VB.NET and C# Comparison

VB.NET and C# Comparison
This is a quick reference guide to highlight some key syntactical differences between VB.NET (version 2) and C#. Hope you find this useful!
Thank you to Tom Shelton, Fergus Cooney, Steven Swafford and others for your contributions.
Also see Java and C# Comparison.

Program Structure Comments Data Types Constants Enumerations

Operators Choices Loops Arrays Functions

Strings Exception Handling Namespaces Classes / Interfaces Constructors / Destructors

Using Objects Structs Properties Delegates / Events Console I/O File I/O

VB.NET Program Structure C#
Imports System Namespace Hello    Class HelloWorld       Overloads Shared Sub Main(ByVal args() As String)          Dim name As String = "VB.NET"          'See if an argument was passed from the command line           If args.Length = 1 Then name = args(0)           Console.WriteLine("Hello, " & name & "!")       End Sub    End Class End Namespace	using System; namespace Hello {    public class HelloWorld {       public static void Main(string[] args) {          string name = "C#";          // See if an argument was passed from the command line          if (args.Length == 1)             name = args[0];          Console.WriteLine("Hello, " + name + "!");       }    } }
VB.NET Comments C#
' Single line only Rem Single line only	// Single line /* Multiple     line  */ /// XML comments on single line /** XML comments on multiple lines */
VB.NET Data Types C#
Value Types Boolean Byte Char   (example: "A"c) Short, Integer, Long Single, Double Decimal Date Reference Types Object String Dim x As Integer Console.WriteLine(x. GetType())          ' Prints System.Int32 Console.WriteLine( GetType(Integer))   ' Prints System.Int32 Console.WriteLine( TypeName(x))        ' Prints Integer ' Type conversion Dim d As Single = 3.5 Dim i As Integer = CType(d, Integer)   ' set to 4 (Banker's rounding) i = CInt(d)  ' same result as CType i = Int(d)    ' set to 3 (Int function truncates the decimal)	Value Types bool byte, sbyte char   (example: 'A') short, ushort, int, uint, long, ulong float, double decimal DateTime   (not a built-in C# type) Reference Types object string int x; Console.WriteLine(x. GetType());               // Prints System.Int32 Console.WriteLine( typeof(int));               // Prints System.Int32 Console.WriteLine(x. GetType().Name);   // prints Int32 // Type conversion float d = 3.5f; int i = (int)d;   // set to 3  (truncates decimal)
VB.NET Constants C#
Const MAX_STUDENTS As Integer = 25 ' Can set to a const or var; may be initialized in a constructor ReadOnly MIN_DIAMETER As Single = 4.93	const int MAX_STUDENTS = 25; // Can set to a const or var; may be initialized in a constructor readonly float MIN_DIAMETER = 4.93f;
VB.NET Enumerations C#
Enum Action   Start    [Stop]   ' Stop is a reserved word   Rewind   Forward End Enum Enum Status   Flunk = 50   Pass = 70   Excel = 90 End Enum Dim a As Action = Action.Stop If a <> Action.Start Then _    Console.WriteLine(a.ToString & " is " & a)     ' Prints "Stop is 1" Console.WriteLine(Status.Pass)     ' Prints 70 Console.WriteLine(Status.Pass.ToString())     ' Prints Pass	enum Action {Start, Stop, Rewind, Forward}; enum Status {Flunk = 50, Pass = 70, Excel = 90}; Action a = Action.Stop; if (a != Action.Start)   Console.WriteLine(a + " is " + (int) a);    // Prints "Stop is 1" Console.WriteLine((int) Status.Pass);    // Prints 70 Console.WriteLine(Status.Pass);      // Prints Pass
VB.NET Operators C#
