VB dynasets

Through tight integration with Notes VB/Link provides additional features:

•	composing and sending Notes mail from laptops or within your LAN

•	full text search on views and databases (inc refined full-text search)

•	initiating Notes macros to be run on any database on any server


VBParts

VBParts are a collection of custom controls that are sold and priced separately; you buy only the set you need.  VBParts includes:

•	Spell Checker

•	ZIP data compression

•	Calendar

•	Z-Modem

•	Schedule

•	Notebook

•	Container

•	Barcode

•	Property List

•	Clock

•	Dialog Box Editor

•	Multiple Colour Text Box

Price:	varies

Author:	VBXperts


VB ProjectWorks

Thousands of developers use version control every day, but it hasn't been easy for those who use VB. You've had to struggle with version control systems that deal with your project a file at a time, or at best a group of files, but even then you had to indicate which files were part of your project. Not only that, but they are completely independent programs, making version control a chore. ProjectWorks is always available from within the VB environment whenever you need it, yet doesn't get in your way.

Keep multiple customised versions of the same project, merge changes from one project into another, see the changes that were made from version to version, and more. If you're part of a development group, you especially need ProjectWorks because it allows more than one person to work on a project at the same time without worrying about dangerous conflicts.

Price:	?

Author:	The Young Software Works

Feature List

Standard version

•	Fully Integrated into the VB environment

•	Project oriented check-in and check-out

•	Updates: both temporary and permanent

•	Sophisticated file-sharing capabilities

•	Branch projects and files for customised versions

•	Merge projects and files to migrate changes

•	Rollback projects and files to previous versions

•	Version history comments for both projects and files

•	Version naming

•	Reverse 'delta' storage (for speed)

•	Extensive reporting

Professional Version

•	All features in Standard Version

•	Multi-user network locking capability

•	Advanced locking for exclusive or non-exclusive access

•	Templates for easy selection of lock access rights

•	Security privileges for projects and files

•	Open or closed system for security

•	Audit-trail of user actions


VB Project Archiver

VB Project Archiver is a project management tool that allows a VB project, including related VBX and DLL files to be stored in a single compressed archive file.

Price:	$69.95

Author:	The Young Software Works


VBTools
VBTools 4

MicroHelp's VBTools 4 extends Visual Basic with over 50 extra controls, including new Tab, Tip, Splitter and Dial controls. Version 4 also now comes bundled with 3-D Gizmos and Far Point's Grid/VBX.

Price:	$189

Author:	MicroHelp, Inc

Controls

Grid/VBX	Enhanced Grid control

Mh3d	Enhanced label control with 3-D effects

Mh3dButn	Custom buttons with 3-D effects, multiline captions and bitmaps.

Mh3dCalendar	Select dates from this visual calender control

Mh3dCheck	Enhanced check box with 3-D effects

Mh3dCombo	Enhanced 3-D combo box, with multiple columns, pictures

Mh3dCommand	Enhanced 3-D command button with pictures, text alignment

Mh3dDir	Enhanced 3-D directory list box

Mh3dDrive	Enhanced 3-D drive control

Mh3dFile	Enhanced 3-D file list box control

Mh3dFrame	Enhanced 3-D frame control, including background picture.

Mh3dGauge	Displays linear, needle or bitmap style gauges.

Mh3dGroup	Use command buttons in place of option buttons

Mh3dKeyStat	Monitors the four PC keyboard "state" keys - Num Lock, Caps Lock etc.

Mh3dLabel	Enhanced 3-D label control, including vertical text display

Mh3dList	Enhanced 3-D list box, including multi-column and pictures

Mh3dMenu	3-D and tear-off menus

Mh3dMultiLabel	Multiple label control, eg. for status bar

Mh3dOption	Enhanced 3-D option button

Mh3dText	Enhanced 3-D text control

MhAlarm	Animated alarm-clock control

MhAnimate	Animation control that displays a series of bitmaps

MhCallBack	Gives access to enumerated list and message hook services.

MhCard	Displays cards from the standard 52-card deck

MhClock	Displays 3-D digital and analogue clocks

MhCommand	Enhanced multiline button with text alignment and pictures

MhCommonDialog	Enhanced common dialog control

MhDateInput	Enhanced text box control specifically for inputting dates

MhDial	Potentiometer control similar to the volume control on most radios.

MhDice	Specialised picture box that displays dice

MhDragDrop	Provides automated drag and drop facilities

MhFileDisplay	Display and browse any ASCII text file, regardless of size.

