Share via

Type of '<variablename>' cannot be inferred because the loop bounds and the step variable do not widen to the same type

You have written a For...Next loop in which the compiler cannot infer a data type for the loop control variable because the following conditions are true:

  • The data type of the loop control variable is not specified with an As clause.

  • The loop bounds and step variable contain at least two data types.

  • No standard conversions exist between the data types.

Therefore, the compiler cannot infer the data type of a loop's control variable.

In the following example, the step variable is a character and the loop bounds are both integers. Because there is no standard conversion between characters and integers, this error is reported.

Dim stepVar = "1"c
Dim m = 0
Dim n = 20

' Not valid.
' For i = 1 To 10 Step stepVar
    ' Loop processing
' Next

Error ID: BC30982

To correct this error

  • Change the types of the loop bounds and step variable as necessary so that at least one of them is a type that the others widen to. In the preceding example, change the type of stepVar to Integer.

    Dim stepVar = 1

    —or—

    Dim stepVar As Integer = 1

  • Use explicit conversion functions to convert the loop bounds and step variable to the appropriate types. In the preceding example, apply the Val function to stepVar.

    For i = 1 To 10 Step Val(stepVar)
    ' Loop processing
Next

See Also

Concepts

Implicit and Explicit Conversions

Local Type Inference

Widening and Narrowing Conversions

Reference

For...Next Statement (Visual Basic)

Option Infer Statement

Type Conversion Functions

Val Function