This document is an authorized derivative of Frank McCown's "VB.

NET and
C# Comparison" (C) 2005 at
http://www.harding.edu/USER/fmccown/WWW/vbnet_csharp_comparison.html
This work is licensed under a Create Common License

Comments
VB.NET C#
'Single line only // Single line
Rem Single line only /* Multiple
line */
/// XML comments on single line
/** XML comments on multiple lines */

Program Structure
VB.NET C#
Imports System using System
Namespace MyNameSpace Namespace MyNameSpace
  Class HelloWorld {
    'Entry point which delegates to C-style main   class HelloWorld
Private Function   {     
    Public Overloads Shared Sub Main()     static void Main(string[] args)
      Main(System.Environment.GetCommandLineArgs())     {
    End Sub       System.Console.WriteLine("Hello
World")
  Overloads Shared Sub Main(args() As String)     }
    System.Console.WriteLine("Hello World")   }
  End Sub 'Main }
  End Class 'HelloWorld End Namespace 'MyNameSpace

Data Types
This document is an authorized derivative of Frank McCown's "VB.NET and
C# Comparison" (C) 2005 at
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This work is licensed under a Create Common License
VB.NET C#
'Value Types //Value Types
Boolean bool
Byte byte, sbyte
Char (example: "A") char (example: 'A')
Short, Integer, Long short, ushort, int, uint, long, ulong
Single, Double float, double
Decimal decimal
Date DateTime

'Reference Types //Reference Types

Object object
String string

Dim x As Integer int x;

System.Console.WriteLine(x.GetType()) Console.WriteLine(x.GetType())
System.Console.WriteLine(TypeName(x)) Console.WriteLine(typeof(int))

'Type conversion //Type conversion

Dim d As Single = 3.5 float d = 3.5;
Dim i As Integer = CType (d, Integer) int i = (int) d
i = CInt (d)
i = Int(d)

Constants
VB.NET C#
Const MAX_AUTHORS As Integer = 25 const int MAX_AUTHORS = 25;
ReadOnly MIN_RANK As Single = 5.00 readonly float MIN_RANKING = 5.00;

Enumerations
VB.NET C#
Enum Action enum Action {Start, Stop, Rewind, Forward};
This document is an authorized derivative of Frank McCown's "VB.NET and
C# Comparison" (C) 2005 at
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This work is licensed under a Create Common License
  Start enum Status {Flunk = 50, Pass = 70, Excel =
  'Stop is a reserved word 90};
[Stop]
  Rewind
  Forward
End Enum

Enum Status
   Flunk = 50
   Pass = 70
   Excel = 90
End Enum

Dim a As Action = Action.Stop Action a = Action.Stop;

If a <> Action.Start Then _ if (a != Action.Start)
'Prints "Stop is 1" //Prints "Stop is 1"
   System.Console.WriteLine(a.ToString & " is " &   System.Console.WriteLine(a + " is " +
a) (int) a);

'Prints 70 // Prints 70
System.Console.WriteLine(Status.Pass) System.Console.WriteLine((int)
'Prints Pass Status.Pass);
System.Console.WriteLine(Status.Pass.ToString()) // Prints Pass
System.Console.WriteLine(Status.Pass);

Enum Weekdays
   Saturday
   Sunday enum Weekdays
   Monday {
   Tuesday   Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday,
   Wednesday Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
   Thursday }
   Friday
End Enum 'Weekdays

Operators
VB.NET C#
'Comparison //Comparison
This document is an authorized derivative of Frank McCown's "VB.NET and
C# Comparison" (C) 2005 at
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This work is licensed under a Create Common License
=  <  >  <=  >=  <> ==  <  >  <=  >=  !=

'Arithmetic //Arithmetic
+  -  *  / +  -  *  /
Mod %  (mod)
\  (integer division) /  (integer division if both operands are
^  (raise to a power) ints)
Math.Pow(x, y)

'Assignment
=  +=  -=  *=  /=  \=  ^=  <<=  >>=  &= //Assignment
=  +=  -=  *=  /=   %=  &=  |=  ^=  <<= 
>>=  ++  --
'Bitwise
And  AndAlso  Or  OrElse  Not  <<  >>
//Bitwise
&  |  ^   ~  <<  >>
'Logical
And  AndAlso  Or  OrElse  Not
//Logical
&&  ||   !
'String Concatenation
&
//String Concatenation
+

Choices
VB.NET C#
greeting = IIf(age < 20, "What's up?", "Hello") greeting = age < 20 ? "What's up?" :
This document is an authorized derivative of Frank McCown's "VB.NET and
C# Comparison" (C) 2005 at
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This work is licensed under a Create Common License
"Hello";

