Sounds like something else went wrong on one of those lines then ... maybe the ctype(..., integer) is failing because it is not an integer value?  You should try breaking the line into smaller tasks - get the string, then convert it .. might help debug the problem.

Edit: sorry I misread - it is the integer you can get and not the string.  This is what I do in my modules:

Dim settings As Hashtable = New ModuleController().GetTabModuleSettings(TabModuleId)
If CType(settings("blah"), String) <> "" Then
    s = CType(settings("blah"), String)
End If

JK.

I changed the setting name to "page_info" to see if that wold help.  It doesn't.

In my module settings.ascx.vb code below...it succesfully retrieves the "page_info" value........but the very same code in my view.ascx.vb does not (always shows the value as being "").  I would think there must be something in my settings.ascx.vb that makes this code work except that in the view.ascx.vb this code will work for other settings other than "page_info"?????

If Not IsNothing(TabModuleSettings("page_info")) Then
' Make sure to use NOT ISNOTHING instead of NOT ISDBNULL!
    UnitInfoTemplate.Text = CType(TabModuleSettings("page_info"), String)
Else
    UnitInfoTemplate.Text = ""
End If

Bill, thanks very much for dedicating that time to my issue.  Yes, you're right about the code not being exactly the same between the settings and main module.  The settings are saved in the TabModuleSettings table.  Here is the requested code:

SETTINGS.ASCX.VB (LOADSETTINGS)

Public Overrides Sub LoadSettings() 
Try
If Not Page.IsPostBack Then

If Not IsNothing(TabModuleSettings("page_info")) Then '*this works in Settings
UnitInfoTemplate.Text = CType(TabModuleSettings("page_info"), String)
Else
UnitInfoTemplate.Text = ""
End If

If Not IsDBNull(TabModuleSettings("NDD_PushLine")) Then
txtPushLine.Text = CType(TabModuleSettings("NDD_PushLine"), String)
Else
txtPushLine.Text = ""
End If

End If
Catch exc As Exception
ProcessModuleLoadException(Me, exc)
End Try
End Sub

SETTINGS.ASCX.VB (UPDATESETTINGS)

Public Overrides Sub UpdateSettings()
Try 
Dim objModules As New Entities.Modules.ModuleController
objModules.UpdateTabModuleSetting(TabModuleId, "page_info", UnitInfoTemplate.Text.Trim) 'works fine
objModules.UpdateTabModuleSetting(TabModuleId, "NDD_PushLine", txtPushLine.Text.Trim) 'works fine
' Redirect back to the portal home page
Response.Redirect(NavigateURL(), True)
Catch exc As Exception
ProcessModuleLoadException(Me, exc)
End Try
End Sub

VIEWMODULE.ASCX.VB (PAGE LOAD)

If Not Page.IsPostBack Then 
'Dim settings As Hashtable = New DotNetNuke.Entities.Modules.ModuleController().GetTabModuleSettings(TabModuleId) 'commented out or not doesn't work
If CType(settings("page_info"), String) <> "" Then
lblUnitInfo.Text = CType(settings("page_info"), String) 'debugger skips this line cuz it thinks page_info=""
End If
'lblUnitInfo.Text = CType(Settings("NDD_PushLine"), String) 'if uncommented this correctly pulls the value
ShowUnitInfo(UnitID)
End If

Here is what my TabModuleSettings Table shows