Hidden Features of VB.NET?

Question

I have learned quite a bit browsing through Hidden Features of C# and was surprised when I couldn't find something similar for VB.NET.

So what are some of its hidden or lesser known features?

Answer 1

The Exception When clause is largely unknown.

Consider this:

Public Sub Login(host as string, user as String, password as string, _
                            Optional bRetry as Boolean = False)
Try
   ssh.Connect(host, user, password)
Catch ex as TimeoutException When Not bRetry
   ''//Try again, but only once.
   Login(host, user, password, True)
Catch ex as TimeoutException
   ''//Log exception
End Try
End Sub

Answer 2

Have you noticed the Like comparison operator?

Dim b As Boolean = "file.txt" Like "*.txt"

More from MSDN

Dim testCheck As Boolean

' The following statement returns True (does "F" satisfy "F"?)'
testCheck = "F" Like "F"

' The following statement returns False for Option Compare Binary'
'    and True for Option Compare Text (does "F" satisfy "f"?)'
testCheck = "F" Like "f"

' The following statement returns False (does "F" satisfy "FFF"?)'
testCheck = "F" Like "FFF"

' The following statement returns True (does "aBBBa" have an "a" at the'
'    beginning, an "a" at the end, and any number of characters in '
'    between?)'
testCheck = "aBBBa" Like "a*a"

' The following statement returns True (does "F" occur in the set of'
'    characters from "A" through "Z"?)'
testCheck = "F" Like "[A-Z]"

' The following statement returns False (does "F" NOT occur in the '
'    set of characters from "A" through "Z"?)'
testCheck = "F" Like "[!A-Z]"

' The following statement returns True (does "a2a" begin and end with'
'    an "a" and have any single-digit number in between?)'
testCheck = "a2a" Like "a#a"

' The following statement returns True (does "aM5b" begin with an "a",'
'    followed by any character from the set "L" through "P", followed'
'    by any single-digit number, and end with any character NOT in'
'    the character set "c" through "e"?)'
testCheck = "aM5b" Like "a[L-P]#[!c-e]"

' The following statement returns True (does "BAT123khg" begin with a'
'    "B", followed by any single character, followed by a "T", and end'
'    with zero or more characters of any type?)'
testCheck = "BAT123khg" Like "B?T*"

' The following statement returns False (does "CAT123khg" begin with'
'    a "B", followed by any single character, followed by a "T", and'
'    end with zero or more characters of any type?)'
testCheck = "CAT123khg" Like "B?T*"

Answer 3

This is a nice one. The Select Case statement within VB.Net is very powerful.

Sure there is the standard

Select Case Role
  Case "Admin"
         ''//Do X
  Case "Tester"
         ''//Do Y
  Case "Developer"
         ''//Do Z
  Case Else
       ''//Exception case
End Select

But there is more...

You can do ranges:

Select Case Amount
 Case Is < 0
    ''//What!!
 Case 0 To 15
   Shipping = 2.0
 Case 16 To 59
    Shipping = 5.87
 Case Is > 59
    Shipping = 12.50
 Case Else
    Shipping = 9.99
 End Select

And even more...

You can (although may not be a good idea) do boolean checks on multiple variables:

Select Case True
 Case a = b
    ''//Do X
 Case a = c
    ''//Do Y
 Case b = c
    ''//Do Z
 Case Else
   ''//Exception case
 End Select

Answer 4

Optional arguments again !

Function DoSmtg(Optional a As string, b As Integer, c As String)
    'DoSmtg
End 

' Call
DoSmtg(,,"c argument")

DoSmtg(,"b argument")

Answer 5

Documentation of code

''' <summary>
''' 
''' </summary>
''' <remarks></remarks>
Sub use_3Apostrophe()
End Sub

Answer 6

If you never knew about the following you really won't believe it's true, this is really something that C# lacks big time:

(It's called XML literals)

Imports <xmlns:xs="System">

Module Module1

  Sub Main()
    Dim xml =
      <root>
        <customer id="345">
          <name>John</name>
          <age>17</age>
        </customer>
        <customer id="365">
          <name>Doe</name>
          <age>99</age>
        </customer>
      </root>

    Dim id = 1
    Dim name = "Beth"
    DoIt(
      <param>
        <customer>
          <id><%= id %></id>
          <name><%= name %></name>
        </customer>
      </param>
    )

