ByRef very efficient?

Hey how efficient is ByRef? It's a pointer argument right? So I would say it'd take up a Long (4 bytes)?

For example,
say I have a procedure in a module that does work depending on the form specified.
Below are two versions of this function, do which one is more efficient, or do they perform the same?

1) Passing the whole Form with ByRef
Public Sub HandleForm(ByRef frmForm As Form)

Select Case frmForm.hWnd
Case frmTest1.hWnd
...
Case frmTest2.hWnd
...
End Select

End Sub

2) Passing only the form handle
Public Sub HandleForm(llFormHWnd As Long)

Select Case llFormHWnd
Case frmTest1.hWnd
...
Case frmTest2.hWnd
...
End Select

End Sub

Have you tried to benchmark it?

Something tells me the form handle method is quicker.
In the ByRef method the function needs to go and get the form's handle and store it in a variable, where in the form handle method the handle is already a variable.
(someone please correct me if I'm wrong, because I could be)

I don't think it really makes a big difference.

Does it really matter? Probably not unless you are doing this hundreds of times in a row.

ByRef only passes an Address... Hense the name By Reference...

And in you second example you are passing ByRef also. ByRef is the default if you do not specify ByVal (By Value) - It pushes the actual value on a stack... Meaning you can change the value and the original will not be affected. With ByRef the original will be affected.


When in doubt, Test it out!!!!