MhFileList	Enhanced file list box resembling File Manager

MhHistograph	Specialised picture box displays information as if on a plotter

MhInput	Replacement text box control with masked input.

MhIntInput	Enhanced text box for integers with built-in spin buttons

MhInvisible	Used to generate events for portions of a form or another control

MhMarque	Shows a moving "banner" of text, with or without a set of moving bitmaps.

MhMaskedInput	Enhanced text box with definable edit masks

MhMulti	Enhanced 5-state command button

MhOddPic	Specialized picture box control that displays non-rectangular pictures

MhOutBox	Gives true device-independent output capabilities

Mh3dOutOfBounds	Bind all controls on a form to database fields

MhRealInput	Enhanced text box control for real numbers.

MhRollUp	Looks like a form which behaves like a drop-down combo box

MhSaver	Add screen saver capabilities to your application

MhSlide	MhSlide is a scrollbar-like control resembling a volume control.

MhSplitter	When used with other Splitters, allows them to be resized individually

MhStretch	Lets the user size other controls at run time

MhTab	Container control resembling folder tabs

MhTimer	Enhanced Timer control

MhTip	Provides pop-up 'tooltip' bar when the mouse hovers over other controls

MhTool	Toolbox control that functions very much like the VB Toolbox.

MhTree	Enhanced outline control with optional automatic file management


Visual Controls for Btrieve

Visual Controls for Btrieve is a set of custom controls and library functions for linking your VB application to the Btrieve database engine.

Price:	?

Author:	Smithware Inc

Feature List

•	Bound data controls for code-free programming, with the ability to join related files automatically

•	Exhaustive field conversion capability to support data from programs in BASIC, Pascal, COBOL and C/C++ languages, all Btrieve key field types, and variable length note fields

•	Btrieve version 6.x compatibility

•	Access to all indexes, including alternate-collating-sequence keys, manual and null keys, and segmented keys

•	DDF Builder, Smithware's advanced system for creating and maintaining Btrieve DDF files


WSHELP

Weimar Software's WSHELP help control collection contains:

•	BALLOON.VBX provides balloon help popup windows for all form controls.

•	RTMOUSE.VBX provides balloon help popup when the right mouse button is clicked.

•	STMOUSE.VBX provides a status line help for each control on a form.

WSHELP.VBX contains all of the functionality of the other three controls plus a unique capability in DTBALLOON section to provide timer activated balloon help.

Price:	$30 (+ tax)

CompuServe SWREG #1428

Author:	Weimar Software


SNDDEX

The SNDDEX custom control performs Soundex word matching comparisons. The SNDDEX.VBX custom control contains two versions of the Soundex word comparison algorithm. These versions are:

•	The standard Soundex comparison algorithm where the first character in each compare word is used "as is" as the first character in the Soundex code word, the remaining characters in the word are processed by the Soundex algorithm and converted to a Soundex code.

•	The second version is a derivative version that allows the first character to not determine the search outcome. In this method, the first character is also converted to the equivalent Soundex code and used in the Soundex comparison. This reduces the "weight" assigned to the first character of a compare word. All remaining characters in the word are also converted to a Soundex code.

Selection of which version of Soundex comparison to use is determined by which Action property is

used.

Price:	$18 (+ tax)

CompuServe SWREG #1165 ($9)

Author:	Weimar Software


M.4

M.4 is an expert system tool available as a custom control for your VB application. M.4 offers an easy to use and learn expert system language that supports rule-based, procedural and object-oriented programming.

Price:	?

Author:	Cimflex Teknowledge Corporation


Raindrop Software Corporation

Raindrop Software Corporation

833 E. Arapaho Road

Suite 104

Richardson, TX  75081

USA

(214) 234-2611 Phone

(214) 234-2674 Fax

e-mail:  CompuServe 74431,1411

GO Raindrop at any CompuServe ! Prompt.

Product List

OMS/VBX


Gigasoft

Robert Dede,

Gigasoft, Inc.

696 Lantana

Keller, TX  76248

Phone:	(817) 431-8470

Fax:	(817) 431-9860

Product List

ProEssentials


DBS GmbH

DBS GmbH,

Kohlhoekerstrasse 61,

28203 Bremen,

Germany

Tel:	++49-421-335910

Fax:	++49-421-3398658.