'One line doesn't require "End If", no "Else"

If language = "VB.NET" Then langType = "verbose"

'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 if (x != 100 && y < 5)
  y *= 2 {
End If   // Multiple statements must be enclosed
in {}
  x *= 5;
  y *= 2;
}
'or to break up any long single command use _
If henYouHaveAReally < longLine And _
itNeedsToBeBrokenInto2   > Lines  Then _
  UseTheUnderscore(charToBreakItUp)

If x > 5 Then
  x *= y
ElseIf x = 5 Then if (x > 5)
  x += y   x *= y;
ElseIf x < 10 Then else if (x == 5)
  x -= y   x += y;
Else else if (x < 10)
  x /= y   x -= y;
End If else
  x /= y;

'Must be a primitive data type

Select Case color   
  Case "black", "red" //Must be integer or string
    r += 1 switch (color)
  Case "blue" {
    b += 1   case "black":
  Case "green"   case "red":    r++;
    g += 1    break;
  Case Else   case "blue"
    other += 1    break;
End Select   case "green": g++;  
   break;
  default:    other++;
   break;
}

Loops
VB.NET C#
'Pre-test Loops: //Pre-test Loops: while (i < 10)
This document is an authorized derivative of Frank McCown's "VB.NET and
C# Comparison" (C) 2005 at
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This work is licensed under a Create Common License
While c < 10   i++;
  c += 1 for (i = 2; i < = 10; i += 2)
End While Do Until c = 10   System.Console.WriteLine(i);
  c += 1
Loop

'Post-test Loop:
Do While c < 10
  c += 1 //Post-test Loop:
Loop do
  i++;
while (i < 10);
For c = 2 To 10 Step 2
  System.Console.WriteLine(c)
Next

'Array or collection looping

Dim names As String() = {"Steven", "SuOk", "Sarah"}
For Each s As String In names // Array or collection looping
  System.Console.WriteLine(s) string[] names = {"Steven", "SuOk",
Next "Sarah"};
foreach (string s in names)
  System.Console.WriteLine(s);

Arrays
VB.NET C#
Dim nums() As Integer = {1, 2, 3} int[] nums = {1, 2, 3};
This document is an authorized derivative of Frank McCown's "VB.NET and
C# Comparison" (C) 2005 at
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This work is licensed under a Create Common License
For i As Integer = 0 To nums.Length - 1 for (int i = 0; i < nums.Length; i++)
  Console.WriteLine(nums(i))   Console.WriteLine(nums[i]);
Next

'4 is the index of the last element, so it holds 5 // 5 is the size of the array
elements string[] names = new string[5];
Dim names(4) As String names[0] = "Steven";
names(0) = "Steven" // Throws System.IndexOutOfRangeException
'Throws System.IndexOutOfRangeException names[5] = "Sarah"
names(5) = "Sarah"

// C# can't dynamically resize an array.

'Resize the array, keeping the existing //Just copy into new array.
'values (Preserve is optional) string[] names2 = new string[7];
ReDim Preserve names(6) // or names.CopyTo(names2, 0);
Array.Copy(names, names2, names.Length);

float[,] twoD = new float[rows, cols];

Dim twoD(rows-1, cols-1) As Single twoD[2,0] = 4.5;
twoD(2, 0) = 4.5

int[][] jagged = new int[3][] {

Dim jagged()() As Integer = { _   new int[5], new int[2], new int[3] };
  New Integer(4) {}, New Integer(1) {}, New jagged[0][4] = 5;
Integer(2) {} }
jagged(0)(4) = 5

Functions
VB.NET C#
'Pass by value (in, default), reference // Pass by value (in, default), reference
This document is an authorized derivative of Frank McCown's "VB.NET and
C# Comparison" (C) 2005 at
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This work is licensed under a Create Common License
'(in/out), and reference (out) //(in/out), and reference (out)
Sub TestFunc(ByVal x As Integer, ByRef y As void TestFunc(int x, ref int y, out int z)
Integer, {
ByRef z As Integer)   x++;
  x += 1   y++;
  y += 1   z = 5;
  z = 5 }
End Sub

'c set to zero by default

int a = 1, b = 1, c; // c doesn't need
Dim a = 1, b = 1, c As Integer initializing
TestFunc(a, b, c) TestFunc(a, ref b, out c);
System.Console.WriteLine("{0} {1} {2}", a, b, c) '1 System.Console.WriteLine("{0} {1} {2}", a,
2 5 b, c); // 1 2 5

