VBA Class: Routines

Private and Public routines

Classes are datatypes.

A class is a special datatype because it can contain both variables and routines.

The routines can be Private or Public.

For routines, there is no default. Private routines can only be used by the other routines of the class (by both Private and Public). The Private routines are encapsulated by the class. Public routines can be called from outside the class. The Public routines are part of the interface of the class.

Example: Public versus Private

If you have some time, spend a few minutes to study the following code. It is a class implementing a simple logger.

Here is the interface of the class.

First, do you see the relation between the class definition and its interface?

It is very simple: all variables and routines that are Public are part of the interface. In the above example all the routines, except for Flush are Public and, thus, are in the class interface. As you can see for the Property routines, by default, a routine in a class is Public.
Now focus on the routine Flush.

This routine writes the variable Message_ to a file. As the routine is Private, it cannot be called from outside the class. The only way to activate the routine is to call either the routine ToLog or Class_Deserialize, where calling the latter explicitely is probably not a good idea. Actually, writing to a file is encapsulated by the class, i.e. the class manages it itself. The user of your class has one less thing to remember and, cannot forget it. As a class designer, this should make you happy. It is an example of good design.

Now, imagine we make the routine Flush public.

Then, this is the interface.

In itself, there is nothing wrong. Your class design is still good. As before, the class still manages the file writing itself, and the user of your class cannot forget to write the log messages to a file. The only thing that has changed is the class interface. By making the function Flush public you simply offer the class user the option to initiate the file writing himself (or herself). Ok, why not. But... on the other hand, why should you? We don't really see a good reason (do you?). We are in favor of keeping the class interface as simple as possible, offering only just enough flexibility.

Kinds of routines

There are three kinds of routines in a class. All routines can be Public versus Private.

Sub

Nothing special. As all other subs in VBA.

Function

Again nothing special. As all other functions in VBA.

Properties

Routines that behave as variables. This is special!

Properties

Properties are to classes what high heels are for women: you don't need them but, if there, they allow for elegant design.

A Property is a special kind routine

• that behaves like a class variable, and,
• can have exactly the same name as a class variable.

If you use Public properties (and almost all of the time, they will be Public), the class interface will display the properties as if they were Public variables. Often, properties will encapsulate a Private class variable (but this need not be the case). If they do, for the user of the class, it will be as if the class variables are Public while they are still safely encapsulated. Properties allow the class designer to build elegant class interfaces.

There are four kinds of properties.

1. To return the value of a class variable. The return data type of the Get property must be the same datatype as the last argument of associated the Let property.
   Visual Basic

   Property Get MyPropertyName () As ... MyPropertyName = ... End Property

   1 2 3 4

   Property Get MyPropertyName () As ... MyPropertyName = ... End Property

2. To return a reference to a class variable. The return data type of the Get property must be the same datatype as the last argument of associated the Set property.
   Visual Basic

   Property Get MyPropertyName () As ... Set MyPropertyName = ... End Property

   1 2 3 4

   Property Get MyPropertyName () As ... Set MyPropertyName = ... End Property

3. To set a class variable of a value datatype. The last argument of the Let property must be the same datatype as the return data type of the associated Get property.
   Visual Basic

   Property Let (...) End Property

   1 2 3

   Property Let (...) End Property

4. To set a class variable of a reference datatype. The last argument of the Set property must be the same datatype as the return data type of the associated Get property.
   Visual Basic

   Property Set (...) Set ... = ... End Property

   1 2 3 4

   Property Set (...) Set ... = ... End Property

Example: Properties

If you have some time, spend a few minutes to study the following code. It is a class implementing a simple logger.

Here is the interface of the class.

First, do you see the relation between the class definition and its interface?

It is very simple: all variables and routines that are Public are part of the interface. All the variables are Private and none of them are in the interface. The class variables all end with _ and there are no things ending with _ in the interface. As you can see for the Property routines, by default, a routine in a class is Public.

Now focus on the property PathOfLogFile.

Note that the only way to change the variable PathOfLogFile_ is by using the property PathOfLogFile. The Private variable PathOfLogFile_ is safely encapsulated. Well done for the class designer! It is an example of good design.

Here is how to change the path of the log file. The property PathOfLogFile behaves like a Public class variable.