.NET (Core and Framework)

Imports SKYPE4COMLib
Public Class Form1
    Public WithEvents skype As New SKYPE4COMLib.Skype
    Private Sub Form1_Load(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
        'check if the skype client is running
        If Not skype.Client.IsRunning Then
            skype.Client.Start()
        End If

    End Sub

    Private Sub Button1_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
        Try
            skype.Attach()
            MessageBox.Show("Succesfully Connected!", "Connected", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Information)
            Label4.Text = ("Connected!")
            Label2.Text = ("Welcome: " + skype.CurrentUserProfile.FullName)
        Catch ex As Exception
            MessageBox.Show("Unable to connect", "Connected", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Information)
            Label4.Text = ("Disconnected")
            Label2.Text = "Welcome: Unknown"




        End Try



    End Sub

    Private Sub Button2_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Button2.Click

    End Sub

End Class

int x = Convert.ToInt16("some text");

Module INI
    Private Declare Ansi Function WritePrivateProfileString _
       Lib "kernel32.dll" Alias "WritePrivateProfileStringA" _
       (ByVal lpApplicationName As String, _
       ByVal lpKeyName As String, ByVal lpString As String, _
       ByVal lpFileName As String) As Integer

    Private Declare Auto Function GetPrivateProfileString Lib "kernel32" (ByVal lpAppName As String, _
    ByVal lpKeyName As String, _
    ByVal lpDefault As String, _
    ByVal lpReturnedString As StringBuilder, _
    ByVal nSize As Integer, _
    ByVal lpFileName As String) As Integer



    Public Function GetPrivateProfileStringUnicode(ApplicationName As String, KeyName As String, FileName As String) As String
        Dim sb As New StringBuilder(500)
        GetPrivateProfileString(ApplicationName, KeyName, "", sb, sb.Capacity, FileName)
        Dim Value As String = sb.ToString
        If InStr(Value, "#") = 0 Then
            'No #-character found, so there is nothing to convert back
            Return Value
        Else
            Dim i As Integer
            Dim Parts() As String = Split(Value, "#") 'Split value to array
            For i = 1 To UBound(Parts) Step 2         'If i is an odd number Parts(i) always contains a integer which should be converted back
                Parts(i) = Trim(ChrW(CInt(Parts(i))))
            Next
            Return Join(Parts, "")                    'Return the joined array Parts
        End If
    End Function

    Public Sub WritePrivateProfileStringUnicode(ApplicationName As String, KeyName As String, Value As String, FileName As String)
        'First escape the #-character

        Dim NewValue As String = Replace(Value, "#", "#" & Asc("#") & "#")


        If IsUnicode(NewValue) Then
            'Value has unicode characters; we convert them to integer value preceded and followed by a #-character
            Dim i As Integer
            Dim ValueUnicode As String = ""
            For i = 1 To Len(NewValue)
                Dim strChar As String = Mid(NewValue, i, 1)
                If AscW(strChar) > 255 Or AscW(strChar) < 0 Then
                    strChar = "#" & AscW(strChar) & "#"
                End If
                ValueUnicode = ValueUnicode & strChar
            Next
            'Write converted string to INI file directly
            WritePrivateProfileString(ApplicationName, KeyName, ValueUnicode, FileName)
        Else
            'No unicode characters, so write to INI file directly
            WritePrivateProfileString(ApplicationName, KeyName, NewValue, FileName)
        End If
    End Sub

    Private Function IsUnicode(input As String) As Boolean
        Dim asciiBytesCount = Encoding.ASCII.GetByteCount(input)
        Dim unicodBytesCount = Encoding.UTF8.GetByteCount(input)
        Return asciiBytesCount <> unicodBytesCount
    End Function

End Module