Member Avatar for culebrin

Hi,

Is there any chance to get a visual basic 6 compiler for free? I mean, I have a vb6 project (made with the visual studio 6 IDE), but I have no IDE (visual studio 6 or something).

Thank you very much.

Omar

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by sten2005

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Short answer for : Microsoft never turned the Visual Basic 6 IDE/compiler into a free, supported download — the VB6 runtime is still supported on current Windows versions, but the VB6 IDE itself is legacy and not supported. (learn.microsoft.com)

Practical routes when a VB6 project exists but no IDE is available:

  • If only execution is required, run the compiled EXE on a supported Windows release (the VB6 runtime is shipped and supported in Windows). (learn.microsoft.com)
  • If rebuilding is needed, the safest legal path is to install a licensed Visual Studio 6 / VB6 setup on a virtual machine (32-bit guest OS), apply VB6 Service Pack 6 and register any OCX/COM dependencies before building. The SP6/dev updates are available from Microsoft resources and are strongly recommended for stability. (learn.microsoft.com)

There are two modern alternatives:

  • twinBASIC is a community-driven, actively developed compiler/IDE that aims for high VB6/VBA compatibility and can produce native 32/64-bit binaries; it is worth trying on non-trivial projects that must be compiled on current OSes. (twinbasic.com)
  • Migrate to VB.NET (or rewrite) using Microsoft’s upgrade guidance and tools when a long-term supported platform is desired — conversion tools exist but often need manual fixes, so budget time to test and adapt. (microsoft.com)

Quick troubleshooting tips: inspect the project file (.vbp) for referenced OCXs/DLLs and register missing controls on the build machine (example): 

regsvr32 "C:\path\to\missingcontrol.ocx"

Avoid pirated installers — they carry legal and malware risk. Choose the route that matches the goal (run-only, quick rebuild, or full migration) and document dependencies before attempting a build. Mention of ’s suggestion is apt (second‑hand licensed media is a common route), but the VM/SP6, twinBASIC, or migration paths above provide safer, longer-term options.

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Member Avatar for vb5prgrmr

No, but if you search Nextag.com or ebay you should be able to find full versions for real cheap.

Good Luck

Member Avatar for sten2005

Use the twinBASIC programming language.

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