VB equivalent of this C# short-hand snippet

Question

I would like to know if there is a method to write the below code in VB. ( Right now the equivalent VB.NET code looks too verbose )

List<DemoUsers> users = new List<DemoUsers>();
users.Add(new DemoUsers
{
    UserName = "name1",
    UserAddress = "Address1"
});

Right now I am writing it in VB.NET like

Dim users As New List(Of DemoUsers)

Dim usr1 As New DemoUsers()
usr1.UserName = "name1"
usr1.UserAddress = "Address1"

users.Add(usr1)

Does VB.NET have an equivalent C# short-hand? Also whats this short-hand method in C# called.

P.S: Could not google this short-hand notation availability as I dont know whats it called. Is there a name to call it?

It is called Object Initializer: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/vstudio/bb397680.aspx — mbeckish, Nov 01 '12 at 14:41
@mbeckish: thank you mate. now I know the name. :) thank you all for the answers — naveen, Nov 01 '12 at 14:48

score 10 · Accepted Answer · answered Nov 01 '12 at 14:43

This is an object initializer, which also exists in VB:

New DemoUsers With { .UserName = "name1", .UserAddress = "Address1" }

Note that your C# could be even cleaner if you also use a collection initialzer:

var users = new List<DemoUsers>
{
    new DemoUsers { UserName = "name1", UserAddress = "Address1" }
};

And yes, collection initializers exist in VB too.

score 5 · Answer 2 · edited May 23 '17 at 11:55

5

You could take a look at the With keyword:

Dim usr1 As New DemoUsers()

With usr1
    .UserName = "name1"
    .UserAddress = "Address1"
End With

You can also use this in an object initializer:

Dim usr1 As New DemoUsers With { .UserName = "name1", 
                                 .UserAddress = "Address1" }

edited May 23 '17 at 11:55

Community

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answered Nov 01 '12 at 14:42

CodeCaster

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Joe · Answer 3 · 2012-11-01T14:42:24.087

4

Dim users As New List(Of DemoUsers)()
users.Add(New DemoUsers() With { _
    Key .UserName = "name1", _
    Key .UserAddress = "Address1" _
})

I used http://www.developerfusion.com/tools/convert/csharp-to-vb/

edited Nov 01 '12 at 14:42

answered Nov 01 '12 at 14:41

Joe

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That is a really ugly syntax. – CodeCaster Nov 01 '12 at 14:42
@CodeCaster I edited the layout, Stack didn't catch the code at first. Otherwise, I'm just answering the OP's question who wants to know the VB shorthand that acts like the C# object initializer. I'm not trying to do art :) – Joe Nov 01 '12 at 14:43
That `Key` part is only for anonymous types, right? And this isn't an anonymous type... – Jon Skeet Nov 01 '12 at 14:45
whats the key there? shows me an error? i tried the converter already – naveen Nov 01 '12 at 14:45
@naveen Look at Jon Skeet's answer! :) – Joe Nov 01 '12 at 14:46

score 1 · Answer 4 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:12

1

This is using a feature called Object Initializer.

See this SO answer regarding object initializers in VB.Net.

edited May 23 '17 at 12:12

Community

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answered Nov 01 '12 at 14:43

Seth Flowers

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score 0 · Answer 5 · edited Nov 01 '12 at 14:43

0

It's called an object initializer:

Dim cust1 As New Customer With {.Name = "Toni Poe", 
                                .City = "Louisville"}

edited Nov 01 '12 at 14:43

CodeCaster

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answered Nov 01 '12 at 14:41

CyberDude

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Justin Harvey · Answer 6 · 2013-02-01T11:47:24.030

0

Its called object initializer syntax.

In VB

Dim usr1 As New DemoUsers() With
{
    .UserName = "name1",
    .UserAddress = "Address1"
}

edited Feb 01 '13 at 11:47

answered Nov 01 '12 at 14:43

Justin Harvey

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You misses out the periods required for the `With` – Paul C Feb 01 '13 at 10:26

VB equivalent of this C# short-hand snippet

6 Answers6