Can someone explain ByRef and ByVal for me please!?

[Robin Tucker]

Although I've been working on this project for 8 months now, I'm still not
sure of the difference between ByVal and ByRef. As most objects in VB are
reference types, passing ByVal I've discovered allows me to store a
reference to the object I passed by val, to change that object and for the
change to be reflected in the callers copy of the reference (confused?).
Well, what is byref for in that case?

I'm coming from a C++ background here, where a reference is a pointer
(kind-of), a pointer is a pointer and passing an object by value dumps a
copy of the thing on the stack. I don't think things work like this in VB.
ByVal is not the same as C++ passing by value.

Can someone clear up my confusion and tell me where (apart from in COM
wrappers) I really need to use byref?

Thanks
Robin

[Ken Tucker [MVP]]

Hi,

When you pass a variable byref you can make changes to it and
pass it back to caller of the subroutine. When you pass it byval you cant
make changes to it.

Ken
----------------------
"Robin Tucker" <id************ *************@r eallyidont.com> wrote in
message news:cc******** ***********@new s.demon.co.uk.. .

Although I've been working on this project for 8 months now, I'm still not
sure of the difference between ByVal and ByRef. As most objects in VB are
reference types, passing ByVal I've discovered allows me to store a
reference to the object I passed by val, to change that object and for the
change to be reflected in the callers copy of the reference (confused?).
Well, what is byref for in that case?

I'm coming from a C++ background here, where a reference is a pointer
(kind-of), a pointer is a pointer and passing an object by value dumps a
copy of the thing on the stack. I don't think things work like this in
VB.
ByVal is not the same as C++ passing by value.

Can someone clear up my confusion and tell me where (apart from in COM
wrappers) I really need to use byref?

Thanks
Robin

[Stephany Young]

May I have a go please.

With a reference type, the value of a given object is, in fact, a reference.
Therefore passing it ByVal or ByRef is, essentially the same thing.

With a value type, passing it ByRef involves a reference to a given object
whereas passing it ByVal, as you say, 'dumps a copy of the thing on the
stack'.

The key to understanding ByRef and ByVal is in knowing wherther one is
dealing with a reference type object or a value type object.
"Robin Tucker" <id************ *************@r eallyidont.com> wrote in
message news:cc******** ***********@new s.demon.co.uk.. .

Although I've been working on this project for 8 months now, I'm still not
sure of the difference between ByVal and ByRef. As most objects in VB are
reference types, passing ByVal I've discovered allows me to store a
reference to the object I passed by val, to change that object and for the
change to be reflected in the callers copy of the reference (confused?).
Well, what is byref for in that case?

I'm coming from a C++ background here, where a reference is a pointer
(kind-of), a pointer is a pointer and passing an object by value dumps a
copy of the thing on the stack. I don't think things work like this in VB. ByVal is not the same as C++ passing by value.

Can someone clear up my confusion and tell me where (apart from in COM
wrappers) I really need to use byref?

Thanks
Robin

[Cor Ligthert]

Hi Robin,

This discussion thread shows it really nice in my opinon.

http://tinyurl.com/32buy

And read them all, although there is a (little) stupidity from me in it,
that is even interesting.

Cor

[Robin Tucker]

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhhhhhhhhhhhhhh hhh.
essentially no difference between byval and byref with reference types
(obviously). Value types passed by reference (integers for example) behave
as expected. Now I get it.

thanks.

"Stephany Young" <noone@localhos t> wrote in message
news:u5******** ******@TK2MSFTN GP12.phx.gbl...

May I have a go please.

With a reference type, the value of a given object is, in fact, a reference. Therefore passing it ByVal or ByRef is, essentially the same thing.

With a value type, passing it ByRef involves a reference to a given object
whereas passing it ByVal, as you say, 'dumps a copy of the thing on the
stack'.

The key to understanding ByRef and ByVal is in knowing wherther one is
dealing with a reference type object or a value type object.
"Robin Tucker" <id************ *************@r eallyidont.com> wrote in
message news:cc******** ***********@new s.demon.co.uk.. .

Although I've been working on this project for 8 months now, I'm still not sure of the difference between ByVal and ByRef. As most objects in VB are reference types, passing ByVal I've discovered allows me to store a
reference to the object I passed by val, to change that object and for the change to be reflected in the callers copy of the reference (confused?).
Well, what is byref for in that case?

I'm coming from a C++ background here, where a reference is a pointer
(kind-of), a pointer is a pointer and passing an object by value dumps a
copy of the thing on the stack. I don't think things work like this in

VB.

ByVal is not the same as C++ passing by value.

Can someone clear up my confusion and tell me where (apart from in COM
wrappers) I really need to use byref?

Thanks
Robin

[Robin Tucker]

Ok theres something thats been confusing me too. Pass by value and cannot
return a new object created in the method you are calling and referenced by
that variable. Pass by reference and the reference to the new object
persists after the call.

Its starting to make sense but I would have thought the designers of VB
would have made things much more explicit. imho it seems a little confusing
for a new coder.

"Cor Ligthert" <no**********@p lanet.nl> wrote in message
news:uJ******** ******@TK2MSFTN GP11.phx.gbl...

Hi Robin,

This discussion thread shows it really nice in my opinon.

http://tinyurl.com/32buy

And read them all, although there is a (little) stupidity from me in it,
that is even interesting.

