How do I get the amount to show as currency

[wunder89]

For some reason my string, amount, is not formatting as currency. Why? It's near the bottom of the code.

Option Strict On
Public Class Form1


    Private Sub ClearBtn_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles ClearBtn.Click
        AmountDue.Text = ""
        HoursInput.Clear()
        RadioButtonA.Checked = False
        RadioButtonB.Checked = False
        RadioButtonC.Checked = False
        NPbox.Checked = False

    End Sub

    Private Sub ExitBtn_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles ExitBtn.Click
        End
    End Sub

    Private Sub CalcBtn_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles CalcBtn.Click
        Dim input As Double = CDbl(HoursInput.Text)
        If input < 0 Or input > 744 Then
            ErrorBox()
        Else
            Confirmation()
        End If

    End Sub

    Private Sub Confirmation()
        Dim box As String

        box = CStr(MessageBox.Show("Are you sure you want to submit?", "Confirmation", MessageBoxButtons.YesNo, MessageBoxIcon.Question))
        If CDbl(box) = Windows.Forms.DialogResult.Yes Then
            Calculate()
        End If
    End Sub
    Private Sub Calculate()
        Dim hours, chosen, additional, discount As Double
        Dim amount As String
        hours = CDbl(HoursInput.Text)
        If RadioButtonA.Checked = True Then
            chosen = 9.95
            If hours > 200 Then
                additional = (hours - 200) * 2
            Else
                additional = 0
            End If
        ElseIf RadioButtonB.Checked = True Then
            chosen = 14.95
            If hours > 400 Then
                additional = (hours - 400) * 1
            Else
                additional = 0
            End If
        ElseIf RadioButtonC.Checked = True Then
            chosen = 19.95
        End If
        If NPbox.Checked = True Then
            discount = 0.8
        Else
            discount = 1
        End If
        amount = CStr((chosen + additional) * discount)
        AmountDue.Text = String.Format("{0:c}", amount)


    End Sub
    Private Sub ErrorBox()
        Dim ERbox As String = CStr(MessageBox.Show("Please enter a number between 0 and 744", "Error", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error))
        If CDbl(ERbox) = Windows.Forms.DialogResult.OK Then
            HoursInput.Text = ""
        End If
    End Sub
End Class

[dday9]

You have your amount variable declared as a String, it should be a Double or even better a Decimal. Take a look at this example:

Dim strAmount As String = "1.5"
Dim decAmount As Decimal = CDec(1.5)

Console.WriteLine(String.Format("String: {0:c}", strAmount))
Console.WriteLine(String.Format("Decimal: {0:c}", decAmount))
Console.ReadLine()

By the way, I prefer ToString over Format for currency:

Dim amount As Decimal = CDec(1.5)

Console.WriteLine(amount.ToString("c"))
Console.ReadLine()

[wunder89]

Awesome, thank you. I'm very new, so for curiosity, why didn't the variable format when it was declared as a string?

[dday9]

That's just how it behaves. The data type must be numeric(decimal, double, integer ect.) in order to format properly. Technically you could've converted the string value to a decimal, but that would be unnecessary and inefficient. Besides, the variable should have never been a string in the first place.