CompuServe: 100013,115

Product List

TX Text-Control


INTERSOLV

INTERSOLV, Inc

3200 Tower Oaks Boulevard,

Rockville,

Maryland 20852, USA

Tel:	301-230-3200

Sales:	1-800-547-PVCS

Fax:	1-503-629-0186

EMail:	pvcsinfo@intersolv.com

Canada	416-777-6747

Australia	613-816-9977

France	33 (1) 49 03 0999

Germany	089 964 999

UK	0727 812812

Product List

PVCS for Visual Basic


Digital PowerTOOLS

Digital PowerTOOLS

P.O. Box 97794

Jackson MS  39288-7794

AOL:	Vernon486

CIS:	74547,23

Product List

3DfxPlus

CsrPlus

DrvPlus

StrPlus

WavPlus


Winefred Washington

Winefred Washington

1702 Lion Heart Drive

Cedar Park, TX  78613

CompuServe ID:  72070, 3713

Product List

MidiWW

TBar

Wave Maker


The Mandelbrot Set

The Mandelbrot Set (International) Limited,

Mandel House,

Nostle Road,

Northleach,

Gloucestershire GL54 3PF,

United Kingdom

Tel:   (0941) 117488

Fax:  (0451) 861122

Product List

TMS Tools


JOSWARE Inc

JOSWARE, Inc

25 Voorhis Dr.

Old Bethpage, NY 11804

Tel:  516-293-8915

CompuServe:  71222,3352

Product List

VB Messenger

MouseKeeper


WexTech Systems Inc

WexTech Systems, Inc

310 Madison Avenue,

Ste 905, New York, NY 10017, USA

Contact: Steve Wexler

Tel:	(212) 949-9595

Fax:	(212) 949-4007

Product List

DOC-to-HELP


Eschalon Development Inc

Eschalon Development Inc

24-2979 Panorama Drive

Coquitlam, BC

V3E 2W8 Canada

Tel:    604 945-3198

Fax:  604 945-3198

BBS: 604 945-7602

CompuServe:	76625,1320

Product List

EDI Install Pro

VB PowerCtls

VB PowerGauges

VB PowerLibs


oPen Software Systemberatung GmbH

oPen Software Systemberatung GmbH

Louise-Schroeder-Ring 42

W-2082 Tornesch-Esingen

Germany

Tel. 49-4122-56263

Fax. 49-4122-56369

CIS: 100021,2417

Product List

FormText

SuperButton


Accusoft

Accusoft Corporation

112, Turnpike Road

Westborough MA 01581,

USA

Tel:	(800) 525-3577

(508) 898-2770

Fax:	(508) 898-9662

Product List

Accusoft Image Format Library


Dart Communications

GCP++ is your TCP/IP custom control vendor, with more TCP/IP controls than any competitor!  Visual Basic makes it possible to quickly write custom applications, and Dart Communications makes reliable TCP/IP access as easy as setting  properties!  We specialize each control to a particular protocol, so programmers are not concerned with setting numerous parameters...each control is operational in minutes!

Each of Dart's TCP/IP VBX's is designed for a particular programming challenge (UDP, TCP, TFTP, TELNET or VT-200 emulation), greatly simplifying the communications task while lowering both cost and risk. Dart's TCP/IP VBX's operate over all Windows Sockets compliant kernels, allowing your application to utilize a large installed base of existing TCP/IP licenses. For a one-time distribution fee, developers may copy and distribute run-time support...NO ROYALTIES!

Dart Communications

6 Occum Ridge Road,

Deansboro, NY13328-1008, USA

Tel:	(315) 841-8106

Fax:	(315) 841-8107

Email:	sales@dart.com

Product List

GCP++ TCP & UDP VBXs

GCP++ TELNET VBX

GCP++ TFTP VBX

GCP++ VT-220 VBX


MicroHelp Inc

Tel:   1-800-922-3383 or

         404-516-0899

Fax:  404-516-1099

Germany:  MicroBasic Gmbh:  49-89-904-6041

UK:           Contemporary Software:  44-2-73-483979

Product List

3-D Gizmos

Communications Library

HighEdit Lite

HighEdit Pro

List & Label

Muscle

Network Lib

VBXRef

VBTools

VBViewer


Simple Software

Simple Software

Tel:  1-800-653-3234

Product List

WinWidgets


Mabry Software

Most products are available as part of CompuServe's Shareware Registration scheme (GO SWREG), otherwise send payment by check or money order to:

James Shields

Mabry Software

Post Office Box 31926

Seattle, WA  98103-1926

(206) 634-1443

Product List

Alarm

BarCod

BmpLst

DFInfo

FMDrop

IniCon

JoyStk

JS3Pak

MenuEv

PerCnt

RoText

SoundX

ZipInf

Payment Notes

•	Canada and Mexico are NOT considered international

•	Canadian curreny/checks will be honored at face value.

