VBA vs Xbasic question

[Raymond Lyons]

Re: VBA vs Xbasic question

John,

Very different from we're all used to within A5. However, maybe Alpha is the "odd man out" in this situation.

Thanks for your input. Very helpful.

Tom

Many, including Peter Wayne, long ago strongly recommended always using OPTION STRICT. If you aren't familiar with it, you should check it out in the help files.

Raymond Lyons

[[email protected]]

Re: VBA vs Xbasic question

John,

Very different from we're all used to within A5. However, maybe Alpha is the "odd man out" in this situation.

Thanks for your input. Very helpful.

Tom

[jkwrpc]

Re: VBA vs Xbasic question

Tom B - Its not really odd in the VB world. They moved to strict data typing . Its a good thing actually, but once the variable is given a data type it remain that way until changed. As you know In VB or VBA the declaration might look something like this:

Dim variableX as Integer - -- variableX will stay an integer until you change into a long---- Dim variableX as Long

Most of us were trained that explicit data typing is the better coding practice. It helps with the code maintenance, being able to read the code, troubleshooting, ease of creating parameters for stored procs, avoiding datatype mismatch. In VB.Net I believe you cannot have untyped variables, its required. That mindset now filters back to through the whole VB eco-system.

[[email protected]]

Re: VBA vs xBasic question

Tom,
That's certainly true about limits. No question. Still, it seemed odd that in VBA a variable would have to be defined in that manner. In Alpha, I don't remember ever having to worry about the total number of records associated with a particular variable and a particular form.

This is really not a field we're talking about ---with field limitations--- but rather limitations associated with a variable.

Tom

[jkwrpc]

Re: VBA vs xBasic question

Tom - I am glad you found the solution. This is not an uncommon problem with VB style apps. I have run into this more than once where the original design was an integer and the customer exceeds the data type size limitations. Like you I found making the data type a Long resolves the problem.

If they ever migrate to SQL Server, as sometimes becomes the case with Access apps, they will want make sure the data typing in SQL Server is done correctly. SQL Server now has Small Integer, Integer and Big Integer data types just to add to the confusion.

[Tom Cone Jr]

Re: VBA vs xBasic question

Check the helps for 'database specifications'.

Later...

The help file topic "variable data types" indicates that numeric variables can hold up to 19 digits, presumably including the decimal and any decimal places.

The help file topic "Creating a new table" shows the limits for table fields. Numeric table fields can be 19 wide, with up to 14 decimal places.

All systems have limits.

[[email protected]]

A customer of mine has an application written in Access & VBA. They've been down for the past two days (a fix was applied last night) because one of the variables in one of the forms had been created with an 'integer' value instead of a 'long integer' value. The integer value will only handle (approx) 32,000 records before it stops working and they hit the wall on Wednesday. And of course, as soon as the value was changed, the program starting working again.

Here's my question. I've setup a lot of xBasic variables and I have never had to explicitly attach a variable to a form and I've never worried about table-record limits. Is this just dumb luck or have I never hit a record limit or am I missing something?

My question has nothing to do with Alpha support. I'm just curious about the differences between VBA and Alpha/xBasic, if anyone has an opinion they'd like to share.

Tom