Comparison =  <  >  <=  >=  <> Arithmetic +  -  *  / Mod \  (integer division) ^  (raise to a power) Assignment =  +=  -=  *=  /=  \=  ^=  <<=  >>=  &= Bitwise And   Or   Not   <<   >> Logical AndAlso   OrElse   And   Or   Xor   Not Note: AndAlso and OrElse perform short-circuit logical evaluations String Concatenation &   +	Comparison ==  <  >  <=  >=  != Arithmetic +  -  *  / %  (mod) /  (integer division if both operands are ints) Math.Pow(x, y) Assignment =  +=  -=  *=  /=   %=  &=  |=  ^=  <<=  >>=  ++  -- Bitwise &   |   ^   ~   <<   >> Logical &&   ||   &   |   ^   ! Note: && and || perform short-circuit logical evaluations String Concatenation +
VB.NET Choices C#
greeting = IIf(age < 20, "What's up?", "Hello") ' One line doesn't require "End If" If age < 20 Then greeting = "What's up?" If age < 20 Then greeting = "What's up?" Else greeting = "Hello" ' Use : to put two commands on same line If x <> 100 And y < 5 Then x *= 5 : y *= 2   ' Preferred If x <> 100 And y < 5 Then   x *= 5   y *= 2 End If ' To break up any long single line use _ If whenYouHaveAReally < longLine And _   itNeedsToBeBrokenInto2 > Lines  Then _   UseTheUnderscore(charToBreakItUp) ' If x > 5 Then   x *= y ElseIf x = 5 Then   x += y ElseIf x < 10 Then   x -= y Else   x /= y End If Select Case color   ' Must be a primitive data type   Case "pink", "red"     r += 1   Case "blue"     b += 1   Case "green"     g += 1   Case Else     other += 1 End Select	greeting = age < 20 ? "What's up?" : "Hello"; if (age < 20)   greeting = "What's up?"; else   greeting = "Hello"; // Multiple statements must be enclosed in {} if (x != 100 && y < 5) {      x *= 5;   y *= 2; } No need for _ or : since ; is used to terminate each statement. if (x > 5)   x *= y; else if (x == 5)   x += y; else if (x < 10)   x -= y; else   x /= y; // Every case must end with break or goto case switch (color) {                          // Must be integer or string   case "pink":   case "red":    r++;    break;   case "blue":   b++;   break;   case "green": g++;   break;   default:    other++;   break;       // break necessary on default }
VB.NET Loops C#
Pre-test Loops: While c < 10   c += 1 End While Do Until c = 10    c += 1 Loop Do While c < 10   c += 1 Loop For c = 2 To 10 Step 2   Console.WriteLine(c) Next Post-test Loops: Do    c += 1 Loop While c < 10 Do    c += 1 Loop Until c = 10 '  Array or collection looping Dim names As String() = {"Fred", "Sue", "Barney"} For Each s As String  In names   Console.WriteLine(s) Next ' Breaking out of loops Dim i As Integer = 0 While (True)   If (i = 5) Then Exit While   i += 1 End While ' Continue to next iteration For i = 0 To 4   If i < 4 Then Continue For   Console.WriteLine(i)   ' Only prints 4 Next	Pre-test Loops:   // no "until" keyword while (c < 10)   c++; for (c = 2; c <= 10; c += 2)   Console.WriteLine(c); Post-test Loop: do   c++; while (c < 10); // Array or collection looping string[] names = {"Fred", "Sue", "Barney"}; foreach (string s in names)   Console.WriteLine(s); // Breaking out of loops int i = 0; while (true) {   if (i == 5)     break;   i++; } // Continue to next iteration for (i = 0; i < 5; i++) {   if (i < 4)     continue;   Console.WriteLine(i);   // Only prints 4 }
VB.NET Arrays C#