•	Foreign (hard) currency will be honored at the current exchange rate.

•	I'll E-mail your control(s) to you if provided witt an Internet or CompuServe address.  Deduct $5 per control ordered this way.  E-mail is not considered international.

•	SWREG refers to CompuServe's Software Registration forum.  If you're a CompuServe member you can register this software there.  Just GO SWREG, and enter the registration ID after the menu.  Not all of the controls are available through here yet.


EllTech Development Inc

EllTech Development Inc

4374 Shallowford Industrial Parkway

Marietta, GA 30066

Tel:    404-928-8960

Fax:   404-924-2807

Product List

Compression Plus

E-Tree Plus

Fax Plus


AJS Publishing Inc

AJS Publishing

P.O. Box 83220,

Los Angeles,

CA 90083, USA

Tel:  Toll Free:  (800) 992-3383

       California:  (310) 215-9145

Fax:  (310) 215-9135

Product List

MICR Font Check Printer

VB/Magic Controls

Visual/db


Sequiter Software Inc

Sequiter Software, Inc

No. 209, 9644-54 Ave.

Edmonton, AB, Canada

Contact:	Customer Service

Tel:	403-437-2410

Fax:	403-436-2999

Product List

CodeBasic


Apex Software

Apex Software

4516 Henry Street, Suite 401

Pittsburgh, PA 15213-3785, USA

Tel:	800-858-APEX

412-681-4343

Fax:	412-681-4384

Product List

Agility/VB


Novell Inc

Novell, Inc

5918, W Courtyard Drive,

Austin, Texas TX 78730

Tel:	(512) 794-1796

Fax:	(512) 345-7478

Product List

Netware SQL


TechGnosis

TechGnosis

301 Yamato Road No. 2200

Boca Raton, FL 33431, USA

Tel:	800-321-0543

Fax:	407-241-6143

Product List

SequeLink


Revelation Technologies

Revelation Technologies

181 Harbour Drive

Stamford, CT 06902, USA

Tel:    800-262-4747 (Customer Service)

Product List

Open Engine


Coromandel Industries Inc

Coromandel specialise in database access modules, and have products that cater for local PC databases as well as remote SQL databases.

Coromandel Industries, Inc

70-15 Austin Street, Third Floor

Forest Hills, NY 11375, USA

Contact:	Dorai Swamy

Tel:	718-793-7966

Fax:	718-793-9710

CompuServe:	71531,1534

Product List

DbControls

Integra VDB

ObjecTrieve/VB Pro

SQL Controls


Microsoft Corporation

Microsoft Corporation

One Microsoft Way

Redmond, WA 98052-6399, USA

Contact: Customer Service

Tel:	800-277-4679

206-882-8080

Fax:	206-936-7329

Product List

Electronic Forms Designer

LAN Manager Toolkit

Office Developer's Kit (ODK)

SQL Server Toolkit


Brainstorm Technologies

Brainstorm Technologies

24 Thorndike Street, 4th floor,

Cambridge, MA 02141, USA

Tel: (617) 492-3399

Product List

VB/Link for Lotus Notes


MM Technology

MM Technology

Tel:  800-242-4775

Compuserve 71155,1010 SWREG #1387

Product List

DDL Manager


Smithware Inc

Smithware Inc

1052 Madison Square

Madison, Tennessee 37115, USA

Tel:	800-8-BTRIEVE  (800-828-7438)

615-860-3500

Fax:	615-868-5397

CompuServe:	75470,546

MCI Mail:	590-5654

Product List

DDFBuilder

Visual Controls for Btrieve


Blue Rose Software Inc

Blue Rose Software Inc

Tel:    404-717-1225

Fax:   404-806-9393

Product List

DATABasic


DB Technologies

DB Technologies

2420 Briar Oak Circle

Sarasota, FL. 34232, USA

Tel:	813-378-3760

Compuserve:	72123,3661

Product List

DBEngine

Home Automation SDK


Q+E Software

Q+E Software specialise in supplying quality database connectivity Q+E products, and are perhaps best known for the Q+E utility that ships with Excel. Their products are widely available either from dealers or direct from Q+E Software themselves.

Q+E Software

5540 Centerview Drive, Suite 324,

Raleigh, NC 27606, USA

Tel:	800-876-3101

919-859-2220

Fax:	919-859-9334

Q+E Software Europe

Tel:	(31) 10 2202 022

Fax:	(31) 10 4563 348

Q+E Software Deutchland (Gmbh)

Tel:	(49) 228 970760

Fax:	(49) 228 9707610

Q+E Software (UK) Ltd.

