Create a byref variable?

[Disyne]

How would I create a variable and assign it to another variable and when I change one variable it will be changing the other also?

[manhit45]

You should read carefully this section :

Module Module1

    '    ByVal

    'Updated: August 2008

    'Specifies that an argument is passed in such a way that the called 
    'procedure or property cannot change the value of a variable underlying the argument in the calling code. 

    '    The following example demonstrates the use of the ByVal parameter passing mechanism with a reference 
    'type argument. In the example, the argument is c1, an instance of class Class1. 
    'ByVal prevents the code in the procedures from changing the underlying value 
    'of the reference argument, c1, but does not protect the accessible fields and properties of c1. 
    Sub Main()

        ' Declare an instance of the class and assign a value to its field.
        Dim c1 As Class1 = New Class1()
        c1.Field = 5
        Console.WriteLine("Original value for the field: " & c1.Field)

        ' ByVal does not prevent changing the value of a field or property.
        ChangeFieldValue(c1)
        Console.WriteLine("Value of field after ChangeFieldValue: " & c1.Field)

        ' ByVal does prevent changing the value of c1 itself. 

        ChangeFieldValue2(c1)
        Console.WriteLine("Value of field after ChangeFieldValue: " & c1.Field)

        ChangeClassReference(c1)
        Console.WriteLine("Value of field after ChangeClassReference: " & c1.Field)

    End Sub

    Public Sub ChangeFieldValue(ByVal cls As Class1)
        cls.Field = 500
    End Sub
    Public Sub ChangeFieldValue2(ByVal cls As Class1)
        cls.Field = 700
    End Sub

    Public Sub ChangeClassReference(ByVal cls As Class1)
        cls = New Class1()
        cls.Field = 1000
    End Sub

    Public Class Class1
        Public Field As Integer
    End Class

End Module

Byrel is vice versa .

[jmcilhinney]

There's no such thing as a ByRef variable. Only method parameters are declared ByRef or ByVal. When it comes to variables, their behaviour depends on their type. If the type of a variable is a reference type, which basically means a class, then it will behave as you describe. If it's type is a value type, which basically means a structure, then it won't. To see what I mean about reference types, try this code:

Dim list1 As New List(Of String)
Dim list2 As List(Of String) = list1

MessageBox.Show(list1.Count.ToString(), "list1")
MessageBox.Show(list2.Count.ToString(), "list2")

list1.Add("Hello World")

MessageBox.Show(list1.Count.ToString(), "list1")
MessageBox.Show(list2.Count.ToString(), "list2")

As you will see, adding an item to list1 also adds it to list2. That's not really accurate though. You don't actually add an item to list1 or list2, because they are just variables. You actually add an item to the List object referred to by the list1 variable. The list2 variable refers to the same List object so list2 reflects the change too.

As an analogy, let's say that your mother is wearing a red dress. That would mean that your father's wife is wearing a red dress too, right. Now, let's say that your father's wife changes into a blue dress. Has your mother's dress changed too? Absolutely. Your mother and your father's wife are the same person (assuming the standard nuclear family ). They are just two different ways to refer to the same thing.

Now, if you explain to us exactly what you're trying to achieve then we can probably suggest the best way to achieve it.

[SJWhiteley]

If you have a value type (e.g. an integer) you want to treat as a reference type, then you could wrapper it in a class, and pass that class object around. However, this only addresses your initial question, and there may be a better way of doing what you want.

Public Class Thing
    Public Value as Integer
End Class