PRB: "Ambiguous name detected" Compile-Time Error in VB 4.0

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This article was previously published under Q129636

SYMPTOMS

Better type checking in Microsoft Visual Basic version 4.0 causes it to return a compile-time error message when you declare two functions (or subroutines) with the same name in the same module or form. This is a change in behavior from Microsoft Visual Basic version 3.0.

The error message returned is:

Ambiguous name detected: <function or sub name>

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STATUS

This behavior is by design.

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MORE INFORMATION

Steps to Reproduce Behavior

Start a new project in Visual Basic. Form1 is created by default.

Add the following code to the general declarations section of Form1:

   Private Declare Function GetSystemDirectory Lib "Kernel" _
      (ByVal strBuffer As String, ByVal intSize As Integer) As Integer
   Private Declare Function GetSystemDirectory% Lib "Kernel" _
      (ByVal lpBuffer$, ByVal nSize%)

Attempt to run the application by pressing the F5 key. Visual Basic will not run the application. Instead you will get this error message:
Ambiguous name detected: GetSystemDirectory

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