Where can I define Variables that all forms can use ?

[oxbow123]

I have some variables for authorisations that must be consulted by all forms

Where do I have to put these declaration and what is the correct syntax

for the moment I define it like that :

Public Class Form_Main
Inherits System.Windows.Forms.Form

Public Shared Key_Num_Dossier As Integer
Public Shared Key_Utilisateur As Integer

But I need to call it from other form like : Form_Main.Key_Num_Dossier

Can I define it outside a form ? and where (other vb.file?) ?

Thanks

[jaycee]

Have these properties as shared properties in another class that you can reference from any form or other class.

Public Class Authorisations
    Private Shared m_Key_Num_Dossier As Integer
    Private Shared m_Key_Utilisateur As Integer

    Public Shared Property Key_Num_Dossier() As Integer
        Get
            Return m_Key_Num_Dossier
        End Get
        Set(ByVal Value As Integer)
            m_Key_Num_Dossier = Value
        End Set
    End Property

    Public Shared Property Key_Utilisateur() As Integer
        Get
            Return m_Key_Utilisateur
        End Get
        Set(ByVal Value As Integer)
            m_Key_Utilisateur = Value
        End Set
    End Property
End Class

Public Class Form1

    ...

    Dim iKeyNumDossier = Authorisations.Key_Num_Dossier
    Dim iKeyUtilisateur = Authorisations.Key_Utilisateur

    ...

End Class

[oxbow123]

What I want is to declare the variable outside Form1 and use it in all my Forms without having to create the objet in all forms.

Do you see want I mean (global variable)

[VBCrazyCoder]

Use a module to hold your global constants (shared by default) and you don't have to qualify it to use it in your forms if the module is in the same project.

[jaycee]

That is the whole point of Shared members/properties. They act like global variables. You don't need to declare a new instance of the class every time you want to use it - you are just referencing the shared members in it.

...when you change the value of a shared field and property associated with an instance of a class, you change the value associated with all instances of the class. In this way, shared fields and properties behave like global variables that can be accessed only from instances of a class. Without static fields and properties, you would need to use module-level variables to achieve the same effect. However, module-level variables can make your classes difficult to understand and maintain. Furthermore, using module-level variables in this way violates the concept of encapsulation that classes represent.

see Microsoft Help

ms-help://MS.VSCC/MS.MSDNVS/vbcn7/html/vaconSharedMembers.htm

[Pirate]

Doing it the way jaycee suggested is neater and smoother and you may need to limit writing access to these vars by using readonly keywords .

[Cander]

I 2nd that

Besides, I would much rather call a variable using

mystaticclass.variable

because it is easier to determine where it is defined later on when I, or someone else is looking through the code

[Edneeis]

You could use an Imports if you don't want to type the first part/class name.

[oxbow123]

Ok you use a class to store data in private, but do I need to create an object of this class to set the values ?

dim ObjAuth as Authorisations

ObjAuth.Key_Num_Dossier = 123

Or do I just call the class directly

Authorisations.Key_Num_Dossier = 123
or
Authorisations.Key_Num_Dossier.set(123)



Thanks

[Pirate]

If the Class member are static (shared) , then you can call it without instantiating . Otherwise , you should instantiate (use New Keyword) from that class .

[oxbow123]

Great it work

Thanks to all