access dictionary outside function

[ralphtrent]

Can I access my dictionary object outside this function?
Function dict(file,state)
Dim dict1
z=0
set dict1 = CreateObject("scripting.dictionary&quot
call dict1.add(file,state)
For Each key In dict1
For Each item In dict1.keys
If dict1(key) = False Then WScript.Echo(key & " does NOT exsist and the Script can not continue&quot:z=1
If dict1(key) = True Then WScript.Echo(key & " does exsist&quot
next
Next
If z=1 Then quit()
' If z = 0 Then install()
End Function
'I want to do something like this
wscript.echo dict.count
'but I get object required error.

 

[Zymurgyst]

ralphtrent,
There are at least three ways to do this. One is to declare your dictionary object as a global. I tried this and it works:

Option Explicit

Dim dict1
set dict1 = CreateObject("scripting.dictionary&quot

dict "file", 1

Function dict(file,state)
Dim z, key, item
z=0
call dict1.add(file,state)
For Each key In dict1
For Each item In dict1.keys
If dict1(key) = False Then WScript.Echo(key & " does NOT exsist and the Script can not continue&quot:z=1
If dict1(key) = True Then WScript.Echo(key & " does exsist&quot
next
Next
If z=1 Then quit()
' If z = 0 Then install()
End Function

WScript.Echo dict1.count

Another is to pass it out as a return parameter. That is somewhere in your function set the function name equal to the dictionary object: dict = dict1. I did not try this.

A third way is to pass the object by reference. This is simialr to a pointer in c, and also allows you to have more than one value "returned" from your function. Change your function declaration to dict(ByVal file, ByVal state, ByRef objDict). I did not ry this either.

Zy

 

[Zymurgyst]

ralphtrent,
Here is option 2 tested:

Option Explicit
Dim objReturn

Set objReturn = dict("file", 1)

Function dict(file,state)
    Dim dict1
    Dim z, key, item
    z=0
    set dict1 = CreateObject("scripting.dictionary")
    call dict1.add(file,state)
    For Each key In dict1
        For Each item In dict1.keys
            If dict1(key) = False Then WScript.Echo(key & " does NOT exsist and the Script can not continue"):z=1
            If dict1(key) = True Then WScript.Echo(key & " does exsist")
        next
    Next
    Set dict = dict1
    If z=1 Then quit()
'    If z = 0 Then install()
End Function

WScript.Echo objReturn.count

Standby for option 3...

Zy

 

[Zymurgyst]

Voila!

Option Explicit
Dim objReturn

Script.Clear

dict "file", 1, objReturn

Function dict(ByVal file, ByVal state, ByRef objParam)
	Dim dict1
	Dim z, key, item
    z=0
	set dict1 = CreateObject("scripting.dictionary")
    call dict1.add(file,state)
    For Each key In dict1
        For Each item In dict1.keys
            If dict1(key) = False Then WScript.Echo(key & " does NOT exsist and the Script can not continue"):z=1
            If dict1(key) = True Then WScript.Echo(key & " does exsist")
        next
    Next
    Set objParam = dict1
    If z=1 Then quit()
'    If z = 0 Then install()
End Function

WScript.Echo objReturn.count

Zy

 

[ralphtrent]

Zy
thanks for your replies. I will test them out.

Ralph