[ .NET, ADO, OLEDB, MS Office Interop ]

As a software engineer, creating an application that helps solve a real-world problem is an impressive achievement. It takes time, dedication, and a deep understanding of programming concepts to develop an application that is not only functional but also user-friendly. This is why I am proud to share my experience of developing a computer parts store management application when I was only 14.

The application I created was designed to assist computer parts store owners in managing their inventory, making sales, and creating bulk discounts for customers. The idea came from my cousin who was opening his compuiter store at the time, I wanted to do something useful so he gave me this idea. I was so obsessed with learning programming that having no internet or programming books didn’t stop me, I had MSDN installed locally and knowing a few words in English I was able to start my journey as a developer. The application that resulted features full CRUD operations, i.e. users can add, view, edit, and delete records from the database. The data is accessed through OLEDB using an MS Access database, making it easy for users to input and manage their inventory data. I used extensively C1 components developed by ComponentOne and applied various custom visual styles through UI events.

One of the unique features of the application is its ability to make discounts and bulk sells. This is particularly useful for customers who want to assemble a PC from parts. With just a few clicks, customers can select the items they need and apply a discount to the overall price. This makes it easier for store owners to manage sales and provides a more streamlined experience for customers.

Another noteworthy feature of the application is its ability to export the database to HTML format. This allows store owners to easily share their inventory data with others or keep a backup of their data in a different format. The database is displayed as a list table on the first screen of the application, making it easy for users to view and manage their data.

Overall, the computer parts store management application I developed was a challenging but rewarding project. It allowed me to gain hands-on experience with programming concepts such as data access, CRUD operations, and user interface design. It also taught me the importance of testing and debugging, as I encountered numerous errors during the development process.

It is worth mentioning that the computer parts store management application I created was built using Visual Basic.Net and the first version of the .NET Framework (1.1). This provided me with a solid foundation for developing desktop applications and taught me valuable skills that I have continued to build upon throughout my career. Although the application was created at a young age, it was a significant accomplishment that provided me with a strong sense of accomplishment and laid the groundwork for my future development projects.

Download: ISDB v5.5.
You can download .NET Framework 1.1. required to run the app from here.