Understanding MessageBox.Show in VB.NET

In VB.NET, the preferred way to display a message dialog is by using the MessageBox.Show method. It provides more flexibility and integrates fully with the .NET Framework, offering support for titles, icons, and button sets.

Basic Example

MessageBox.Show("Hello, World")
    

This displays a standard message box with only an OK button.

Example With a Title

MessageBox.Show("Operation completed successfully.", "Status")
    

Buttons Example

You can choose different button combinations using MessageBoxButtons:

MessageBox.Show("Are you sure you want to delete this file?",
                "Confirm Delete",
                MessageBoxButtons.YesNo)
    

Icons Example

You can show icons using MessageBoxIcon:

MessageBox.Show("An error has occurred.",
                "Error",
                MessageBoxButtons.OK,
                MessageBoxIcon.Error)
    

Capturing the User's Response

MessageBox.Show returns a value from the DialogResult enumeration, allowing you to see which button the user clicked:

Dim result As DialogResult
result = MessageBox.Show("Save changes before exiting?",
                         "Exit",
                         MessageBoxButtons.YesNoCancel,
                         MessageBoxIcon.Question)

If result = DialogResult.Yes Then
    ' Save the file
ElseIf result = DialogResult.No Then
    ' Exit without saving
Else
    ' Cancel exit
End If
    

Common MessageBoxButtons Options

Option	Description
OK	Displays only OK
OKCancel	OK and Cancel buttons
YesNo	Yes and No buttons
YesNoCancel	Yes, No, and Cancel buttons
RetryCancel	Retry and Cancel buttons
AbortRetryIgnore	Abort, Retry, and Ignore buttons

Common MessageBoxIcon Options

Icon	Description
Information	Information / (i) icon
Warning	Yellow warning triangle
Error	Red stop/error icon
Question	Blue question mark icon

Why Use MessageBox.Show Instead of MsgBox?

• It is part of the .NET Framework and object-oriented.
• Provides better clarity and type safety.
• Supports more options for buttons, icons, and return values.
• Is the recommended method for VB.NET applications.
• MsgBox remains only for compatibility with VB6.

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