Computer Science - AS Level

Visual Basic (Console Mode)

To install Visual Basic 2017 (part of Visual Studio) on your computer click (here for Windows and here for Mac) -
You only need install the '.NET desktop development' Workload.

For Linux try Gambas or Mono.

To install Visual Basic 2010 for Windows (an older version which will take a shorter time to download but is only available for Windows).

A good online IDE is Jdoodle.

How to use Jdoodle.

Another online IDE is rextester.com/l/vb but any inputs have to be entered before running a program, so it is not recommended.

To open word documents, powerpoint presentations and spreadsheets install Microsoft Office or Open Office (free). To print to Adobe .pdf at home install doPDF. To view powerpoint presentations in a Google Chrome web browser without downloading them install the Docs Online Viewer extension.

• Basis Syllabus

Useful Visual Basic Settings

Sequence construct:

1 Variables/Identifiers (Variables, Context-Sensitive Prompts, Initial Error Detection, =, PrettyPrint, Testing, Debugging, Error types, Constants, Overflow, Pseudocode)

Operators, Reserved Words & Variables

• Operators, Reserved Words, Variables & Writing Understable Code Quiz

Data Types & File Size Calculations

• Data Types & File Size Calculations Presentation
  • Data Types & File Size Calculations Quiz

Translators

• Translators Presentation (Basically a slightly more simplified and shorter version of the FIRST presentation above.)
  • Notes and Exercises on Program Translators
    • Translators Quiz

Interpreters & Compilers

• Interpreters & Compilers Presentation
  • Theory notes on Compilers & Interpreters (teach-ict.com)
• Interpreters & Compilers Quiz

Selection constructs:

2.1 If Selection (If selection construct, Concatenation, Arithmetic errors, Validation)

2.2 If And Or Selection (Logical Operators: And Or)

2.3 Nested If & Complex Selection (Nested If structures, Complex Multiple Conditions)

2.4 Case Selection (Select Case …. End Select Structures, Commenting Out Lines)

Selection Quiz

Iteration/Iterative Loop constructs:

3.1 For ... To ... Next Loops (For ... To ... Next, Infinite Loops, Recalculating a Variable's Value from its previous Value)

3.2 Nested Loops (Outputting to the same line and creating new blank lines, Step Parameter for For ... To ... Next Loops)

3.3 Do ...Loop Until (Do … Loop Until (condition is true), specifically using Boolean Variables, Manually Incrementing a Variable, Commenting Out Lines)

3.4 Do While ... Loops (Do While (condition is true) … Loop, Round & Random functions, setting initial values of variables, Default values of data types, resetting variables and arrays)

Iteration Loops (White box Testing / Dry Runs) Quiz

Iteration Loops (Writing Programs) Quiz

String Handling:

4 Strings (ASCII & Processing Strings - Char (CharW), ASCII (Asc), Locate (Instr), Mid, Length (Len))

Data Representation / Conversion

• Data Representation / Conversion Presentation
• Binary - Decimal Convertor
• Hexadecimal-Binary Convertor
  • JK's Binary - Decimal Convertor
  • ASCII (wikibooks)
  • Unicode (wikibooks)
  • BCD (wikipedia)
  • Step by step decimal to binary (vt.edu)
  • Notes for binary & hexadecimal with exercises (wikibooks)
  • Notes on hexadecimal (vt.edu)
  • Binary Revision (youtube)
  • Interactive Binary Conversion Game (pwnict)
  • Binary Numbers (csunplugged)
  • Conversion Skills Game (forums.cisco)
    • Data Representation Quiz

String Handling (White Box Testing / Dry Runs) Quiz

String Handling (Writing Programs) Quiz

Arrays:

5.1 Arrays (1D Arrays, linear searching, bubble sorting)

5.2 Arrays (2D Arrays, Pseudocode)

Arrays Presentation

• Arrays (Dry Runs / White Box Testing) Quiz
• Arrays (Programming) Quiz

Records:

6 Records

Files:

7.1 Files (Text / Serial / Sequential Files)

7.2 Files (Random Access / Direct Access Files, Pseudocode)

Files Quiz

Procedures (& Functions):

Top Down Approach and Algorithms Presentation

• Top Down Approach and Algorithms Quiz

8.1 Procedures (Sub Procedures, Passing Parameters to sub procedures, Expanding/Collapsing Procedures/Code Blocks)

8.2 Procedures (Function Procedures, Stub Testing)

• Top Down Approach and Procedures Presentation
  • Procedures & Functions Quiz 1
  • Procedures & Functions Quiz 2

Training Evaluation Maintenance and Obsolescence

• Training Evaluation Maintenance and Obsolescence Presentation
• Evaluating the New System (igcseict.info)
• Training Evaluation Maintenance and Obsolescence Quiz