checking datatype in an overload doesn't work for decimal - vb.net

Question

I'm using vb.net. I am doing some checking and scrubbing of my data when i get it from the database. I'm using an overload but it doesn't seem to be working for decimal numbers. Decimal numbers get treated as integers.
Public Class CheckData
Public Shared Function Check(row As DataRow, columnName As String, pDefaultValue As Decimal) As Decimal
Dim x As Object = ReplaceDBNullAndColumnExists(row, columnName)
Dim y As Decimal = CDec(Dempsey.fnIsNull.IsNull(x, pDefaultValue))
Return y
End Function
Public Shared Function Check(row As DataRow, columnName As String, pDefaultValue As DateTime) As DateTime
Dim x As Object = ReplaceDBNullAndColumnExists(row, columnName)
Dim y As DateTime = Dempsey.fnIsNull.IsNull(x, pDefaultValue)
Return y
End Function
Public Shared Function Check(row As DataRow, columnName As String, pDefaultValue As Integer) As Integer
Dim x As Object = ReplaceDBNullAndColumnExists(row, columnName)
Dim y As Integer = Dempsey.fnIsNull.IsNull(x, pDefaultValue)
Return y
End Function
Public Shared Function Check(row As DataRow, columnName As String, pDefaultValue As String) As String
Dim x As Object = ReplaceDBNullAndColumnExists(row, columnName)
Dim y As String = Dempsey.fnIsNull.IsNull(x, pDefaultValue)
Return y
End Function
Public Shared Function Check(row As DataRow, columnName As String, pDefaultValue As Boolean) As Boolean
Dim x As Object = ReplaceDBNullAndColumnExists(row, columnName)
Dim y As Boolean = Dempsey.fnIsNull.IsNull(x, pDefaultValue)
Return y
End Function
So if i pass in some data and the type is a string, integer, boolean or datetime it goes to the propert function. if i pass in a decimal it goes to integer. If i set a breakpoint on the public shared function check that is a integer function and do a
row.Table.Columns(columnName).DataType.Name
I get back - "Decimal" (doing this in the immediate window)
So my question is what have i done wrong that it doesn't take it to the decimal overload and return a decimal value. By the way, the actual data value is 37.50.
Thanks
shannon
I use this to populate list.
Public Function populate(mDs As DataSet) As List(Of SR_SalaryRange_Current)
Dim rows As DataRowCollection
Dim drow As DataRow
Dim oSR_SalaryRange_Current As SR_SalaryRange_Current
Dim oSR_SalaryRange_Currents As List(Of SR_SalaryRange_Current) = New List(Of SR_SalaryRange_Current)
Dim dt As New DataTable
Try
dt = mDs.Tables("SR_SalaryRange_Currents")
rows = dt.Rows
For Each drow In rows
oSR_SalaryRange_Current = New SR_SalaryRange_Current
With oSR_SalaryRange_Current
.tblSR_SalaryRange_CurrentID = SitePlumbing.CheckData.Check(drow, "intTblSR_SalaryRange_CurrentID", 0)
.EffectiveDate = SitePlumbing.CheckData.Check(drow, "dtmEffectiveDate", CDate("1/1/1900"))
.WorkWeekHours = SitePlumbing.CheckData.Check(drow, "decWorkWeekHours", 0)
End With
oSR_SalaryRange_Currents.Add(oSR_SalaryRange_Current)
Next
Catch ex As Exception
ErrorMsg = "Populate Error:" & ex.InnerException.ToString
Return oSR_SalaryRange_Currents
End Try
Return oSR_SalaryRange_Currents
End Function
from there it goes into the checkdata that i mentioned before. In the code above it correctly goes to an integer and a datetime when hitting the overload, just isn't doing it for the decimal.

Answer 1

A decimal is implicitly covertable into an integer so the compiler is confused if you have OPTION STRICT set to off. You have two options:
1) Set OPTION STRICT to ON. Then the compiler will not convert implicitly.
2) Pass in a decimal literal like this: 10D (i.e. there is a D on the end telling the compiler it is a decimal).
For example:
'Sub Routine 1
public sub Test(ByVal d as decimal)
end sub
'Sub Routine 2
public sub Test(ByVal i as integer)
end sub
//Client
dim d1 as decimal={Number}D 'where {number} is replaced with a number
dim d2 as decimal={Number} 'where {number} is replaced with a number
Test(d1) 'this will always go to Sub Routine 1 regardless of whether OPTION strict is ON or OFF
Test(d2) 'this will go to Sub Routine 1 if option strict is ON. If it is OFF, then it may go to Sub Routine 2 depending on the size of the number.

Answer 2

I was given a way to work with this by Viorel on another forum. He suggested I do
Check(drow, "decWorkWeekHours", 0#)
and that did indeed work. When i asked what it does, this was his response.
With ‘#’, the constant ‘0#’ becomes a decimal one. Then VB.NET chooses the definition of Check that takes a Decimal parameter, since it is more suitable comparing with other candidates.
You can also write ‘0d’ [https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/visual-basic/programming-guide/language-features/data-types/type-characters].
hope that will help someone else down the road.
Thanks
shannon