Editing Visual Basic (.NET) (section)

==== Comparative examples ====
The following simple examples compare VB and VB.NET syntax. They assume that the developer has created a form, placed a button on it and has associated the subroutines demonstrated in each example with the click [[event handler]] of the mentioned button. Each example creates a "Hello, World" message box after the button on the form is clicked.

Visual Basic 6:

<syntaxhighlight lang="vbscript">
Private Sub Command1_Click()
    MsgBox "Hello, World"
End Sub
</syntaxhighlight>

VB.NET (MsgBox or MessageBox class can be used):

<syntaxhighlight lang="vbnet">
Private Sub Button1_Click(sender As object, e As EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
    MsgBox("Hello, World")
End Sub
</syntaxhighlight>
* Both Visual Basic 6 and Visual Basic .NET automatically generate the <code>Sub</code> and <code>End Sub</code> statements when the corresponding button is double-clicked in design view. Visual Basic .NET will also generate the necessary <code>Class</code> and <code>End Class</code> statements. The developer need only add the statement to display the "Hello, World" message box.
* All procedure calls must be made with parentheses in VB.NET, whereas in Visual Basic 6 there were different conventions for functions (parentheses required) and subs (no parentheses allowed, unless called using the keyword <code>Call</code>).
* The names <code>Command1</code> and <code>Button1</code> are not obligatory. However, these are default names for a command button in Visual Basic 6 and VB.NET respectively.
* In VB.NET, the <code>Handles</code> keyword is used to make the sub <code>Button1_Click</code> a handler for the <code>Click</code> event of the object <code>Button1</code>. In Visual Basic 6, event handler subs must have a specific name consisting of the object's name ({{code|Command1}}), an underscore ({{code|_}}), and the event's name ({{code|Click}}, hence {{code|Command1_Click}}).
* There is a function called <code>MessageBox.Show</code> in the <code>Microsoft.VisualBasic</code> namespace which can be used (instead of <code>MsgBox</code>) similarly to the corresponding function in Visual Basic 6. There is a controversy<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=55979|title=Visual Studio 2003 Retired Technical documentation|website=Microsoft Download Center|access-date=July 24, 2018|archive-date=December 30, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141230014657/http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa291820(VS.71).aspx|url-status=live}}</ref> about which function to use as a best practice (not only restricted to showing message boxes but also regarding other features of the <code>Microsoft.VisualBasic</code> namespace). Some programmers prefer to do things "the .NET way", since the Framework classes have more features and are less language-specific. Others argue that using language-specific features makes code more readable (for example, using <code>int</code> (C#) or <code>Integer</code> (VB.NET) instead of <code>System.Int32</code>).
* In Visual Basic 2008, the inclusion of {{code|2=vbnet|ByVal sender as Object}}, {{code|2=vbnet|ByVal e as EventArgs}} has become optional.

The following example demonstrates a difference between Visual Basic 6 and VB.NET. Both examples close the [[active window]].

Visual Basic 6:

<syntaxhighlight lang="vbscript">
Sub cmdClose_Click()
    Unload Me
End Sub
</syntaxhighlight>

VB.NET:

<syntaxhighlight lang="vbnet">
Sub btnClose_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles btnClose.Click
    Close()
End Sub
</syntaxhighlight>

The 'cmd' prefix is replaced by the 'btn' prefix, conforming to the new convention previously mentioned.{{Which|date=November 2014}}

Visual Basic 6 did not provide common operator shortcuts. The following are equivalent:
<!-- Visual Basic 6 did NOT have an opacity setting for forms or any other standard control -->

Visual Basic 6:

<syntaxhighlight lang="vbscript">
Sub Timer1_Timer()
    'Reduces Form Height by one pixel per tick
    Me.Height = Me.Height - 1
End Sub
</syntaxhighlight>

VB.NET:
<syntaxhighlight lang="vbnet">
Sub Timer1_Tick(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Timer1.Tick
    Me.Height -= 1
End Sub
</syntaxhighlight>