Vba - := ????

[ajocius]

Group,
I often see examples of VBA code using the := (colon equal). What is this and what is it typically used for? It appears to be some form of assignment.

Thank you in advance........

Tony

[TommySzalapski]

It's mostly to make things easier with argument lists
Example:
You want to open a workbook from a macro and have it go in the recently used file list. The syntax for the open method is:

expression.Open(FileName, UpdateLinks, ReadOnly, Format, Password, WriteResPassword, IgnoreReadOnlyRecommended, Origin, Delimiter, Editable, Notify, Converter, AddToMRU)

You need to set AddToMRU to true. You could go through and re-enter all the defaults for the other arguments like Workbooks.Open("file.xls", false, false,....., true) and you have to go figure out what all needs to go there or you could type:

Workbooks.Open "file.xls", AddToMRU := true

Saves a lot of typing.

[Bernie Deitrick]

Tony,

For many methods, named parameters are used, and the := is used to assign a value to the named
parameter. For example, you could use either of these with the find method:

Dim c As Range
Set c = Cells.Find(What:="myFindString", LookIn:=xlValues, lookAt:=xlWhole)
This example leaves out the After:= parameter (but doesn't require a space holder for it).

Set c = Cells.Find("myFindString", , , xlWhole)
This one leaves out the parameter names (and skips the After and LookIn parameters) but requires
space holders (the commas).

HTH,
Bernie
MS Excel MVP


"ajocius" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> Group,
> I often see examples of VBA code using the := (colon equal). What
> is this and what is it typically used for? It appears to be some form
> of assignment.
>
> Thank you in advance........
>
> Tony
>
>
> --
> ajocius
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> ajocius's Profile: http://www.excelforum.com/member.php...o&userid=17695
> View this thread: http://www.excelforum.com/showthread...hreadid=392118
>

[Tom Ogilvy]

Not quite as bad as you make out

>expression.Open(FileName, UpdateLinks, ReadOnly, Format, Password,
>WriteResPassword, IgnoreReadOnlyRecommended, Origin, Delimiter,
>Editable, Notify, Converter, AddToMRU)

>You need to set AddToMRU to true. You could go through and re-enter
all the defaults for the other arguments like

or just
Workbooks.Open("file.xls",,,,,,,,,,,,true)

but using named arguments still saves some typing in many cases.

--
Regards,
Tom Ogilvy

"TommySzalapski"
<[email protected]> wrote in
message news:[email protected]...
>
> It's mostly to make things easier with argument lists
> Example:
> You want to open a workbook from a macro and have it go in the recently
> used file list. The syntax for the open method is:
>
> expression.Open(FileName, UpdateLinks, ReadOnly, Format, Password,
> WriteResPassword, IgnoreReadOnlyRecommended, Origin, Delimiter,
> Editable, Notify, Converter, AddToMRU)
>
> You need to set AddToMRU to true. You could go through and re-enter
> all the defaults for the other arguments like
> Workbooks.Open("file.xls", false, false,....., true) and you have to go
> figure out what all needs to go there or you could type:
>
> Workbooks.Open "file.xls", AddToMRU := true
>
> Saves a lot of typing.
>
>
> --
> TommySzalapski
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> TommySzalapski's Profile:
http://www.excelforum.com/member.php...o&userid=25561
> View this thread: http://www.excelforum.com/showthread...hreadid=392118
>