Binaryworld - Providing a default value for optional arguments ... [ VB.net -> Language ]

Unlike VB6, VB.NET requires that you specify the default value of any Optional argument. In general you should use a value that is invalid under normal circumstances, so that the called procedure can discern whether the argument has been actually passed or not. For example, you should use -1 as a special value if the argument shouldn't take negative values; or you can use the largest negative or positive number for that numeric type. In the latter case, you might use the MinValue and MaxValue properties that all numeric classes expose:

Click here to copy the following block

Sub MyProc(Optional ByVal X As Long = Long.MinValue)
  If X = Long.MinValue Then
    ' The X argument has been omitted (presumably).
    Console.WriteLine(X) ' => -9223372036854775808
  End If
  ' ....
End Sub

If the optional argument is a Single or Double, you can also use the special NaN (Not-a-Number) value for its default:

Click here to copy the following block

Sub MyProc(Optional ByVal X As Double = Double.NaN)
  If Double.IsNaN(x) Then
    ' The X argument has been omitted.
  End If
End Sub