HOWTO: Use Spaces in Enumerated Types

• Microsoft Visual Basic Learning, Professional, and Enterprise Editions for Windows, version 6.0
• Microsoft Visual Basic Professional and Enterprise Editions for Windows, version 5.0

SUMMARY

Beginning with version 5.0, Visual Basic supports Enumerated Types. Enumerations provide a convenient way to work with sets of related constants and to associate constant values with identifiers. The identifier may be defined as either a normal identifier or a more "friendly" identifier that can contain spaces.

NOTE: Other identifiers, such as variable names and procedure names, can not contain spaces.

MORE INFORMATION

1. Start Microsoft Visual Basic version 5.0. Create a new Standard EXE. Form1 is created by default.



2. Add a CommandButton, Command1, to Form 1.



3. Add the following code to Form1:

   
         Enum Keys1
             TabKey = 12
             EnterKey = 13
             SpaceBar = 32
         End Enum
   
         Enum Keys2
             [Tab Key] = 12
             [Enter Key] = 13
             [Space Bar] = 32
         End Enum
   
         Private Sub Command1_Click()
             Dim i As Long
             i = Keys1.EnterKey
             MsgBox i
             i = Keys2.[Space Bar]
             MsgBox i
         End Sub 




4. Run the project. Note that the brackets are required or an error will occur. Though the brackets will not be displayed when Visual Basic displays a drop list of the members of the enumeration. Such as, when you type a period after "Keys2", Visual Basic displays a drop list showing the members of the Keys2 enumeration without the brackets:

   Enter Key
   Space Bar
   Tab Key

   When you select one of the members, Visual Basic fills in the brackets for you.
   
   This code will generate a Compile Error on the second "Test2" line. This is due to the compiler expecting an end-of-statement after the word "Space."

REFERENCES

Microsoft Visual Basic 5.0 Books Online
"Using Enumerations to Work with Sets of Constants"

Microsoft Visual Basic Online Help
"Enum Statement"

Additional query words: kbVBp500 kbVBp600 kbVBp kbdsd kbDSupport kbCompiler kbVBA

Keywords : kbGrpVB
Version : WINDOWS:5.0,6.0
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbhowto