MsgBox "" vs MsgBox() in VBScript

Asked
8 years, 9 months ago Active
1 year, 7 months ago Viewed
140k times

I'm trying to write a VBScript and I'm using functions such as Randomize, and MsgBox. I'm
curious as to what is the difference of using () and not using them. For example:
29
Randomize - This line works.

Randomize() - This line works also.

5
MsgBox "Hello world!" - This works.

MsgBox ("Hello world!") - This works as well.

The script will be running on multiple machines with different versions of Windows (at least
Windows XP). I'm wondering if I would be getting any compatibility/syntax issues in using
these functions.

function vbscript

Share Follow edited Nov 10 '15 at 3:28 asked Nov 29 '12 at 7:23
Pang user1862387
8,748 144 80 114 291 1 3 3

5 Answers Active Oldest Votes

A callable piece of code (routine) can be a Sub (called for a side effect/what it
does) or a
Function (called for its return value) or a mixture of both. As the docs
for MsgBox
27
Displays a message in a dialog box, waits for the user to click a
button, and returns a
value indicating which button the user clicked.

MsgBox(prompt[, buttons][, title][, helpfile, context])

indicate, this routine is of the third kind.

The syntactical rules of VBScript are simple:

Use parameter list () when calling a (routine as a) Function

If you want to display a message to the user and need to know the user's
reponse:

Dim MyVar

MyVar = MsgBox ("Hello World!", 65, "MsgBox Example")

' MyVar contains either 1 or 2, depending on which button is clicked.

Don't use parameter list () when calling a (routine as a) Sub

If you want to display a message to the user and are not interested
in the response:

MsgBox "Hello World!", 65, "MsgBox Example"

This beautiful simplicity is messed up by:

The design flaw of using () for parameter lists and to force call-by-value
semantics

>> Sub S(n) : n = n + 1 : End Sub

>> n = 1

>> S n

>> WScript.Echo n

>> S (n)

>> WScript.Echo n

>>

S (n) does not mean "call S with n", but "call S with a copy of n's value".
Programmers seeing
that

>> s = "value"

>> MsgBox(s)

'works' are in for a suprise when they try:

>> MsgBox(s, 65, "MsgBox Example")

>>

Error Number: 1044

Error Description: Cannot use parentheses when calling a Sub

The compiler's leniency with regard to empty () in a Sub call. The 'pure'
Sub Randomize (called
for the side effect of setting the random seed) can
be called by

Randomize()

although the () can neither mean "give me your return value) nor "pass
something by value". A
bit more strictness here would force prgrammers to
be aware of the difference in

Randomize n

and

Randomize (n)

The Call statement that allows parameter list () in Sub calls:

 s = "value"
Call MsgBox(s, 65, "MsgBox Example")

which further encourage programmers to use () without thinking.

(Based on What do you mean "cannot use parentheses?")

Share Follow answered Nov 29 '12 at 9:17

Ekkehard.Horner
37.4k 2 36 84

2 I would recommend using vbOkCancel instead of hard coding 65. It's more readable.
– Matthieu Cormier
Jan 16 '14 at 14:58

5 65 == vbOkCancel + vbInformation Constants are available here:

techonthenet.com/access/constants/msgbox_args.php
– Matthieu Cormier
Jan 16 '14 at 15:09

I understand how to use this, but I'd like to get more clarity. Is MsgBox a function or a Sub or a Hybrid
of some kind?
– Ejaz Ahmed
Jan 21 '16 at 4:34

To my knowledge these are the rules for calling subroutines and functions in VBScript:

10 When calling a subroutine or a function where you discard the return value don't use
parenthesis
When calling a function where you assign or use the return value enclose the arguments
in parenthesis

When calling a subroutine using the Call keyword enclose the arguments in parenthesis

Since you probably wont be using the Call keyword you only need to learn the rule that if
you call a function and want to assign or use the return value you need to enclose the
arguments in parenthesis. Otherwise, don't use parenthesis.

