Object..::.ToString Method
This page is specific to:.NET Framework Version:
.NET Framework Class Library
Object..::.ToString Method

Returns a String that represents the current Object.

Namespace:  System
Assembly:  mscorlib (in mscorlib.dll)
Syntax

'Usage

Dim instance As Object
Dim returnValue As String

returnValue = instance.ToString()

'Declaration

Public Overridable Function ToString As String

Return Value

Type: System..::.String
A String that represents the current Object.
Remarks

This method returns a human-readable string that is culture-sensitive. For example, for an instance of the Double class whose value is zero, the implementation of Double..::.ToString might return "0.00" or "0,00" depending on the current UI culture.

The default implementation returns the fully qualified name of the type of the Object.

Notes to Implementers:

This method can be overridden in a derived class to return values that are meaningful for that type. For example, the base data types, such as Int32, implement ToString so that it returns the string form of the value that the object represents. Derived classes that require more control over the formatting of strings than ToString provides must implement IFormattable, whose ToString method uses the current thread's CurrentCulture property.

Examples

The following code example demonstrates what ToString returns.

Public Class Sample
    Public Shared Sub Main()
        ' Displays: "System.Object"
        Dim o As New Object()
        Console.WriteLine(o.ToString())
    End Sub 
End Class 


Platforms

Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP SP2, Windows XP Media Center Edition, Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, Windows XP Starter Edition, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2000 SP4, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows 98, Windows CE, Windows Mobile for Smartphone, Windows Mobile for Pocket PC, Xbox 360, Zune

The .NET Framework and .NET Compact Framework do not support all versions of every platform. For a list of the supported versions, see .NET Framework System Requirements.
Version Information

.NET Framework

Supported in: 3.5, 3.0, 2.0, 1.1, 1.0

.NET Compact Framework

Supported in: 3.5, 2.0, 1.0

XNA Framework

Supported in: 3.0, 2.0, 1.0
See Also

Reference

© 2010 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.   Terms of Use | Trademarks | Privacy Statement
Page view tracker
Rate the Lightweight library
x
Lightweight builds on ScriptFree (loband) by adding features you've requested: a SearchBox and default code language selection.
Do you like the SearchBox?
Do you like the tabbed code blocks?
How useful is this topic?
Tell us more.
Thanks
x
You're helping to improve MSDN Online.
Feedback
Switch View
Classic
Lightweight Beta
ScriptFree
Switch View