XL97: Compile Error Passing ParamArray

ID: Q157351

The information in this article applies to:

SYMPTOMS

If you are passing a ParamArray to another function, you may receive the following error:

Compile error:
Invalid ParamArray use


CAUSE

This error message may occur if both of the following conditions are true:

NOTE: If you run the same macro code in Microsoft Excel versions 5.0 or 7.0, you will not receive the error message.

You receive the compile error because Visual Basic for Applications in Microsoft Excel 97 does not allow you to pass a ParamArray to a ByRef argument in another function.


RESOLUTION

Microsoft provides programming examples for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose. This article assumes that you are familiar with the programming language being demonstrated and the tools used to create and debug procedures. Microsoft support professionals can help explain the functionality of a particular procedure, but they will not modify these examples to provide added functionality or construct procedures to meet your specific needs. If you have limited programming experience, you may want to contact the Microsoft fee-based consulting line at (800) 936-5200. For more information about the support options available from Microsoft, please see the following page on the World Wide Web:

http://www.microsoft.com/support/supportnet/refguide/
To work around this problem, add "ByVal" (without quotation marks) to the argument receiving the ParamArray in the function that is being called.

For example, the following macro code returns an error when you run the "Test" subroutine: 

   Sub Test()

      x = myfun(1)
      MsgBox x

   End Sub

   Function myfun(y As Integer, ParamArray myarr() As Variant) As Integer

      myfun = otherfun(y, myarr)

   End Function

   Function otherfun(y As Integer, myarr As Variant) As Integer

      otherfun = y * 2

   End Function
If you change the "otherfun" function declaration to 

   Function otherfun(y As Integer, ByVal myarr As Variant) As Integer
and run the "Test" subroutine, you get a message box with a value of 2 displayed.


STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article.


MORE INFORMATION

When you have an argument in the argument list of a function and you do not specify either ByVal (by value) or ByRef (by reference), the argument will be ByRef. This is the default in Visual Basic for all variables.


REFERENCES

For more information about passing arguments, from the Visual Basic Editor, click Contents And Index on the Help menu, click the Index tab in Microsoft Excel 97 Visual Basic for Applications Help, type the following text

passing arguments
and then double-click the selected text to go to the "Passing arguments efficiently" topic. If you are unable to find the information you need, ask the Office Assistant.

NOTE: If the Assistant is hidden, click the Office Assistant button on the Standard toolbar. If the Assistant is not able to answer your query, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q176476 OFF: Office Assistant Not Answering Visual Basic Questions

Additional query words: XL97 


Keywords          : kberrmsg kbdta kbdtacode KbVBA xlvbmigrate 
Version           : WINDOWS:97
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbprb

Last Reviewed: July 2, 1999