    Dim names = xml...<name>
    For Each n In names
      Console.WriteLine(n.Value)
    Next

    For Each customer In xml.<customer>
      Console.WriteLine("{0}: {1}", customer.@id, customer.<age>.Value)
    Next

    Console.Read()
  End Sub

  Private Sub CreateClass()
    Dim CustomerSchema =
      XDocument.Load(CurDir() & "\customer.xsd")

    Dim fields =
      From field In CustomerSchema...<xs:element>
      Where field.@type IsNot Nothing
      Select
        Name = field.@name,
        Type = field.@type

    Dim customer = 
      <customer> Public Class Customer 
<%= From field In fields Select <f> 
Private m_<%= field.Name %> As <%= GetVBPropType(field.Type) %></f>.Value %>

                     <%= From field In fields Select <p> 
Public Property <%= field.Name %> As <%= GetVBPropType(field.Type) %>
 Get 
Return m_<%= field.Name %> 
End Get
 Set(ByVal value As <%= GetVBPropType(field.Type) %>)
 m_<%= field.Name %> = value 
End Set
 End Property</p>.Value %> 
End Class</customer>

    My.Computer.FileSystem.WriteAllText("Customer.vb",
                                        customer.Value,
                                        False,
                                        System.Text.Encoding.ASCII)

  End Sub

  Private Function GetVBPropType(ByVal xmlType As String) As String
    Select Case xmlType
      Case "xs:string"
        Return "String"
      Case "xs:int"
        Return "Integer"
      Case "xs:decimal"
        Return "Decimal"
      Case "xs:boolean"
        Return "Boolean"
      Case "xs:dateTime", "xs:date"
        Return "Date"
      Case Else
        Return "'TODO: Define Type"
    End Select
  End Function

  Private Sub DoIt(ByVal param As XElement)
    Dim customers =
      From customer In param...<customer>
      Select New Customer With
      {
        .ID = customer.<id>.Value,
        .FirstName = customer.<name>.Value
      }

    For Each c In customers
      Console.WriteLine(c.ToString())
    Next
  End Sub

  Private Class Customer
    Public ID As Integer
    Public FirstName As String
    Public Overrides Function ToString() As String
      Return <string>
ID : <%= Me.ID %>
Name : <%= Me.FirstName %>
             </string>.Value
    End Function

  End Class
End Module
'Results:

ID : 1
Name : Beth
John
Doe
345: 17
365: 99

Take a look at XML Literals Tips/Tricks by Beth Massi.

Answer 7

I don't know how hidden you'd call it, but the If operator could count.

It's very similar, in a way, to the ?: (ternary) or the ?? operator in a lot of C-like languages. However, it's important to note that it does evaluate all of the parameters, so it's important to not pass in anything that may cause an exception (unless you want it to) or anything that may cause unintended side-effects.

Usage:

Dim result = If(condition, valueWhenTrue, valueWhenFalse)
Dim value = If(obj, valueWhenObjNull)

Answer 8

Unlike in C#, in VB you can rely on the default values for non-nullable items:

Sub Main()
    'Auto assigned to def value'
    Dim i As Integer '0'
    Dim dt As DateTime '#12:00:00 AM#'
    Dim a As Date '#12:00:00 AM#'
    Dim b As Boolean 'False'

    Dim s = i.ToString 'valid
End Sub

Whereas in C#, this will be a compiler error:

int x;
var y = x.ToString(); //Use of unassigned value

Answer 9

Sub Main()
    Select Case "value to check"
        'Check for multiple items at once:'
        Case "a", "b", "asdf" 
            Console.WriteLine("Nope...")
        Case "value to check"
            Console.WriteLine("Oh yeah! thass what im talkin about!")
        Case Else
            Console.WriteLine("Nah :'(")
    End Select


    Dim jonny = False
    Dim charlie = True
    Dim values = New String() {"asdff", "asdfasdf"}
    Select Case "asdfasdf"
        'You can perform boolean checks that has nothing to do with your var.,
        'not that I would recommend that, but it exists.'
        Case values.Contains("ddddddddddddddddddddddd")
        Case True
        Case "No sense"
        Case Else
    End Select

    Dim x = 56
    Select Case x
        Case Is > 56
        Case Is <= 5
        Case Is <> 45
        Case Else
    End Select

End Sub

Answer 10

It's not possible to Explicitly implement interface members in VB, but it's possible to implement them with a different name.

