How to: Return an Array from a Procedure or Property 

You return an array the same way you return any other data type. You supply the array type as the return type of the procedure or property.

To return an array from a Function procedure

1. Specify the array type (rank and element data type) as the return type in the Function Statement (Visual Basic).

2. Within the procedure, declare a local array variable with the same rank and element data type.

3. Include this local array variable in the Return Statement (Visual Basic). Do not follow the array name with parentheses.

   Public Function splitNumber(ByVal number As Double) As Char()
       Dim characters() As Char
       ' Insert code to split number into characters.
       Return characters
   End Function
   Dim piCharacters() As Char = splitNumber(3.14159265)
   

To return an array from a property

1. Specify the array type (rank and element data type) as the property type in the Property Statement.

2. Within the property's Get procedure, or in a place available to the Get procedure, declare a local array variable with the same rank and element data type.

3. Include this local array variable in the Return statement. Do not follow the array name with parentheses.

   Private nameList() As String
   Public Property stationNames As String()
       Get
           Return nameList
       End Get
       Set(ByVal Value As String())
           ' Insert code to store nameList values.
       End Set
   End Property
   Dim listOfNames() As String = stationNames
   

See Also

Tasks

How to: Declare an Array Variable
How to: Create an Array
How to: Initialize an Array Variable
How to: Assign One Array to Another Array
How to: Change an Array to a Different Array
How to: Pass an Array to a Procedure or Property
Troubleshooting Arrays

Other Resources

Arrays in Visual Basic