[vb.net] How do I make method().method() form in VisualBasic?

Question

If I create my own API that can be used like method().method() ... like below, please let me know how to code using class and namespace.

Excel.Worksheets(sheetName).range("$A$27:$G100").Value

Namespace Excel

    Class Worksheets

         ????

        Class Range

               ????

        End Class


   End Class

End Namespace

Answer 1

Hello @Soyoung Lee

Looks like you can use the builder pattern which is a creational design pattern and can be used to create complex objects step by step as seen in the following Microsoft TechNet article code sample which has several more examples to get ideas from.

Simple example

Base class

Public Class Burger  
    Public ReadOnly Property Size() As Integer  
    Public ReadOnly Property Cheese() As Boolean  
    Public ReadOnly Property Pepperoni() As Boolean  
    Public ReadOnly Property Lettuce() As Boolean  
    Public ReadOnly Property Tomato() As Boolean  
  
    Public Sub New(builder As Classes.BurgerBuilder)  
        Size = builder.Size  
        Cheese = builder.Cheese  
        Pepperoni = builder.Pepperoni  
        Lettuce = builder.Lettuce  
        Tomato = builder.Tomato  
    End Sub  
End Class  

Builder class

Public Class BurgerBuilder  
    Public ReadOnly Property Size() As Integer  
  
    Private mCheese As Boolean  
    Public Property Cheese() As Boolean  
        Get  
            Return mCheese  
        End Get  
        Private Set(ByVal value As Boolean)  
            mCheese = value  
        End Set  
    End Property  
    Private mPepperoni As Boolean  
    Public Property Pepperoni() As Boolean  
        Get  
            Return mPepperoni  
        End Get  
        Private Set(ByVal value As Boolean)  
            mPepperoni = value  
        End Set  
    End Property  
    Private mLettuce As Boolean  
    Public Property Lettuce() As Boolean  
        Get  
            Return mLettuce  
        End Get  
        Private Set(ByVal value As Boolean)  
            mLettuce = value  
        End Set  
    End Property  
    Private mTomato As Boolean  
    Public Property Tomato() As Boolean  
        Get  
            Return mTomato  
        End Get  
        Private Set(ByVal value As Boolean)  
            mTomato = value  
        End Set  
    End Property  
  
    Public Sub New(ByVal size As Integer)  
        Me.Size = size  
    End Sub  
  
    Public Function AddPepperoni() As BurgerBuilder  
        Pepperoni = True  
        Return Me  
    End Function  
  
    Public Function AddLettuce() As BurgerBuilder  
        Lettuce = True  
        Return Me  
    End Function  
  
    Public Function AddCheese() As BurgerBuilder  
        Cheese = True  
        Return Me  
    End Function  
  
    Public Function AddTomato() As BurgerBuilder  
        Tomato = True  
        Return Me  
    End Function  
  
    Public Function Build() As Burger  
        Return New Burger(Me)  
    End Function  
End Class  

Usage

Dim burger = New Classes.BurgerBuilder(14).  
        AddPepperoni().  
        AddLettuce().  
        AddTomato().  
        Build()  

In the above we can also specify the type

Dim burger As Burger = New Classes.BurgerBuilder(14).  
        AddPepperoni().  
        AddLettuce().  
        AddTomato().  
        Build()  

Results

Answer 2

Try something like this:

Module Excel

    Public ReadOnly Worksheets As New AllWorksheets


    Class AllWorksheets

        Default Public ReadOnly Property Item(name As String) As Worksheet
            Get
                Return New Worksheet
            End Get
        End Property

    End Class


    Class Worksheet

        Public ReadOnly Property Range(address As String) As Range
            Get
                Return New Range
            End Get
        End Property

    End Class


    Class Range

        Public Property Value As String ' or 'As Object'
            Get
                Return "some text"
            End Get
            Set(value As String)

            End Set
        End Property

    End Class

End Module