Interface I1
    Sub Foo()
    Sub TheFoo()
End Interface

Interface I2
    Sub Foo()
    Sub TheFoo()
End Interface

Class C
    Implements I1, I2

    Public Sub IAmFoo1() Implements I1.Foo
        ' Something happens here'
    End Sub

    Public Sub IAmFoo2() Implements I2.Foo
        ' Another thing happens here'
    End Sub

    Public Sub TheF() Implements I1.TheFoo, I2.TheFoo
        ' You shouldn't yell!'
    End Sub
End Class

Please vote for this feature at Microsoft Connect.

Answer 11

Unlike break in C languages in VB you can Exit or Continue the block you want to:

For i As Integer = 0 To 100
    While True
        Exit While
        Select Case i
            Case 1
                Exit Select
            Case 2
                Exit For
            Case 3
                Exit While
            Case Else
                Exit Sub
        End Select
        Continue For
    End While
Next

Answer 12

Nullable Dates! This is particularly useful in cases where you have data going in / coming out of a database (in this case, MSSQL Server). I have two procedures to give me a SmallDateTime parameter, populated with a value. One of them takes a plain old date and tests to see if there's any value in it, assigning a default date. The other version accepts a Nullable(Of Date) so that I can leave the date valueless, accepting whatever the default was from the stored procedure

<System.Diagnostics.DebuggerStepThrough> _
Protected Function GP(ByVal strName As String, ByVal dtValue As Date) As SqlParameter
    Dim aParm As SqlParameter = New SqlParameter
    Dim unDate As Date
    With aParm
        .ParameterName = strName
        .Direction = ParameterDirection.Input
        .SqlDbType = SqlDbType.SmallDateTime
        If unDate = dtValue Then    'Unassigned variable
            .Value = "1/1/1900 12:00:00 AM" 'give it a default which is accepted by smalldatetime
        Else
            .Value = CDate(dtValue.ToShortDateString)
        End If
    End With
    Return aParm
End Function
<System.Diagnostics.DebuggerStepThrough()> _
Protected Function GP(ByVal strName As String, ByVal dtValue As Nullable(Of Date)) As SqlParameter
    Dim aParm As SqlParameter = New SqlParameter
    Dim unDate As Date
    With aParm
        .ParameterName = strName
        .Direction = ParameterDirection.Input
        .SqlDbType = SqlDbType.SmallDateTime
        If dtValue.HasValue = False Then
            '// it's nullable, so has no value
        ElseIf unDate = dtValue.Value Then    'Unassigned variable
            '// still, it's nullable for a reason, folks!
        Else
            .Value = CDate(dtValue.Value.ToShortDateString)
        End If
    End With
    Return aParm
End Function

Answer 13

Attributes for methods! For example, a property which shouldn't be available during design time can be 1) hidden from the properties window, 2) not serialized (particularly annoying for user controls, or for controls which are loaded from a database):

<System.ComponentModel.Browsable(False), _
System.ComponentModel.DesignerSerializationVisibility(System.ComponentModel.DesignerSerializationVisibility.Hidden), _
System.ComponentModel.EditorBrowsable(System.ComponentModel.EditorBrowsableState.Always), _
System.ComponentModel.Category("Data")> _
Public Property AUX_ID() As String
    <System.Diagnostics.DebuggerStepThrough()> _
     Get
        Return mAUX_ID
    End Get
    <System.Diagnostics.DebuggerStepThrough()> _
     Set(ByVal value As String)
        mAUX_ID = value
    End Set
End Property

Putting in the DebuggerStepThrough() is also very helpful if you do any amount of debugging (note that you can still put a break-point within the function or whatever, but that you can't single-step through that function).

Also, the ability to put things in categories (e.g., "Data") means that, if you do want the property to show up in the properties tool-window, that particular property will show up in that category.

Answer 14

I used to be very fond of optional function parameters, but I use them less now that I have to go back and forth between C# and VB a lot. When will C# support them? C++ and even C had them (of a sort)!

Answer 15

Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As Button, ByVal e As System.EventArgs)
        Handles Button1.Click
    sender.Enabled = True
    DisableButton(sender)
End Sub

Private Sub Disable(button As Object)
    button.Enabled = false
End Sub

In this snippet you have 2 (maybe more?) things that you could never do in C#:

1. Handles Button1.Click - attach a handler to the event externally!
2. VB's implicitness allows you to declare the first param of the handler as the expexted type. in C# you cannot address a delegate to a different pattern, even it's the expected type.

