VB CStr, CDate, CBool, etc. vs. DirectCast for casting without conversion

Question

I usually avoid VB\'s built-in conversion functions (CStr, CDate, CBool, CInt, etc.) unless I need to do an actual conversion. If I\'m just casting, say from an object to a

Answer 1

This is a good post with discussion in the comments about DirectCast versus the CType casts and variations.

In short, if you want to be explicit about it and know what to expect, DirectCast is suggested. On the other hand, a comment by Paul Vick (VB Technical Lead) says it doesn't matter much and to just use the CType variations.

Some useful links gleaned from that post:

• How should I cast in VB.NET?
• DirectCast Revealed (post on Paul Vick's blog)