"Private object modules cannot be used in public object modules...."

**6StringJazzer** · 02-28-2013, 10:07 AM

This question is for folks who have experience using Classes in VBA. I have done some OOP but not in VBA.

Originally Posted by VBA Compiler

Private object modules cannot be used in public object modules as parameters or return types for public procedures, as public data members, or as fields of public user defined types.

Why?

I have defined a Class, and am using an object of that class as a parameter in a public Sub of a Worksheet module. I get the message above when trying to compile. I cannot think of any reason that this should be prohibited. But I am not here to argue about it, I am here to see how to design around it.

Attached is a boiled-down example. See the code in Sheet1 and try to compile it. Is there a standard workaround for this?

**JosephP** · 02-28-2013, 10:21 AM

either move the sheet code to a normal module or change the instancing of the class (in the properties window) to make it public instead of private

**6StringJazzer** · 03-01-2013, 02:32 PM

Thank you for the suggestion, I will give it a try. I haven't found a rigorous definition of what that property means for classes. Private is default but the only other setting is PublicNotCreatable. That seems to imply other restrictions, but I don't know what. This property seems like it should come into play when referencing this class from another project, but my problem is referencing it within the same project. Nevertheless I'll give it a try! Thanks.

**JosephP** · 03-01-2013, 04:07 PM

yes-publicnotcreatable means that from a referencing project you can declare a variable of that type but you cannot actually create a new instance of it. you need to set the instancing to 5 for that but you can no longer do that in the vbe; you have to export the module and alter the text file