Learn Access 2003 VBA with The Smart Method

284

www.LearnAccessVBA.com

4: Access object naming

4-1

Prefix objects with the following letters in lower case:

Object

Prefix

Table

No prefix

Query

qry

Form

frm

Report

rpt

Macro

mcr

Module

mod

Example: frmFilm.

5: Form control naming

5-1

Use generally accepted three-letter standard prefixes for all form controls. Some of the more

common prefixes are:

Prefix

Object Type

Example

cbo Combo Box and Drop Down List

Box

cboEnglish

chk Checkbox

chkReadOnly

cmd Command Button

cmdOK

ctr Control (when specific type is

unknown)

ctrCurrent

dat Data control

datFilm

dir Directory list box

dirSource

dlg Common Dialog Control

dlgFileOpen

frm Form

frmEntry

fra Frame

fraStyle

img Image

imgIcon

lbl Label

lblHelpMessage

lin Line

linVertical

lst List Box

lstPolicyCodes

mnu Menu

mnuFileOpen

opt Option Button

optRed

Appendix A: The Rules

© 2007 The Smart Method Ltd

285

ole OLE Control

oleWorksheet

pic Picture

picHotel

spn Spin Control

spnPages

txt Text Box

txtLastName

tmr Timer

tmrAlarm

6: Variable naming

6-1

Module scoped variables must be prefixed with the letter m and globally scoped variables must

be prefixed with the letter g.

Note that, despite this standard, it is nearly always poor programming practice to use any globally

visible variables in an application (note that this rule does not apply to globally visible constants that

are extremely useful).

mstrCustomerName ‘ Module level

strCustomerName ‘ Local to sub

gstrApplicationLanguage ‘ Globally visible

6-2

Use generally accepted three-letter variable prefixes.

Microsoft publish recommended three-letter variable prefixes in their MSDN library and these are

generally accepted by professional programmers.

Some of the more common prefixes are:

Data Type

Prefix

String

str

Long integer

lng

Boolean

bln

Currency

cur

Double

dbl

Variant

vnt (var also acceptable)

Date and Time

dat (dtm also acceptable)

The alternative prefixes for Variant and Date and Time above are so commonly used that both can be

allowed as similies within code.

Early code was often written with one letter variable type prefixes (such as s for string). There’s

even examples in wizard-generated code of two-letter variable prefixes (such as st for string) but

neither style is often seen today.