Also, in C# you cannot use expected functionality on object - in C# you can dream about it (now they made the dynamic keyword, but it's far away from VB). In C#, if you will write (new object()).Enabled you will get an error that type object doesn't have a method 'Enabled'. Now, I am not the one who will recommend you if this is safe or not, the info is provided AS IS, do on your own, bus still, sometimes (like when working with COM objects) this is such a good thing. I personally always write (sender As Button) when the expected value is surely a button.

Actually moreover: take this example:

Private Sub control_Click(ByVal sender As Control, ByVal e As System.EventArgs)
        Handles TextBox1.Click, CheckBox1.Click, Button1.Click
    sender.Text = "Got it?..."
End Sub

Answer 16

The Me Keyword

The "Me" Keyword is unique in VB.Net. I know it is rather common but there is a difference between "Me" and the C# equivalent "this". The difference is "this" is read only and "Me" is not. This is valuable in constructors where you have an instance of a variable you want the variable being constructed to equal already as you can just set "Me = TheVariable" as opposed to C# where you would have to copy each field of the variable manually(which can be horrible if there are many fields and error prone). The C# workaround would be to do the assignment outside the constructor. Which means you now if the object is self-constructing to a complete object you now need another function.

Answer 17

Forcing ByVal

In VB, if you wrap your arguments in an extra set of parentheses you can override the ByRef declaration of the method and turn it into a ByVal. For instance, the following code produces 4, 5, 5 instead of 4,5,6

Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Me.Load
    Dim R = 4
    Trace.WriteLine(R)
    Test(R)
    Trace.WriteLine(R)
    Test((R))
    Trace.WriteLine(R)
End Sub
Private Sub Test(ByRef i As Integer)
    i += 1
End Sub

See Argument Not Being Modified by Procedure Call - Underlying Variable

Answer 18

VB also offers the OnError statement. But it's not much of use these days.

On Error Resume Next
' Or'
On Error GoTo someline

Answer 19

In vb there is a different between these operators:

/ is Double
\ is Integer ignoring the remainder

Sub Main()
    Dim x = 9 / 5  
    Dim y = 9 \ 5  
    Console.WriteLine("item x of '{0}' equals to {1}", x.GetType.FullName, x)
    Console.WriteLine("item y of '{0}' equals to {1}", y.GetType.FullName, y)

    'Results:
    'item x of 'System.Double' equals to 1.8
    'item y of 'System.Int32' equals to 1
End Sub

Answer 20

There are a couple of answers about XML Literals, but not about this specific case:

You can use XML Literals to enclose string literals that would otherwise need to be escaped. String literals that contain double-quotes, for instance.

Instead of this:

Dim myString = _
    "This string contains ""quotes"" and they're ugly."

You can do this:

Dim myString = _
    <string>This string contains "quotes" and they're nice.</string>.Value

This is especially useful if you're testing a literal for CSV parsing:

Dim csvTestYuck = _
    """Smith"", ""Bob"", ""123 Anywhere St"", ""Los Angeles"", ""CA"""

Dim csvTestMuchBetter = _
    <string>"Smith", "Bob", "123 Anywhere St", "Los Angeles", "CA"</string>.Value

(You don't have to use the <string> tag, of course; you can use any tag you like.)

Answer 21

Here's a funny one that I haven't seen; I know it works in VS 2008, at least:

If you accidentally end your VB line with a semicolon, because you've been doing too much C#, the semicolon is automatically removed. It's actually impossible (again, in VS 2008 at least) to accidentally end a VB line with a semicolon. Try it!

(It's not perfect; if you type the semicolon halfway through your final class name, it won't autocomplete the class name.)

Answer 22

You can have an If in one line.

