FreeFile Hashtag

Question

When assigning the freefile return in VBA for excel to an integer, why do all future calls referencing this integer require a hashtag symbol before the variable?

For example:

Dim fileName As String, textData As String, textRow As String, fileNo As Integer
fileName = "C:\test.txt"
fileNo = FreeFile 'Get first free file number  
textData ="Hello World!"
Open fileName For Output As #fileNo
Write #fileNo, textData
Close #fileNo

Why does the variable fileNo have to be reference as #fileNo? Is this another way of type declaration like I found here?

Use of symbol # (hash) in VBA Macro

Thanks!

The hashtag at the beginning indicates that the variable holds a file like handle. The hashtag at the end indicates that the variable holds a `Double` type. — Florent B., Feb 01 '18 at 16:34
I think that's just a syntax hangover from the original BASIC interpreters of the 1960s. — JohnRC, Feb 01 '18 at 16:49

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Feb 01 '18 at 16:42

2

Like many features which exist in VBA, such as GoSub...Return, While...Wend and optional line numbering, this syntax is a holdover from the various implementations of BASIC. Here is an example of it used in QBasic.

answered Feb 01 '18 at 16:42

jsheeran

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Thank you! Very helpful. – Cotton Engleby Feb 01 '18 at 16:43
Note also that the filenumber should be long such as #fileno& since it may overflow integer. – eoredson Feb 02 '18 at 00:13

FreeFile Hashtag

1 Answers1