VBScript has only one data type called a Variant. A
Variant is a special kind of data type that can contain different kinds of
information, depending on how it is used. Because Variant is the only data type
in VBScript, it is also the data type returned by all functions in VBScript.
At its simplest, a Variant can contain either numeric or
string information. A Variant behaves as a number when you use it in a numeric
context and as a string when you use it in a string context. That is, if you
are working with data that looks like numbers, VBScript assumes that it is
numbers and does what is most appropriate for numbers. Similarly, if you're
working with data that can only be string data, VBScript treats it as string
data. You can always make numbers behave as strings by enclosing them in
quotation marks (" ").
Variant Subtypes
Beyond the simple numeric or
string classifications, a Variant can make further distinctions about the
specific nature of numeric information. For example, you can have numeric
information that represents a date or a time. When used with other date or time
data, the result is always expressed as a date or a time. You can also have a
rich variety of numeric information ranging in size from Boolean values to huge
floating-point numbers. These different categories of information that can be
contained in a Variant are called subtypes. Most of the time, you can just put
the kind of data you want in a Variant, and the Variant behaves in a way that
is most appropriate for the data it contains.
