devxlogo

Create a unique GUID

Create a unique GUID

The System.Guid type exposes several shared and instance methods that can help you work with GUIDs, that is, those 128-bit numbers that serve to uniquely identify elements and that are ubiquitous in Windows programming. The most important member is the NewGuid shared method is useful for generating a new unique identifier:

' Create a new GUID.Dim guid1 As Guid = Guid.NewGuid' By definition, you'll surely get a different output here.Console.WriteLine(guid1.ToString)    '=> 3f5f1d42-2d92-474d-a2a4-1e707c7e2a37

There are two things you can do with a Guid object: you can convert it to a Byte array with the ToByteArray method, and you can compare two Guid values for equality using the Equals method (inherited from System.Object):

' Convert to an array of bytes.Dim bytes() As Byte = guid1.ToByteArrayDim b As ByteFor Each b In bytes    Console.Write(b.ToString & " ")        ' => 239 1 161 57 143 200 172 70 185 64 222 29 59 15 190 205Next' Compare two GUIDs.If Not guid1.Equals(guid2) Then    Console.WriteLine("GUIDs are different.")End If

devxblackblue

About Our Editorial Process

At DevX, we’re dedicated to tech entrepreneurship. Our team closely follows industry shifts, new products, AI breakthroughs, technology trends, and funding announcements. Articles undergo thorough editing to ensure accuracy and clarity, reflecting DevX’s style and supporting entrepreneurs in the tech sphere.

See our full editorial policy.

About Our Journalist