CODEWITHSUNDEEP
vbscript
Rob Segal
Rob Segal

Reputation: 7625

Is there ways to create optional arguments to functions in vb script?

Is there ways to create optional arguments to functions in vb script allowing you to write functions something like...

myFunc("happy")
myFunc("happy", 1, 2, 3)
myFunc("happy", 1)
etc.

Upvotes: 31

Views: 44805

Answers (5)

Jas.
Jas.

Reputation: 1

To utilize optional parameters in a VBScript function you can use the IsArray function to determine if the passed argument is a single value or an array of arguments.

The below is an example of a function that has two required arguments, namely argRequired and argFields (assuming the latter is not an array). Any number of required arguments can be added to the function through explicit specification.

Function myFunc(ByVal argRequired, ByVal argFields)

    Field_0 = argRequired
    Field_1 = "Default 1"
    Field_2 = "Default 2"
    Field_3 = "Default 3"
    Field_4 = "Default 4"
    ' ...

    If IsArray(argFields) Then
        For I = 0 to UBound(argFields)
            Select Case I
                Case 0    Field_1 = argFields(I)
                Case 1    Field_2 = argFields(I)
                Case 2    Field_3 = argFields(I)
                Case 3    Field_4 = argFields(I)
                ' ...
            End Select
        Next
    Else
        Field_1 = argFields
    End If
    
    ' my code

End Function

To call the function without optional parameters:

myFunc("first", 100)

To call the function with optional parameters, encapsulate the last required argument and all optional arguments in an array:

myFunc("first", Array(100, "third", 200, False))

In the first case, myFunc will see that the second argument is not an array and process it as an item.

In the second, myFunc processes the second argument as an array of arguments and parses the array items accordingly. The Select statement is used to allow a variable number of optional arguments in the array, vs. a requiring a fixed array size.

Note: If only one argument is required, argRequired may be omitted:

Function myFunc(ByVal argFields)

    Field_1 = "Default 1"
    Field_2 = "Default 2"
    ' ...

    If IsArray(argFields) Then
        For I = 0 to UBound(argFields)
            Select Case I
                Case 0    Field_0 = argFields(I)
                Case 1    Field_1 = argFields(I)
                Case 2    Field_2 = argFields(I)
                ' ...
            End Select
        Next
    Else
        Field_0 = argFields
    End If
    
    ' my code

End Function

Upvotes: 0

Daniel Kreiseder
Daniel Kreiseder

Reputation: 12395

The optional keyword (like in VB6) is not allowed in vbscript

maybe this helps: https://web.archive.org/web/20210304114036/http://www.4guysfromrolla.com/webtech/071801-1.shtml

Upvotes: 19

Control Freak
Control Freak

Reputation: 13213

You can always make it a class and use Public Property Let to populate your Sub/Function before calling it:

  Set oSubName = New cSubName

    'fill your parameters, you can always add more later
    oClass.OptionalParameter1 = true
    oClass.OptionalParameter2 = false

    'execute sub
    oSubName.Execute

  Set oSubName = Nothing

This would require some knowledge on how to make classes, but is probably the next best solution to using arrays.

Good luck.

Upvotes: 3

Darin
Darin

Reputation: 1

Just pass a different type and look it.

wscript.echo "1: " & math(7,8,false)
wscript.echo "2: " & math(7,8,5)
wscript.echo "3: " & math(15,false,5)

function math( Addend1 , Addend2, Divisor )
dim tmpTotal

if Addend2 then
   TmpTotal = Addend1 + Addend2
else
   tmpTotal = Addend1
end if


if Divisor then     'if argument Divisor is other than False then do it.
   if Divisor > 0 then  'Hated Divide by Zero since VIC-20.
      tmpTotal = tmpTotal / Divisor)
   end if
end if

end function

Upvotes: -5

user69820
user69820

Reputation:

Obviosly this depends on your environment and whether it supports using both JScript and VBScript in the same file, but I've had some success using Windows Script Host (*.wsf files), ie

<?xml version="1.0" standalone="yes" ?>
<package xmlns="Windows Scripting Host">
    <job id="param">
    <?job debug="true"?>

        <script language="JavaScript">
            <![CDATA[
                function MakeString(args) {
                    var s = [];
                    for(var i = 0, length = arguments.length; i < length; i++)
                        s.push(arguments[i]);
                    return s.join('');
                }
            ]]>
        </script>
        <script language="vbscript">
            <![CDATA[
                WScript.Echo MakeString("hello", " ", "world")
                WScript.Echo MakeString()
                WScript.Echo MakeString(1,2,3,4)
            ]]>
        </script>
    </job>
</package>

where you can define your function in JScript and reference it in VBScript. A better way may well be to include your JScript functions as an external file ie

    <script language="JavaScript" src="makestring.js"/>
    <script language="vbscript">
        <![CDATA[
            WScript.Echo MakeString("hello", " ", "world")
            WScript.Echo MakeString()
            WScript.Echo MakeString(1,2,3,4)
        ]]>
    </script>

Upvotes: 1

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