Module. In VB.NET, a Module is not a class—it is a container element, but is not an object. In a Module, all members are shared and have "Friend" accessibility.
Some notes. We cannot instantiate a Module—it serves mainly to organize code in a global, single place. It is similar to a namespace or static class in other languages (such as C#).
Module Module1
Sub Main()
' Use Module2.' ... It does not need to be created.
Module2.Increment()
Module2.Increment()
Module2.Increment()
End Sub
End Module
Module Module2
Dim _value As Integer
Sub Increment()
' The value is shared.
Console.WriteLine(_value)
' Change the value.
_value += 1
End Sub
End Module0
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Error. We cannot instantiate an instance of a Module. There is no "New" Sub on it. A Module is not a type, but rather an organizational namespace for programs that is shared.
Warning If you try to create a Module, you will get an error. Please consider adding a class to fix this problem.
Module 'Module2' cannot be used as a type.
Discussion. A Module has many rules. For example, it cannot inherit from another module. And you cannot specify the shared keyword on any of its members (they are already shared).
Summary. Modules are common in VB.NET. But more complex data structures are not built with many modules—rather they use classes as building blocks. A module is an organizational construct.
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Sam Allen is passionate about computer languages. In the past, his work has been recommended by Apple and Microsoft and he has studied computers at a selective university in the United States.
This page was last updated on Nov 25, 2023 (edit).