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Integer Data Type (Visual Basic)

Holds signed 32-bit (4-byte) integers that range in value from -2,147,483,648 through 2,147,483,647.

Remarks

The Integer data type provides optimal performance on a 32-bit processor. The other integral types are slower to load and store from and to memory.

The default value of Integer is 0.

Programming Tips

  • Interop Considerations. If you are interfacing with components not written for the .NET Framework, for example Automation or COM objects, remember that Integer has a different data width (16 bits) in other environments. If you are passing a 16-bit argument to such a component, declare it as Short instead of Integer in your new Visual Basic code.

  • Widening. The Integer data type widens to Long, Decimal, Single, or Double. This means you can convert Integer to any one of these types without encountering a System.OverflowException error.

  • Type Characters. Appending the literal type character I to a literal forces it to the Integer data type. Appending the identifier type character % to any identifier forces it to Integer.

  • Framework Type. The corresponding type in the .NET Framework is the System.Int32 structure.

Range

If you try to set a variable of an integral type to a number outside the range for that type, an error occurs. If you try to set it to a fraction, the number is rounded. The following example shows this.

' The valid range of an Integer variable is -2147483648 through +2147483647.
Dim k As Integer
' The following statement causes an error because the value is too large.
k = 2147483648
' The following statement sets k to 6.
k = CInt(5.9)

See Also

Concepts

Integer Data Type for Visual Basic 6.0 Users

Efficient Use of Data Types

Reference

Data Type Summary (Visual Basic)

System.Int32

Long Data Type (Visual Basic)

Short Data Type (Visual Basic)

Type Conversion Functions

Conversion Summary