In version 3.xx, Superbase introduced support for the VB style of programming. Our example would look like this:

SUB main()

OPEN FILE SHARE,0"PEOPLE"

Superbase.Form.Open("CONTACT")

SELECT KEY "John Smith"

CALL ring_the_bell( 5 )

END SUB

SUB ring_the_bell( num_times% )

FOR I% = 1 to num_times%

Superbase.Bell

NEXT I%

END SUB

Although this is similar to the QuickBasic syntax, the VB syntax is more powerful because is self-documents that "object model" that the program operations under. For example in this code, you can determine that the Open method of the Form object is owned by the parent of Superbase. And you can also see that the Bell method of the Superbase object is the same as beeping the speaker.

Although the VB syntax is the current hot programming language, many people find it more difficult to read then the other forms (like QuickBasic) of BASIC syntax.

Exercise
Write a small program to open a file, then open a form, and then select the first record, and then print it to the printer. Hint (turn on the Macro recorder and record yourself doing these operations manually, and then turn off the recorder and see what the code looks like in the program editor.