Keep VBA Function Value in Sub Routines - vba

Question

I have a little problem which I don't know how to solve. I have 2 functions which allows my user to select a template file and a folder the goal is for me to keep the location of my template file and folder path in order to use it for a record set but only problem in the subroutines the values of those paths are pass as soon as I'm done selecting them so I can use them so this is my code
Function SaveExcelDialog() As String
Dim strSelectedFolder As String
Dim strGetFolder As String
'Choosing the location of the folder where i will save all my recordset
With Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogFolderPicker)
.Title = "Select a Folder" 'window title
.AllowMultiSelect = False 'avoiding multiple selection
.Show
strSelectedFolder = .SelectedItems.Item(1) 'taking the selected path folder
End With
GetFolder = strSelectedFolder 'returning the path of the folder
End Function
Public Function ChooseTemplateFile() As String
' my variables
Dim strSelectedTemplateFile As String
Dim strTemplatePath As String
'selecting a template file
With Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogFilePicker)
.Title = "Select a Template File" 'window title
.AllowMultiSelect = False 'avoiding multiple selection
.Filters.Add "Classeur Excel", "*.xls; *.xlsx; *.xlsm" 'filter all the file that are allow to be choosen
.Show
'storing the path of my excel file
TemplateFile = .SelectedItems.Item(1) 'keeping the path
End With
strTemplatePath = strSelectedTemplateFile 'returning the path string value
End Function
Those two examples work but, the problem I encounter is in my sub routine. As soon as I call my function and the function has been executed the value of those two function are not kept and I can't use those variable later on when I need them .
Private Sub Run_Click()
'My Data Variables
Dim strCountry, strSelectedYear, strLink, strCountryLink, strDomain, strDomainLink, strDateLink, DOsSQL As String
Dim iSelectedYear As Integer
Dim strGetFolder, strTemplatePath As String
Dim i As Long
'Variables for query
Dim qdf As DAO.QueryDef
Dim qdfDOs As DAO.QueryDef
Dim rs As DAO.Recordset
Dim rsDOs As DAO.Recordset
strTemplatePath = ChooseTemplateFile() ' value are not kept they are erase as soon as i go to the next line
strGetFolder = SaveExcelDialog() ' value are not kept they are erase as soon as i go to the next line
'taking the value of the file and the folder picked
Dim db As DAO.Database
Dim arrReports(4, 3) As String
Dim strReportTitle As String....

Answer 1

The reason your values are disappearing is that you are assigning the result of the function to your variable, but you are not returning any result from your functions.
Instead, it looks like you're trying to assign values to the outer variables from inside the functions.
This could work with a few modifications, but it is more usual (and safer) to do the following:
Function SaveExcelDialog() As String
'Choosing the location of the folder where i will save all my recordset
With Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogFolderPicker)
.Title = "Select a Folder" 'window title
.AllowMultiSelect = False 'avoiding multiple selection
.Show
'To return a value from a function, assign it to the function's name.
SaveExcelDialog = .SelectedItems.Item(1)
End With
End Function
Public Function ChooseTemplateFile() As String
'selecting a template file
With Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogFilePicker)
.Title = "Select a Template File" 'window title
.AllowMultiSelect = False 'avoiding multiple selection
.Filters.Add "Classeur Excel", "*.xls; *.xlsx; *.xlsm" 'filter all the file that are allow to be choosen
.Show
'Again, let's just assign the result to the name, in order to
'return the value.
ChooseTemplateFile = .SelectedItems.Item(1)
End With
End Function
If you like, you can write a test procedure to make sure your values get stored in the variables.
Public Sub TestFilePickers()
Dim strGetFolder, strTemplatePath As String
strTemplatePath = ChooseTemplateFile()
strGetFolder = SaveExcelDialog()
Debug.Print(strTemplatePath)
Debug.Print(strGetFolder)
End Sub