how to figure different variations of a method (ex. PadLeft() )

[vbDavidC]

Hi,

Does Intellisense show the differen
I am using VB2005 and was reading a VB book and came across the
PadLeft method and I wanted to understand how it works.

m_MyString = m_strTime.PadLeft(4,Convert.ToChar("0"))

I understand (perfectly) how this works but since I am new to this
language I wanted to make sure I understood it properly. If I use
Intellisense or use MS Help it shows it basically shows the PadLeft
with one parameter (totalwidth) and includes the statement:

'Right-aligns the characters in this instance, padding with spaces on
the left for a specified total length.'

I thought that Intellisense would show me a + sign that would allow me
to see different variations but in this case it did not do that. If I
check Help (F1) it shows 2 variations, although it seems that the
first time I checked Help it only showed the 1 variation.

Being in a hurry I might just use this shown example and never use
these other variations.

thanks for any help, David

 

[Armin Zingler]

Hi,

Does Intellisense show the differen
I am using VB2005 and was reading a VB book and came across the
PadLeft method and I wanted to understand how it works.

m_MyString = m_strTime.PadLeft(4,Convert.ToChar("0"))

I understand (perfectly) how this works but since I am new to this
language I wanted to make sure I understood it properly. If I use
Intellisense or use MS Help it shows it basically shows the PadLeft
with one parameter (totalwidth) and includes the statement:

'Right-aligns the characters in this instance, padding with spaces on
the left for a specified total length.'

I thought that Intellisense would show me a + sign that would allow me
to see different variations but in this case it did not do that. If I
check Help (F1) it shows 2 variations, although it seems that the
first time I checked Help it only showed the 1 variation.

Being in a hurry I might just use this shown example and never use
these other variations.

thanks for any help, David

In VB 2008, if I type

m_MyString = m_strTime.PadLeft(

I see http://freenet-homepage.de/armin.zingler/VB2009-03-18.PNG

If I press ESC once, the lower box closes. Using the arrow up/down keys, I
can scroll through the overloaded method versions in the "parameters info"
box. The more parameters I type, the more the overload list is narrowed down
to match the parameter types entered. IIRC the latter feature has been
introduced in VB 2008.


Armin

 

[Jack Jackson]

Hi,

Does Intellisense show the differen
I am using VB2005 and was reading a VB book and came across the
PadLeft method and I wanted to understand how it works.

m_MyString = m_strTime.PadLeft(4,Convert.ToChar("0"))

I understand (perfectly) how this works but since I am new to this
language I wanted to make sure I understood it properly. If I use
Intellisense or use MS Help it shows it basically shows the PadLeft
with one parameter (totalwidth) and includes the statement:

'Right-aligns the characters in this instance, padding with spaces on
the left for a specified total length.'

I thought that Intellisense would show me a + sign that would allow me
to see different variations but in this case it did not do that. If I
check Help (F1) it shows 2 variations, although it seems that the
first time I checked Help it only showed the 1 variation.

Being in a hurry I might just use this shown example and never use
these other variations.

thanks for any help, David

I am guessing that the m_strTime variable is of type String.

When I do this, Intellisense shows something like:
1 of 2 PadLeft(totalWidth As String) As String

If I click on the little down arrow the right of the 2 I see:

2 of 2 PadLeft(totalWidth As String, paddingChar As Char) As String

 

[davidsusergroups]

Both of you are correct. However, the reason I did not see the
different variations was because of the following:

I was editing some existing code that already had the padleft method
which had the 2 parameters (totalwidth, padding char).

I moved my cursor after the period and before the (P) in Padleft. I
backspaced to remove the period, typed another period to show
Intellisense. Intellisense defaulted to Padleft and a little yellow
tip showing only the first usage (1 parameter: totalwidth). If I type
the command new or edit it differently the different usages show up.

thanks, David

 

[dunawayc]

m_MyString = m_strTime.PadLeft(4,Convert.ToChar("0"))

Just as an aside, this line can be shortened to:

m_MyString = m_strTime.PadLeft(4, "0"c)

which looks a little cleaner to me.

Chris