'Accept variable number of arguments // Accept variable number of arguments

Function Sum(ByVal ParamArray nums As Integer()) As int Sum(params int[] nums) {
Integer   int sum = 0;
  Sum = 0   foreach (int i in nums)
  For Each i As Integer In nums     sum += i;
    Sum += i   return sum;
  Next }
End Function 'Or use a Return statement like C#

Dim total As Integer = Sum(4, 3, 2, 1) 'returns 10 int total = Sum(4, 3, 2, 1); // returns 10

'Optional parameters must be listed last /* C# doesn't support optional

'and must have a default value arguments/parameters.
Sub SayHello(ByVal name As String, Just create two different versions of the
Optional ByVal prefix As String = "") same function. */
  System.Console.WriteLine("Greetings, " & prefix void SayHello(string name, string prefix) {
& " " & name)   System.Console.WriteLine("Greetings, " +
End Sub prefix + " " + name);
}

SayHello("Steven", "Dr.") void SayHello(string name) {

SayHello("SuOk")   SayHello(name, "");
}

Exception Handling
VB.NET C#
Class Withfinally class  Withfinally
This document is an authorized derivative of Frank McCown's "VB.NET and
C# Comparison" (C) 2005 at
http://www.harding.edu/USER/fmccown/WWW/vbnet_csharp_comparison.html
This work is licensed under a Create Common License
   Public Shared Sub Main() {
      Try   public static void Main()
         Dim x As Integer = 5   {
         Dim y As Integer = 0     try
         Dim z As Integer = x / y     {
         Console.WriteLine(z)       int x = 5;
      Catch e As DivideByZeroException       int y = 0;
         System.Console.WriteLine("Error occurred")       int z = x/y;
      Finally       Console.WriteLine(z);
         System.Console.WriteLine("Thank you")     }
      End Try     catch(DivideByZeroException e)
   End Sub 'Main     {
End Class 'Withfinally       System.Console.WriteLine("Error
occurred");
    }
    finally
    {
      System.Console.WriteLine("Thank
you");
    }
  }
}

Namespaces
VB.NET C#
Namespace ASPAlliance.DotNet.Community namespace ASPAlliance.DotNet.Community {
  ...   ...
End Namespace }

'or // or

Namespace ASPAlliance namespace ASPAlliance {

  Namespace DotNet   namespace DotNet {
    Namespace Community     namespace Community {
      ...       ...
    End Namespace     }
  End Namespace   }
End Namespace }

Imports ASPAlliance.DotNet.Community using ASPAlliance.DotNet.Community;

Classes / Interfaces
VB.NET C#
'Accessibility keywords //Accessibility keywords
Public public
This document is an authorized derivative of Frank McCown's "VB.NET and
C# Comparison" (C) 2005 at
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This work is licensed under a Create Common License
Private private
Friend internal
Protected protected
Protected Friend protected internal
Shared static

'Inheritance //Inheritance
Class Articles class Articles: Authors {
  Inherits Authors   ...
  ... }
End Class

using System;
Imports System

interface IArticle
Interface IArticle {
   Sub Show()   void Show();
End Interface 'IArticle }
 _

class IAuthor:IArticle
Class IAuthor {
   Implements IArticle   public void Show()
      {
   Public Sub Show()     System.Console.WriteLine("Show() method
      System.Console.WriteLine("Show() method Implemented");
Implemented")   }
   End Sub 'Show
  
   'Entry point which delegates to C-style main   public static void Main(string[] args)
Private Function   {
   Public Overloads Shared Sub Main()     IAuthor author = new IAuthor();
      Main(System.Environment.GetCommandLineArgs())     author.Show();
   End Sub   }
   }
  
   Overloads Public Shared Sub Main(args() As
String)
      Dim author As New IAuthor()
      author.Show()
   End Sub 'Main
End Class 'IAuthor

Constructors / Destructors
VB.NET C#
Class TopAuthor class TopAuthor {
  Private _topAuthor As Integer   private int _topAuthor;
This document is an authorized derivative of Frank McCown's "VB.NET and
C# Comparison" (C) 2005 at
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This work is licensed under a Create Common License

  Public Sub New()   public TopAuthor() {

    _topAuthor = 0      _topAuthor = 0;
  End Sub   }

  Public Sub New(ByVal topAuthor As Integer)   public TopAuthor(int topAuthor) {

    Me._topAuthor = topAuthor     this._topAuthor= topAuthor
  End Sub   }

  Protected Overrides Sub Finalize()   ~TopAuthor() {

   'Desctructor code to free unmanaged resources     // Destructor code to free unmanaged
    MyBase.Finalize() resources.
  End Sub     // Implicitly creates a Finalize method
End Class   }
}

