declare and assign variables

i try to use this, but it doesn't work, for example:

Code:

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Public Class Form1
    Dim num1 As Integer
    num1 = 0
End Class

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why that code is error? can somebody explain this?

You can't change values of variables outside of subs.
this works:

Code:

---

Public Class Form1
    Dim num1 As Integer = 0
End Class

---

If you want to change the value after you have declared it, you need to do that inside a sub

why i can't assign the value after i declare it and why it can only be initialized? is it for avoid the variable changed outside the subroutine (that would probably make some errors?)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by chipp

why i can't assign the value after i declare it and why it can only be initialized? is it for avoid the variable changed outside the subroutine (that would probably make some errors?)

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Because that's what the authors decided. Given that, even if you could perform a separate assignment, it could only be to a variable that you had just declared anyway, why is it a problem to combine the two? Basically, every line directly in the body of a type has to be a declaration. It can be the declaration of another type, a variable, a property, a method or whatever, but it must be a declaration. If you want to execute code other than as part of a declaration then do it in the type constructor or, if it's a form, in the Load event handler.

If you want to assign a value immediately after you have declared the variable why don't you just assign a default value when you declare it.

Code:

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Dim myNumber As Integer = 0

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If you need to change it again at any point after this then this would only logically be done in a routine, like Erik said.

Hope this helps out,

Jenova