I've been using class modules for almost a year, and I'm just now comfortable with them. Now I'm trying to incorporate factory methods into data extraction from workbook tables. I found some great guides on the topic here, here, and here, but I'm unsure where to incorporate a collection of the class.
Up until now, I've setup my class modules with self-contained collections in this format:
Class module OrigClass
Option Explicit
'Col position references for input table, only includes cols with relevant data
Private Enum icrColRef
icrName = 2
icrCost = 4
End Enum
'UDT mirrors class properties
Private Type TTestClass
Name As String
Cost As Long
End Type
Const WS_NAME As String = "Sheet1"
Const NR_TBL As String = "Table1"
Private msTestClass As Collection
Private TestClass As TTestClass
Private Sub Class_Initialize()
Set msTestClass = New Collection
End Sub
Public Sub Add(Item As OrigClass)
msTestClass.Add _
Item:=Item, _
Key:=Item.Name
End Sub
Public Function Extract() As OrigClass
Dim tblInputs As ListObject
Dim i As Integer
Dim Item As OrigClass
Set tblInputs = ThisWorkbook.Worksheets(WS_NAME).ListObjects(NR_TBL)
For i = 1 To tblInputs.DataBodyRange.Rows.Count
Set Item = New OrigClass
With Item
.Name = tblInputs.DataBodyRange(i, icrName).Value
.Cost = tblInputs.DataBodyRange(i, icrCost).Value
End With
msTestClass.Add Item
Next i
End Function
Public Function Item(i As Variant) As OrigClass
Set Item = msTestClass.Item(i)
End Function
Public Function Count() As Integer
Count = msTestClass.Count
End Function
Friend Property Let Name(Val As String)
TestClass.Name = Val
End Property
Public Property Get Name() As String
Name = TestClass.Name
End Property
Friend Property Let Cost(Val As Long)
TestClass.Cost = Val
End Property
Public Property Get Cost() As Long
Cost = TestClass.Cost
End Property
This structure works well when I build functions that pass a ranges/table, loop through the rows, and assign a column value to each property. The address is almost always constant and only the values and record count will vary.
I just started building an interface for a class while also trying to retain the collection component, but I'm stumbling on runtime errors... I could possibly create a separate collection class, but I think my problem is more about mismanaging scope rather than encapsulation:
Class module CTestClass
Option Explicit
'Col position references for input table, only includes cols with relevant data
Private Enum icrColRef
icrName = 2
icrCost = 4
End Enum
''UDT mirrors class properties
Private Type TTestClass
Name As String
Cost As Long
End Type
Const WS_NAME As String = "Sheet1"
Const NR_TBL As String = "Table1"
Private msTestClass As Collection
Private TestClass As TTestClass
Implements ITestClass
Implements FTestClass
Private Sub Class_Initialize()
Set msTestClass = New Collection
End Sub
Public Sub Add(Item As CTestClass)
msTestClass.Add _
Item:=Item, _
Key:=Item.Name
End Sub
Public Function Create() As ITestClass
With New CTestClass
.Extract
' 2) now in Locals window, Me.msTestClass is <No Variables>
Set Create = .Self
' 4) Me.msTestClass is again <No Variables>, and
' Create (as Type ITextClass) is Nothing
' Create (as Type ITextClass/ITextClass) lists property values as
' <Object doesn't support this property or method>, aka runtime error 438
End With
End Function
Private Function FTestClass_Create() As ITestClass
Set FTestClass_Create = Create
End Function
Public Function Extract() As ITestClass
Dim tblInputs As ListObject
Dim i As Integer
Dim Item As CTestClass
Set tblInputs = ThisWorkbook.Worksheets(WS_NAME).ListObjects(NR_TBL)
For i = 1 To tblInputs.DataBodyRange.Rows.Count
Set Item = New CTestClass
With Item
.Name = tblInputs.DataBodyRange(i, icrName).Value
.Cost = tblInputs.DataBodyRange(i, icrCost).Value
End With
msTestClass.Add Item
Next i
' 1) in Locals window, Me.msTestClass is populated with all table records
End Function
Public Function ITestClass_Item(i As Variant) As ITestClass
Set ITestClass_Item = msTestClass.Item(i)
End Function
Public Function ITestClass_Count() As Integer
ITestClass_Count = msTestClass.Count
End Function
