using vbscript and wsh...

I often makes classes

class test

function this

end function

function that

end function

property let myprop

end property

property get myprop

end property

end class



My properties are usually very simple and the input validation is done in
the main routine, not within the property itself. My question is: can I make
my property return a bool value? the purpose being to move input validation
into the property function. I know I could just change the property to a
function to achieve this but I was wondering if it could be done as a
property?

eg. end result would be to be able to use something like this in main script
section:

While Not myClass.myProperty = InputBox "myprompt"
'nothing
Loop

basically setting the property value to user input value but inside the
property let code also returning either true or false on the sucess of
setting the property, which would control the loop... keep looping until a
valid value is input.

possible or just use a function?

Someone else may understand your question better
than I do. Your idea seems very confusing to me.
I'd be inclined to cleanly separate processes, for
simplicity and clarity of code.

But it is possible to
use multiple parameters in a property. The following is
an example of a simple array property, where the property
B allows boolean values to be stored at indexes.
-------------
Dim A2
Set A2 = New A

A2.B(2) = True
MsgBox A2.B(2)

Set A2 = Nothing


Class A
Dim par1, par2(10)

Property Let B(Index, Bool1)
par1 = sval
par2(Index) = Bool1
End Property

Property Get B(Index)
B = par2(Index)
End Property
End Class
----------------

The same thing could be used as a dictionary or collection.
For instance, you could have 2 arrays in the class,
each storing strings. By using both you could then
create a custom dictionary class. Basically you can
do whatever you want inside the class. It's just a matter
of what interface design is going to be most intuitive
and usable.

> using vbscript and wsh...
>
> I often makes classes
>
> class test
>
> function this
>
> end function
>
> function that
>
> end function
>
> property let myprop
>
> end property
>
> property get myprop
>
> end property
>
> end class
>
> My properties are usually very simple and the input validation is done in
> the main routine, not within the property itself. My question is: can I

make

> my property return a bool value? the purpose being to move input

validation

> into the property function. I know I could just change the property to a
> function to achieve this but I was wondering if it could be done as a
> property?
>
> eg. end result would be to be able to use something like this in main

script

> section:
>
> While Not myClass.myProperty = InputBox "myprompt"
> 'nothing
> Loop
>
> basically setting the property value to user input value but inside the
> property let code also returning either true or false on the sucess of
> setting the property, which would control the loop... keep looping until a
> valid value is input.
>
> possible or just use a function?
>
>

Add me to the list of people somewhat confused as to what it is you want to
be able to do, but here are some comments....

"James" <noone@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:%23FKK%23%23tKJHA.5532@xxxxxx

> using vbscript and wsh...
>
> I often makes classes
>
> class test
>
> function this
>
> end function
>
> function that
>
> end function
>
> property let myprop
>
> end property
>
> property get myprop
>
> end property
>
> end class
>
> My properties are usually very simple and the input validation is done in
> the main routine, not within the property itself. My question is: can I
> make my property return a bool value?

Yes. By assigning boolean values to them, i.e.

object.myprop = true
if object.myprop then
msgbox "it is true"
else
msgbox "it is false"
end if

But it sounds more as if you are wanting, as a side effect, the property
code to return some status value associated with the action carried out. If
that is the case, what meaning is this value supposed to have? It could, for
example, be that you want it to return the success of the attempt, i.e.:

if ( not (object.myprop = "invalid data") ) then
msgbox "failed to assign invalid information to property"
end if

First, there is no such side effect possible. Second, if there was or if you
found a way to overload the functionality of the built-in features of the
class object, I think it would be confusing and ambiguous.

> the purpose being to move input validation into the property function.
> I know I could just change the property to a function to achieve this but
> I was wondering if it could be done as a property?

Ah, I think I get it now...

The validation code in your properties could set a code to be retrieved from
another property by the calling program...


object.myprop = inputbox("enter data")
if object.validationError then...

