Arrays in VB .NET VS 2019

[IlyaRabyy]

Colleagues,
I can't recall, neither find (in VS documentation), how to declare an empty public array in Main sub, and then ReDim it and fill out.
Here's the code:

Module ASCII_Text_Search_Main
Public glDevelop As Boolean = System.Diagnostics.Debugger.IsAttached
Public gsStartDir As String = (System.IO.Path.GetDirectoryName(System.Reflection.Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().Location)).Replace("\bin\Debug", "\")
Public Dim gaFileTypes()

Dim frmASCII_Text_Search As Form

Private Sub Main()
FillExtArray()

frmASCII_Text_Search.Show()

End Sub

'====================================================================================================================================
Sub FillExtArray()
'====================================================================================================================================
' Purpose       : Fills out public array gaFileTypes.
' Description   : Fills out public array gaFileTypes with ASCII text-searchable file extension types.
' Side effects  : None.
' Notes         : 1. Application-specific.
'                 2. Complies with .NET Framework ver. 1.1 and higher.
' Author        : Ilya I. Rabyy
' Revisions     : by Ilya on 2022-01-25 – started 1st draft.
'====================================================================================================================================
ReDim gaFileTypes(15)
gaFileTypes(0) = "*.*"
gaFileTypes(1) = "*.txt"
gaFileTypes(2) = "*.doc"
gaFileTypes(3) = "*.xls"
gaFileTypes(4) = "*.csv"
gaFileTypes(5) = "*.epb"
'...
gaFileTypes(14) = "*.vbproj"
End Sub
'====================================================================================================================================

When I run it with F5, it throws the following error:

What am I doing wrong?
Please advise.

Regards,

Ilya

 

[MarkSweetland]

I think it needs to be initialized. Try:

Public Dim gaFileTypes() As String = New String() {}

Mark

"You guys pair up in groups of three, then line up in a circle."
- Bill Peterson, a Florida State football coach

 

[strongm]

>needs to be initialized

Yep - but, in theory, FillExtArray() does this and is called before frmASCII_Text_Search.Show (which in turn triggers frmASCII_Text_Search.Load) in Main - which suggests that actually the issue is that somehow frmASCII_Text_Search.Load is running before the array is populated (in which case initialising the array as suggested will simply mask the problem, and cause a different error to be generated)

Ilya, can you confirm your project's startup object is configured as Sub Main in module ASCII_Text_Search_Main?

 

[IlyaRabyy]

StrongM: where is it that I can set the start-up module as Main in a WinForms application? There's only "Startup Form" choice...

Regards,

Ilya

 

[Andrzejek]

UnCheck "Enable application framework" checkbox and your Main sub should be available in Startup form.

---- Andy

"Hmm...they have the internet on computers now"--Homer Simpson

 

[IlyaRabyy]

Andrzejek: did that, changed startup module to ASCII_Text_Search_Main... and now, even though declared as Public, the form frmASCII_Text_Search is not recognized:

Regards,

Ilya

 

[Andrzejek]

So, you have a variable[tt]
Public Dim [blue]frmASCII_Text_Search[/blue] As Form[/tt]
and a Form in your application also named [blue]frmASCII_Text_Search[/blue]

---- Andy

"Hmm...they have the internet on computers now"--Homer Simpson

 

[strongm]

Delete the declaration for frmASCII_Text_Search - not needed for your program as it stands.

 

[strongm]

> So, you have a variable ... and a Form in your application

Sort of. He has a declaration of a variable that is intended to hold a reference to a class instance of the built-in class called Form, and thus will end up with an object called frmASCII_Text_Search that is an instance of Form.

And a reference to a self-instantiating class called frmASCII_Text_Search, which automatically creates a object also called frmASCII_Text_Search if any frmASCII_Text_Search class method or property is used.

Clear as mud, 'eh?

 

[IlyaRabyy]

Works now, thank you all!

Regards,

Ilya