Question

Given the following:

wscript.echo "fx(0)=" & fx(0)

Function fx( v1 )
   fx = 1 + 2
   Wscript.echo "fx=" & fx
End Function

Both “echo” lines print the value 3. Why doesn’t the one inside the function cause a syntax error or recursive loop? Same question with following sample:

wscript.echo "fy()=" & fy()
wscript.echo "fy=" & fy

Function fy
   fy = 1 + 2
   Wscript.echo "fy=" & fy
End Function

All echo lines print 3.

I can’t find documentation that describes the behavior when a function definition references it’s name as an RVALUE.

TIA.

Answer 1

Inside a VBScript function, the name of the function is a locally scoped variable intended to be equivalent to the return value that comes out of the function. It’s no different from any other Dim var = .... To treat it as a function, you need to use call semantics.

Basically, you seem to have gotten used to languages that have first-class functions. VBScript doesn’t have them, so there is no ambiguity.