VBA: Loop over Items in Dictionary with an Object Variable - excel

Question

I am trying to loop over the items in a dictionary with an object variable that refer to inheritance class "Breed", but I am unable to do so with dictionaries but with collections it is pretty simple is there a way to solve this without using the dictionary's keys? because then I will lose the ability to use the intelisense feature.
Here is the code of the class Breed:
Option Explicit
Public Property Get Name() As String
End Property
Public Property Get Color() As String
End Property
Public Property Get Price() As Double
End Property
Here is the code for class Dogs:
Option Explicit
Implements Breed
Private pName As String, pPrice As Double, pColor As String
Public Property Let Name(Val As String)
pName = Val
End Property
Public Property Get Name() As String
Name = pName
End Property
Private Property Get Breed_Name() As String
Breed_Name = Name
End Property
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
Public Property Let Price(Val As Double)
pPrice = Val
End Property
Public Property Get Price() As Double
Price = pPrice
End Property
Private Property Get Breed_Price() As Double
Breed_Price = Price
End Property
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
Public Property Let Color(Val As String)
pColor = Val
End Property
Public Property Get Color() As String
Color = pColor
End Property
Private Property Get Breed_Color() As String
Breed_Color = Color
End Property
Here is the code for class Cats:
Option Explicit
Implements Breed
Private pName As String, pPrice As Double, pColor As String
Public Property Let Name(Val As String)
pName = Val
End Property
Public Property Get Name() As String
Name = pName
End Property
Private Property Get Breed_Name() As String
Breed_Name = Name
End Property
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
Public Property Let Price(Val As Double)
pPrice = Val
End Property
Public Property Get Price() As Double
Price = pPrice
End Property
Private Property Get Breed_Price() As Double
Breed_Price = Price
End Property
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
Public Property Let Color(Val As String)
pColor = Val
End Property
Public Property Get Color() As String
Color = pColor
End Property
Private Property Get Breed_Color() As String
Breed_Color = Color
End Property
Here is the code for the regular module with collection but fails with dictionary:
Option Explicit
Sub Main()
Dim C As Cats
Dim D As Dogs
Dim Coll As Collection
Dim B As Breed
Set C = New Cats
C.Name = "Catomon"
C.Color = "Angle White"
C.Price = 800.98
Set D = New Dogs
D.Name = "Dogomon"
D.Color = "Golden White"
D.Price = 1000.23
Set Coll = New Collection
Coll.Add C
Coll.Add D
Set B = New Breed
For Each B In Coll
Debug.Print B.Name, B.Color, B.Price
Next B
Set C = Nothing
Set D = Nothing
Set B = Nothing
Set Coll = Nothing
End Sub

Answer 1

Dictionary methods .Keys() and .Items() return arrays. Only way to iterate over arrays is with an variable of type Variant. With these restrictions, the only way I can think of is casting Variant variable to the type Breed inside the loop. This way, after the casting, you get Intellisense.
Based on the code you posted, an example would be:
Sub MainWithDictionary()
Dim C As Cats
Dim D As Dogs
Dim Dict As Scripting.Dictionary
Dim B As Breed
Dim K As Variant 'new variable
Set C = New Cats
C.Name = "Catomon"
C.Color = "Angle White"
C.Price = 800.98
Set D = New Dogs
D.Name = "Dogomon"
D.Color = "Golden White"
D.Price = 1000.23
Set Dict = New Scripting.Dictionary
'Keys are just placeholders
Dict.Add 1, C
Dict.Add 2, D
For Each K In Dict.Items()
'Cast the Variant result to Breed
Set B = K
'You will have Intellisense on each dictionary items after this
Debug.Print B.Name, B.Color, B.Price
Next K
Set C = Nothing
Set D = Nothing
Set B = Nothing
Set Dict = Nothing
End Sub