Who uses Option Explicit?

[Colin Legg]

Following on from the Personal.xls poll, I thought it would be interesting to gauge how many VBA'ers on this board use Option Explicit to enforce variable declaration.

I thought there might be a trend relating to how long peeps have been coding in VBA so I've broken the poll into categories depending on VBA experience - I'll leave it to you to decide which experience bucket you belong in. Sorry if the number of choices on the poll is a bit daunting.

When you vote, if you want to post too to explain why you do or don't use it then that'd be interesting.

 

[TinaP]

I prefer declaring all my variables just to keep everything neat and tidy. My programming instructors would be so proud.

 

[RoryA]

First thing you should do in the VBE is turn off auto syntax check and turn on required variable declarations. (second thing is to install MZ Tools of course)

 

[Atroxell]

I have learned in the last couple of years that it is far easier to turn on Option Explicit and necessitate variable declaration than it is to search for the malfunction without even a clue as to why something will not work.

I also like the fact that the result is a little more efficiency in the code.

 

[Andrew Fergus]

Definitely use Option Explicit. Prevents inadvertently miscoding variable names.

 

[VoG]

I put myself down as an advanced user who uses Option Explicit. Not sure whether advanced is strictly accurate though...

But I also used it when I was very much a beginner. In fact I think that I learned to do that even before I learned not to Select

 

[SydneyGeek]

I use Option Explicit all the time. I'm such a graet tpyist that it's worth my while...
Also, once I set the capitalisation in the variable I always type in lower case after that. Helps catch typos...

Denis

 

[Andrew Fergus]

Also, once I set the capitalisation in the variable I always type in lower case after that. Helps catch typos...

Either great minds think alike, or fools never differ! I do exactly the same thing. If the variable doesn't auto-capitalise after I press Enter, I know I've made a tpyo.

Andrew

 

[Smitty]

Also, once I set the capitalisation in the variable I always type in lower case after that. Helps catch typos...

Ditto

It's funny how hard it is to get some people to use it - especially some of those who have just "graduated" from the recorder and have never had a need for it ("but my code always worked up until now...")

 

[DonkeyOte]

I put myself down as an advanced user who uses Option Explicit. Not sure whether advanced is strictly accurate though..

Ditto on all fronts though unlike Peter I confess I did not use Option Explicit until around 2 years ago
(this despite having worked in default Option Explicit .net prior to that - why ? I've no idea).

As advised by R I don't use Auto Syntax - I don't think any PC/laptop of mine would last more than a day were I to leave that setting enabled