Byref

Logico

Hi everybody, I've tried to use the byref keyword for passing
arguments to subroutines and functions in my ASP pages with VBScript,
but it seems that both byref and byval are irrilevant, as simple
variables and arrays are always passed by value and objects (I tried
dictionary ones) are always passed by reference. Is it correct? Or I'm
wrong and I did a mistake on my test code (that you can find below)?
Can someone explain to me why there is this behaviour? Then, where is
the "byref" used? Thanks,

Alessio

<%
Sub square(byval num)
num=num*num
end Sub
Sub incrementa(byref num)
num=num+100
end Sub

Sub squareA(byval a)
dim k
for k=lbound(a) to ubound(a)
a(k) = a(k) * a(k)
next
end Sub
Sub incrementaA(byref a)
dim k
for k=lbound(a) to ubound(a)
a(k) = a(k) + 10
next
end Sub

Sub squareD(byval d)
dim k
for each k in d
d.item(k) = d.item(k) * d.item(k)
next
end Sub
Sub incrementaD(byref d)
dim k
for each k in d
d.item(k) = d.item(k) + 10
next
end Sub
dim b
b=5
Response.Write("b=" & b & "#<br>")
square(b)
Response.Write("b=" & b & "#<br>")
incrementa(b)
Response.Write("b=" & b & "#<br>")
dim arr
arr=Array(5, 7, 10)
Response.Write("arr(1)=" & arr(1) & "#<br>")
squareA(arr)
Response.Write("arr(1)=" & arr(1) & "#<br>")
incrementaA(arr)
Response.Write("arr(1)=" & arr(1) & "#<br>")
dim dict, i
set dict=server.CreateObject("Scripting.Dictionary")
for i=1 to 3
dict.Add "K" & i, i
next
Response.Write("dict.item('K2')=" & dict.item("K2") & "#<br>")
squareD(dict)
Response.Write("dict.item('K2')=" & dict.item("K2") & "#<br>")
incrementaD(dict)
Response.Write("dict.item('K2')=" & dict.item("K2") & "#<br>")
set dict=nothing
%>

Jul 22 '05 #1

Mark Schupp

IIRC the default is ByRef. I normally specify byref or byval explicitly both
to be sure and as a documentation aid. Objects and arrays may ignore appear
to always be passed ByRef because the variable is a reference to the object.
I haven't tried to experiment with this but you could try passing an object
byval and set the parameter to another object inside the sub. Then see if it
changes.

You did not include the output of your test script so there is no way to see
if it behaves as expected. Try something simple first like:

sub byvalue( byval n )
n = 2
end sub

sub byreference( byref n )
n = 3
end sub

dim n
n = 1
Response.write "n=" & CStr(n) & "<br>"

call byvalue(n)
Response.write "n=" & CStr(n) & "<br>"

call byreference(n)
Response.write "n=" & CStr(n) & "<br>"

You should get:
n=1
n=1
n=3

--
Mark Schupp

"Logico" <am*****@dsi.unive.it> wrote in message
news:ff**************************@posting.google.c om...

Hi everybody, I've tried to use the byref keyword for passing
arguments to subroutines and functions in my ASP pages with VBScript,
but it seems that both byref and byval are irrilevant, as simple
variables and arrays are always passed by value and objects (I tried
dictionary ones) are always passed by reference. Is it correct? Or I'm
wrong and I did a mistake on my test code (that you can find below)?
Can someone explain to me why there is this behaviour? Then, where is
the "byref" used? Thanks,

Alessio

<%
Sub square(byval num)
num=num*num
end Sub
Sub incrementa(byref num)
num=num+100
end Sub

Sub squareA(byval a)
dim k
for k=lbound(a) to ubound(a)
a(k) = a(k) * a(k)
next
end Sub
Sub incrementaA(byref a)
dim k
for k=lbound(a) to ubound(a)
a(k) = a(k) + 10
next
end Sub

