outputting data from multiple SUBs..

I'm working on a VB scriptable component that generates outputs from multiple SUBs. Yet when I try to execute a print("data") command from any SUB other than the 'RunScript' SUB (all the others are under <Custom additional code>) I get:

Error: Cannot refer to an instance member of a class from within a shared method or shared member initializer without an explicit instance of the class

How can I output data thats generated in SUBs other than 'RunScript'?

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by David Rutten on March 18, 2011 at 4:33am

Hi Eric,

you're going to have to post some code for this. But at an initial guess it's probably because you're trying to access a variable inside a method body from within another method body.

Public Sub A()

Dim num As Integer = 6

B(num)

Print(num)

Print(value) <------- problem!

End Sub

Public Sub B(ByVal data As Integer)

Dim value As Double = (data * data) / 3.0

...

End Sub

From inside Sub A you cannot 'see' any variables declared inside Sub B. In fact it would be impossible to do so. Consider this; If you're currently inside A, then it means that B is not running (unless B is on another thread, but let's not get into that can'o'worms). If B is not running then it has no data assigned to any of its variables, because .NET automatically cleans up after itself.

Also, what's to stop you from having a variable called data in more than one Sub? Then how would VB know which data you meant?

If you want to print values of variables, then you either have to print them from within the same Sub:

Public Sub B(ByVal data As Integer)

Dim value As Double = (data * data) / 3.0

Print(value)

...

End Sub

Or you have to share data between Subs:

Public Sub B(ByRef data As Integer)

data = (data * data) / 3.0

...

End Sub