Question

Given that we have a script

Option Explicit

Class CClass
    Private m_date

    Private Sub Class_Initialize()
        m_date = CDate("1970-01-01 00:00:00")
    End Sub

    Public Function Foo()
        Dim d : d = Date()
        WScript.Echo "d is " & FormatDateTime(d, vbGeneralDate)
    End Function

    Public Property Get Date()
        Date = m_date
    End Property

    Public Property Let Date(p_date)
        m_date = CDate(p_date)
    End Property

End Class

Dim obj : Set obj = NEW CClass
Call obj.Foo()

How can class function CClass.Foo() call built-in VBScript function Date() without the property CClass.Date interfering?

My current solution is to introduce a dummy Date_() function which can be called instead. But that just seems wrong. I’m thinking there should be some way to specify that we want to call something outside the class scope.

Answer 1

I am almost positive that there is no way to do what you’re asking in VBScript.

But even if you could figure out a way to do this, you really shouldn’t. You need to choose names for your own functions that don’t conflict with the names of built-in functions. Anything else is completely unmaintainable for a dynamic scripting language like VBScript.

Pick a different name for your Date property. Preferably something more descriptive: what kind of date does that property return? What does the date refer to? How is it likely to be used? Whatever you do, don’t rename it to Date_—that’s not any better.