Objects
VB.NET C#
Dim author As TopAuthor = New TopAuthor TopAuthor author = new TopAuthor();
With author
  .Name = "Steven" //No "With" construct
  .AuthorRanking = 3 author.Name = "Steven";
End With author.AuthorRanking = 3;

author.Rank("Scott")
author.Demote() 'Calling Shared method author.Rank("Scott");
'or TopAuthor.Demote() //Calling static method
TopAuthor.Rank()

Dim author2 As TopAuthor = author 'Both refer to

same object TopAuthor author2 = author //Both refer to
author2.Name = "Joe" same object
System.Console.WriteLine(author2.Name) 'Prints Joe author2.Name = "Joe";
System.Console.WriteLine(author2.Name)
//Prints Joe
author = Nothing 'Free the object

author = null //Free the object

If author Is Nothing Then _
  author = New TopAuthor
if (author == null)
  author = new TopAuthor();
Dim obj As Object = New TopAuthor
If TypeOf obj Is TopAuthor Then _
  System.Console.WriteLine("Is a TopAuthor Object obj = new TopAuthor(); 
object.") if (obj is TopAuthor)
  SystConsole.WriteLine("Is a TopAuthor
object.");

Structs
VB.NET C#
Structure AuthorRecord struct AuthorRecord {
  Public name As String   public string name;
  Public rank As Single   public float rank;
This document is an authorized derivative of Frank McCown's "VB.NET and
C# Comparison" (C) 2005 at
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This work is licensed under a Create Common License
  Public Sub New(ByVal name As String, ByVal rank   public AuthorRecord(string name, float
As Single) rank) {
    Me.name = name     this.name = name;
    Me.rank = rank     this.rank = rank;
  End Sub   }
End Structure }

Dim author As AuthorRecord = New

AuthorRecord("Steven", 8.8) AuthorRecord author = new
Dim author2 As AuthorRecord = author AuthorRecord("Steven", 8.8);
AuthorRecord author2 = author
author2.name = "Scott"
System.Console.WriteLine(author.name) 'Prints author.name = "Scott";
Steven SystemConsole.WriteLine(author.name);
System.Console.WriteLine(author2.name) 'Prints //Prints Steven
Scott System.Console.WriteLine(author2.name);
//Prints Scott

Properties
VB.NET C#
Private _size As Integer private int _size;

Public Property Size() As Integer public int Size {

  Get   get {
This document is an authorized derivative of Frank McCown's "VB.NET and
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This work is licensed under a Create Common License
    Return _size     return _size;
  End Get   }
  Set (ByVal Value As Integer)   set {
    If Value < 0 Then     if (value < 0)
      _size = 0       _size = 0;
    Else     else
      _size = Value       _size = value;
    End If   }
  End Set }
End Property

foo.Size += 1 foo.Size++;

Imports System using System;

class Date
{
Class [Date]     public int Day{
           get {
   Public Property Day() As Integer             return day;
      Get         }
         Return day         set {
      End Get             day = value;
      Set         }
         day = value     }
      End Set     int day;
   End Property
   Private day As Integer
       public int Month{
           get {
   Public Property Month() As Integer             return month;
      Get         }
         Return month         set {
      End Get             month = value;
      Set         }
         month = value     }
      End Set     int month;
   End Property
   Private month As Integer
       public int Year{
           get {
   Public Property Year() As Integer             return year;
      Get         }
         Return year         set {
      End Get             year = value;
      Set         }
         year = value     }
      End Set     int year;
   End Property
   Private year As Integer
       public bool IsLeapYear(int year)
       {
   Public Function IsLeapYear(year As Integer) As         return year%4== 0 ? true: false;
Boolean     }
      Return(If year Mod 4 = 0 Then True Else     public void SetDate (int day, int
False) month, int year)
   End Function 'IsLeapYear     {
           this.day   = day;
   Public Sub SetDate(day As Integer, month As         this.month = month;
Integer,         this.year  = year;
year As Integer)     }
      Me.day = day }
      Me.month = month
This document is an authorized derivative of Frank McCown's "VB.NET and
C# Comparison" (C) 2005 at
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This work is licensed under a Create Common License
      Me.year = year
   End Sub 'SetDate
End Class '[Date]

Delegates / Events
VB.NET C#
Delegate Sub MsgArrivedEventHandler(ByVal message delegate void MsgArrivedEventHandler(string
As String) message);

Event MsgArrivedEvent As MsgArrivedEventHandler event MsgArrivedEventHandler

MsgArrivedEvent;

'or to define an event which declares a

'delegate implicitly //Delegates must be used with events in C#
Event MsgArrivedEvent(ByVal message As String)