Here are some examples:

WScript.Echo 1, "two", 3.3 - calling a subroutine

WScript.Echo(1, "two", 3.3) - syntax error
Call WScript.Echo(1, "two", 3.3) - keyword Call requires parenthesis

MsgBox "Error" - calling a function "like" a subroutine

result = MsgBox("Continue?", 4) - calling a function where the return value is used

WScript.Echo (1 + 2)*3, ("two"), (((3.3))) - calling a subroutine where the arguments
are computed by expressions involving parenthesis (note that if you surround a variable
by parenthesis in an argument list it changes the behavior from call by reference to call by
value)
WScript.Echo(1) - apparently this is a subroutine call using parenthesis but in reality the
argument is simply the expression (1) and that is what tends to confuse people that are
 used to other programming languages where you have to specify parenthesis when
calling subroutines
I'm not sure how to interpret your example, Randomize() . Randomize is a subroutine that
accepts a single optional argument but even if the subroutine didn't have any arguments
it is acceptable to call it with an empty pair of parenthesis. It seems that the VBScript
parser has a special rule for an empty argument list. However, my advice is to avoid this
special construct and simply call any subroutine without using parenthesis.

I'm quite sure that these syntactic rules applies across different versions of operating systems.

Share Follow edited Oct 17 '15 at 9:27 answered Nov 29 '12 at 8:51
Martin Liversage
97.9k 20 196 239

You are just using a single parameter inside the function hence it is working fine in both the
cases like follows:
3
MsgBox "Hello world!"

MsgBox ("Hello world!")

But when you'll use more than one parameter, In VBScript method will parenthesis will throw
an error and without parenthesis will work fine like:

MsgBox "Hello world!", vbExclamation

The above code will run smoothly but

MsgBox ("Hello world!", vbExclamation)

will throw an error. Try this!! :-)

Share Follow edited Nov 29 '12 at 17:49 answered Nov 29 '12 at 17:22
Shivam Gupta
419 3 15

please rectify your last example

– Ekkehard.Horner
Nov 29 '12 at 17:26

Thanks @Ekkehard.Horner!! I had described it in a simple manner( or you may say in a lay man's
language). What you want me to modify in it. Please elaborate. Thanks in advance!!
– Shivam Gupta
Nov 29 '12 at 17:40

your last example is just a copy of the working one, so it won't throw an error.
– Ekkehard.Horner
Nov
29 '12 at 17:44

Hey Thanks @Ekkehard.Horner for warning me. I got your point and rectified my answer. I forgot to put
parenthesis in my last example. Thank you so much!!
– Shivam Gupta
Nov 29 '12 at 17:50

just FYI, MsgBox with parentheses and multiple variables will work, i.e. if you are assigning it to a value
– freginold
Dec 13 '16 at 14:05
 You have to distinct sub routines and functions in vba... Generally (as far as I know), sub
routines do not return anything and the surrounding parantheses are optional. For functions,
1 you need to write the parantheses.

As for your example, MsgBox is not a function but a sub routine and therefore the parantheses
are optional in that case. One exception with functions is, when you do not assign the
returned value, or when the function does not consume a parameter, you can leave away the
parantheses too.

This answer goes into a bit more detail, but basically you should be on the save side, when
you provide parantheses for functions and leave them away for sub routines.

Share Follow edited May 23 '17 at 12:10 answered Nov 29 '12 at 8:12
Community ♦ Tom
1 1 116 2

MsgBox is just one example for a routine that can be used as a Sub or a Function; parameter list () are
forbidden in Sub calls; 'consume' is a misleading term when applied to parameter passing semantics.
– Ekkehard.Horner
Nov 29 '12 at 9:23

2 Forbidden, unless you use the Call keyword.

– Ansgar Wiechers
Jul 30 '13 at 13:40

The difference between "" and () is:

0 With "" you are not calling anything.

With () you are calling a sub.

Example with sub:

Sub = MsgBox("Msg",vbYesNo,vbCritical,"Title")

Select Case Sub

Case = vbYes

MsgBox"You said yes"

Case = vbNo

MsgBox"You said no"

End Select

vs Normal:

MsgBox"This is normal"

Share Follow edited Jan 9 '20 at 18:05 answered Jan 9 '20 at 18:02
LarsTech Gladius125
77.7k 14 136 206 21 3