How to declare a fixed-length string in VB.NET?

Question

How do i Declare a string like this:

Dim strBuff As String * 256

in VB.NET?

Answer 1

This hasn't been fully tested, but here's a class to solve this problem:

''' <summary>
''' Represents a <see cref="String" /> with a minimum
''' and maximum length.
''' </summary>
Public Class BoundedString

    Private mstrValue As String

    ''' <summary>
    ''' The contents of this <see cref="BoundedString" />
    ''' </summary>
    Public Property Value() As String
        Get
            Return mstrValue
        End Get

        Set(value As String)
            If value.Length < MinLength Then
                Throw New ArgumentException(String.Format("Provided string {0} of length {1} contains less " &
                                                          "characters than the minimum allowed length {2}.",
                                                          value, value.Length, MinLength))
            End If

            If value.Length > MaxLength Then
                Throw New ArgumentException(String.Format("Provided string {0} of length {1} contains more " &
                                                          "characters than the maximum allowed length {2}.",
                                                          value, value.Length, MaxLength))
            End If

            If Not AllowNull AndAlso value Is Nothing Then
                Throw New ArgumentNullException(String.Format("Provided string {0} is null, and null values " &
                                                              "are not allowed.", value))
            End If

            mstrValue = value
        End Set
    End Property

    Private mintMinLength As Integer
    ''' <summary>
    ''' The minimum number of characters in this <see cref="BoundedString" />.
    ''' </summary>
    Public Property MinLength() As Integer
        Get
            Return mintMinLength
        End Get

        Private Set(value As Integer)
            mintMinLength = value
        End Set

    End Property

    Private mintMaxLength As Integer
    ''' <summary>
    ''' The maximum number of characters in this <see cref="BoundedString" />.
    ''' </summary>
    Public Property MaxLength As Integer
        Get
            Return mintMaxLength
        End Get

        Private Set(value As Integer)
            mintMaxLength = value
        End Set
    End Property

    Private mblnAllowNull As Boolean
    ''' <summary>
    ''' Whether or not this <see cref="BoundedString" /> can represent a null value.
    ''' </summary>
    Public Property AllowNull As Boolean
        Get
            Return mblnAllowNull
        End Get

        Private Set(value As Boolean)
            mblnAllowNull = value
        End Set
    End Property

    Public Sub New(ByVal strValue As String,
                   ByVal intMaxLength As Integer)
        MinLength = 0
        MaxLength = intMaxLength
        AllowNull = False

        Value = strValue
    End Sub

    Public Sub New(ByVal strValue As String,
                   ByVal intMinLength As Integer,
                   ByVal intMaxLength As Integer)
        MinLength = intMinLength
        MaxLength = intMaxLength
        AllowNull = False

        Value = strValue
    End Sub

    Public Sub New(ByVal strValue As String,
                   ByVal intMinLength As Integer,
                   ByVal intMaxLength As Integer,
                   ByVal blnAllowNull As Boolean)
        MinLength = intMinLength
        MaxLength = intMaxLength
        AllowNull = blnAllowNull

        Value = strValue
    End Sub
End Class

Answer 2

Use the VBFixedString attribute. See the MSDN info here

<VBFixedString(256)>Dim strBuff As String

Answer 3

Have you tried

Dim strBuff as String

Also see Working with Strings in .NET using VB.NET

This tutorial explains how to represent strings in .NET using VB.NET and how to work with them with the help of .NET class library classes.

Answer 4

You can use Microsoft.VisualBasic.Compatibility:

Imports Microsoft.VisualBasic.Compatibility

Dim strBuff As New VB6.FixedLengthString(256)

But it's marked as obsolete and specifically not supported for 64-bit processes, so write your own that replicates the functionality, which is to truncate on setting long values and padding right with spaces for short values. It also sets an "uninitialised" value, like above, to nulls.

Sample code from LinqPad (which I can't get to allow Imports Microsoft.VisualBasic.Compatibility I think because it is marked obsolete, but I have no proof of that):

Imports Microsoft.VisualBasic.Compatibility

Dim U As New VB6.FixedLengthString(5)
Dim S As New VB6.FixedLengthString(5, "Test")
Dim L As New VB6.FixedLengthString(5, "Testing")
Dim p0 As Func(Of String, String) = Function(st) """" & st.Replace(ChrW(0), "\0") & """"
p0(U.Value).Dump()
p0(S.Value).Dump()
p0(L.Value).Dump()
U.Value = "Test"
p0(U.Value).Dump()
U.Value = "Testing"
p0(U.Value).Dump()

which has this output:

"\0\0\0\0\0"
"Test "
"Testi"
"Test "
"Testi"