Microsoft's Visual Basic Dynamic Computing Scripting Platform
The dynamic VB scripting platform (codename VBx) is an upcoming implementation of a subset of the next version of Visual Basic.NET (version 10). Dynamic VB is based on VB.NET and both languages will share the same syntax and programming model. The dynamic VB Platform Plug-In for Inference enables Inference Word to host the dynamic VB engine and compile the embedded VB code into assemblies, which are executed from memory. Dynamic VB is tightly integrated with the entire .NET framework and makes all .NET and dynamic VB libraries easily accessible to VB.NET programmers, while maintaining full compatibility with the VB.NET Language.
If you are a .NET developer, you can retain your favorite development tools. Microsoft will provide dynamic VB support into Visual Studio through the Visual Studio SDK. You can use Visual Studio to construct dynamic VB scripts and libraries, with full access to the Visual Studio designer and debugger, and embed them into Inference.
Dynamic VB is built on top of Microsoft’s Dynamic Language Runtime (DLR). The DLR adds key services to the .NET Common Language Runtime (CLR) to make the CLR an optimized environment for hosting dynamic scripting languages. In essence, dynamic VB is a fusion of the Visual Basic language and the DLR, which enables the following:
- Sharing of dynamic VB code with other dynamic languages (e.g., IronPython, IronRuby, Managed JavaScript) as well as with powerful static languages such as VB.NET, C# and F#.
- Native access to .NET types and the framework classes from dynamic VB. This makes dynamic VB a great platform for experimenting, writing applications, or structuring workflow solutions using Inference in conjunction with .NET.
- Use of open source and commercial 3rd party .NET libraries. This includes 3rd party libraries for sophisticated GUI components (e.g.,. building custom Inference editors and data grids), statistical libraries, and computational libraries.