How do I escape the # character in a VB.NET string literal?

Question

If I needed to escape a double quote character within a string literal I'd use two consecutive double quotes as follows:

Dim name = "Chuck ""Iceman"" Liddell"

However, it doesn't seem like consecutive # works the same way. The compiler is expecting a compiler directive to follow the # character, even when its enclosed in double quotes. How can tell the compiler that I want a # character in my string?

Thanks!

EDIT: as a few of the answers below point out, # is not a reserved character. I closed my solution in Visual Studio and re-opened it and no longer got the compiler squiggles warning me. Thanks!

Answer 1

# is not a reserved character in a VB.NET string literal.

Dim test = "#" ' no error

Answer 2

Dim name = @"#cakes" As String

or

Dim name = "\#cakes" As String

Answer 3

You don't need to escape it. The code:

Public Class Form1

Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
     MessageBox.Show("We're #1")
    End Sub
End Class

works fine as-is

(I took the time to write a whole new Windows app just to be sure on that one.)

Answer 4

I am not seeing the behavior you described. The following compiles just fine in Visual Studio 2008

Dim x = "#hello"

What version of Visual Studio are you running and can you give a more complete sample?

Answer 5

eh? No compiler error here:

Dim s as String = "Hello # there"

Answer 6

Are you trying to build a DateTime literal?

Dim d as DateTime = #12/10/2009#