> eg. end result would be to be able to use something like this in main
> script section:
>
> While Not myClass.myProperty = InputBox "myprompt"
> 'nothing
> Loop
>
> basically setting the property value to user input value but inside the
> property let code also returning either true or false on the sucess of
> setting the property, which would control the loop... keep looping until a
> valid value is input.
>
> possible or just use a function?

I dunno. I'd stick to keeping things simple.

/Al

I likely didn't explain well but Al, I think you got what I was getting at.
Basically, just like when doing batch files which call external commands
those commands have a return value which you check for error condition. I
was wondering about adding that functionality to my class properties so that
anytime I set a property from my main code there would be a return value
indicating whether the property value was set or not (whether or not it made
it through some input validation checking). Its more an acedemic question to
me with regard to understanding the language structures... many ways to
accomplish the same thing.

I do this sometimes now using a function structured like this:
Function SetHardDriveID(sVariable)
'validate input
If valid Then
'set internal class variable value AND return true
Else
'just return false
End If
End Function

Then I could loop on the function call until the user input is good, for
example. So I was wondering if/how the same thing could be done using
property instead of function. Example of a property of mine follows:

Public Property Get HardDriveID
HardDriveID = pHardDriveID
End Property

Public Property Let HardDriveID(sVariable)
pHardDriveID = sVariable
End Property

Al, your suggestion of setting another property such as
object.ValidationError is another way this could be done. What it really
comes down to is 'where' the input validation is occurring... I was thinking
about this... I'm creating some general purpose classes, so I want as much
functionality already in the class so that when I use the class elseware its
as easy and short as possible. Input validation often takes several lines of
code so instead of having to do that in the main calling program everytime I
was wondering about ways to encapsulate it in the class, with the effect
being fewer, simpler, lines of code in calling program... and the
object.ValidationError idea is a good one. Thanks.

sorry for the unclear post... hopefully that cleared it up a little.




"Al Dunbar" <AlanDrub@xxxxxx> wrote in message
news:e%23Nr4mzKJHA.1556@xxxxxx

> Add me to the list of people somewhat confused as to what it is you want
> to be able to do, but here are some comments....
>
> "James" <noone@xxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:%23FKK%23%23tKJHA.5532@xxxxxx

>> using vbscript and wsh...
>>
>> I often makes classes
>>
>> class test
>>
>> function this
>>
>> end function
>>
>> function that
>>
>> end function
>>
>> property let myprop
>>
>> end property
>>
>> property get myprop
>>
>> end property
>>
>> end class
>>
>> My properties are usually very simple and the input validation is done in
>> the main routine, not within the property itself. My question is: can I
>> make my property return a bool value?

>
> Yes. By assigning boolean values to them, i.e.
>
> object.myprop = true
> if object.myprop then
> msgbox "it is true"
> else
> msgbox "it is false"
> end if
>
> But it sounds more as if you are wanting, as a side effect, the property
> code to return some status value associated with the action carried out.
> If that is the case, what meaning is this value supposed to have? It
> could, for example, be that you want it to return the success of the
> attempt, i.e.:
>
> if ( not (object.myprop = "invalid data") ) then
> msgbox "failed to assign invalid information to property"
> end if
>
> First, there is no such side effect possible. Second, if there was or if
> you found a way to overload the functionality of the built-in features of
> the class object, I think it would be confusing and ambiguous.
>

>> the purpose being to move input validation into the property function.
>> I know I could just change the property to a function to achieve this but
>> I was wondering if it could be done as a property?

>
> Ah, I think I get it now...
>
> The validation code in your properties could set a code to be retrieved
> from another property by the calling program...
>
>
> object.myprop = inputbox("enter data")
> if object.validationError then...
>

>> eg. end result would be to be able to use something like this in main
>> script section:
>>
>> While Not myClass.myProperty = InputBox "myprompt"
>> 'nothing
>> Loop
>>
>> basically setting the property value to user input value but inside the
>> property let code also returning either true or false on the sucess of
>> setting the property, which would control the loop... keep looping until
>> a valid value is input.
>>
>> possible or just use a function?

>
> I dunno. I'd stick to keeping things simple.
>
> /Al
>
>