Dim nums () As Integer = {1, 2, 3}  For i As Integer = 0 To nums.Length - 1   Console.WriteLine(nums(i)) Next ' 4 is the index of the last element, so it holds 5 elements Dim names(4) As String names(0) = "David" names(5) = "Bobby"  ' Throws System.IndexOutOfRangeException ' Resize the array, keeping the existing values (Preserve is optional) ReDim Preserve names(6) Dim twoD(rows-1, cols-1) As Single twoD(2, 0) = 4.5 Dim jagged ()() As Integer = { _   New Integer(4) {}, New Integer(1) {}, New Integer(2) {} } jagged(0)(4) = 5	int [] nums = {1, 2, 3}; for (int i = 0; i < nums.Length; i++)   Console.WriteLine(nums[i]); // 5 is the size of the array string[] names = new string[5]; names[0] = "David"; names[5] = "Bobby";   // Throws System.IndexOutOfRangeException // C# can't dynamically resize an array.  Just copy into new array. string[] names2 = new string[7]; Array.Copy(names, names2, names.Length);   // or names.CopyTo(names2, 0);  float [,] twoD = new float[rows, cols]; twoD[2,0] = 4.5f;  int [][] jagged = new int[3][] {   new int[5], new int[2], new int[3] }; jagged[0][4] = 5;
VB.NET Functions C#
' Pass by value (in, default), reference (in/out), and reference (out)  Sub TestFunc( ByVal x As Integer, ByRef y As Integer, ByRef z As Integer)   x += 1   y += 1   z = 5 End Sub Dim a = 1, b = 1, c As Integer   ' c set to zero by default  TestFunc(a, b, c) Console.WriteLine("{0} {1} {2}", a, b, c)   ' 1 2 5 ' Accept variable number of arguments Function Sum(ByVal ParamArray nums As Integer()) As Integer   Sum = 0    For Each i As Integer In nums     Sum += i   Next End Function   ' Or use Return statement like C# Dim total As Integer = Sum(4, 3, 2, 1)   ' returns 10 ' Optional parameters must be listed last and must have a default value Sub SayHello(ByVal name As String, Optional ByVal prefix As String = "")   Console.WriteLine("Greetings, " & prefix & " " & name) End Sub SayHello("Strangelove", "Dr.") SayHello("Madonna")	// Pass by value (in, default), reference (in/out), and reference (out) void TestFunc(int x, ref int y, out int z) {   x++;     y++;   z = 5; } int a = 1, b = 1, c;  // c doesn't need initializing TestFunc(a, ref b, out c); Console.WriteLine("{0} {1} {2}", a, b, c);  // 1 2 5 // Accept variable number of arguments int Sum( params int[] nums) {   int sum = 0;   foreach (int i in nums)     sum += i;   return sum; } int total = Sum(4, 3, 2, 1);   // returns 10 /* C# doesn't support optional arguments/parameters.  Just create two different versions of the same function. */  void SayHello(string name, string prefix) {   Console.WriteLine("Greetings, " + prefix + " " + name); }  void SayHello(string name) {   SayHello(name, ""); }
VB.NET Strings C#
Special character constants vbCrLf, vbCr, vbLf, vbNewLine vbNullString vbTab vbBack vbFormFeed vbVerticalTab "" ' String concatenation (use & or +) Dim school As String = "Harding" & vbTab school = school & "University" ' school is "Harding (tab) University" ' Chars Dim letter As Char = school.Chars(0)   ' letter is H letter = Convert.ToChar(65)                 ' letter is A letter = Chr(65)                                  ' same thing Dim word() As Char = school.ToCharArray() ' word holds Harding ' No string literal operator  Dim msg As String = "File is c:\temp\x.dat"  ' String comparison Dim mascot As String = "Bisons" If (mascot = "Bisons") Then    ' true If (mascot. Equals("Bisons")) Then   ' true If (mascot. ToUpper(). Equals("BISONS")) Then   ' true If (mascot. CompareTo("Bisons") = 0) Then    ' true Console.WriteLine(mascot.Substring(2, 3)) ' Prints "son" ' String matching If ("John 3:16" Like "Jo[Hh]? #:*") Then   'true Imports System.Text.RegularExpressions   ' More powerful than Like Dim r As New Regex("Jo[hH]. \d:*") If (r.Match("John 3:16").Success) Then   'true ' My birthday: Oct 12, 1973 Dim dt As New DateTime(1973, 10, 12) Dim s As String = "My birthday: " & dt.ToString("MMM dd, yyyy") ' Mutable string Dim buffer As New System.Text. StringBuilder("two ") buffer.Append("three ") buffer.Insert(0, "one ") buffer.Replace("two", "TWO") Console.WriteLine(buffer)         ' Prints "one TWO three"	Escape sequences \n, \r \t \\ \" // String concatenation string school = "Harding\t"; school = school + "University";   // school is "Harding (tab) University" // Chars char letter = school[0];            // letter is H letter = Convert.ToChar(65);     // letter is A letter = (char)65;                    // same thing char[] word = school.ToCharArray();   // word holds Harding // String literal string msg = @"File is c:\temp\x.dat"; // same as string msg = "File is c:\\temp\\x.dat"; // String comparison string mascot = "Bisons"; if (mascot == "Bisons")    // true if (mascot. Equals("Bisons"))    // true if (mascot. ToUpper(). Equals("BISONS"))   // true if (mascot. CompareTo("Bisons") == 0)    // true Console.WriteLine(mascot. Substring(2, 3));    // Prints "son" // String matching // No Like equivalent - use regular expressions using System.Text.RegularExpressions; Regex r = new Regex(@"Jo[hH]. \d:*"); if (r.Match("John 3:16").Success)   // true // My birthday: Oct 12, 1973 DateTime dt = new DateTime(1973, 10, 12); string s = "My birthday: " + dt.ToString("MMM dd, yyyy"); // Mutable string System.Text. StringBuilder buffer = new System.Text. StringBuilder("two "); buffer. Append("three "); buffer. Insert(0, "one "); buffer. Replace("two", "TWO"); Console.WriteLine(buffer);     // Prints "one TWO three"
VB.NET Exception Handling C#
' Throw an exception Dim ex As New Exception("Something is really wrong.") Throw  ex  ' Catch an exception Try    y = 0   x = 10 / y Catch ex As Exception  When y = 0 ' Argument and When is optional   Console.WriteLine(ex.Message) Finally   Beep() End Try ' Deprecated unstructured error handling On Error GoTo MyErrorHandler ... MyErrorHandler: Console.WriteLine(Err.Description)	// Throw an exception Exception up = new Exception("Something is really wrong."); throw up;  // ha ha // Catch an exception try {    y = 0;   x = 10 / y; } catch (Exception ex) {   // Argument is optional, no "When" keyword    Console.WriteLine(ex.Message); } finally {   // Requires reference to the Microsoft.VisualBasic.dll   // assembly (pre .NET Framework v2.0)   Microsoft.VisualBasic.Interaction.Beep(); }
VB.NET Namespaces C#
Namespace Harding.Compsci.Graphics    ... End Namespace ' or Namespace Harding   Namespace Compsci     Namespace Graphics        ...     End Namespace   End Namespace End Namespace Imports Harding.Compsci.Graphics	namespace Harding.Compsci.Graphics {   ... } // or namespace Harding {   namespace Compsci {     namespace Graphics {       ...     }   } } using Harding.Compsci.Graphics;
VB.NET Classes / Interfaces C#
Accessibility keywords Public Private Friend                    Protected Protected Friend Shared ' Inheritance Class FootballGame   Inherits Competition   ... End Class  ' Interface definition Interface IAlarmClock    ... End Interface // Extending an interface  Interface IAlarmClock   Inherits IClock   ... End Interface // Interface implementation Class WristWatch    Implements IAlarmClock, ITimer     ... End Class	Accessibility keywords public private internal protected protected internal static // Inheritance class FootballGame : Competition {   ... } // Interface definition interface IAlarmClock {   ... } // Extending an interface  interface IAlarmClock : IClock {   ... } // Interface implementation class WristWatch : IAlarmClock, ITimer {    ... }
VB.NET Constructors / Destructors C#
