How to save data in a file?

[Ysa Gohh]

Hello
For my project, I made a program that computes for FG (Final Grade) of a student, and lists the students who receive awards.

How do I save these data? (the values of the variable FG and the contents of the listboxes) I'm thinking of having a save button, and I really need the code for it, but I can't find a working one anywhere. Also, is it better to save as a text file or as a database? (I'm a moderate beginner, so I don't know what a database is like.)

By the way, I use Visual Basic Express Edition 2008.
If it helps, the listbox names are listVAExcel, listVALead, listCAExcel, and listCALead.

Thank you very much and I hope for your prompt replies! :D

[Guido Geurs]

This is an example in VB6 how to save data of your 4 lists in the application directory in a file:(demo see attachment)

Private Sub ComSave_Click()
Dim FNumSave As Integer
Dim LISTidx As Integer
   FNumSave = FreeFile()
   On Error GoTo Error_Saving
   Open App.Path & "\settings.ini" For Output As #FNumSave
      Write #FNumSave, "[ listVAExcel ]"
      With listVAExcel
         For LISTidx = 0 To .ListCount - 1
            Write #FNumSave, .List(LISTidx)
         Next
      End With
      Write #FNumSave, "[ listVALead ]"
      With listVALead
         For LISTidx = 0 To .ListCount - 1
            Write #FNumSave, .List(LISTidx)
         Next
      End With
      Write #FNumSave, "[ listCAExcel ]"
      With listCAExcel
         For LISTidx = 0 To .ListCount - 1
            Write #FNumSave, .List(LISTidx)
         Next
      End With
      Write #FNumSave, "[ listCALead ]"
      With listCALead
         For LISTidx = 0 To .ListCount - 1
            Write #FNumSave, .List(LISTidx)
         Next
      End With
      Write #FNumSave, "[ EOF ]"
   Close #FNumSave
Exit Sub
Error_Saving:
   MsgBox "error saving file"
   Close #FNumSave
End Sub
___________________________________
 
Private Sub ComLoad_Click()
Dim FNumLoad As Integer
Dim LISTidx As Integer
Dim INPUTDATA As String
   FNumLoad = FreeFile()
   On Error GoTo Error_Loading
   Open App.Path & "\settings.ini" For Input As #FNumLoad
      Input #FNumLoad, INPUTDATA '§ first line
      Do Until INPUTDATA = "[ EOF ]"
         Select Case INPUTDATA
         Case "[ listVAExcel ]"
            Input #FNumLoad, INPUTDATA '§ first data
            Do Until Left(INPUTDATA, 2) = "[ " '§ until next header
               listVAExcel.AddItem INPUTDATA
               Input #FNumLoad, INPUTDATA
            Loop
         Case "[ listVALead ]"
            Input #FNumLoad, INPUTDATA
            Do Until Left(INPUTDATA, 2) = "[ "
               listVALead.AddItem INPUTDATA
               Input #FNumLoad, INPUTDATA
            Loop
         Case "[ listCAExcel ]"
            Input #FNumLoad, INPUTDATA
            Do Until Left(INPUTDATA, 2) = "[ "
               listCAExcel.AddItem INPUTDATA
               Input #FNumLoad, INPUTDATA
            Loop
         Case "[ listCALead ]"
            Input #FNumLoad, INPUTDATA
            Do Until Left(INPUTDATA, 2) = "[ "
               listCALead.AddItem INPUTDATA
               Input #FNumLoad, INPUTDATA
            Loop
         End Select
      Loop
   Close #FNumLoad
Exit Sub
Error_Loading:
   MsgBox "error loading file"
   Close #FNumLoad
End Sub