Tel:	(44) 273 489888

Fax:	(44) 273 486224

Product List

Q+E ODBC Pack

Q+E Multilink/VB

Q+E Database/VB


CDP Consultants

CDP Consultants

1700 Circo Del Cielo Drive

El Cajon, CA 92020

Tel:	800-876-0098

Fax:	619-440-6482

Product List

Index Manager


Sheridan Software Systems

Sheridan Software Systems

65 Maxess Road

Melville, New York 11747

Tel:	516-753-0985

Fax:	516-753-3661

BBS:	516-753-5452

Product List

Data Widgets

Designer Widgets

VBAssist


GC Consulting Services Ltd

GC Consulting Services Ltd

Fellsgarth House

Hognaston

Ashbourne

Derbyshire DE6 1PR

ENGLAND

In return for your registration you will receive the latest version of these controls and be eligible for product support (via the MSBASIC forum on Compuserve) and free product upgrades for a period of 12 months. Any questions should be sent to Graham Cockell (Compuserve ID 100113,2774) via e-mail or the MSBASIC forum.

Product List

TabFrame

ToolTip


Rochester Software Connection Inc

Rochester Software Connection specialise in providing database connectivity tools to the IBM AS/400 database.

Rochester Software Connection

4909 Highway 52 North Rochester

MN 55901, USA

Tel:	507-288-5922

Fax:	507-287-2803

Product List

ShowCase VISTA

ShowCase VISTA EIS

ShowCase WindowLink

ShowCase Gateway


Unelko Corporation

Unelko Corporation

7428 E. Karen Drive

Scottsdale, AZ 85260

Contact: Tony Pitman

Tel:	602-991-7272

Fax:	602-483-7674

Product List

Bridgit


FarPoint Technologies Inc

FarPoint Technologies, Inc.,

569 Southlake Boulevard,

Richmond, VA 23236

Sales:	(800) 645-5913

Tel:	(804) 378-0432

Fax:	(804) 378-1015

Product List

Aware/VBX

Grid/VBX

Spread/VBX

Tab/VBX

Visual Architect


Bennen-Tec Information Systems

Bennet-Tec Information Systems

10 Steuben Drive

Jericho, NY 11753

Phone:	(516) 433-6283

FAX:	(516) 822-2679

E-Mail:	71201.1075@Compuserve.Com

Product List

ALLText

ALLText HT/Pro

PicScroll

ScatterPlot3D

ShellPack

TLIST

VBXArtist

Software Development Services by Bennet-Tec:

Bennet-Tec Information Systems offers custom off-site software development and software testing services.  For a small fee, we can customize one of our VBX controls, or create a custom control to your specifications.  Our services include:

· Windows Programming in C and Visual Basic

· DOS to Windows Conversions

· DOS and Windows Database Design (Clipper a specialty)

· Visual Basic Custom Controls   (VBX's)


Visual Tools Inc

Order telephone number:  (800) 884-8665

Visual Tools Inc

15721 College Boulevard,

Lenexa, KS 66219

USA

Orders:   (800) 884-8665

Tel:        (913) 599-6500

Fax:       (913) 599-6597

Product List

Formula One/VB

ImageStream/VB

VT-Speller


SoftCraft Inc

SoftCraft Inc

Tel:   800-351-0500 or

        608-257-3300

Fax:  608-257-6733

Product List

Graphic Custom Control


OutRider Systems

OutRider Systems

3701, Kirby Drive, Ste. 1196

Houston, TX 77098, USA

Contact: Jim Nech

Tel:    800-845-0386

Fax:   713-523-0386

Product List

ButtonTool

EditTool

ImageTool


Simplex Software

Simplex Software

813 Hyde Road,

Silver Spring, MD 20902, USA

Tel:  (301) 593-6067

Product List

VBCTL3D


Videosoft

Videosoft

2625 Alcatraz Avenue, Suite 271

Berkley, California 94705

Phone (510) 547-7295

FAX   (510) 547-1084

Compuserve: 71552,3052

Product List

VSVBX

VSView


Desaware

Desaware

5 Town & Country Village #790,

San Jose, CA 95128

Tel:	(408) 377-4770

Fax:	371-3530

Product List

CCF-Cursors

Custom Control factory

SpyWorks-VB

Version Stamper-VB


Diamond Head Software Inc

Diamond Head Software Inc

Tel:	808-545-2377

Fax:	808-545-7042

Product List

ImageBasic


Pinnacle Publishing Inc

Pinnacle Publishing Inc

P.O. Box 888

Kent, WA 98035-0888

Tel:	800-231-1293

 	206-251-1900

Fax:	206-251-5057

Product List

Chartbuilder

Code.Print Pro

Graphics Server SDK


Bits Per Second Ltd

Bits Per Second Ltd. (UK)

Tel:    0532 344000

Fax:   0532 465071

Product List

Chartbuilder

Code.Print Pro

Graphics Server SDK

ToolThings


Geosoft Ltd

Geosoft Ltd. specialise in mapping products, and also provide a software development consultancy service.