Friend Property Let Name(Val As String)
TestClass.Name = Val
End Property
Public Property Get Name() As String
Name = TestClass.Name
End Property
Friend Property Let Cost(Val As Long)
TestClass.Cost = Val
End Property
Public Property Get Cost() As Long
Cost = TestClass.Cost
End Property
Public Property Get Self() As ITestClass
Set Self = Me
' 3) Me.msTestClass is again populated with all table records (scope shift?), but
' Self is set to Nothing
End Property
Private Property Get ITestClass_Name() As String
ITestClass_Name = Name
End Property
Private Property Get ITestClass_Cost() As Long
ITestClass_Cost = Cost
End Property
Interface module ITestClass
'Attribute VB_PredeclaredId = False <-- revised in text editor
Option Explicit
Public Function Item(i As Variant) As ITestClass
End Function
Public Function Count() As Integer
End Function
Public Property Get Name() As String
End Property
Public Property Get Cost() As Long
End Property
Factory module FTestClass
'Attribute VB_PredeclaredId = False <-- revised in text editor
Option Explicit
Public Function Create() As ITestClass
End Function
Standard module
Sub TestFactory()
Dim i As ITestClass
Dim oTest As FTestClass
Set oTest = CTestClass.Create
' 5) oTest is <No Variables>, no properties are present
' as if the variable was never set
For Each i In oTest ' <-- Runtime error 438, Object doesn't support this property or method
Debug.Print
Debug.Print i.Name
Debug.Print i.Cost
Next i
End Sub
What am I doing wrong here?
EDIT:
#freeflow pointed out that I didn't state my intentions for introducing an interface.
My office uses several workbook "models" to compile pricing data into a single output table that is then delivered to a downstream customer for importing into a database.
My goal is to standardize the calculations using these various models. The side goal is to understand how to properly implement a factory method.
Each model has one or more input tables, and each table contains a unique collection of 10-30 fields/columns. The output data calculations vary, along with the dependencies on various input fields. However, the output data is the same format all across the board and always contains the same dozen fields.
The example I've shown is intended to be a single interface ITestClass for writing data to the output table. The class that implements it CTestClass can be considered as just one of the several tables (within the several models) containing the input data. I plan on modeling more class objects, one for each input table.
Based on:
Sub TestFactory()
Dim i As ITestClass
Dim oTest As FTestClass
Set oTest = CTestClass.Create
' 5) oTest is <No Variables>, no properties are present
' as if the variable was never set
For Each i In oTest ' <-- Runtime error 438, Object doesn't support this property or method
Debug.Print
Debug.Print i.Name
Debug.Print i.Cost
Next i
End Sub
It would appear that you are interested in making your class iterable like a collection. I would point you towards this SO question. The short of it is...it's difficult.
WIth regard to the error: The result of statement Set oTest = CTestClass.Create is the acquisition of a FTestClass interface that exposes a single method: Public Function Create() As ITestClass. Which, provides nothing to iterate on and results in an error.
Other Observations:
In the code as provided, there is no need to declare a factory interface.
(Sidebar: Interface classes typically begin with the letter "I". In this case, a better interface name for FTestClass would be "ITestClassFactory")
Since CTestClass has its VB_PredeclaredId attribute set to 'True', any Public method (or field) declared in CTestClass is exposed...and is considered its default interface. CTestClass.Create() is the Factory method you are interested in.
One purpose of creating a Factory method (in VBA) is to support the parameterized creation of a class instance. Since the Create function currently has no parameters, it is unclear what else could be going on during creation other than Set tClass = new CTestClass. But, there are parameters that would indicate what is going on during Create.