Cor

[Les Hughes]

It seems you are still slightly confused... The easiest way I can put it
would be.....

This is our main sub...

sub main()
dim strTest as string
strTest = "testing"
myMethod(strTes t)
msgbox(strTest)
end sub

---- pretty simple...

example with byVal
--------------------------------
sub myMethod(byVal strData as string)
strData = "lalala"
msgbox(strData)
end sub

example with byRef
--------------------------------
sub myMethod(byRef strData as string)
strData = "lalala"
msgbox(strData)
end sub

<snip>

When you use byVal, you will get the following result --> Msgbox
"lalala", then Msgbox "testing"

When you use byRef, you will get Msgbox "lalala", Msgbox "lalala"

The reason been is when you use byVAL, you send the VALue, ie. you send
a copy of the data in which for your method to use...

When you use byREF, you send a REFERENCE in which where to find the
data, so when you modify the data in your method, you are actually
modifying the same data in your calling method (in this case, sub main)

Those coming from a c (or similar) background would be fimilar with this
concept.. the reasoning for it is another long story....

Anyway, test the code for yourself, hopefully I havent confused you :P

Les Hughes


Robin Tucker wrote:

Ok theres something thats been confusing me too. Pass by value and cannot
return a new object created in the method you are calling and referenced by
that variable. Pass by reference and the reference to the new object
persists after the call.

Its starting to make sense but I would have thought the designers of VB
would have made things much more explicit. imho it seems a little confusing
for a new coder.

"Cor Ligthert" <no**********@p lanet.nl> wrote in message
news:uJ******** ******@TK2MSFTN GP11.phx.gbl...

Hi Robin,

This discussion thread shows it really nice in my opinon.

http://tinyurl.com/32buy

And read them all, although there is a (little) stupidity from me in it,
that is even interesting.

Cor

[Robin Tucker]

No, I understood that. But the issue is that this isn't the case for
reference types. If I pass in a reference type by value and modify it then
that modification remains after I have exited the method. The only time
this isn't the case is if I change the item referred to in the method, ie:

the output will be:

"By Value"
"Testing"

"By Reference"
"By Reference"
....

Dim myObject as SomeObject = new SomeObject()

myObject.Title = "Testing"

PassByValue(myO bject)
MessageBox(myOb ject.Title)

PassByReference (myObject)
MessageBox(myOb ject.Title)

....

public sub PassByValue ( byVal theObject as SomeObject)

theObject = new SomeObject()
theObject.Title = "By Value"

MessageBox(theO bject.Title)

end sub

public sub PassByReference ( byRef theObject as SomeObject)

theObject = new SomeObject()
theObject.Title = "By Reference"

MessageBox(theO bject.Title)
end sub
"Les Hughes" <le************ *@datarev.com.a u> wrote in message
news:Od******** ******@TK2MSFTN GP12.phx.gbl...

It seems you are still slightly confused... The easiest way I can put it
would be.....

This is our main sub...

sub main()
dim strTest as string
strTest = "testing"
myMethod(strTes t)
msgbox(strTest)
end sub

---- pretty simple...

example with byVal
--------------------------------
sub myMethod(byVal strData as string)
strData = "lalala"
msgbox(strData)
end sub

example with byRef
--------------------------------
sub myMethod(byRef strData as string)
strData = "lalala"
msgbox(strData)
end sub

<snip>

When you use byVal, you will get the following result --> Msgbox
"lalala", then Msgbox "testing"

When you use byRef, you will get Msgbox "lalala", Msgbox "lalala"

The reason been is when you use byVAL, you send the VALue, ie. you send
a copy of the data in which for your method to use...

When you use byREF, you send a REFERENCE in which where to find the
data, so when you modify the data in your method, you are actually
modifying the same data in your calling method (in this case, sub main)

Those coming from a c (or similar) background would be fimilar with this
concept.. the reasoning for it is another long story....

Anyway, test the code for yourself, hopefully I havent confused you :P

Les Hughes


Robin Tucker wrote:

Ok theres something thats been confusing me too. Pass by value and cannot return a new object created in the method you are calling and referenced by that variable. Pass by reference and the reference to the new object
persists after the call.

Its starting to make sense but I would have thought the designers of VB
would have made things much more explicit. imho it seems a little confusing for a new coder.

"Cor Ligthert" <no**********@p lanet.nl> wrote in message
news:uJ******** ******@TK2MSFTN GP11.phx.gbl...

Hi Robin,

This discussion thread shows it really nice in my opinon.

http://tinyurl.com/32buy

And read them all, although there is a (little) stupidity from me in it,
that is even interesting.

Cor

[Cor Ligthert]

Hi Les,

I think that only for few people the passing of a value which you show gives
any problems. Seeing the postings from Robin I think that it is a proplem
for him. The problem can be when we start thinking about an object.

With an object means Byval actualy the passing of the value of an adres from
the object.
However when it does not exist it is not possible to pass the value of that
adres.

Than you can pass that byref, the value of the object is filled when you
create it and than given back in the reference from the function you call.

It is not that difficult, however can be confusing.

Cor

[Cor Ligthert]

Correction. Typos

Seeing the postings from Robin I cannot think that it is a proplem for him.