If True Then DoSomething()

Answer 23

You can have 2 lines of code in just one line. hence:

Dim x As New Something : x.CallAMethod

Answer 24

You can use reserved keyword for properties and variable names if you surround the name with [ and ]

Public Class Item
    Private Value As Integer
    Public Sub New(ByVal value As Integer)
        Me.Value = value
    End Sub

    Public ReadOnly Property [String]() As String
        Get
            Return Value
        End Get
    End Property

    Public ReadOnly Property [Integer]() As Integer
        Get
            Return Value
        End Get
    End Property

    Public ReadOnly Property [Boolean]() As Boolean
        Get
            Return Value
        End Get
    End Property
End Class

'Real examples:
Public Class PropertyException : Inherits Exception
    Public Sub New(ByVal [property] As String)
        Me.Property = [property]
    End Sub

    Private m_Property As String
    Public Property [Property]() As String
        Get
            Return m_Property
        End Get
        Set(ByVal value As String)
            m_Property = value
        End Set
    End Property
End Class

Public Enum LoginLevel
    [Public] = 0
    Account = 1
    Admin = 2
    [Default] = Account
End Enum

Answer 25

IIf(False, MsgBox("msg1"), MsgBox("msg2"))

What is the result? two message boxes!!!! This happens cuz the IIf function evaluates both parameters when reaching the function.

VB has a new If operator (just like C# ?: operator):

If(False, MsgBox("msg1"), MsgBox("msg2"))

Will show only second msgbox.

in general I would recommend replacing all the IIFs in you vb code, unless you wanted it to evealueate both items:

Dim value = IIf(somthing, LoadAndGetValue1(), LoadAndGetValue2())

you can be sure that both values were loaded.

Answer 26

If you need a variable name to match that of a keyword, enclose it with brackets. Not nec. the best practice though - but it can be used wisely.

e.g.

Class CodeException
Public [Error] as String
''...
End Class

''later
Dim e as new CodeException
e.Error = "Invalid Syntax"

e.g. Example from comments(@Pondidum):

Class Timer
Public Sub Start()
''...
End Sub

Public Sub [Stop]()
''...
End Sub

Answer 27

When declaring an array in vb.net always use the "0 to xx" syntax.

Dim b(0 to 9) as byte 'Declares an array of 10 bytes

It makes it very clear about the span of the array. Compare it with the equivalent

Dim b(9) as byte 'Declares another array of 10 bytes

Even if you know that the second example consists of 10 elements, it just doesn't feel obvious. And I can't remember the number of times when I have seen code from a programmer who wanted the above but instead wrote

Dim b(10) as byte 'Declares another array of 10 bytes

This is of course completely wrong. As b(10) creates an array of 11 bytes. And it can easily cause bugs as it looks correct to anyone who doesn't know what to look for.

The "0 to xx" syntax also works with the below

Dim b As Byte() = New Byte(0 To 9) {} 'Another way to create a 10 byte array
ReDim b(0 to 9) 'Assigns a new 10 byte array to b

By using the full syntax you will also demonstrate to anyone who reads your code in the future that you knew what you were doing.

Answer 28

Consider the following event declaration

Public Event SomethingHappened As EventHandler

In C#, you can check for event subscribers by using the following syntax:

if(SomethingHappened != null)
{
  ...
}

However, the VB.NET compiler does not support this. It actually creates a hidden private member field which is not visible in IntelliSense:

If Not SomethingHappenedEvent Is Nothing OrElse SomethingHappenedEvent.GetInvocationList.Length = 0 Then
...
End If

More Information:

http://jelle.druyts.net/2003/05/09/BehindTheScenesOfEventsInVBNET.aspx http://blogs.msdn.com/vbteam/archive/2009/09/25/testing-events-for-nothing-null-doug-rothaus.aspx

Answer 29

Refined Error Handling using When

Notice the use of when in the line Catch ex As IO.FileLoadException When attempt < 3

Do
  Dim attempt As Integer
  Try
    ''// something that might cause an error.
  Catch ex As IO.FileLoadException When attempt < 3
    If MsgBox("do again?", MsgBoxStyle.YesNo) = MsgBoxResult.No Then
      Exit Do
    End If
  Catch ex As Exception
    ''// if any other error type occurs or the attempts are too many
    MsgBox(ex.Message)
    Exit Do
  End Try
  ''// increment the attempt counter.
  attempt += 1
Loop

Recently viewed in VbRad

Answer 30

The Nothing keyword can mean default(T) or null, depending on the context. You can exploit this to make a very interesting method:

'''<summary>Returns true for reference types, false for struct types.</summary>'
Public Function IsReferenceType(Of T)() As Boolean
    Return DirectCast(Nothing, T) Is Nothing
End Function