Sub squareD(byval d)
dim k
for each k in d
d.item(k) = d.item(k) * d.item(k)
next
end Sub
Sub incrementaD(byref d)
dim k
for each k in d
d.item(k) = d.item(k) + 10
next
end Sub
dim b
b=5
Response.Write("b=" & b & "#<br>")
square(b)
Response.Write("b=" & b & "#<br>")
incrementa(b)
Response.Write("b=" & b & "#<br>")
dim arr
arr=Array(5, 7, 10)
Response.Write("arr(1)=" & arr(1) & "#<br>")
squareA(arr)
Response.Write("arr(1)=" & arr(1) & "#<br>")
incrementaA(arr)
Response.Write("arr(1)=" & arr(1) & "#<br>")
dim dict, i
set dict=server.CreateObject("Scripting.Dictionary")
for i=1 to 3
dict.Add "K" & i, i
next
Response.Write("dict.item('K2')=" & dict.item("K2") & "#<br>")
squareD(dict)
Response.Write("dict.item('K2')=" & dict.item("K2") & "#<br>")
incrementaD(dict)
Response.Write("dict.item('K2')=" & dict.item("K2") & "#<br>")
set dict=nothing
%>

Jul 22 '05 #2

Bob Barrows [MVP]

Logico wrote:

Hi everybody, I've tried to use the byref keyword for passing
arguments to subroutines and functions in my ASP pages with VBScript,
but it seems that both byref and byval are irrilevant, as simple
variables and arrays are always passed by value and objects (I tried
dictionary ones) are always passed by reference. Is it correct? Or I'm
wrong and I did a mistake on my test code (that you can find below)?
Can someone explain to me why there is this behaviour? Then, where is
the "byref" used? Thanks,

squareD(b)

Using parentheses when passing an argument forces the argument to be passed
byval (simplified explanation). Do not use parentheses when calling a sub:

squareD b

For more information, see here:

http://blogs.msdn.com/ericlippert/ar.../15/52996.aspx

Bob Barrows

--
Microsoft MVP -- ASP/ASP.NET
Please reply to the newsgroup. The email account listed in my From
header is my spam trap, so I don't check it very often. You will get a
quicker response by posting to the newsgroup.

Jul 22 '05 #3

StephenMcC

Hey,

I have a another query on this issue, when using ByRef parameters,
espiceally in ASP with VBScript, is it more expensive to use ByRef than ByVal
params...ie: as below...

sOutPut = MyFunction(Data1, Data2)

Public Function MyFunction(ByRef Param1, ByRef Param2)
some code
...
End Sub

....if the Param1 & Param2 are not going to be changed inside the function
call then should I drop the use of ByRef in the function definition and pass
the params ByVal: 'sOutPut = MyFunction((Data1), (Data2))' , might this help
save memory/resources, espiceally if this call is used many times in a single
page?

Any insight into this would be most helpful, any links even better!

Cheers.

StephenMcC
..

"Bob Barrows [MVP]" wrote:

Logico wrote:

Hi everybody, I've tried to use the byref keyword for passing
arguments to subroutines and functions in my ASP pages with VBScript,
but it seems that both byref and byval are irrilevant, as simple
variables and arrays are always passed by value and objects (I tried
dictionary ones) are always passed by reference. Is it correct? Or I'm
wrong and I did a mistake on my test code (that you can find below)?
Can someone explain to me why there is this behaviour? Then, where is
the "byref" used? Thanks,

squareD(b)

Using parentheses when passing an argument forces the argument to be passed
byval (simplified explanation). Do not use parentheses when calling a sub:

squareD b

For more information, see here:

http://blogs.msdn.com/ericlippert/ar.../15/52996.aspx

Bob Barrows

--
Microsoft MVP -- ASP/ASP.NET
Please reply to the newsgroup. The email account listed in my From
header is my spam trap, so I don't check it very often. You will get a
quicker response by posting to the newsgroup.

