Leverage the .NET Framework with Visual Basic.NET

Data Types

The following is based on the preliminary VB.Net documentation:

Notes

• VB.Net can also define variables using the .NET names as in:
  Dim x As Int32
Dim u As UInt16 ' Unsigned 16-bit integer
• Note that math operations are not supported on unsigned values
  Dim b As SByte ' Signed byte
• The Single and Double types are standard floating point formats and subject to the inherent accuracy issues. For example, 3.5+0.5=3.9999999999999999.....
• The Decimal type may be a better choice for some applications.
• Currency is no longer supported and the Decimal type is usually the best substitute.
• Variant is no longer supported although Object can now be used to hold any type.
• User-defined types have been replaced by structures.
• The Date type is no longer stored as a Double so direct manipulation is not permitted.

Arithmetic Operation Shortcuts

VB.Net supports a shorthand syntax for arithmetic operations that will be familiar to any C programmer but may seem a little strange to non-C programmers.

Using this shortened syntax allows expressions like x=x+1to be written as x+=1. In general, the syntax

{variable} = {variable} {operator} {expression}

is shortened to:

{variable} {operator} = {expression}

Some more examples to help clarify:

Note that the "standard" syntax is still valid and that the new syntax is simply another option.