Public Function Create(ByVal tblInputs As ListObject, OPtional ByVal nameColumn As Long = 2, Optional ByVal costColumn As Long = 4) As ITestClass
In other words, CTestClass has a dependency on a ListObject in order to become a valid instance of a CTestClass. A factory method's signature typically contains dependencies of the class. With the above factory method, there is no longer a need to have an Extract function - Public or otherwise. Notice also (in the code below) that the ThisWorkbook reference is no longer part of the object. Now, the tblInputs ListObject can be from anywhere. And the important column numbers can be easily modified. This parameter list allows you to test this class using worksheets with fake data.
Reorganizing:
CTestClass contains a Collection of CTestClass instances. It would seem clearer to declare a TestClassContainer class that exposes the Create function above. The container class can then expose a NameCostPairs property which simply exposes the msTestClass Collection. Creating a container class reduces the TestClass to essentially a data object (all Properties, no methods) which results in a useful separation of concerns. Let the calling objects handle the iteration of the collection.
TestClassContainer
Option Explicit
Private Type TTestClassContainer
msTestClass As Collection
End Type
Private this As TTestClassContainer
'TestContainer Factory method
Public Function Create(ByVal tblInputs As ListObject, Optional ByVal nameCol As Long = 2, Optional ByVal costCol As Long = 4) As TestClassContainer
Dim i As Integer
Dim nameCostPair As CTestClass
Dim newInstance As TestClassContainer
With New TestClassContainer
Set newInstance = .Self
For i = 1 To tblInputs.DataBodyRange.Rows.Count
Set nameCostPair = New CTestClass
nameCostPair.Name = tblInputs.DataBodyRange(i, nameCol).Value
nameCostPair.Cost = tblInputs.DataBodyRange(i, costCol).Value
newInstance.AddTestClass nameCostPair
Next i
End With
Set Create = newInstance
End Function
Public Sub AddTestClass(ByVal tstClass As CTestClass)
this.msTestClass.Add tstClass
End Sub
Public Property Get Self() As CTestClass
Set Self = Me
End Property
Public Property Get NameCostPairs() As Collection
Set NameCostPairs = this.msTestClass
End Property
CTestClass (no longer needs VB_PredeclaredId set to 'True')
Option Explicit
Implements ITestClass
''UDT mirrors class properties
Private Type TTestClass
Name As String
Cost As Long
End Type
Private this As TTestClass
Public Property Let Name(Val As String)
this.Name = Val
End Property
Public Property Get Name() As String
Name = this.Name
End Property
Public Property Let Cost(Val As Long)
this.Cost = Val
End Property
Public Property Get Cost() As Long
Cost = this.Cost
End Property
Private Property Get ITestClass_Name() As String
ITestClass_Name = Name
End Property
Private Property Get ITestClass_Cost() As Long
ITestClass_Cost = Cost
End Property
And Finally:
Option Explicit
Sub TestFactory()
Const WS_NAME As String = "Sheet1"
Const NR_TBL As String = "Table1"
Dim tblInputs As ListObject
Set tblInputs = ThisWorkbook.Worksheets(WS_NAME).ListObjects(NR_TBL)
Dim container As TestClassContainer
Set container = TestClassContainer.Create(tblInputs)
Dim nameCostPair As ITestClass
Dim containerItem As Variant
For Each containerItem In container.NameCostPairs
Set nameCostPair = containerItem
Debug.Print
Debug.Print nameCostPair.Name
Debug.Print nameCostPair.Cost
Next
End Sub
I see #BZgr has provided a solution but as I'd also written one I provide the answer below as analternative.
I think there are several problems with th OP code.
The origclass and collection of origclasses is conflated, they should be separate. Disentangling this wasn't made easier by the poor naming of the origclass UDT.
Its not clear what needs to be a factory. I've put the factory method in the origclasses class so that an 'immutable' collection of origclass is created.