Jul 22 '05 #4

Evertjan.

=?Utf-8?B?U3RlcGhlbk1jQw==?= wrote on 09 mei 2005 in
microsoft.public.inetserver.asp.general:

I have a another query on this issue, when using ByRef parameters,
espiceally in ASP with VBScript, is it more expensive to use ByRef
than ByVal params...ie: as below...

sOutPut = MyFunction(Data1, Data2)

Public Function MyFunction(ByRef Param1, ByRef Param2)
some code
...
End Sub

Very expensive.
As this is not part of vbscript under ASP,
you will be fined with an error.
--
Evertjan.
The Netherlands.
(Replace all crosses with dots in my emailaddress)

Jul 22 '05 #5

StephenMcC

Hi Evertjan,

Thanks for ur speedy reply. Sorry but I'm at a loss, do u mean the function
declaration will cause an error !? This is how we are currently doing it and
it doesn't complain. I think I may change the code to pass ByVal where no
return is required, in the call to the function droping parentheses around
the params not to be returned.

StephenMcC
..

"Evertjan." wrote:

=?Utf-8?B?U3RlcGhlbk1jQw==?= wrote on 09 mei 2005 in
microsoft.public.inetserver.asp.general:

I have a another query on this issue, when using ByRef parameters,
espiceally in ASP with VBScript, is it more expensive to use ByRef
than ByVal params...ie: as below...

sOutPut = MyFunction(Data1, Data2)

Public Function MyFunction(ByRef Param1, ByRef Param2)
some code
...
End Sub

Very expensive.
As this is not part of vbscript under ASP,
you will be fined with an error.
--
Evertjan.
The Netherlands.
(Replace all crosses with dots in my emailaddress)

Jul 22 '05 #6

Bob Barrows [MVP]

Evertjan. wrote:

=?Utf-8?B?U3RlcGhlbk1jQw==?= wrote on 09 mei 2005 in
microsoft.public.inetserver.asp.general:

I have a another query on this issue, when using ByRef parameters,
espiceally in ASP with VBScript, is it more expensive to use ByRef
than ByVal params...ie: as below...

sOutPut = MyFunction(Data1, Data2)

Public Function MyFunction(ByRef Param1, ByRef Param2)
some code
...
End Sub

Very expensive.
As this is not part of vbscript under ASP,
you will be fined with an error.

?
Are you talking about "End Sub" instead of "End Function"?

--
Microsoft MVP -- ASP/ASP.NET
Please reply to the newsgroup. The email account listed in my From
header is my spam trap, so I don't check it very often. You will get a
quicker response by posting to the newsgroup.

Jul 22 '05 #7

Bob Barrows [MVP]

StephenMcC wrote:

Hey,

I have a another query on this issue, when using ByRef parameters,
espiceally in ASP with VBScript, is it more expensive to use ByRef
than ByVal params...ie: as below...

Since a copy of the variable is made, yes ByVal is a little more expensive.
However, I sincerely doubt that anyone would ever notice the difference. I
tend to use ByVal unless ByRef functionality s needed.
Bob Barrows
--
Microsoft MVP -- ASP/ASP.NET
Please reply to the newsgroup. The email account listed in my From
header is my spam trap, so I don't check it very often. You will get a
quicker response by posting to the newsgroup.

Jul 22 '05 #8

Mark J. McGinty

"StephenMcC" <St********@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:38**********************************@microsof t.com...

Hey,

I have a another query on this issue, when using ByRef parameters,
espiceally in ASP with VBScript, is it more expensive to use ByRef than
ByVal
params...ie: as below...

sOutPut = MyFunction(Data1, Data2)

Public Function MyFunction(ByRef Param1, ByRef Param2)
some code
...
End Sub

...if the Param1 & Param2 are not going to be changed inside the function
call then should I drop the use of ByRef in the function definition and
pass
the params ByVal: 'sOutPut = MyFunction((Data1), (Data2))' , might this
help
save memory/resources, espiceally if this call is used many times in a
single
page?

