calling a method from another class in vb.net - vb.net

Question

i have an external class(colorCode.vb) in same project as my main form.vb.
My objective is to send a value as argument as i call a method in the colorCode.vb class, and use the value returned by the method. I don't know if its logically possible . Here i tried this but failed.
in my colorCode.vb Class i have this codes:
Public Sub getValue(ByVal itemCode As Integer)
Dim codeVal() As Integer = {9999, 3034, 3040, 3035}
Dim colorVal As String
For counter As Integer = 0 To codeVal.Count Step 1
If (itemCode = codeVal(counter)) Then
Select Case codeVal(counter)
Case 9999
colorVal = "BRILLIANT WHITE EMULSION"
Case 3034
colorVal = "OFF-WHITE EMULSION"
End Select
End If
Next
End Sub
and in my main form.vb i did this
Private Sub descTextBox_TextChanged(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e
As System.EventArgs) Handles descTextBox.TextChanged
Dim colorDesc As colorCode = New colorCode()
Dim itemCode As Integer = Integer.Parse(itemCodeTextBox.Text)
descTextBox.Text = colorDesc.getValue(itemCode)'this line triggers an error.
End Sub
please i need some help here. already running nuts

Answer 1

Please turn on Option Strict. This is a 2 part process. First for the current project - In Solution Explorer double click My Project. Choose Compile on the left. In the Option Strict drop-down select ON. Second for future projects - Go to the Tools Menu -> Options -> Projects and Solutions -> VB Defaults. In the Option Strict drop-down select ON. This will save you from bugs at runtime.
Subs in vb.net do not return values. You need a Function. Instead of looping through the array you can just check if the array contains itemCode and if it does proceed with the Select Case.
Do not put your code in the text changed. It will run every time a character is entered before your user has a chance to enter the entire code. Create a button and use that. Use .TryParse to validate the input. It will return True if valid and fill in the second parameter with the number.
Public Class colorCode
Public Function getValue(ByVal itemCode As Integer) As String
Dim codeVal() As Integer = {9999, 3034, 3040, 3035}
Dim colorVal As String = ""
If codeVal.Contains(itemCode) Then
Select Case itemCode
Case 9999
colorVal = "BRILLIANT WHITE EMULSION"
Case 3034
colorVal = "OFF-WHITE EMULSION"
Case 3040
colorVal = "Blue"
Case 3035
colorVal = "Green"
End Select
Else
colorVal = "No matching color"
End If
Return colorVal
End Function
End Class
And in the form...
Private Sub Button1_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
Dim itemCode As Integer
If Integer.TryParse(TextBox1.Text, itemCode) Then
Dim colorDesc As colorCode = New colorCode()
TextBox2.Text = colorDesc.getValue(itemCode)
Else
MessageBox.Show("Please enter a valid number")
End If
End Sub

Answer 2

Add the return statement. You should also check the value of itemCodeTextBox.Text to make sure it's a numeric value before you call colorDesc.getValue otherwise your program may crash if a non-numeric value is entered into the textbox

Answer 3

You are missing the "return" part of your method.
Public Function getValue(ByVal itemCode As Integer) As String
That's what it'll take to declare you're returning a string value, and then you actually return your vale at the end of the method.
Next
return colorVal
End Sub
There are other ways to do this as well as better ways to deal with your "getValue" code, but this should get you running for now. The rest of the improvements are likely a different Question, or even series of Questions. Or you could go to the Code Review stack and get more help there.