Create code that can be used in multiple projects (dll?) (Resolved)

[FastEddie]

What is the process for making a function into a dll(?) that can be used in multiple projects? Let me use the extremely simple function as an example.

Public Function DoCalcs( _
        ByVal a As Double, _
        ByVal b As Double, _
        ByVal c As Double, _
        ByVal d As Double) As Double
 
        Dim myCalc As Double = (a * b / c - d)
        Return myCalc
 
    End Function

How would I make it so that I can add this function to any project using a reference (or whatever)?

[gigemboy]

you simply change the output to class library (Right click project, go to properties, change "output type" to class library). When it compiles, it creates a dll, which you can just reference. I think the default namespace would be the name of the assembly, although you can create a namespace using the "namespace" keyword...

[FastEddie]

you simply change the output to class library (Right click project, go to properties, change "output type" to class library). When it compiles, it creates a dll, which you can just reference.

That is what I thought so I must be doing something else wrong. Should the function be stored in a class file or a module (or something else)?

Also, once done, all I need to do is to add that created dll as a reference correct?

[gigemboy]

Not sure how modules would work with it, as I have only made class libraries out of full class files. All you would have to do is add a new class to whatever you are doing this in, and name the class what you want, put the function code in there (along with any other functions you want to use), then build it. Then its a matter of referencing the dll, declaring a new instance of the class that contains the function, then using the function.

[FastEddie]

Ok I almost have it. My Class is named doACalc and the function is DoCalcs and the code block that I want to use it looks like this

Dim d1 As Double = CDbl(tb1.Text)
        Dim d2 As Double = CDbl(tb2.Text)
        Dim d3 As Double = CDbl(tb3.Text)
        Dim d4 As Double = CDbl(tb4.Text)
        Dim Answer As String = DoCalcs(d1, d2, d3, d4).ToString
        Label1.Text = Answer

What is the proper way to get the new instance in this block?

[gigemboy]

a form is a class, so how would you go about declaring a new instance of a form? Its the same way. Since you are referencing this dll (remember to add a reference to the dll in your project), you just use the namespace to navigate to that class in intellisense...

'replace "MyAssemblyNamespace" assembly name of your dll, or the namespace you defined in the class...
Dim MyNewClass as New MyAssemblyNamespace.doACalc
MyNewClass.Docalcs()

You may not even have to declare a new instance of the class, you might be able to get away with just "MyAssemblyNamespace.doACalc.Docalcs()", but I am not positive...

[FastEddie]

Thanks Gig. For those of you following along this is how it ended up looking.

Dim d1 As Double = CDbl(tb1.Text)
        Dim d2 As Double = CDbl(tb2.Text)
        Dim d3 As Double = CDbl(tb3.Text)
        Dim d4 As Double = CDbl(tb4.Text)
 
        Dim MyNewClass As New DoCalcs.Buck.doAcalc
        Label1.Text = MyNewClass.DoCalcs(d1, d2, d3, d4).ToString