VBScript in a Nutshell

Name

Public Statement

Syntax

Public varname[([subscripts])] _
   varname[([subscripts])]

varname

Use: Required

Data Subtype: Any

The name of the variable, which must follow VBScript naming conventions (see “Rules at a Glance,” second bullet).

subscripts

Use: Optional

Data Subtype: Integer or Long

Denotes varname as an array and optionally specifies the dimensions and number of elements of the array.

Description

Used in a script or a Class block to declare a public variable and allocate the relevant storage space in memory. A Public variable has script-level scope—that is, it can be used by all procedures in a script. When used in a class construct, it is visible outside the class project.

Rules at a Glance

• The behavior of a Public variable depends on where it’s declared, as the following table shows:

Variable Declared in...	Scope
Any procedure, Function or Property statement	Illegal; generates a VBScript compilation; use the Dim statement instead.
Script-level code	Variable is available throughout the script.
Class block declarations section	Variable is available as a property of the class to all code within the script.

• varname follows standard VB naming conventions. It must begin with an alphabetic character, can’t contain embedded periods or spaces, can’t be the same as a VBScript reserved word, must be shorter than 255 characters, and must be unique within its scope.

• The subscripts argument has the following syntax:

                          upperbound [, upperbound]

• Using the subscripts argument, you can declare ...