VB.NET Stored Procedure, Can't Pass Param

Hello,



I have a VB.NET stored procedure as below:




Code Snippet

Partial Public Class StoredProcedures

Public Shared Sub My_UpdateCountsManaged( ByRef paramInOut As Integer)

'here I perform update statement using "paramInOut" passed form calling code

.......

'then I return value to the calling code

paramInOut = 555

End Sub

End Class



Calling code specifies a parameter like this:






Code Snippet

Dim param as Sqlparameter = New SqlParameter("@paramInOut", SqlDbType.Int)

param.Direction = ParameterDirection.InputOutput

param.Value = 999

cmd.Parameters.Add(param)





When I execute the code, it surely gets back "555" from SP, the problem is that SP never gets "999" from calling code despite ParamDirection is InputOutput. It always receives 0. I am afraid I don't understand something fundamental ?

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks a lot,Fly.