Class SuperHero   Private _powerLevel As Integer   Public Sub New()     _powerLevel = 0   End Sub   Public Sub New(ByVal powerLevel As Integer)     Me._powerLevel = powerLevel   End Sub   Protected Overrides Sub Finalize()     ' Desctructor code to free unmanaged resources     MyBase.Finalize()   End Sub End Class	class SuperHero {   private int _powerLevel;   public SuperHero() {      _powerLevel = 0;   }   public SuperHero(int powerLevel) {     this._powerLevel= powerLevel;    }   ~SuperHero() {     // Destructor code to free unmanaged resources.     // Implicitly creates a Finalize method   } }
VB.NET Using Objects C#
Dim hero As SuperHero = New SuperHero ' or Dim hero As New SuperHero With hero   .Name = "SpamMan"   .PowerLevel = 3 End With hero.Defend("Laura Jones") hero.Rest()     ' Calling Shared method ' or SuperHero.Rest() Dim hero2 As SuperHero = hero  ' Both reference the same object hero2.Name = "WormWoman" Console.WriteLine(hero.Name)   ' Prints WormWoman hero = Nothing    ' Free the object If hero Is Nothing Then _   hero = New SuperHero Dim obj As Object = New SuperHero If TypeOf obj Is SuperHero Then _   Console.WriteLine("Is a SuperHero object.") ' Mark object for quick disposal Using reader As StreamReader = File.OpenText("test.txt")   Dim line As String = reader.ReadLine()   While Not line Is Nothing     Console.WriteLine(line)     line = reader.ReadLine()   End While End Using	SuperHero hero = new SuperHero(); // No "With" construct hero.Name = "SpamMan"; hero.PowerLevel = 3; hero.Defend("Laura Jones"); SuperHero.Rest();   // Calling static method SuperHero hero2 = hero;   // Both reference the same object hero2.Name = "WormWoman"; Console.WriteLine(hero.Name);   // Prints WormWoman hero = null ;   // Free the object if (hero == null)   hero = new SuperHero(); Object obj = new SuperHero();  if (obj is SuperHero)   Console.WriteLine("Is a SuperHero object."); // Mark object for quick disposal using (StreamReader reader = File.OpenText("test.txt")) {   string line;   while ((line = reader.ReadLine()) != null)     Console.WriteLine(line); }
VB.NET Structs C#
Structure StudentRecord   Public name As String   Public gpa As Single   Public Sub New(ByVal name As String, ByVal gpa As Single)     Me.name = name     Me.gpa = gpa   End Sub End Structure Dim stu As StudentRecord = New StudentRecord("Bob", 3.5) Dim stu2 As StudentRecord = stu   stu2.name = "Sue" Console.WriteLine(stu.name)     ' Prints Bob Console.WriteLine(stu2.name)   ' Prints Sue	struct StudentRecord {   public string name;   public float gpa;   public StudentRecord(string name, float gpa) {     this.name = name;     this.gpa = gpa;   } } StudentRecord stu = new StudentRecord("Bob", 3.5f); StudentRecord stu2 = stu;   stu2.name = "Sue"; Console.WriteLine(stu.name);    // Prints Bob Console.WriteLine(stu2.name);   // Prints Sue
VB.NET Properties C#
Private _size As Integer Public Property Size() As Integer   Get     Return _size   End Get   Set (ByVal Value As Integer)     If Value < 0 Then       _size = 0     Else       _size = Value     End If   End Set End Property foo.Size += 1	private int _size; public int Size {   get {     return _size;   }   set {     if (value < 0)       _size = 0;     else       _size = value;   } } foo.Size++;
VB.NET Delegates / Events C#
