How to assign an event to multiple objects with excel vba? - excel

Question

I have ten drop down menus on a worksheet each of which should respond the same to the GotFocus() event.
I have written the following code but I get a run time error (459) - "Object or class does not support the set if events"
In a class called clsPDRinput I have the following:
Public WithEvents inputObj As OLEObject
Public Property Set myInput(obj As OLEObject)
Set inputObj = obj
End Property
Public Sub tbPDRInput_GotFocus()
//Do some stuff...
End Sub
I am then running the following code which is producing the error:
Dim tbCollection As Collection
Public Sub InitializePDRInput()
Dim myObj As OLEObject
Dim obj As clsPDRInput
Set tbCollection = New Collection
For Each myObj In Worksheets("1. PDR Documentation").OLEObjects
If TypeName(myObj.Object) = "ComboBox" Then
Set obj = New clsPDRInput
Set obj.myInput = myObj <-- **THIS LINE THROWS ERROR**
tbCollection.Add obj
End If
Next myObj
Set obj = Nothing
End Sub
I am not sure what is causing this error. One thought I had is that OLEObject is too generic and not every OLEObject supports the GotFocus() event and that is why the code is giving the error message?
I have tried replacing OLEObject with MSForms.ComboBox but that doesn't resolve issue.
Any ideas - have googled for two hours now and come up blank...
EDIT - Update on what I think the issue is...
I did more investigating and here is what the issue is as far as I can tell.
If you declare a variable as OLEObject (as in ...inputObj as OLEObject) then the only events exposed are GotFocus() and LostFocus().
If you declare a variable as MSForms.ComboBox (as in ...inputObj as MSForms.ComboBox) then a variety of events are exposed (e.g. Change(), Click(), DblClick()) but the events GotFocus() and LostFocus() are not exposed
Points 1 and 2 are consistent with the object model in excel. As a result, when I try to assign a ComboBox to my class I get an error (see original post) as the ComboBox does not support the GotFocus() and LostFocus events.
Now for the puzzle. If I add a ComboBox onto a worksheet (using Control ToolBox) and I double click that ComboBox to get to the code behind then all events are exposed, including GotFocus() and LostFocus()!

Answer 1

The below works for me. There were a couple of problem with your code, and comboboxes don't have a GotFocus event, so you'll have to use a different one.
The collection needs to be a global in the module, not part of the class.
I couldn't get this to work using the generic "OLEobject" approach (same error you got).
' ### in the class
Public WithEvents inputObj As MSForms.ComboBox
Private Sub inputObj_Change()
MsgBox "Change!"
End Sub
' ### in a module
Dim tbCollection As Collection
Public Sub InitializePDRInput()
Dim myObj As OLEObject
Dim obj As clsPDRInput
Set tbCollection = New Collection
For Each myObj In Worksheets("Sheet1").OLEObjects
If TypeName(myObj.Object) = "ComboBox" Then
Set obj = New clsPDRInput
Set obj.inputObj = myObj.Object
tbCollection.Add obj
End If
Next myObj
End Sub

Answer 2

Update
I was too focused in making the code compile and someone was nice enough to point out that the answer below is bad juju. So do not use. It does compile, but not a good answer.
I reproduced your error and fixed by changing the following declaration:
Public WithEvents inputObj As OLEObject
to this:
Public inputObj As New OLEObject
Of course, this is a different type of declaration so I'm not sure if it will work for you. It does remove the exception.
I'd also like to note that if you don't have Option Explicit set, you should. There are some variables in your code that are not declared. My guess is that you perhaps modified the code before posting your question.
Just making sure.