Assign an object to an array within a loop in VBA - excel

Question

I try to fill an array with objects that are created within a loop as follows. The problem is that all cells seem to have the same object in the end. The explanation might be that obj is not a local variable with respect to the loop.
Sub foo()
Dim Arr(1 To 3) As Class1
Dim i As Integer
For i = 1 To 3
Dim obj As New Class1
obj.name = i
Set Arr(i) = obj
Next
For i = 1 To 3
Debug.Print Arr(i).name
Next
End Sub
Surprisingly, the output is
3
3
3
I have also tried to remove the Set and instead have Arr(i) = obj. That results in Object variable or with block variable not set.

Answer 1

Your issue is the declaration of your object.
Dim foo as New bar
That is called a self-assigned declaration what makes setting a new object optional. If you call an objects member and it is not allready set it get's created (implicitSet foo = New bar). But as you allready created an instance (on first call toobj.name). that one is reused and the same reference is stored three times for the same objects-instance. That's why all elements in array return the same value as they are the same objects-instance, not three different ones.
So don't useNewin declarations, then you always need aSet fooand can check the object instance onNothing.
A second issue with your code is that assigninig an object to an array is that deleting elements from an array is error prone and not deleted references lead to not disposed, but unused objects.
The prefered storage for object(-references) is aCollection.
Sub foo()
Dim ObjCollection as Collection
Set ObjCollection = New Collection
Dim i As Integer
For i = 1 To 3
Dim obj As bar
Set obj = New bar
obj.name = i
ObjCollection.Add obj
Next
For i = 1 To 3
Debug.Print ObjCollection(i).name
Next
End Sub

Answer 2

This is the way:-
Sub foo()
Dim Arr(1 To 3) As Variant
Dim i As Integer
For i = 1 To 3
Set Arr(i) = Worksheets(i)
Next
For i = 1 To 3
Debug.Print Arr(i).Name
Next
End Sub

Answer 3

You have 2 ways to do this:
Notes: obj has not been recreated, so when you call for the next time obj in Arr (1) is still affected by the subsequent call.
First:
Sub foo()
Dim Arr(2) As Variant
Dim i As Integer
Dim obj As New Class1
For i = 0 To 2
Set obj = New Class1 '<<<-----
obj.name = i
Set Arr(i) = obj
Next
For i = 0 To 2
Debug.Print Arr(i).name
Next
End Sub
Second:
Sub foo()
Dim Arr(2) As Variant
Dim i As Integer
For i = 0 To 2
Dim obj As New Class1
obj.name = i
Set Arr(i) = obj
Set obj = Nothing <<<-----
Next
For i = 0 To 2
Debug.Print Arr(i).name
Next
End Sub

Answer 4

Try this, it'll save you a lot of headaches. Cheers!
Option Explicit
Sub foo()
Dim Arr(1 To 3) As New Class1 ' < good to know this version
Dim i As Long
For i = 1 To 3
With Arr(i) ' < saves you some typing
.Name = i
Debug.Print .Name
End With
Next
End Sub