Any insight into this would be most helpful, any links even better!
It depends on the size of the parameters. ByRef will incur very minor
overhead dereferencing the ByRef parameter, so I only use it for longs and
integers if I need the callee to be able to alter the value.

Otoh, assuming ByVal causes a copy to be made, it would be more expensive in
terms of both cpu and memory to pass a large string by value.

Objects cannot be passed by value in the classic sense, the ByVal modifier
causes something else to happen, (that never seemed intuitive to me, and I
can't seem to find any docs about it.)
-Mark


Cheers.

StephenMcC
.

"Bob Barrows [MVP]" wrote:

Logico wrote:

> Hi everybody, I've tried to use the byref keyword for passing
> arguments to subroutines and functions in my ASP pages with VBScript,
> but it seems that both byref and byval are irrilevant, as simple
> variables and arrays are always passed by value and objects (I tried
> dictionary ones) are always passed by reference. Is it correct? Or I'm
> wrong and I did a mistake on my test code (that you can find below)?
> Can someone explain to me why there is this behaviour? Then, where is
> the "byref" used? Thanks,
>
> squareD(b)

Using parentheses when passing an argument forces the argument to be
passed
byval (simplified explanation). Do not use parentheses when calling a
sub:

squareD b

For more information, see here:

http://blogs.msdn.com/ericlippert/ar.../15/52996.aspx

Bob Barrows

--
Microsoft MVP -- ASP/ASP.NET
Please reply to the newsgroup. The email account listed in my From
header is my spam trap, so I don't check it very often. You will get a
quicker response by posting to the newsgroup.

Jul 22 '05 #9

Patrice

Objects are basically a pointer. Using ByVal you pass a pointer, using ByRef
a pointer to a pointer. In both cases you can reach the object that is then
updatable. Additionay using ByRef you can assign a new object to the pointer
and reflect this change in the caller...

I'm not talking specifically about VBScript (could have specific things as
it uses the "variant" datatype) but rather about VB /VB.NET...

Patrice
--

"Mark J. McGinty" <mm******@spamfromyou.com> a écrit dans le message de
news:%2****************@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...

"StephenMcC" <St********@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:38**********************************@microsof t.com...

Hey,

I have a another query on this issue, when using ByRef parameters,
espiceally in ASP with VBScript, is it more expensive to use ByRef than
ByVal
params...ie: as below...

sOutPut = MyFunction(Data1, Data2)

Public Function MyFunction(ByRef Param1, ByRef Param2)
some code
...
End Sub

...if the Param1 & Param2 are not going to be changed inside the function call then should I drop the use of ByRef in the function definition and
pass
the params ByVal: 'sOutPut = MyFunction((Data1), (Data2))' , might this
help
save memory/resources, espiceally if this call is used many times in a
single
page?

Any insight into this would be most helpful, any links even better!
It depends on the size of the parameters. ByRef will incur very minor
overhead dereferencing the ByRef parameter, so I only use it for longs and
integers if I need the callee to be able to alter the value.

Otoh, assuming ByVal causes a copy to be made, it would be more expensive

in terms of both cpu and memory to pass a large string by value.

Objects cannot be passed by value in the classic sense, the ByVal modifier
causes something else to happen, (that never seemed intuitive to me, and I
can't seem to find any docs about it.)
-Mark

Cheers.

StephenMcC
.

"Bob Barrows [MVP]" wrote:

Logico wrote:
> Hi everybody, I've tried to use the byref keyword for passing
> arguments to subroutines and functions in my ASP pages with VBScript,
> but it seems that both byref and byval are irrilevant, as simple
> variables and arrays are always passed by value and objects (I tried
> dictionary ones) are always passed by reference. Is it correct? Or I'm > wrong and I did a mistake on my test code (that you can find below)?
> Can someone explain to me why there is this behaviour? Then, where is
> the "byref" used? Thanks,
>
> squareD(b)

Using parentheses when passing an argument forces the argument to be
passed
byval (simplified explanation). Do not use parentheses when calling a
sub:

squareD b

For more information, see here:

http://blogs.msdn.com/ericlippert/ar.../15/52996.aspx

Bob Barrows

--
Microsoft MVP -- ASP/ASP.NET
Please reply to the newsgroup. The email account listed in my From
header is my spam trap, so I don't check it very often. You will get a
quicker response by posting to the newsgroup.