Geosoft Ltd.

Unit 3M, Springfield House

Hyde Terrace

Leeds LS2 9LN

United Kingdom

Tel:	(0532) 344-000

Int'l:	+44-532-344000

Fax:	(0532) 465-071

Int'l:	+44-532-465-071

Product List

Map Control

Map Editor

Map Server


New Media Graphics

New Media Graphics

780, Boston Road

Billerica, MA 01821-5925, USA

Tel:	508-663-0666 (Customer Services)

Fax:	508-663-6678

Product List

Super Video for Windows


Media Architects

Media Architects

1075 N.W. Murray Road, #230

Portland, OR 97229-5501

Tel:	503-297-5010

Fax:	503-297-6744

Product List

ImageKnife/VBX

MediaKnife/VBX


Opaque Software

Opaque Software

P.O. Box 2483.

Napa, CA 94558

CompuServe  70621,3034

Product List

OXButton

OXDisplay

3D-VB Input


Data Techniques Inc

Data Techniques, Inc

1000 Business Center Drive, #120

Savannah, GA 31405, USA

Tel:	800-868-8003

 	912-651-8003

Fax:	912-651-8021

BBS:	912-651-8015

Product List

ImageMan/VB


ImageFX

ImageFX,

3021 Brighton-Henrietta TL Rd.,

Rochester, NY 14623

Tel:  (716) 272-8030

Product List

FXTools/VB


Black Ice Software

Black Ice Software specialise in graphics custom controls, including PCX, GIF, TIFF, BMP and WMF file formats.

Black Ice Software, Inc

Amherst Station, Rt. 122,

Amherst, NH 03031

Contact: Laurie Welchoff

Tel:    603-673-1019

Fax:   603-672-4112

Product List

Image SDK+

Targa SDK

PCX SDK

GIF SDK

TIFF SDK


Micro System Options

Micro System Options,

PO Box 95167,

Seattle, WA 98145-2167

Product List

3d Graphic Tools

EZ VBX Toolkit


Autodesk Inc

Autodesk, Inc

Customer Service

2320 Marinship Way

Sausalito, CA 94965, USA

Tel:    800-964-6432

Product List

Animation Player


Rainbow Imaging Inc

Rainbow Imaging Inc

460 East 79th St.

New York, NY 10021-1425, USA

Tel:    212-794-2717

Fax:  212-861-8145

Product List

Picture++


WinWare

WinWare

Tel:    800-2424-PSL  or

         713-524-6394

Product List

Visual Help


IMCSI

IMCSI,

425, Madison Avenue,

New York, NY 10017

Tel:    212-319-1903

Fax:   212-319-1016

Product List

IMWHelp


Software Interphase

Software Interphase

82 Cucumber Hill Road, Suite 104D

Foster, RI 02825-1212, USA

Orders:  800-54-BASIC

Fax:      401-397-6814

Tech:    401-397-2340

Product List

Help Magician


TeraTech Inc

TeraTech, Inc

3 Choke Cherry Road, Suite 360

Dept 174

Rockville MD 20850 USA

Orders:  800-447-9120  ext 174

Int'l:       +1-301-330-6764 ext.174

fax:       301-963-0436

Product List

Dazzle/VB

Vblite

ProMath/VB

FinLib/VB


Crescent Software Inc

Crescent Software Inc

11, Bailey Ave

Ridgefield, CT 06877, USA

Tel:    800-352-2742  (Orders)

         203-438-5300  (Technical Info)

