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vba-style-guide's Introduction

This document is largely inspired by the Ruby Style Guide.

Prelude

No one man should have all that power.
-- Kanye West

This is an evolving document. Submit a pull request and start the conversation!

VBA Style Guide

Source Code Layout

Not complicated, it's simple.
-- Big Sean

  • Limit lines to 80 characters.

  • Use 4-character tabs to indent.

    'Bad
    If blnSomething Then
      Msgbox "True" '<~ 2-character indents
    Else
      Msgbox "False"
    End If
    
    'Good
    If blnSomething Then
        Msgbox "True" '<~ 4-character indents
    Else
        Msgbox "False"
    End If
  • All conditionals, loops and blocks should be indented.

    'Bad
    If lngNumber >= 0 Then
    Msgbox "Yep"
    Else
    Msgbox "Nope"
    End
    
    'Good
    If lngNumber >= 0 Then
        Msgbox "Yep"
    Else
        Msgbox "Nope"
    End
    
    'Bad
    For lngIndex = 1 To lngLastRow
    lngCounter = lngCounter + lngIndex
    Next lngIndex
    
    'Good
    For lngIndex = 1 To lngLastRow
        lngCounter = lngCounter + lngIndex
    Next lngIndex
    
    'Bad
    With wksSource
    Set rngSource = .Range(.Cells(1, 1), .Cells(lngLastRow, 1))
    End With
    
    'Good
    With wksSource
        Set rngSource = .Range(.Cells(1, 1), .Cells(lngLastRow, 1))
    End With
  • Do not write multiple statements on a single line (using :).

    'Bad
    For i = 1 To 10: DoSomething(i): Next i
    
    'Good
    For i = 1 To 10
        DoSomething(i)
    Next i

Variables and Naming

Oh that looks like what's-her-name, chances are it's what's-her-name.
-- Drake

  • Use Option Explicit to mandate variable declaration.

    'Bad
    Public Sub MyMacro()
        'do something
    End Sub
    
    'Good
    Option Explicit
    Public Sub MyMacro()
        'do something
    End
  • Declare variable types explicitly.

    'Bad
    Dim MyNumber
    Dim MyBlock
    Dim MyVariable
    
    'Good
    Dim MyNumber As Long
    Dim MyBlock As Range
    Dim MyVariable As Variant
  • When declaring variables on one line, they ALL must be declared explicitly.

'Bad
Dim lngLastRow, lngLastCol As Long '<~ lngLastRow is a Variant, NOT a Long

'Good
Dim lngLastRow As Long, lngLastCol As Long '<~ both variables are Long
  • Use a two statement declaration for objects rather than the Dim X As New Y syntax.
'Bad
Dim col As New Collection

'Good
Dim col As Collection
Set col = New Collection
  • Prepend all variables with a 3-letter code to indicate its type. This is commonly referred to as Hungarian Notation (or, more accurately, Apps Hungarian)

    Variable Type 3-Letter Code
    Boolean bln
    ChartObject cho
    Collection col
    Comment cmt
    Date dat
    Double dbl
    FileDialog fdo
    FileSystemObject fso
    Long lng
    Object obj
    Pivot Cache pvc
    Pivot Table pvt
    Range rng
    Shape shp
    String str
    TextStream txs
    Variant var
    Workbook wbk
    Worksheet wks
    WshShell wsh

    EXCEPTION: input variables to function should NOT have a 3-letter code. These variable types can be identified trivially by Intellisense and should be named to maximize readability:

    Image

  • When working with whole numbers, use Long instead of Integer.

    'Bad
    Dim intValue As Integer
    
    'Good
    Dim lngValue As Long
    
    'Integers are 16-bit and can only store values up to 32,767
    lngValue = 50000 '<~ no issue
    intValue = 50000 '<~ overflow error

    Under the covers, Integer-type variables are converted into Long-type variables, the math is executed, then the Long is converted back to an Integer. Avoid the debugging headache and Dim all integers as Long-type.

  • Name local variables in CamelCase. (Keep acronyms like HTTP, RFC and XML uppercase.)

    'Bad
    Dim str_my_variable As String
    Dim strmyvariable As String
    Dim strHttp As String
    
    'Good
    Dim strMyVariable As String
    Dim strHTTP As String
  • Name global variables in SCREAMING_SNAKE_CASE. (Keep acronyms like HTTP, RFC and XML uppercase.)

