Question

I’ve been working with VBA for quite a while now, but I’m still not so sure about Error Handling.

A good article is the one of
CPearson.com

However I’m still wondering if the way I used to do ErrorHandling was/is completely wrong:
Block 1

On Error Goto ErrCatcher
   If UBound(.sortedDates) > 0 Then

       // Code

   Else
ErrCatcher:
       // Code

   End If

The if clause, because if it is true, will be executed and if it fails the Goto will go into the Else-part, since the Ubound of an Array should never be zero or less, without an Error, this method worked quite well so far.

If I understood it right it should be like this:

Block 2

On Error Goto ErrCatcher
    If Ubound(.sortedDates) > 0 Then

       // Code
    End If

    Goto hereX

ErrCatcher:
       //Code
    Resume / Resume Next / Resume hereX

hereX:

Or even like this:
Block 3

On Error Goto ErrCatcher
    If Ubound(.sortedDates) > 0 Then

       // Code
    End If

ErrCatcher:
    If Err.Number <> 0 then
       //Code
    End If

The most common way I see is that one, that the Error “Catcher” is at the end of a sub and the Sub actually ends before with a “Exit Sub”, but however isn’t it a little confusing if the Sub is quite big if you jump vice versa to read through the code?

Block 4

Source of the following Code:
CPearson.com

  On Error Goto ErrHandler:
   N = 1 / 0    ' cause an error
   '
   ' more code
   '
  Exit Sub

  ErrHandler:

   ' error handling code'

   Resume Next

End Sub 

Should it be like in Block 3 ?

Answer 1

I definitely wouldn’t use Block1. It doesn’t seem right having the Error block in an IF statement unrelated to Errors.

Blocks 2,3 & 4 I guess are variations of a theme. I prefer the use of Blocks 3 & 4 over 2 only because of a dislike of the GOTO statement; I generally use the Block4 method. This is one example of code I use to check if the Microsoft ActiveX Data Objects 2.8 Library is added and if not add or use an earlier version if 2.8 is not available.

Option Explicit
Public booRefAdded As Boolean 'one time check for references

Public Sub Add_References()
Dim lngDLLmsadoFIND As Long

If Not booRefAdded Then
    lngDLLmsadoFIND = 28 ' load msado28.tlb, if cannot find step down versions until found

        On Error GoTo RefErr:
            'Add Microsoft ActiveX Data Objects 2.8
            Application.VBE.ActiveVBProject.references.AddFromFile _
            Environ("CommonProgramFiles") + "\System\ado\msado" & lngDLLmsadoFIND & ".tlb"

        On Error GoTo 0

    Exit Sub

RefErr:
        Select Case Err.Number
            Case 0
                'no error
            Case 1004
                 'Enable Trust Centre Settings
                 MsgBox ("Certain VBA References are not available, to allow access follow these steps" & Chr(10) & _
                 "Goto Excel Options/Trust Centre/Trust Centre Security/Macro Settings" & Chr(10) & _
                 "1. Tick - 'Disable all macros with notification'" & Chr(10) & _
                 "2. Tick - 'Trust access to the VBA project objects model'")
                 End
            Case 32813
                 'Err.Number 32813 means reference already added
            Case 48
                 'Reference doesn't exist
                 If lngDLLmsadoFIND = 0 Then
                    MsgBox ("Cannot Find Required Reference")
                    End
                Else
                    For lngDLLmsadoFIND = lngDLLmsadoFIND - 1 To 0 Step -1
                           Resume
                    Next lngDLLmsadoFIND
                End If

            Case Else
                 MsgBox Err.Number & vbCrLf & Err.Description, vbCritical, "Error!"
                End
        End Select

        On Error GoTo 0
End If
booRefAdded = TRUE
End Sub