Its not clear what the op is trying to achieve by introducing an interface. In general, interfaces are used when a number of different object must provide that same set of methods. In VBA the interface declaration allows the compiler to check if each object that claims to implement the interface has the correct methods and parameter lists. (but i do accept that there may be some special VBA cases where this is not the case)
The code below compiles and has no significant Rubberduck inspections. However, I am not a user of Excel VBA so I apologise in advance if my code makes mistakes in this area.
a. We have a separate and very simple OrigClass
Option Explicit
Private Type Properties
Name As String
Cost As Long
End Type
Private p As Properties
Public Property Get Name() As String
Name = p.Name
End Property
Public Property Let Name(ByVal ipString As String)
p.Name = ipString
End Property
Public Property Get Cost() As Long
Cost = p.Cost
End Property
Public Property Let Cost(ByVal ipCost As Long)
p.Cost = ipCost
End Property
2 The OrigClaases class which is a collection of origclass
Option Explicit
'#PredeclaredId
'#Exposed
'Col position references for input table, only includes cols with relevant data
Private Enum icrColRef
icrName = 2
icrCost = 4
End Enum
Private Type State
'TestClass As Collection
Host As Collection
ExternalData As Excel.Worksheet
TableName As String
End Type
Private s As State
Public Function Deb(ByVal ipWorksheet As Excel.Worksheet, ByVal ipTableName As String) As OrigClasses
With New OrigClasses
Set Deb = .ReadyToUseInstance(ipWorksheet, ipTableName)
End With
End Function
Friend Function ReadyToUseInstance(ByVal ipWorksheet As Excel.Worksheet, ByVal ipTableName As String) As OrigClasses
Set s.Host = New Collection
Set s.ExternalData = ipWorksheet
s.TableName = ipTableName
PopulateHost
Set ReadyToUseInstance = Me
End Function
' The fact that you are using the collection Key suggests
' you might be better of using a scripting.dictioanry
' Also given that you populate host doirectly from the worksheet
' this add method may now be redundant.
Public Sub Add(ByVal ipItem As OrigClass)
s.Host.Add _
Item:=ipItem, _
Key:=ipItem.Name
End Sub
Public Sub Extract()
' Extract is restricted to re extracting data
' should the worksheet have been changed.
' If you need to work on a new sheet then
' create a new OrigClasses object
Set s.Host = New Collection
PopulateHost
End Sub
Private Sub PopulateHost()
Dim tblInputs As ListObject
Set tblInputs = s.ExternalData.ListObjects(s.TableName)
Dim myRow As Long
For myRow = 1 To tblInputs.DataBodyRange.Rows.Count
Dim myItem As OrigClass
Set myItem = New OrigClass
With myItem
.Name = tblInputs.DataBodyRange(myRow, icrName).Value
.Cost = tblInputs.DataBodyRange(myRow, icrCost).Value
End With
s.Host.Add myItem, myItem.Name
Next
End Sub
Public Function Item(ByVal ipIndex As Variant) As OrigClass
Set Item = s.Host.Item(ipIndex)
End Function
Public Function Count() As Long
Count = s.Host.Count
End Function
Public Function Name(ByVal ipIndex As Long) As String
Name = s.Host.Item(ipIndex).Name
End Function
Public Function Cost(ByVal ipIndex As Long) As Long
Cost = s.Host.Item(ipIndex).Cost
End Function
Public Function SheetName() As String
SheetName = s.ExternalData.Name
End Function
Public Function TableName() As String
TableName = s.TableName
End Function
'#Enumerator
Public Function NewEnum() As IUnknown
Set NewEnum = s.Host.[_NewEnum]
End Function
c. The testing code
Option Explicit
Const WS_NAME As String = "Sheet1"
Const NR_TBL As String = "Table1"
Sub TestFactory()
Dim oTest As OrigClasses
'#Ignore UnassignedVariableUsage
Set oTest = OrigClasses.Deb(ThisWorkbook.Worksheets(WS_NAME), NR_TBL)
Dim myOrigClass As Variant
For Each myOrigClass In oTest
Debug.Print
Debug.Print myOrigClass.Name
Debug.Print myOrigClass.Cost
Next
End Sub
For the factory method, following feeback from Rubberduck, I now use the method name 'Deb' which is short for Debut (or Debutante) meaning something that is presented which is ready to be used. Which of course leads to why I use the method name 'readytoUseInstance'.
I Use UDT of Properties and State (with variables p and s) to separate extenal properties from internal state.
Within methods I prefix variables with the prefix 'my'.
For method parameters i use the prefixed ip, op and iop for input only, output only, and imput that is mutated and output.
A side benefit of these prefixes p,s,my,ip,op,iop is that they also remove some the majority of the issues encountered when trying to name variables/parameters.
I'm programming quite a complex thing in VBA I think and even though I did a lot of research I couldn't come up with a solution to my problem so far. And unfortunately I'm no expert :)
I have two classes, e.g. clsBuilding and clsFactory, which both have an instance of clsHeatDemand. Now I'm trying to implement a parent-Property to access some values from the base classes I need for the calculation, based on this idea.
Friend Property Get Parent() As clsBuilding
Set Parent = ObjFromPtr(parentPtr)
End Property
Friend Property Set Parent(obj As clsBuilding)
parentPtr = ObjPtr(obj)
End Property
My problem now is that the parent can be of two different types even though they have the same parameters I need. So what I'm trying to ask is if there is a way to hand over the instances simply as obj As Object and still access its properties?
I also tried this with Interfaces but I would be happy if there is another easier solution.
I don't know if this can help you, have a look at it.
' Class which has different parent
Option Explicit
Private m_parent As Variant
Public Property Get Parent() As Variant
Set Parent = m_parent
End Property
Public Property Set Parent(ByVal vNewValue As Variant)
Set m_parent = vNewValue
End Property
Public Function Name()
If TypeName(m_parent) = "ParentA" Then
Name = m_parent.Name
Else
Err.Raise 123, "Parent doesn't have Name"
End If
End Function
Public Function Height()
If TypeName(m_parent) = "ParentB" Then
Height = m_parent.Height
Else
Err.Raise 456, "Parent doesn't have Height"
End If
End Function
' ParentA
Public Name As String
Public Age As Integer
' ParentB
Public Height As Double
Public Weight As Double
' Test
Sub test()
Dim c As Class
Set c = New Class
Dim pa As ParentA
Set pa = New ParentA
pa.Age = 5
pa.Name = "Parent A"
Dim pb As ParentB
Set pb = New ParentB
pb.Height = 15.5
pb.Weight = 50.5
Set c.Parent = pa
Debug.Print c.Name
Set c.Parent = pb
Debug.Print c.Height
Debug.Print c.Name
End Sub
I am trying to implement a Model-View-Presenter Userinterface in VBA excel. In order to do this I have been writing different Model classes. Here an Example:
Option Explicit
Private Type TModel
FilterCol As Collection
N As Integer
End Type
Private this As TModel
Public Property Get FilterCol() As Collection
Set FilterCol = this.FilterCol
End Property
Public Property Let FilterCol(ByVal value As Collection)
Set this.FilterCol = value
End Property
Public Property Get N() As Integer
Set N = this.N
End Property
Public Property Let N(ByVal value As Integer)
Set this.N = value
End Property
This class called "FilterModel" is a collection of MSFormObjects. In order to use the collection properly I need to new it. So the code where I use it would look a little like this:
Sub testFilter()
Dim Filterm As FilterModel
Dim DefaultFilterLine As New FilterLine
Set Filterm = New FilterModel
Filterm.FilterCol = New Collection
'Set DefaultFilter
Filterm.FilterCol.Add DefaultFilterLine
'DoStuff
With New frmFilter
Set .Model = Filterm
.Show
End With
End Sub
If I don't new the Property FilterCol before I add something, in this case the defaultfilter, it doesn't work. So here is my Question:
Is there a way to overwrite the new statement for my new class in order to have it also new up the collection FilterCol. My research got me as far as I now know that this would be called a constructor.
But how would one properly implement a constructor for a VBA class?
Somthing like:
Private Sub Class_Initialize()
Set this.FilterCol = New Collection
N = 0
End Sub
If I do this then I get an error in the "Property Let N(Byval Value as integer)" Line. The error message reads "object required".
Here is a working solution. I suggest going through the code line-by-line using F8 to understand what is happening there. Debug.print prints values into the Immediate window.