Jul 22 '05 #10

Mark J. McGinty

"Patrice" <no****@nowhere.com> wrote in message
news:%2****************@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...

Objects are basically a pointer. Using ByVal you pass a pointer, using
ByRef
a pointer to a pointer. In both cases you can reach the object that is
then
updatable. Additionay using ByRef you can assign a new object to the
pointer
and reflect this change in the caller...

I'm not talking specifically about VBScript (could have specific things as
it uses the "variant" datatype) but rather about VB /VB.NET...
That makes sense.

What is the default for objects, any idea? Guessing from observation, it
*looks* like it's ByRef for both objects and variants of object sub-type in
VB, but always ByVal in VBS?

Thanks,
Mark

Patrice
--

"Mark J. McGinty" <mm******@spamfromyou.com> a écrit dans le message de
news:%2****************@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...

"StephenMcC" <St********@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:38**********************************@microsof t.com...

> Hey,
>
> I have a another query on this issue, when using ByRef parameters,
> espiceally in ASP with VBScript, is it more expensive to use ByRef than
> ByVal
> params...ie: as below...
>
> sOutPut = MyFunction(Data1, Data2)
>
> Public Function MyFunction(ByRef Param1, ByRef Param2)
> some code
> ...
> End Sub
>
> ...if the Param1 & Param2 are not going to be changed inside the function > call then should I drop the use of ByRef in the function definition and
> pass
> the params ByVal: 'sOutPut = MyFunction((Data1), (Data2))' , might this
> help
> save memory/resources, espiceally if this call is used many times in a
> single
> page?
>
> Any insight into this would be most helpful, any links even better!

It depends on the size of the parameters. ByRef will incur very minor
overhead dereferencing the ByRef parameter, so I only use it for longs
and
integers if I need the callee to be able to alter the value.

Otoh, assuming ByVal causes a copy to be made, it would be more expensive

in

terms of both cpu and memory to pass a large string by value.

Objects cannot be passed by value in the classic sense, the ByVal
modifier
causes something else to happen, (that never seemed intuitive to me, and
I
can't seem to find any docs about it.)
-Mark

> Cheers.
>
> StephenMcC
> .
>
>
>
> "Bob Barrows [MVP]" wrote:
>
>> Logico wrote:
>> > Hi everybody, I've tried to use the byref keyword for passing
>> > arguments to subroutines and functions in my ASP pages with
>> > VBScript,
>> > but it seems that both byref and byval are irrilevant, as simple
>> > variables and arrays are always passed by value and objects (I tried
>> > dictionary ones) are always passed by reference. Is it correct? Or I'm >> > wrong and I did a mistake on my test code (that you can find below)?
>> > Can someone explain to me why there is this behaviour? Then, where
>> > is
>> > the "byref" used? Thanks,
>> >
>> > squareD(b)
>>
>> Using parentheses when passing an argument forces the argument to be
>> passed
>> byval (simplified explanation). Do not use parentheses when calling a
>> sub:
>>
>> squareD b
>>
>> For more information, see here:
>>
>> http://blogs.msdn.com/ericlippert/ar.../15/52996.aspx
>>
>> Bob Barrows
>>
>> --
>> Microsoft MVP -- ASP/ASP.NET
>> Please reply to the newsgroup. The email account listed in my From
>> header is my spam trap, so I don't check it very often. You will get a
>> quicker response by posting to the newsgroup.
>>
>>
>>

Jul 22 '05 #11