Delegate Sub MsgArrivedEventHandler(ByVal message As String) Event MsgArrivedEvent As MsgArrivedEventHandler ' or to define an event which declares a delegate implicitly Event MsgArrivedEvent(ByVal message As String) AddHandler MsgArrivedEvent, AddressOf My_MsgArrivedCallback ' Won't throw an exception if obj is Nothing RaiseEvent MsgArrivedEvent("Test message") RemoveHandler MsgArrivedEvent, AddressOf My_MsgArrivedCallback Imports System.Windows.Forms Dim WithEvents MyButton As Button   ' WithEvents can't be used on local variable MyButton = New Button Private Sub MyButton_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, _   ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyButton.Click   MessageBox.Show(Me, "Button was clicked", "Info", _     MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Information) End Sub	delegate void MsgArrivedEventHandler(string message); event MsgArrivedEventHandler MsgArrivedEvent; // Delegates must be used with events in C# MsgArrivedEvent += new MsgArrivedEventHandler(My_MsgArrivedEventCallback); MsgArrivedEvent("Test message");    // Throws exception if obj is null MsgArrivedEvent -= new MsgArrivedEventHandler(My_MsgArrivedEventCallback); using System.Windows.Forms; Button MyButton = new Button();  MyButton.Click += new System.EventHandler(MyButton_Click); private void MyButton_Click(object sender, System.EventArgs e) {   MessageBox.Show(this, "Button was clicked", "Info",     MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Information); }
VB.NET Console I/O C#
Console.Write("What's your name? ") Dim name As String = Console.ReadLine() Console.Write("How old are you? ") Dim age As Integer = Val(Console.ReadLine()) Console.WriteLine("{0} is {1} years old.", name, age)  ' or Console.WriteLine(name & " is " & age & " years old.") Dim c As Integer c = Console.Read()    ' Read single char Console.WriteLine(c)   ' Prints 65 if user enters "A"	Console.Write("What's your name? "); string name = Console.ReadLine(); Console.Write("How old are you? "); int age = Convert.ToInt32(Console.ReadLine()); Console.WriteLine("{0} is {1} years old.", name, age); // or Console.WriteLine(name + " is " + age + " years old."); int c = Console.Read();  // Read single char Console.WriteLine(c);    // Prints 65 if user enters "A"
VB.NET File I/O C#
Imports System.IO ' Write out to text file Dim writer As StreamWriter = File.CreateText("c:\myfile.txt") writer.WriteLine("Out to file.") writer.Close() ' Read all lines from text file Dim reader As StreamReader = File.OpenText("c:\myfile.txt") Dim line As String = reader.ReadLine() While Not line Is Nothing   Console.WriteLine(line)   line = reader.ReadLine() End While reader.Close() ' Write out to binary file Dim str As String = "Text data" Dim num As Integer = 123 Dim binWriter As New BinaryWriter(File.OpenWrite("c:\myfile.dat"))  binWriter.Write(str)  binWriter.Write(num)  binWriter.Close() ' Read from binary file Dim binReader As New BinaryReader(File.OpenRead("c:\myfile.dat")) str = binReader.ReadString() num = binReader.ReadInt32() binReader.Close()	using System.IO; // Write out to text file StreamWriter writer = File.CreateText("c:\\myfile.txt"); writer.WriteLine("Out to file."); writer.Close(); // Read all lines from text file StreamReader reader = File.OpenText("c:\\myfile.txt"); string line = reader.ReadLine(); while (line != null) {   Console.WriteLine(line);   line = reader.ReadLine(); } reader.Close(); // Write out to binary file string str = "Text data"; int num = 123; BinaryWriter binWriter = new BinaryWriter(File.OpenWrite("c:\\myfile.dat")); binWriter.Write(str); binWriter.Write(num); binWriter.Close(); // Read from binary file BinaryReader binReader = new BinaryReader(File.OpenRead("c:\\myfile.dat")); str = binReader.ReadString(); num = binReader.ReadInt32(); binReader.Close();

Page last modified: 05/30/2006 09:33:21

Copyright © 2003-2006 by Frank McCown
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