VB.NET Data Types

DATATYPE in a programming language describes that what type of data a variable can hold . When we declare a variable, we have to tell the compiler about what type of the data the variable can hold or which data type the variable belongs to.

Syntax : Dim VariableName as DataType

VariableName : the variable we declare for hold the values.

DataType : The type of data that the variable can hold

VB.NET sample :

The above example shows , declare a variable 'count' for holding integer values.

In the variable count we can hold the integer values in

the range of -2,147,483,648 to +2,147,483,647.

The follwing are the some of commonly using datatypes in vb.net.

Boolean

Boolean variables are stored 16 bit numbers and it can hold only True or false.

1. VB.NET Runtime type : System.Boolean
2. VB.NET declaration : dim check as Boolean
3. VB.NET Initialization : check = false
4. VB.NET default initialization value : false

Integer

Integer variables are stored sighned 32 bit integer values in the range of -2,147,483,648 to +2,147,483,647

1. VB.NET Runtime type : System.Int32
2. VB.NET declaration : dim count as Integer
3. VB.NET Initialization : count = 100
4. VB.NET default initialization value : 0

String

String variables are stored any number of alphabetic, numerical, and special characters . Its range from 0 to approximately 2 billion Unicode characters.

1. VB.NET Runtime type : System.String
2. VB.NET declaration : Dim str As String
3. VB.NET Initialization : str = "String Test"
4. VB.NET default initialization value : Nothing

In VisualBasic.Net we can convert a datatype in two ways. Implicit Conversion and Explicit conversion . Also we can convert a type value to a reference and reference value to a type value. These are called Boxing and unBoxing . Boxing referes value type to reference type and unboxing , reference type ot value type.

Public Class Form1
    Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, 
		ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
        Dim check As Boolean
        check = True
        MsgBox("The value assigned for check is  : " & check)

        Dim count As Integer
        count = 100
        MsgBox("The value holding count is  : " & count)

        Dim str As String
        str = "String test "
        MsgBox("The value holding str is  : " & str)
    End Sub
End Class