VB & VBA in a Nutshell: The Language

3.5. Array Variables

Before we look at the types of arrays at our disposal, let's quickly cover some of the terminology used when talking about arrays. Creating an array is called dimensioning the array (i.e., defining its size). The individual data items within the array are known as elements, and the number used to access an element is known as an index. The lowest and highest index numbers are known as bounds or boundaries. In VBA, there are four types of arrays: arrays can be either fixed or dynamic, and arrays can also be either one-dimensional or multidimensional.

3.5.1. Fixed Arrays

Most of the time, we know how many values we need to store in an array in advance. We can therefore dimension it to the appropriate size, or number of elements, prior to accessing it by using a Dim statement like the following:

Dim myArray(5) As Integer

This line of code creates an array, named myArray, with six elements. Why six? All VBA arrays start with location 0, so this Dim statement creates an array whose locations range from myArray(0)to myArray(5).

Sidebar 1. Populating Arrays: The Array Function If you want to populate an array with a series of values, use the Array function. The function allows you to quickly assign a range of comma-delimited values to an array. For instance: myArray = Array(12,3,13,64,245,75) To use the Array function, simply declare a variant variable, then assign the values of the array to the variable using the Array function. Any data type (even mixed data ...