Hi, all,

I have some old VB 6.0 apps. I am in the process of evaluating if and how we can upgrade the VB 6 apps for the future, and using what tool.

It seems to me I can upgrade VB 6 to VB.NET with little problem, but I want the VB apps to be able to run on intranet environment, and that seems to bring the ASP into the picture, but this seems to be more complicated.

So, can VB.NET apps run like a web application on a browser? pretty much like an ASP applications? if not, what's the right way to convert VB 6 to ASP keeping the old codes as much as possible, if not all of them?

I don't know who told you that you can upgrade from VB6 to VB.NET with "little problem" but I disagree 100% with that statement. It's not easy. Moving from VB6 to VB.NET (Winforms) will be hard enough. Then converting them to webforms will be even harder.

Your upgrade path will depend on the way you wrote your old VB6 code.

Did you seperate the business layer from the UI? if you did, then you can compile your VB6 DLL's and use COM INTEROP to talk to them with a .NET UI (Either webforms or winforms). If you mixed all your code with your UI, your looking at a complete re-write.

VB.NET is a language.

ASP.NET is a technology (or set of objects) you can use any .NET language to write ASP.NET compliant code.

So, yes, you can run VB.NET apps like a web application- as long as they meet the ASP.NET standards. Which means your UI needs to be "Webforms" instead of "Winforms" (and all that goes along with it).




Hal Levy
Web Developer, PDI Inc.

NOT a Wiley/Wrox Employee

I think I understand what you're saying, and that puts me in deep thoughts. =)
Our current VB codes are not well "separated", and rewrites may well be the route to take. All I want is an app that will not need client-desktop installation or update, and it should be server-resident and browser-based, so that I can give user an URL, and they're ready to go. I guess that points me to ASP?!
Anything I need to pay attention to if I do convert it to ASP? I can keep the classmodules by building DLL, I guess I need to replace all the WinForms with ASP/HTML forms? any good books or articles out there?

Yes, you would need to go to ASP if you want to use a clientless install.

There's nothing good on converting from VB6 to ASP.NET - I really think it's a rewrite situation.

Hal Levy
Web Developer, PDI Inc.

NOT a Wiley/Wrox Employee

Well, thanks for the reply. I am not surpised by this answer.
But wouldn't it be a nice, pleasant surprise if someone out there tells us that, we're both terribly wrong?! =)
Thanks again.

I've answered this question countless times.. going back to the beta of the 1.0 framework when I spoke to the NYSIA about the "upgrade path" to .NET... the answer always remains the same.


Hal Levy
Web Developer, PDI Inc.

NOT a Wiley/Wrox Employee