MsgArrivedEvent += new
AddHandler MsgArrivedEvent, AddressOf MsgArrivedEventHandler
My_MsgArrivedCallback   (My_MsgArrivedEventCallback);
'Won't throw an exception if obj is Nothing //Throws exception if obj is null
RaiseEvent MsgArrivedEvent("Test message") MsgArrivedEvent("Test message");
RemoveHandler MsgArrivedEvent, AddressOf MsgArrivedEvent -= new
My_MsgArrivedCallback MsgArrivedEventHandler
  (My_MsgArrivedEventCallback);

Imports System.Windows.Forms
using System.Windows.Forms;

'WithEvents can't be used on local variable

Dim WithEvents MyButton As Button Button MyButton = new Button();
MyButton = New Button MyButton.Click += new
System.EventHandler(MyButton_Click);

Private Sub MyButton_Click(ByVal sender As

System.Object, _ private void MyButton_Click(object sender,
  ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles System.EventArgs e) {
MyButton.Click   MessageBox.Show(this, "Button was
  MessageBox.Show(Me, "Button was clicked", "Info", clicked", "Info",
_     MessageBoxButtons.OK,
    MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Information);
MessageBoxIcon.Information) }
End Sub

Console I/O
VB.NET C#
'Special character constants //Escape sequences
vbCrLf, vbCr, vbLf, vbNewLine \n, \r
vbNullString \t
vbTab \\
This document is an authorized derivative of Frank McCown's "VB.NET and
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This work is licensed under a Create Common License
vbBack \
vbFormFeed
vbVerticalTab
"" Convert.ToChar(65) //Returns 'A' -
Chr(65) 'Returns 'A' equivalent to Chr(num) in VB
// or
(char) 65
System.Console.Write("What's your name? ")
Dim name As String = System.Console.ReadLine()
System.Console.Write("How old are you? ") System.Console.Write("What's your name? ");
Dim age As Integer = Val(System.Console.ReadLine()) string name = SYstem.Console.ReadLine();
System.Console.WriteLine("{0} is {1} years old.", System.Console.Write("How old are you? ");
name, age) int age =
'or Convert.ToInt32(System.Console.ReadLine());
System.Console.WriteLine(name & " is " & age & " System.Console.WriteLine("{0} is {1} years
years old.") old.", name, age);
//or
Dim c As Integer System.Console.WriteLine(name + " is " +
c = System.Console.Read() 'Read single char age + " years old.");
System.Console.WriteLine(c) 'Prints 65 if user
enters "A"
int c = System.Console.Read(); //Read
single char
System.Console.WriteLine(c); //Prints 65 if
user enters "A"

File I/O
VB.NET C#
Imports System.IO using System.IO;

'Write out to text file //Write out to text file

This document is an authorized derivative of Frank McCown's "VB.NET and
C# Comparison" (C) 2005 at
http://www.harding.edu/USER/fmccown/WWW/vbnet_csharp_comparison.html
This work is licensed under a Create Common License
Dim writer As StreamWriter = File.CreateText StreamWriter writer = File.CreateText
  ("c:\myfile.txt")   ("c:\\myfile.txt");
writer.WriteLine("Out to file.") writer.WriteLine("Out to file.");
writer.Close() writer.Close();

'Read all lines from text file //Read all lines from text file
Dim reader As StreamReader = File.OpenText StreamReader reader = File.OpenText
  ("c:\myfile.txt")   ("c:\\myfile.txt");
Dim line As String = reader.ReadLine() string line = reader.ReadLine();
While Not line Is Nothing while (line != null) {
  Console.WriteLine(line)   Console.WriteLine(line);
  line = reader.ReadLine()   line = reader.ReadLine();
End While }
reader.Close() reader.Close();

'Write out to binary file //Write out to binary file

Dim str As String = "Text data" string str = "Text data";
Dim num As Integer = 123 int num = 123;
Dim binWriter As New BinaryWriter(File.OpenWrite BinaryWriter binWriter = new
  ("c:\myfile.dat")) BinaryWriter(File.OpenWrite
binWriter.Write(str)   ("c:\\myfile.dat"));
binWriter.Write(num) binWriter.Write(str);
binWriter.Close() binWriter.Write(num);
binWriter.Close();

'Read from binary file

Dim binReader As New BinaryReader(File.OpenRead //Read from binary file
  ("c:\myfile.dat")) BinaryReader binReader = new
str = binReader.ReadString() BinaryReader(File.OpenRead
num = binReader.ReadInt32()   ("c:\\myfile.dat"));
binReader.Close() str = binReader.ReadString();
num = binReader.ReadInt32();
binReader.Close();