VBA collection: list of keys

Retaining the Keys in a VBA Collection 🗝️

If you have ever worked with VBA collections, you might have come across the question of how to retain the list of keys. In this blog post, we will explore the solution to this common issue and provide you with an easy way to keep track of your keys. Let's dive in! ⚡

The Problem at Hand 🤔

After adding values to a VBA collection, retrieving the list of strings is relatively simple. However, what if you also want to retain the keys associated with those strings? This becomes especially important when you need to access specific values based on their corresponding keys. But fear not, dear reader, we have a solution! 🎉

The Example Scenario 📝

Let's consider an example scenario using VBA through AutoCAD 2007. Suppose we have a VBA collection called coll and we want to add some string values along with their respective keys. Here's the code snippet showcasing the problem:

Dim coll As New Collection
Dim str1, str2, str3 As String
str1 = "first string"
str2 = "second string"
str3 = "third string"
coll.Add str1, "first key"
coll.Add str2, "second key"
coll.Add str3, "third key"

As you can see, we have added three string values along with their corresponding keys. Now, our dilemma is how to retain the list of these keys.

The Solution: Creating a Key List 📋

To retain the list of keys in a VBA collection, we will leverage the power of an additional collection. Here's a step-by-step guide on how to achieve this:

1. Declare a new collection, let's call it keyList, to store the keys.

Dim keyList As New Collection

1. As you add values to your original collection, simultaneously add the keys to the keyList collection. This can be done using a loop or manually.

For Each key In coll.keys
    keyList.Add key
Next key

or

keyList.Add "first key"
keyList.Add "second key"
keyList.Add "third key"

1. That's it! Now, you have successfully retained the list of keys in the keyList collection. You can access this list whenever needed, allowing you to retrieve values based on their corresponding keys.

Putting It All Together: Full Solution 💡

Now let's see how our example scenario looks with the complete solution implemented:

Dim coll As New Collection
Dim keyList As New Collection
Dim str1, str2, str3 As String
str1 = "first string"
str2 = "second string"
str3 = "third string"
coll.Add str1, "first key"
coll.Add str2, "second key"
coll.Add str3, "third key"

For Each key In coll.keys
    keyList.Add key
Next key

And there you have it — a simple and effective way to retain the list of keys in a VBA collection. Now you can access the values based on their corresponding keys using the keyList collection. 🎯

Conclusion and Call-to-Action 📣

Retaining the keys in a VBA collection can be a crucial requirement when working with data organization and retrieval. By following the steps outlined in this blog post, you can easily keep track of your keys and retrieve the values you need.

So, the next time you encounter a similar predicament, don't panic! Simply refer back to this guide and apply the solution. Your VBA coding adventures will become much smoother and hassle-free. Happy coding! 💻🚀

Have you ever struggled with retaining VBA collection keys? How did you solve it? Share your experiences and any additional tips in the comments below! Let's help each other become better VBA coders! 👇📝