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The scope of a variable defines which parts of your code are aware of its existence. When you declare a variable within a procedure, only code within that procedure can access or change the value of that variable; it has a scope that is local to that procedure. Sometimes, however, you need to use a variable with a broader scope, such as one whose value is available to all the procedures within the same module, or even to all the procedures in your entire application. Visual Basic allows you to specify the scope of a variable when you declare it.
Local variables are a good choice for any kind of temporary calculation. For example, you can create a dozen different procedures containing a variable called
The scope of a variable defines which parts of your code are aware of its existence. When you declare a variable within a procedure, only code within that procedure can access or change the value of that variable; it has a scope that is local to that procedure. Sometimes, however, you need to use a variable with a broader scope, such as one whose value is available to all the procedures within the same module, or even to all the procedures in your entire application. Visual Basic allows you to specify the scope of a variable when you declare it.
Scoping Variables
Depending on how it is declared, a variable is scoped as either a procedure-level (local) or module-level variable.| Scope | Private | Public |
| Procedure-level | Variables are private to the procedure in which they appear. | Not applicable. You cannot declare public variables within a procedure. |
| Module-level | Variables are private to the module in which they appear. | Variables are available to all modules. |
Variables Used Within a Procedure
Procedure-level variables are recognized only in the procedure in which they're declared. These are also known as local variables. You declare them with the Dim or Static keywords. For example:Dim intTemp As Integer
–or–
Static intPermanent As Integer
Local variables are a good choice for any kind of temporary calculation. For example, you can create a dozen different procedures containing a variable called
intTemp. As long as each intTemp is declared as a local variable, each procedure recognizes only its own version of intTemp. Any one procedure can alter the value in its local intTemp without affecting intTemp variables in other procedures.Variables Used Within a Module
By default, a module-level variable is available to all the procedures in that module, but not to code in other modules. You create module-level variables by declaring them with the Private keyword in the Declarations section at the top of the module. For example:Private intTemp As Integer
Variables Used by All Modules
To make a module-level variable available to other modules, use the Public keyword to declare the variable. The values in public variables are available to all procedures in your application. Like all module-level variables, public variables are declared in the Declarations section at the top of the module. For example:Public intTemp As Integer
Note You can't declare public variables within a procedure, only within the Declarations section of a module.