Here is the FilterModel class:
''' FilterModel class
Option Explicit
Private pFilterCol As Collection
Private pN As Integer
Public Property Get FilterCol() As Collection
Set FilterCol = pFilterCol
End Property
Public Property Let FilterCol(ByVal value As Collection)
Set pFilterCol = value
End Property
Public Property Get N() As Integer
N = pN
End Property
Public Property Let N(ByVal value As Integer)
pN = value
End Property
Private Sub Class_Initialize()
Set pFilterCol = New Collection
pN = 0
End Sub
and here is module code to test it:
''' random module
Option Explicit
Sub testFilter()
Dim Filterm As FilterModel
Set Filterm = New FilterModel
Filterm.FilterCol = New Collection
''' default values (specified in Class_Initialize())
Debug.Print Filterm.N
Debug.Print Filterm.FilterCol.Count
''' set the values through Property Let
Filterm.FilterCol.Add "whatever"
Filterm.FilterCol.Add "whenever"
Filterm.N = 6
''' print the new values (through Property Get)
Debug.Print Filterm.N
Debug.Print Filterm.FilterCol.Count
Debug.Print Filterm.FilterCol(1)
Debug.Print Filterm.FilterCol(2)
End Sub
Question: Why do I get nothing but 0 out of this code? (via the MsgBox)
Context: Newbie trying to learn to use my own classes in Excel VBA.
Class1 is a class Module which has the code here:
Private pPhone As Integer
Public Property Get Phone() As Integer
Phone = pPhone
End Property
Public Property Let Phone(Value As Integer)
pPhone = Phone
End Property
And Test() is a sub in Module1 as you see here
Dim Home As Class1
Public Sub Test()
Set Home = New Class1
Home.Phone = 3
MsgBox Home.Phone
End Sub
The code executes, but Home.Phone is only reported as 0 (I guess the initial value) What am I doing wrong?
Change pPhone = Phone to pPhone = Value
It should be
Public Property Let Phone(Value As Integer)
pPhone = Value
End Property
I am trying to set up a custom object model using an example I found in an answered question here on stackoverflow.
VBA Classes - How to have a class hold additional classes
Here is the code I have created based on the answer.
Standard Module
Sub test()
Dim i As Long
Dim j As Long
'code to populate some objects
Dim AssemList As Collection
Dim Assem As cAssem
Dim SubAssemList As Collection
Dim SubAssem As cSubAssem
Set AssemList = New Collection
For i = 1 To 3
Set SubAssemList = New Collection
Set Assem = New cAssem
Assem.Description = "Assem " & i
For j = 1 To 3
Set SubAssem = New cSubAssem
SubAssem.Name = "SubAssem" & j
SubAssemList.Add SubAssem
Next j
Set Assem.SubAssemAdd = SubAssemList '<------ Object variable or With Block not Set
AssemList.Add Assem
Next i
Set SubAssemList = Nothing
'write the data backout again
For Each clock In AssemList
Debug.Print Assem.Description
Set SubAssemList = Assem.SubAssems
For Each SubAssem In SubAssemList
Debug.Print SubAssem.Name
Next
Next
End Sub
cAssem Class
Private pDescription As String
Private pSubAssemList As Collection
Private Sub Class_Initialize()
Set pSubAssems = New Collection
End Sub
Public Property Get Description() As String
Description = pDescription
End Property
Public Property Let Description(ByVal sDescription As String)
pDescription = sDescription
End Property
Public Property Get SubAssems() As Collection
Set SubAssems = pSubAssemList
End Property
Public Property Set SubAssemAdd(AssemCollection As Collection)
For Each AssemName In AssemCollection
pSubAssemList.Add AssemName ' <------- This is the line that is triggering the error
Next
End Property
cSubAssem Class
Private pSubAssemName As String
Public Property Get Name() As String
Name = pSubAssemName
End Property
Public Property Let Name(ByVal sName As String)
pSubAssemName = sName
End Property
I have not changed anything in the code except class names and variable names and from my limited point of view I cannot understand the cause of the error.
I am just starting to really dig into objects and Class Modules in VBA so I appreciate any knowledge this community could pass my way.
Many Thanks
You have a typo in your sub class initializer:
Private Sub Class_Initialize()
Set pSubAssems = New Collection
End Sub
should read:
Private Sub Class_Initialize()
Set pSubAssemList = New Collection
End Sub