[clrgq]

Hey, I'm trying to complete a problem using functions however I feel that there is a better way to do this. In essence i created a form application that calculates the total cost of a hospital stay. I HAVE to ue 3 functions so this is the way I went about doint it. I'm catching some errors towards the end of the code but I feel like there is a shorter more efficient way to do this. AFter all isn't the purpose of using functions to shorten the code? your opinions would be helpful.

Public Class Form1
    'first i'll input the calculate stay charges function
    Function CalculateStay(ByVal days As Decimal) As Decimal
        'hold the charges value
        Dim charges As Decimal
        'calculation of charges
        charges = days * 350
        Return charges

    End Function
    'now enter the MISC function
    Function CalculateMisc(ByVal medical As Decimal,
             ByVal surgical As Decimal,
             ByVal Lab As Decimal,
             ByVal physical As Decimal) As Decimal
        'hold misc charges
        Dim TotalMisc As Decimal
        'calculation
        TotalMisc = medical + surgical + Lab + physical
        Return TotalMisc
    End Function

    'now enter Overall charges function
    Function CalculateOverall(ByVal charges As Decimal,
                              ByVal TotalMisc As Decimal) As Decimal
        Dim OverallCost As Decimal
        OverallCost = charges + TotalMisc
        Return OverallCost

    End Function
    Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles btnExit.Click
        Me.Close()
        Application.Exit()

    End Sub

    Private Sub Button2_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles btnClear.Click
        Dim currentTextBox As TextBox

        'Loop through all the top level controls
        For Each ctrl As Control In Me.Controls

            'If the control is a TextBox do the next action.
            If TypeOf ctrl Is TextBox Then
                'Converted the type of ctrl to a TextBox and assign
                'it to "currentTextBox"
                currentTextBox = CType(ctrl, TextBox)
                'Cleared the current TextBox.
                currentTextBox.Clear()
            End If
        Next


    End Sub

    Private Sub btnCalculateStay_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs)
        'hold days,medication,surgical,lab, physical and total cost value
        Dim decDays As Decimal
        Dim decMedical As Decimal
        Dim decSurgical As Decimal
        Dim decLab As Decimal
        Dim decPhysical As Decimal
        Dim decOverallCost As Decimal
        Dim charges As Decimal

        Dim TotalMisc As Decimal


        'do the conversions
        decDays = CDec(txtStay.Text)
        decMedical = CDec(txtMed.Text)
        decSurgical = CDec(txtSurgeryCharge.Text)
        decLab = CDec(txtLab.Text)
        decPhysical = CDec(txtPhysical.Text)

        'use if statement to make sure no values are negative
        If decDays >= 0 And decMedical >= 0 And decSurgical >= 0 And decLab >= 0 And decPhysical >= 0 Then


            charges = CalculateStay(decDays)
            TotalMisc = CalculateMisc(decMedical, decSurgical, decLab, decPhysical)
            decOverallCost = CalculateOverall(charges, TotalMisc)
            lblTotalCost.Text = decOverallCost.ToString("n2")
        Else

            MessageBox.Show("The values should be numeric")
        End If

    End Sub
End Class

Attached image(s)

• 

[lucky3]

There's really no rocket science in those 3 functions. Simple addition and multiplication, so there's really not much of optimization waiting to be done there (after all, your question is about functions, and their efficiency). Design-vise you could create reusable object, that could be used with any UI independently.

[CharlieMay]

I agree, but I can offer this bit of information where you're clearing your textboxes.

Since ctrl is a control that you end up casting to textbox after you check that it is of type textbox, there's no reason to create another control of type textbox to set it to. You can just use

For each ctrl as Controls in Me.Controls
  If TypeOf ctrl Is Textbox Then
     Ctype(ctrl, Textbox).Clear()
  End If
Next

[clrgq]

lucky, I'm new to VB so not exactly sure what you mean by that comment. The assignment asks us to create the form and use at least 3 functions or subroutines so that's why i'm doing it this way. the book is a bit convulted for me so this is what I pieced together but it seems like an awful lot to go through for simple multiplication and addition.

[lucky3]

Well, as you said it, you needed to create at least 3 methods (functions or subroutines), and you did it. Your original question was how to make those 3 more efficient. I don't see how you can perform addition more efficiently, when you're summing 3 variables. You can do it many different ways, but that doesn't mean it will be more or less efficient. On top of what CharlieMay proposed, you can do it without if also (and there are other ways too):

        For Each ctrl As TextBox In Me.Controls.OfType(Of TextBox)()
            ctrl.Clear()
        Next

But there's no point in this. The point of assignment is using methods, and you did it. In your OP, you mention some errors towards the end of the code. What are they?

[clrgq]

well there's no errors flagged but when i run the code and input values and hit the calculate button, nothing happens

[lucky3]

That's something else. You have to ask yourself, what would you like to do with those calculations. Would you like to show them as MessageBox, or print them, save them to database, file... You decide. Then try to do it, and if you'll have problems, you can count on us to guide you and provide help.