[AccessD] A2K Reference the dot column property in a query

Hi Stuart

Good idea. Except for one thing: sometimes ByVal is handled like ByRef
in API calls. I've never found an explanation for that ...

Here's an example (strBuffer):

Private Declare Function GetTempPath Lib "kernel32" Alias "GetTempPathA" ( _
  ByVal nBufferLength As Long, _
  ByVal lpBuffer As String) As Long

Public Function GetTempDirectory() As String

' Returns path to temp directory incl. traling backslash:
'   c:\winnt\temp\

  Const clngBufferLen As Long = 255
  Dim lngPath         As Long
  Dim strBuffer       As String * clngBufferLen

  lngPath = GetTempPath(clngBufferLen, strBuffer)
  If lngPath < 0 Then
    lngPath = 0
  End If
  GetTempDirectory = LCase(Left(strBuffer, lngPath))
    
End Function


/gustav


> As an extension to that, I've started prefixing function parameters with the By
> Ref/By Val type.  Eg Function CapString (By Val vstrSomeValue as string) as
> string. (vstr is string by value as opposed to rstr as by ref) Mostly this is
> just for accuracy of naming, but it could be useful if you manipulate the
> parameter, particularly in the case of API calls.

> You do raise a good point John.  Variable naming conventions are meant to be
> useful in debugging, relooking at code, or just taking over someone elses code.
> I suppose you could extend a convention to handle cases like that.

> For example, I've seen.
>   cstr string constant
>   vstr string by value (I didn't invent this)
>   rstr string by ref

> So why not add
>   varstr/varint/varlng etc
>   varstr variant expecting a string
>   varlng variant expecting a long