Referencing Object

what's the difference between

Code:

---

Dim objName as New ExistingObject

---

against

Dim objName as ExistingObject

Set objName = New ExistingObject

both are early binded, correct me f i'm wrong.

so would the first indicate a mature or professional way of coding or the second code maybe? could someone please advise me about some other difference between the two.

the difference is that in the first form (set as new), the vb runtime will instansiate the object every time it referenced even if u set it to nothing - that means the object variable is not totally removed but is still there somewhere in the memory.
in the latter case if u set the object to nothing, vb will actually release the object pointer.

consider the following code:
Dim obj As Widget
Set obj = New Widget

If obj Is Nothing Then
MsgBox "obj is nothing"
Else
MsgBox "obj is alive"
End If

Set obj = Nothing

If obj Is Nothing Then
MsgBox "obj is nothing"
Else
MsgBox "obj is alive"
End If

if u run that code u will get:
"obj is alive"
"obj is nothing"

this is reasonable outcome for most of the programmers.
now change the first two declaration lines to this line:
Dim obj As New Widget

and run it, ouch, this is not what i meant, didn't i?
this is very important to notice, that even if u check the object to if it's nothing (non call to methods or properties at all), vb quickly instansiate it back to live.
so if u have global objects in your application do not use Set As New at all, because if u will release that variables objects don't surprise if u suddenly watch them alive.

setting an object to nothing wasn't what i mean

what i need to understand is the difference b/n

Code:

---

Dim MyObject As New ExistingObject

---

and

Code:

---

Dim MyObject As ExistingObject

Set MyObject = New ExistingObject

---

i'm not sure u read my comment.
i emphasized the problems that can result from one way to another.
the statement:

Dim MyObject As New ExistingObject

cause the runtime to allocate memory for variable of type ExistingObject and also to create an object of that type.

at this statement:

Dim MyObject As ExistingObject
Set MyObject = New ExistingObject

vb create variable of the type ExistingObject, and then it create a real instance of the specified type.

in addition to my previous comment, the latter gives u more control over when the instance of the class are actually created.
suppose u have a global object, that you want to create only in some condition, so, u can just declare at the object in a module (or elsewhere), and actually create the object in other place (e.g. Class or function).
one more thing, when u use Set As New (the first form), it can slower performance, because vb create the object every time u reference it (one more time - EVEN if test it for nothing, or just call a property). so every time vb encounter that variable it must test weather or not an object reference has already been assigned to the variable.