Class Module Tutorial for Beginners

This project is designed to be tutorial for implementing a class module. I wrote this in

order to learn more about modules. I used character replacement as the task since it

may be of use after the project is entered. others.

I hope that it will be of assistance to

I'll start by giving a brief explanation of what a class module is. When you create a class module, you are basically creating an This object has properties, methods, and events like the controls For example, Caption is a property of a label, Clear

object.

that you put on form.

is a method of a listbox, and Click is an event for a command button.

This class module allows the user to replace a chosen character with another character in

a given string.

It has properties, a method, and one event.

It should take the user between 30 minutes and 45 minutes to complete this project.

Steps.

1.

Open Visual Basic and select a standard EXE project.

2.

Rename the form frmMain and save the project to

whatever name you like.

3.

Add the following controls to the form.

Label1 Label2 Label3 txtString txtChar txtReplacement Frame1 Label4 Label5 lblResult lblCount cmdReplace cmdClear cmdExit

Caption Caption Caption Text Text Maxlength Text Maxlength Caption Caption Caption Caption BorderStyle Caption BorderStyle Caption Caption Caption

Enter String Enter Character Enter Replacement "" "" 1 "" 1 Out Come Result Number of Replacements "" 1-Fixed Single "" 1-FixedSingle Replace Clear Exit

The form should be similar to this when you are finished.

4.

Right Click on Project1 in the Project window. Select Class Module. Select Class Module

Select Add from the menu. again.

5.

Right Click on the Class Module in the Project Change the name property to ReplaceChar. This will be the

Window.

name of the object.

6.

Declare the following variables and events.

Option Explicit

Private mToBeReplaced As String * 1

Private mReplaceWith As String * 1

Private mCount As Integer

Public Event NoSubstitute(strString As String)

Notice that the variables are private and the the event is public. The variables actually hold values for the properties. Only

Since they are private, the program itself cannot manipulate them. the module can change them. character in length. Two of the strings are limited to 1

7.

Go to the Tool menu and select Add Procedure. The scope

Type the name of the property (ToBeReplaced) and select property option.

should be public for this property. Click OK. This will create two subs. One to

send data to the main project (Get) and one to receive data (Let).

You

will have to change the parameters to the variable types listed below.

8.

Enter the following code for the two properties.

The ToBeReplaced property hold the value of the character that will be replaced.

Public Property Get ToBeReplaced() As String

ToBeReplaced = mToBeReplaced

End Property

Get is used to send information from the object to the program. program is getting information. Notice, the properties equal the

The

variable declared in the declartions section.

Public Property Let ToBeReplaced(ByVal strChoice As String)

mToBeReplaced = strChoice

End Property

Let is used to retrieve value from the program.

The

program lets the module have information.

9.

Repeat the above the process for the ReplaceWith The ReplaceWith property holds the value to replace the desired

Property.

character with.

Public Property Get ReplaceWith() As String

ReplaceWith = mReplaceWith

End Property

Public Property Let ReplaceWith(ByVal strChoice As String)

mReplaceWith = strChoice

End Property

10.

Finally, add the Count Property.

It will be read The count property will return to

only so it does not have a let property.

the program the number of substitutions made.

Public Property Get Count() As Integer

Count = mCount

End Property

11.

Now, we are going to add a method to the class Methods can consist of funtions or procedures. This method

module.

scans the string and makes the replacements. event. Look toward the bottom of the code.

It also raises an If no replacements are

made, an event is raised. Enter the following code.

This will be used in the form's code.

Public Function ReplaceChar(strString As String) As String

Dim intLoop As Integer

Dim intLen As Integer

Dim strTemp As String

Dim strTest As String

Dim strHold As String

mCount = 0

'The replacement count should be zero.

'#######################################

'# The following code scans the string #

'# and makes the desired replacements. #

'#######################################

intLoop = 1

strTemp = ""

strHold = strString

intLen = Len(strString) + 1

Do Until intLoop = intLen

intLoop = intLoop + 1

strTest = Left(strHold, 1)

If strTest = mToBeReplaced Then

'mTobeReplaced comes from the properties.

strTemp = strTemp & mReplaceWith

'mReplaceWith comes from the properties.

mCount = mCount + 1

Else

strTemp = strTemp & Left(strHold, 1)

End If

strHold = Right(strHold, Len(strHold) - 1)

Loop

'#######################################

'# Scanning and replacement code ends. #

'#######################################

If mCount <> 0 Then

ReplaceChar = strTemp

'Write the new string.

Else

RaiseEvent NoSubstitute(strTemp)

End If

'If mCount is zero the no replacements

'were made. This means that we want to

'raise the event NoSubstitute.

End Function

12.

Provide everything was entered correctly, the class Save it and go back to the form.

module is fully functional now.

13.

Enter the following declaration.

This declares a

variable as a type of the created object.

Option Explicit

Dim WithEvents ReplacementString As ReplaceChar

Note that WithEvents is not required. necessary if you want to use events.

However, it is

14.

Enter the code for the cmdReplace_Click Event. Next, set the

You have to create a new instance of the object first. properties ToBeReplaced and ReplaceWith. method.

Next call the ReplaceChar

Finally use the Count property to get the number of replacements.

Private Sub cmdReplace_Click()

Set ReplacementString = New ReplaceChar

'Create a new object of the class that

'was created.

ReplacementString.ToBeReplaced = txtChar.Text

'Send the property ToBeReplaced. This

'is a Let sub in the module.

ReplacementString.ReplaceWith = txtReplacement.Text

'Send the property ReplaceWith. This

'is a Let sub in the module.

lblResult.Caption = ReplacementString.ReplaceChar(txtString.Text)

'Set the caption of lblResult with the

'results of the Replace method.

lblCount.Caption = ReplacementString.Count

'Get the count through the count property.

'This is a Get sub in the module.

End Sub

15.

Program the event procedure for the class The event fires if no replacements were made. You can code I used a

module.

whatever actions want to transpire when the event happens. message box to alert the user that no changes were made.

Private Sub Replacementstring_NoSubstitute(strString As String)

'This subs only purpose is to demonstrate using an event. StrString is passed

'from the module back to the program.

MsgBox "No substitutions were made in " & strString, vbOKOnly, "Warning"

End Sub

16.

Enter code for the final two command buttons.

Private Sub cmdClear_Click()

Set ReplacementString = Nothing

'Destroy the object so resources

'are not wasted.

lblResult.Caption = ""

lblCount.Caption = ""

txtChar.Text = ""

txtReplacement.Text = ""

txtString.Text = ""

'Clear the controls.

txtString.SetFocus

'Return to the first text box.

End Sub

Private Sub cmdExit_Click()

Set ReplacementString = Nothing

'Tidy up. Don't waste resources.

End

End Sub

17.

That's it.

The program should run.

The It does not have to be used For example.

module can be inserted in other programs now. with text box or labels.

It can be used purely in code.

Dim WithEvents RepStr As ReplaceChar

Set RepStr = New ReplaceChar

RepStr.ToBeReplace = " "

RepStr.ReplaceWith = "_"

strString = RepStr.ReplaceChar(strString)

if RepStr.Count = 0 then

msgbox "No subs made"

End if

This would replace all space in a string with an underscore. Pretty useful.