Difference between Private Sub, Function and Class - vb.net

What are the differences between the following:
Private Sub
Private Function
Private Class
When should each one be used?

Private is a modifier than gives the scope of the class, sub, or function.
A sub and a function are both subroutines, or sections of code that can be called in the program. The difference between them is that a function has a return value and a sub does not.
A class is a group of code that can include subs, functions, and other stuff.

Sub is like a function but it doesnt returns any values it just executes a proccess

Class is a Class,
Sub and Function are methods,
private is an access modifier
now check this link,
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms973814.aspx

Related

Force Full Path For Method

I'm not sure whether that's the best title but what I'm trying to do is set certain Subs and Functions to be only accessible from other functions by qualifying the exact location.
For example, I have a module called modShared.
In this module there is a function called LogForm which returns a Form.
In other areas of my code I have functions where the name begins with Log so I want the LogForm function to only be accessible and only appear on Intellisense when I type in modShared.LogForm and not just LogForm.
Is this possible because it would help me immensely?
Thanks
Just change your module to a static class and apply the Shared modifier to every method and you should be good to go.
Public NotInheritable Class modShared
Private Sub New() 'Prevent initialization.
End Sub
Public Shared Function LogForm() As Form
'Do stuff...
End Function
End Class
One way of doing this is placing your modules inside a Namespace
Namespace UtilityMethods
Module modShared
Public sub LogForm()
'Code Here
End sub
End Module
End Namespace
And you could use this code by either calling:
UtilityMethods.LogForm
or
Namespace UtilityMethods
Public Class MyClass
Public sub ClassMethod
LogForm()
end sub
End Class
End Namespace

Identify form the method is being called from

I have a global method (in a module) that multiple forms are calling. I can't figure out how to pass/identify the calling form so that it's controls are recognised when referenced in the method:
Public Sub SomeFunction(callingForm As Form)
callingForm.ErrorProvider.SetError(TextBox1, "Faux pas!")
End Sub
Public Sub SomeOtherFunction(callingForm As Form)
SomeFunction(Me)
End Sub
I the above example, I've attempted passing the form as a parameter but I'm being told:
ErrorProvider is not a member of System.Windows.Forms.Form.
This is pretty common, to want to treat all your forms the same, yet different. You will want to create another class that each form can implement. This allows you to do something specific... generically.
Create a class similar to this, call it and the function whatever you want:
Public Interface IErrorForm
Sub MyValidate
End Interface
Implement it in your forms:
Public Class Form1
Implements IErrorForm
Public Sub MyValidate() Implements IErrorForm.MyValidate
'...Your code here
'TextBox1.Text = "Faux pas!"
End Sub
Now, wherever you want to call the function, you could do something like this:
Public Sub SomeFunction(callingForm As Form)
If GetType(IErrorForm).IsAssignableFrom(xFrm.GetType) Then
CType(xFrm, IErrorForm).MyValidate()
End If
End Sub
Another approach with returning value from Validate function
As you mentioned in the comments
...one of the key purposes of my method is to avoid having to set the
errors outside of the method, to reduce duplicitous code
As I understand you want Validate function check, given control as parameter, for errors and show error message through ErrorProvider.
My suggestion will be shared Validate function return string value, which contains error message generated after validating control
If no error then function return Nothing or String.Empty
Public Function Validate(ctrl As Object, formats As String) As String
Dim errorMessage As String = Nothing 'or String.Empty
' Your validating code here
' If no error errorMessage = Nothing
Return errorMessage
End Function
Then in the form (possible in the Validated event handler)
'....
Me.MyErrorprovider.SetError(Me.MyTextBox,
MyGlobalFunctions.Validate(Me.MyTextBox, "formats"))

Constructor within a constructor

Is this a bad idea? Does calling a generic private constructor within a public constructor create multiple instances, or is this a valid way of initializing class variables?
Private Class MyClass
Dim _msg As String
Sub New(ByVal name As String)
Me.New()
'Do stuff
End Sub
Sub New(ByVal name As String, ByVal age As Integer)
Me.New()
'Do stuff
End Sub
Private Sub New() 'Initializer constructor
Me._msg = "Hello StackOverflow"
'Initialize other variables
End Sub
End Class
That's perfectly valid and a commonly used way to reuse constructor code. Only one object is instantiated.
It is a valid approach. There are some caveats with where the new function can be called:
The Sub New constructor can run only once when a class is created. It
cannot be called explicitly anywhere other than in the first line of
code of another constructor from either the same class or from a
derived class.
Read more about the object lifetime on MSDN.
Chaining constructors like this will certainly not create additional object instances.
It is desirable to only write code for a certain portion of initialization once. This is a common and valid initialization pattern.

Vb.Net Class file on load sub?

I hope this isn't a stupid question, I can't find a reasonable answer on google.
I'm starting a project which only contains one class file. I will be turning the class file into a dll at the end. I understand that another app normally makes calls to the dll once it's referenced in the project. I need the dll to run a sub inside of it on load like a normal mybase.load sub. This sub needs to execute only once on load to populate some variables. I don't want to have to call the sub from the main app. The rest of the functions/subs in the dll will be called from the main app when needed. Please don't respond with register them globally under the class, I need a sub or function.
If there isn't such a sub how would I go about creating a function/sub that preforms an onload?
Thanks. :)
Hope I'm making sense. Thanks for your response.
Shared Sub New()
on your class.
Another option is to have a private class inside your class and initialise it with a member variable:
Public Class MyLibraryClass
Private mobjSettings As New SettingsClass
Public Function SampleLibraryFunction() As String
Return mobjSettings.SettingsProperty
End Function
Private Class SettingsClass
Friend SettingsProperty As String
Sub New()
'initialise
SettingsProperty = "This is a test"
End Sub
End Class
End Class

Overriding a Sub procedure in VB.NET

I have a main class that has a Sub procedure with no implementation. Any derived class should override and implement this procedure, so I used MustOverride in the base class.
Now, any time this procedure is called, I need to set a specific Boolean variable to True at the beginning of the procedure and set it to False at the end.
Is there a way to avoid writing these two lines of code in procedure implementation of every single derived class? Can I set this value to True in the base class, then run procedure in the derived class and then set the value back in the base class?
Thank you in advance.
When I have scenarios where a derived class needs to override a method, but I want specific things to happen before or after the overridden method code, I split it into two methods. Something like this (very simplified):
VB.NET version:
Class BaseClass
Public Sub DoWork()
' perform pre-steps '
DoWorkImpl()
' perform post-steps '
End Sub
Protected MustOverride Sub DoWorkImpl()
End Class
Derived classes will override DoWorkImpl, but the method cannot be called from the outside, since it is protected. Only DoWork can be called from the outside, ensuring that the pre- and post steps are always performed.
The way I would do this is break the work up into 2 methods. The first method would be non-virtual on the base class and would take care of setting the Boolean value. It would then call the second MustOverride method. For example
Sub Method()
MyValue = True
Try
MethodCore()
Finally
MyValue = False
End Try
End Sub
Sub MustOverride MethodCore()