Fax:  203-431-4626

Germany:   Zoschke Data Gmbh:  04344-6166

UK:            Grey Matter Ltd:         44-364-53499

Japan:        Bunka Orient Co:        81-22-378-7106

Product List

QuickPak Pro

QuickPak Scientific

PDQComm

XREF for VB

NetPak Pro


DCA

DCA

Tel:  1-800-348-3221 ext. 59BB

          404-475-8380

Product List

QuickApp


NetManage Inc

NetManage Inc

20823 Stevens Creek Blvd. #100

Cupertino, CA 95014

Fax:  408-257-6405

Product List

NetManage Development Tools


Distinct Corporation

Distinct Corporation

14395 Saratoga Avenue

Saratoga, CA 95070, USA

Tel:   408-741-0781

Fax:  408-741-0795

Product List

Distinct TCP/IP


Intelec Systems

Intelec Systems

10201 W. Markham, Ste. 101

Little Rock, Arkansas 72205, USA

Tel:    501-221-3600

Fax:  510-221-7412

Product List

IPX Toolkit


Wall Data Inc

Wall Data Inc

17769 N.E. 78th Place

Redmond, WA 98052-4992, USA

Tel:    206-883-4777

Fax:  206-885-9250

Product List

Rumba Software Development Kit

Rumba Tools for DDE and EHLLAPI


Crystal Computer Services Inc

Crystal Computer Services Inc

Tel:  Department V    1-800-663-1244 or

                               1-604-681-3435

Product List

Crystal Reports Pro


The Young Software Works

The Young Software Works

USA (212) 982-4127

Compuserve 76703,4343

Product List

VB Project Works

VB Project Archiver


Synergistic Productions Unlimited

Taylor Brown & Lisa Brice

Synergystic Productions Unlimited

taylorbr@blkbox.com

CIS 72322,765

1503 Nance St.

Houston, TX 77002-1127

1-713-228-4959

Product List

$5 Help


Aardvark Software Inc

Aardvark Software Inc

972 Sheffield Road,

Teaneck, NJ 07666, USA

Tel:    800-482-2742

Product List

Pretty Printer


Whippleware

Whippleware

20 Cedar Street

Charlestown, MA 02129

Tel:    800-241-8727

Fax:   617-241-8496

Product List

VB Compress

VB Language Manager

VB Profile


Stylus Innovation Inc

Stylus Innovation Inc

Tel:    617-621-9545

Fax:   617-621-7862

CompuServe: 	70744,71

Product List

Visual Voice


First Byte

19840 Pioneer Avenue

Torrance, CA 90503, USA

Tel:    (800) 545-7677

Fax:  (310) 793-0601

Product List

ProVoice for Windows


BrainTree

All BrainTree products are royalty-free with no runtime licence. All with a 30-day satisfaction guarantee and free technical support.

Tel:    800-745-4645

Fax:  718-224-4728

Product List

SecurityToolkit

HypertextManager


Index Applications Inc

Index Applications Incorporated

8546 Broadway, Ste. 208

San Antonio TX 78217-6340, USA

Contact:  Bill Keedy

Orders:    800-334-8099

Tel:         512-822-4818

Fax:        512-828-5074

Product List

Fast Text Search


StylusTech Inc

Stylus Tech, Inc.

P.O. Box 9171

Cambridge, MA 02139, USA

Tel:    (617) 277-7007

Fax:   (617) 277-8907

Product List

Pen InputMaster


Ward Systems Group Inc

Ward Systems Group, Inc

245 W. Patrick Street

Frederick, MD 21701

Tel:    301-662-7950

Fax:   301-662-5666

Product List

NeuroWindows


BBS Demos

BBS Demos

Tel:   800-448-4154  or  205-880-8785

Fax:  205-880-8705

Product List

Installit/VBX


Digital Equipment Corporation

Digital Equipment Corporation

Tel:        1-800-DIGITAL

Fax:       1-800-524-5694

Japan:    81-3-39897111

Europe:  41-22-7094111

Product List

Object Broker


Synergy Technologies

Synergy Technologies

Tel:    802-878-8514

Fax:   802-879-3754

Compuserve:   72310,2345

Product List

AppLink


Data Translation

Data Translation

Tel:  1-800-525-8528 ext. 385

Product List

DataAcq-EZ


Scientific Software Tools

Scientific Software Tools

30 E. Swedesford Road

Malvern, PA 19355, USA

Tel:    215-889-1354 (Elise Furman)

Fax:   215-889-1630

Product List

DriverLINX/VB


National Instruments

National Instruments

6504 Bridge Point Parkway

Austin, TX 78730-5039, USA

Tel:    512-794-0100

         800-433-3488 (USA & Canada)

         95-800-010-0793 (Mexico)

Fax:  512-794-8411

Product List

NI-DAQ


Cimflex Teknowledge Corporation

Cimflex Teknowledge Corporation

1810 Embarcadero Road

Palo Alto, CA 94303-3308

Tel:    800-285-0500

Fax:  415-493-2645

Product List

M.4


SPSS Inc

SPSS Inc

444 North Michigan Avenue

Chicago, IL 60611, USA

Tel:    800-525-4971

Product List

SPSS Developer's Kit


VBXperts

VBXperts sell a product which enables you to create custom controls called Control Wizard, and a set of custom controls known collectively as VBParts which are sold and priced seperately.