    'Bad
    Dim str_error_message As String
    Dim strErrorMessage As String
    Dim lngCONSTANT As Long
    Dim lngHttpAcceptedCode As Long
    
    'Good
    Dim str_ERROR_MESSAGE As String
    Dim lng_CONSTANT As Long
    Dim lng_HTTP_ACCEPTED_CODE As Long
  • Generic 3-letter variable names are OK for common iterators.

    'OK
    Dim wks As Worksheet
    
    For Each wks In ThisWorkbook.Worksheets
        'do stuff to each sheet
        Msgbox (wks.Name)
    Next wks
  • Store all global constants in a single unique module named ImportGlobalConstants.

    Option Explicit
    
    Public lng_MAX_NUM_FILES As Long
    Public lng_EXCEL_2003_WIN As Long
    Public lng_EXCEL_2007_WIN As Long
    Public lng_EXCEL_BINARY_WIN As Long
    Public lng_EXCEL_MACRO_ENABLED_WIN As Long
    
    Public Sub ImportGlobalConstants()
        lng_MAX_NUM_FILES = 1000
        lng_EXCEL_2003_WIN = 56
        lng_EXCEL_2007_WIN = 51
        lng_EXCEL_BINARY_WIN = 50
        lng_EXCEL_MACRO_ENABLED_WIN = 52
    End Sub

    This allows you to import all pre-defined constants by adding:

    Call ImportGlobalConstants

    to your script.

  • All public, reusable functions and subroutines that are not task-specific should be stored in a unique and easy-to-find module.

    Image

  • Prefer the verb "Create" for functions that return a String.

    Public Function CreateFullFilename() As String
        'the magic happens in here
        CreateFullFilename = ThisWorkbook.Path & "\not_really_this_easy.xlsb"
    End Function
  • Prefer the verb "Calculate" for functions that return a Long.

    Public Function CalculateUltimateQuestionOfLife() As Long
        CalculateUltimateQuestionOfLife = 42
    End Function
  • Prefer the verb "Get" for functions that return a Workbook.

    Public Function GetExceptionsTemplate() As Workbook
        'the magic happens in here
        Set GetExceptionsTemplate = Workbooks.Open(strFilePathToExceptionsTemplate)
    End Function
  • Prefer the verb "Pluck" for functions that return a Range.

    Public Function PluckIYYRow() As Range
        'the magic happens in here
        Set PluckIYYRow = .Range(.Cells(rngIYY.Row, 1), _
                                 .Cells(rngIYY.Row, lngLastCol))
    End Function
  • Prefer the verb "Collect" for functions that return a Collection.

    Public Function CollectDataFilePaths() As Collection
        'the magic happens in here
        While Len(strFile) > 0
            col.Add (str_GLOBAL_DIR & strFile)
            strFile = Dir
        Wend
        Set CollectDataFilePaths = col
    End Function
  • Prefer the verb "Assemble" for functions that return a Scripting.Dictionary.

    Public Function AssemblePairs() As Scripting.Dictionary
        'the magic happens in here
        For lngIdx = 1 To lngLastRow
            dic.Add Key:=.Cells(lngIdx, 1), Item:=.Cells(lngIdx, 2)
        Next lngIdx
        Set AssemblePairs = dic
    End Function

Syntax

I'mma be fresh as hell if the Feds watching.
-- 2 Chainz & Pharrell

  • Close For...Next loops with the iterative variable after Next.

    'Bad
    For Each wks in ThisWorkbook.Worksheets
        'do stuff with each worksheet
    Next
    
    'Good
    For Each wks in ThisWorkbook.Worksheets
        'do stuff with each worksheet
    Next wks
  • Prefer With...End With blocks to reduce repetition.

    'Bad
    Set rng = wks.Range(wks.Cells(1, 1), wks.Cells(lngLastRow, 1))
    
    'Good
    With wks
        Set rng = .Range(.Cells(1, 1), .Cells(lngLastRow, 1))
    End With
  • Qualify Range objects with a Worksheet.

    'Bad
    Set rng = Range(Cells(1, 1), Cells(lngIdx, 1))
    
    'Good
    Set wks = ThisWorkbook.Worksheets("Data")
    With wks
        Set rng = .Range(.Cells(1, 1), .Cells(lngIdx, 1))
    End With

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