Question

When you pass a value to a procedure, you may pass it ByVal or ByRef. ByVal sends a copy of the argument's value to the procedure. You would use ByVal when you do not want the procedure to alter the original value. ByRef sends a reference indicating where the value is stored in memory. You would use ByRef when you want the called procedure to actually change the argument's original value. You can specify how you want to pass the argument by using the ByVal or ByRef keyword before the argument. If you don't specify ByVal or ByRef, arguments are passed by reference.

Answer 1

In programming, arguments to procedures can be passed either by value (ByVal) or by reference (ByRef). ByVal is used when you don’t want the procedure to alter the original variable, while ByRef is used when you do want the original variable’s value to be modified.

Step-by-step explanation:

When working with procedures or functions in programming, you have the option to pass arguments either by value (ByVal) or by reference (ByRef). Passing an argument ByVal means that you are sending a copy of the argument's value to the procedure, which is useful when you want the procedure to work with the value without affecting the original variable. On the other hand, ByRef passes a reference to the actual storage location in memory of the argument, allowing the called procedure to modify the variable's original value which is reflected outside the procedure as well.

It's important to determine which method to use based on the specific needs of the program. For example, if a variable should remain unchanged, ByVal would be the appropriate choice. If the goal is to update or change the value of the original variable, then ByRef should be used. If neither is specified, languages like Visual Basic default to passing arguments ByRef. Careful consideration of these two passing mechanisms is crucial for the correct functioning and side effects management of your code.