Scott Hanselman's ComputerZen.com

I was converting some C# 2.0 code for the next Coding4Fun Some Assembly Required to VB.NET. I happened to use an automated C# to VB.NET tool to get me started.

It converted this C# code:

if( (btData - '0') <= 9)
{
   receivedChecksum = (byte)((btData - '0') << 4);
}
else
{
   receivedChecksum = (byte)((btData - 'A' + 10) << 4);
}

Into this attempt at VB.NET code.

If btData - "0" <= 9 Then
   receivedChecksum = System.Convert.ToByte(Machine.Shift.Left((btData - "0"), 4))
Else
   receivedChecksum = System.Convert.ToByte(Machine.Shift.Left((btData - "A" + 10), 4))
End If

Of course, Machine.Shift.Left (and .Right) doesn't exist. Looks like something that the convertor folks missed? Perhaps they forgot to implement?

At any rate, you can use the standard bit shifting << and >> operators in VB.NET 2.0 like this.

If btData - "0" <= 9 Then
    receivedChecksum = System.Convert.ToByte((btData - "0") << 4)
Else
    receivedChecksum = System.Convert.ToByte((btData - "A" + 10) << 4)
End If

And I continue forward...

UPDATED:

You might think that VB.NET would let you use ^= if you can << and >>.

Well, it will compile things like

foo ^= bar

But the ^= operator means Power Of in VB, not Xor as I thought it should. Doh! I'm out of VB.NET practice.

VB.NET folks, I'm sorry, but when it comes down to manipulating raw Bytes, the language sucks.

foo = foo Xor bar

And I continue forward...