Products List

Control Wizard

VBParts


Weimar Software

Weimar Software,

18515 Annie Lane

San Jose, CA 95120-1006

408-268-6638, FAX 408-268-7655.

Or E-Mail at CIS 71220,2755 and Internet bglover@netcom.com

Product List

Balloon Control

RTMOUSE

SHADBX

SNDDEX

WSHELP


What's New

This section lists all the recent changes to VB Directory Pro:

September 1994

August 1994

June/July 1994

May 1994


What's New (September 1994)

New Products

CKTBL A spreadsheet custom control from Germany

InfoNable/VBX Access remote information providers with this VBX

IPPort Provides TCP/IP communications through an easy interface to WINSOCK

PowerTABLE A replacement for VB's Data Manager

ProEssentials Three controls for drawing sophisticated graphs and charts

PVCS for Visual Basic Sophisticated source control integrated into VB

RASVBX  Programmatically dial a Remote Access Server

Skeleton VBX Template for creating VBXs

SQL-Sombrero VBX, OLE controls and OLE Automation for Sybase & SQL Server

Storc Gold Translates VB Forms into DIALOG/MENU resources for C++

TX Text-Control A full-featured word processor in a custom control

VBcheck Simple, effective and very inexpensive source control for VB

VBCursors More than 40 new mouse pointer graphics

VBX Studio Fifteen useful custom controls

VSView Form title, printer, scrollable window and draw controls

XLabel Extended label control


What's New (August 1994)

New Products

3DfxPlus Automatically get 3D effects for your forms

API Servant Easy method of copying Windows API declarations into your VB programs

CsrPlus Extra cursors (mouse pointers) and background patterns

DrvPlus Get hard disk and memory info

MDB->BAS Generates VB code to create Access database from MDB file

MidiWW Send and receive MIDI data from your MIDI keyboard via your sound card

OXDisplay Enhanced label, clock and meter bar controls

StrPlus Extra string manipulation functions

TMS Tools A set of productivity, debugging and error handling tools

ToolThings Eleven tools to enhance VB from Bits Per Second

VB/Rig Automatically generates and manages error handling routines

VButton An enhanced picture button contol.

VERSIONS Source control for VB and other development environments

WavPlus Simplifies programming Wav (and Mid) playback and recording

Expanded Descriptions

Visual Help Create .HLP files without a word processor, using drag-and-drop

Visual Voice Develop sophisticated voice processing applications. Version 2.


What's New (June/July 1994)

New Products

CANIMATE Create animations in your VB applications

DCLIST A data-aware list box

Early Morning Editor A text editor control that can handles amounts of text

EDI Install Pro Sophisticated program installation utility

HelpBreeze Automate creating Help files from Word for Windows

Helpfile Helper Generates a map of context ids from VB source code

IEEE 488.2 Control Communicate with National Instruments IEEE 488.2 bus

MENUWATCH Add a full-featured menu help status bar

Message Blaster Catch and process Windows messages from within VB

Message Spy Used to spy on Windows and Visual Basic messages

MouseKeeper Provides more sophisticated control over mouse events

OMS/VBX Quickly and easily e-mail enable VB applications

STATUSB Microsoft style status bar

TOOLBUTT Microsoft style toolbar button

Universal Install A completely user-configurable installation program utility

VB Add-On Witch Manages a project's add-on VBXs and associated HLP files

VBVoice Develop interactive voice systems with this set of custom controls

VPrint Source code printer for Visual Basic

Expanded Descriptions

DOC-to-HELP Convert you manuals in Word to Windows help files

VSVBX Elastic, IndexTab and AWK controls


What's New (May 1994)

New Products

Borland Visual Solutions Over 25 custom controls

Designer Widgets Dockable toolbar, index tab and form caption controls

HighEdit Pro Word processor VBX with RTF import, header & footers, tabs, graphics

List & Label Database reporting tool from MicroHelp

Map Editor Edit and modify maps created with Map Server

Office Developer's Kit (ODK) Exposes and documents Microsoft Office objects

SIxBase/VB Small, fast xBase drivers, supports Clipper and FoxPro index/memos

Tab/VBX Tab control from FarPoint

Version Stamper-VB Detect version conflicts at runtime

Product Upgrades

Q+E Multilink/VB New version 2

VBTools Version4 with more controls, plus 3-D Gizmos and Far Point's Grid/VBX