Confused!!! Can you please help explain?

[ATT]

Much appreciated. Thanks.

The code below declare a to be an array of size 3 in VB .NET:
Dim a() As Integer = {1, 2, 3}

The size need not be specified because the initialization determines the size. The code below declares b to be an array of size 3 in VB .NET, with no initial values:
Dim b(3) As Integer

The following two lines of code will display the values of b to be the same as a:
b = a
MessageBox.Show(b(0).ToString + " " + b(1).ToString + " " + b(2).ToString)

That is, b was initialized to the same value as a.

In the code above, a(1) is changed after b was set to the array a. You’ll find that b is changed too. Why? How does this differ from integers such as:
Dim x As Integer = 1
Dim y As Integer
y = x
x = 2
MessageBox.Show(y.ToString())

 

[JohnH]

The code below declares b to be an array of size 3 in VB .NET, with no initial values:
Dim b(3) As Integer

No, there are 4 elements in that array, index 0 to 3. All elements are initialized to their default value, that is 0 for Integer data type.

The following two lines of code will display the values of b to be the same as a:
b = a

That is, b was initialized to the same value as a.

'b' is here given a new "value", ie it now references the 'a' array object.

In the code above, a(1) is changed after b was set to the array a. You’ll find that b is changed too.

a) No, it wasn't. b) No, it isn't.

How does this differ from integers such as:

Integers are value types, they hold only simple values. Arrays are reference types, they refer to an object instance, several reference type variables can point to the same object.

 

[ATT]

Thank you very much for your feedback, John. ;-))