WIDTH # Statement Raises Error in Visual Basic 4.0

• Standard, Professional, and Enterprise Editions of Microsoft Visual Basic, 16-bit and 32-bit, version 4.0, for Windows

SUMMARY

The WIDTH # statement is used to assign an output-line width to a file opened using the Open statement. However, the sample code given in Visual Basic 4.0 does not work in a form.

STEPS TO REPRODUCE

1. Use Visual Basic 4.0 to start a new project and place the following code in Form1's Form_Click Event.

      Private Sub Form_Click()
        Open "TESTFILE" For Output As #1  ' Open file for output.
        Width #1, 5 ' Set output-line width to 5.
        For I = 0 To 9  ' Loop 10 times.
            Print #1, Chr(48 + I); ' Prints 5 characters per line.
        Next I
        Close #1    ' Close file.
      End Sub
   
   

2. Run the program and then click the form. An "Invalid use of property" error is generated.

MORE INFORMATION

The problem is that Visual Basic 4.0 interprets the "Width" statement as a property of the Form when the code is run from a Form module. When run from a Code module or a Class module, the statement functions as documented because there is no default object on which to apply the Width property. Visual Basic 4.0 can be forced to use the correct Width statement in this case by specifying the call using "Typelib.Method" syntax. The Width statement is actually a "Visual Basic for Applications" (VBA) method, so the following syntax must be used:

   VBA.Width filenum, width

   Private Sub Command1_Click()

      Open "TESTFILE" For Output As #1
      VBA.Width 1, 5 ' Note:  "#" symbol omitted
      For I = 0 To 9
         Print #1, Chr(48 + I);
      Next I
      Close #1

   End Sub