Is there any way to use the new dynamic features in the 4.0 framework like ExpandoObject
in VB.NET without setting Option Strict Off
? With C#, you lose type safety only with the variables you specifically declare as dynamic
. But with VB, the only way I've found to use these features is with the old Option Strict Off
trick that's been in VB.NET since the beginning. Without Option Strict, everything in the file is polluted with fuzzy typing like so:
Option Explicit On
Option Strict Off
Option Infer On
Partial Public Class ClassX
Public Sub TestDynamic()
Dim dyn As Object = New System.Dynamic.ExpandoObject()
Dim a As String = 1 ''# Ew!
Dim obj As Object = "999"
dyn.Str = a ''# a is a string, remember? Even though it has a number
''# dyn.Str = 1 : Type = System.String
Console.WriteLine("dyn.Str = {0} : Type = {1}", dyn.Str, dyn.Str.GetType().ToString())
dyn.Num = 123
''# dyn.Num = 123 : Type = System.Int32
Console.WriteLine("dyn.Num = {0} : Type = {1}", dyn.Num, dyn.Num.GetType().ToString())
dyn.Dbl = obj / 9
''# dyn.Dbl = 111 : Type = System.Double
Console.WriteLine("dyn.Dbl = {0} : Type = {1}", dyn.Dbl, dyn.Dbl.GetType().ToString())
dyn.Obj = obj
''# dyn.Obj = 999 : Type = System.String
Console.WriteLine("dyn.Obj = {0} : Type = {1}", dyn.Obj, dyn.Obj.GetType().ToString())
dyn.Dte = #5/5/1955#
''# dyn.Dte = 7/7/1977 12:00:00 AM : Type = System.DateTime
Console.WriteLine("dyn.Dte = {0} : Type = {1}", dyn.Dte, dyn.Dte.GetType().ToString())
AmICalled(dyn.Num)
AmICalled(dyn.Obj)
AmICalled(dyn.Str)
AmICalled(dyn.Dbl)
Try
AmICalled(dyn.Dte)
Catch
Console.WriteLine("Dates don't convert to ints I guess... but we don't know that 'till runtime")
End Try
Console.WriteLine(dyn.Num + dyn.Str) ' 124!?
Console.WriteLine(dyn.Num & dyn.Str) ' 1231!?
End Sub
Private Sub AmICalled(ByVal i As Integer)
Console.WriteLine("AmICalled was called with: " & i)
End Sub
End Class
Is this really correct? And, if so, what's the best way to still use things like ExpandoObject
and mitigate the risk of losing all type safety? Partial classes? Or should I just not be so worried about type safety in this case?