Doing math in vb.net like Eval in javascript

Question

Is there any way to parse a string in vb.net (like, built in methods), that can do math like Eval can? For example, 3+(7/3.5) as a string would return 2.

I am not asking for you to code this for me, I just want to know if there is a built in way to do this, if there is not I will code it myself.

I can wager that it would not be able to parse stuff like Sin(90) on its own, and I understand that would need to be replaced by Math.Sin(90).

If there is a built in method, how do you use it?

Answer 1

I don't know about VB.net built in, but we do stuff like this by linking in the IronPython runtime and passing it the expressions. This is way way faster that using reflection.

Answer 2

This CodeProject article might do the trick:

An expression evaluator written in VB.NET
http://www.codeproject.com/KB/vb/expression%5Fevaluator.aspx

There is also this:
http://www.dotnetspider.com/resources/2518-mathematical-expression-expression-evaluate-VB.aspx

Answer 3

One way would be to use the CodeDom namespace to compile it and execute it using reflection. May not be that performant, I don't know.

Answer 4

There's a shortcut for limited (ie. simple) math expressions by using the DataTable.Compute method. Obviously, this isn't robust (limited functionality) and feels hackish to misuse the DataTable for this purpose, but I figured I would add to the current answers.

Example:

var result = new DataTable().Compute("3+(7/3.5)", null); // 5

"Sin(90)" wouldn't work with this approach. Refer to the DataColumn.Expression Property page for a list of supported functions, specifically under the "Aggregates" section.

Using the System.CodeDom namespace is an option.

Some helpful links:

• CodeDom Calculator
• Evaluating mathematical expressions using CodeDom
• Related SO question: Is there a string math evaluator in .NET?

---

EDIT: to address your comment, here is an approach to demonstrate replacing trigonometric functions with their equivalent Math class methods.

C#

string expression = "(Sin(0) + Cos(0)+Tan(0)) * 10";
string updatedExpression = Regex.Replace(expression, @"(?<func>Sin|Cos|Tan)\((?<arg>.*?)\)", match =>
      match.Groups["func"].Value == "Sin" ? Math.Sin(Int32.Parse(match.Groups["arg"].Value)).ToString() :
      match.Groups["func"].Value == "Cos" ? Math.Cos(Int32.Parse(match.Groups["arg"].Value)).ToString() :
      Math.Tan(Int32.Parse(match.Groups["arg"].Value)).ToString()
     );
var result = new DataTable().Compute(updatedExpression, null); // 10

VB.NET

Dim expression As String = "(Sin(0) + Cos(0)+Tan(0)) * 10"
Dim updatedExpression As String = Regex.Replace(expression, "(?<func>Sin|Cos|Tan)\((?<arg>.*?)\)", Function(match As Match) _
     If(match.Groups("func").Value = "Sin", Math.Sin(Int32.Parse(match.Groups("arg").Value)).ToString(), _
     If(match.Groups("func").Value = "Cos", Math.Cos(Int32.Parse(match.Groups("arg").Value)).ToString(), _
     Math.Tan(Int32.Parse(match.Groups("arg").Value)).ToString())) _
     )
Dim result = New DataTable().Compute(updatedExpression, Nothing)

Note, however, that you need to know the contents of the "arg" group. I know they are ints, so I used Int32.Parse on them. If they are a combination of items then this simple approach won't work. I suspect you will constantly need to band-aid the solution if it gets too complicated with more unsupported function calls, in which case the CodeDom approach or others may be more suitable.

Answer 5

It's a bit late, but here is exactly what you wanted (make sure you parse the input to make sure there is no statement like 'something + vbcrlf + exec "format c:"' in it):

Usage:

MessageBox.Show(COR.Tools.EvalProvider.Eval("return 8-3*2").ToString())

  Class:

'Imports Microsoft.VisualBasic
Imports System


Namespace COR.Tools


Public Class EvalProvider


    Public Shared Function Eval(ByVal vbCode As String) As Object
        Dim c As VBCodeProvider = New VBCodeProvider
        Dim icc As System.CodeDom.Compiler.ICodeCompiler = c.CreateCompiler()
        Dim cp As System.CodeDom.Compiler.CompilerParameters = New System.CodeDom.Compiler.CompilerParameters

        cp.ReferencedAssemblies.Add("system.dll")
        cp.ReferencedAssemblies.Add("system.xml.dll")
        cp.ReferencedAssemblies.Add("system.data.dll")
        ' Sample code for adding your own referenced assemblies
        'cp.ReferencedAssemblies.Add("c:\yourProjectDir\bin\YourBaseClass.dll")
        'cp.ReferencedAssemblies.Add("YourBaseclass.dll")
        cp.CompilerOptions = "/t:library"
        cp.GenerateInMemory = True
        Dim sb As System.Text.StringBuilder = New System.Text.StringBuilder("")
        sb.Append("Imports System" & vbCrLf)
        sb.Append("Imports System.Xml" & vbCrLf)
        sb.Append("Imports System.Data" & vbCrLf)
        sb.Append("Imports System.Data.SqlClient" & vbCrLf)
        sb.Append("Namespace MyEvalNamespace  " & vbCrLf)
        sb.Append("Class MyEvalClass " & vbCrLf)

        sb.Append("public function  EvalCode() as Object " & vbCrLf)
        'sb.Append("YourNamespace.YourBaseClass thisObject = New YourNamespace.YourBaseClass()")
        sb.Append(vbCode & vbCrLf)
        sb.Append("End Function " & vbCrLf)
        sb.Append("End Class " & vbCrLf)
        sb.Append("End Namespace" & vbCrLf)
        Debug.WriteLine(sb.ToString()) ' look at this to debug your eval string
        Dim cr As System.CodeDom.Compiler.CompilerResults = icc.CompileAssemblyFromSource(cp, sb.ToString())
        Dim a As System.Reflection.Assembly = cr.CompiledAssembly
        Dim o As Object
        Dim mi As System.Reflection.MethodInfo
        o = a.CreateInstance("MyEvalNamespace.MyEvalClass")
        Dim t As Type = o.GetType()
        mi = t.GetMethod("EvalCode")
        Dim s As Object
        s = mi.Invoke(o, Nothing)
        Return s
    End Function


End Class ' EvalProvider


End Namespace