Learn Access 2003 VBA with The Smart Method

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Lesson 4-5: Use the immediate

window to view and change

variable contents

We’ve already seen how easy it is to set breakpoints and to step through

code using the debug tools.

Programmers often want to examine the contents of different variables at

particular points in code execution. The Immediate window lets you do

just that. It’s hard to exaggerate how useful the Immediate window is

when de-bugging code.

1

Set a break point in your code on the Beep command in the

ThankYouMessage sub routine.

2

Click the command button on your frmTest form to begin

code execution.

The code editor window opens with code execution halted at the

Beep command.

3

Enable the Immediate Window if it is not already visible.

The immediate window will be at the bottom of the code window

if it is enabled. If not select View Immediate Window from the

main menu to make it appear.

4

Display the contents of the strMessage variable in the

immediate window.

Session4b

Session Four: An Introduction To VBA

© 2007 The Smart Method Ltd

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Type the text . strMessage in the immediate window and then

press the <Enter> key. The question mark is a throw-back to the

very first version of the Basic language and means “Print". You

will use the question mark a lot in the immediate window.

The contents of the variable strMessage is displayed.

5

Display the literal result of a calculation in the Immediate

window.

You can type any arithmetic expression into the immediate

window. For example type . 10/3 and then press the <Enter> key.

The answer is displayed.

6

Change the value of the strMessage variable using the

immediate window.

Sometimes it is useful to change the values of a variable at a break

point in your code.

Type strMessage = “Quite amazing" in the immediate window

followed by the <Enter> key.

7

View the new value of strMessage using an Auto Data Tip.

If you hover the mouse cursor over either instance of strMessage

within your code an Auto Data Tip will appear showing the

current contents of the variable.

8

Click the Continue button

on the Debug toolbar to

execute the remainder of the code.

The message box is displayed with the new message.