#53853

The Excel versions of the API frequently use the variable 'time'.? Declaring it as string or as long in numerous places.? It is also in the TWSlib in at least five places.

This is a problem because 'Time' is a built-in VBA function (which returns the current system time) and is part of the VBA standard library and cannot be redefined without causing conflicts.? In other words Time is a reserved name in VBA.

?

To verify this problem, one can create a module in an Excel workbook that is using the API and enter a simple function like this:

Option Explicit

Function testTimeProblem()
? ? testTimeProblem = Time
End Function

?

Notice that the Time will be changed to time...? Which is an indication of the problem.

This needs to be fixed.? How do I report this problem to IB Developers or do they monitor this Group??

?

Thanks!

?

#53854

开云体育

That’s not quite right.

?

‘Time’ is NOT a VBA function: it’s a property of the VBA DateTime module (you can see this using the ObjectBrowser). It returns a variant with a vbDate variant type.

?

Property names CAN be re-used as variable names (unlike method names, which cannot: Dim Len as String will fail).

?

Your little function doesn’t illustrate anything: it will return the vbDate variant returned by the Time property. It doesn’t even use Time (or time) as a variable.

?

You say ‘Notice that the Time will be changed to time’. This is nothing to do with conflicts. It’s because VBA (and indeed VB6, but fortunately not VB.Net) are very bad at managing name spellings. If you declare a variable or a method or property called ‘MyName’ somewhere, and then declare something else called ‘myname’ anywhere within the same project or module, then the original ‘MyName’ will be displayed as ‘myname’ (though the actual code won’t be changed).

?

It seems that the VBA/VB6 compilers have a single name table that doesn’t record the context of a name declaration (and remember VBA and VB6 are case-insensitive) . Thus when ‘myname’ is declared, the original table entry for ‘MyName’ is overwritten with ‘myname’, and that’s what you’ll see everywhere, even on the original ‘MyName’ declaration.

?

This is one of the most annoying features of VBA/VB6, especially where you have references to other components that use the same names with different capitalisation, in which case what you see will depend on the order of the references to these other components.

?

I don’t think this actually ‘needs to be fixed’: after all it’s been like this for well over 20 years – if it were a real problem, someone would have fixed it by now. Are you able to point to any specific instances that you think don’t work properly?

?

And no, IB Developers don’t appear to monitor this group. There used to be an IB staff member in the group, which was actually very helpful due to his insider knowledge, but no longer (at least, not that we know of).

?

If you really think you need to bring this to IB’s attention, you can either raise a ticket on your Account Management page, or get access to the GitHub repository and raise an issue. But I can more or less guarantee that you won’t get any traction on this: far too much work for zero benefit.

?

Richard

#53857

开云体育

Richard,
Thanks for the input you are always a great source of information.
Reserved was probably the wrong word.? Microsoft calls Time a VBA keyword.

For others to see the problem in action without having to even be concerned with the IB api.
Create a module and put this code in it:

Option Explicit

Function TestTimeProblem()
??? TestTimeProblem = Time
End Function

Now in a cell on a worksheet enter this
=TestTimeProblem()
This should return the current time...

Go back to the module and enter these additional lines of code

'Sub MakeTimetime(time As String)
'
'End Sub

'Sub FixTimeBackToTime(Time As String)
'
'End Sub

Now un-comment the MakeTimetime routine and the Time in the function will change to time.
Note that the function still works which as Richard indicated demonstrates that VBA is case agnostic.

To fix back uncomment the FixTimeBackToTime sub and all will get changed to Time...

It's hard to believe it has been almost 30 years since IB introduced their API.? Sorry that none of the developers hang out on this thread...

On 1/31/2025 7:49 AM, Richard L King wrote:

Show quoted text

That’s not quite right.

?

‘Time’ is NOT a VBA function: it’s a property of the VBA DateTime module (you can see this using the ObjectBrowser). It returns a variant with a vbDate variant type.

?

Property names CAN be re-used as variable names (unlike method names, which cannot: Dim Len as String will fail).

?

Your little function doesn’t illustrate anything: it will return the vbDate variant returned by the Time property. It doesn’t even use Time (or time) as a variable.

?

You say ‘Notice that the Time will be changed to time’. This is nothing to do with conflicts. It’s because VBA (and indeed VB6, but fortunately not VB.Net) are very bad at managing name spellings. If you declare a variable or a method or property called ‘MyName’ somewhere, and then declare something else called ‘myname’ anywhere within the same project or module, then the original ‘MyName’ will be displayed as ‘myname’ (though the actual code won’t be changed).

?

It seems that the VBA/VB6 compilers have a single name table that doesn’t record the context of a name declaration (and remember VBA and VB6 are case-insensitive) . Thus when ‘myname’ is declared, the original table entry for ‘MyName’ is overwritten with ‘myname’, and that’s what you’ll see everywhere, even on the original ‘MyName’ declaration.

?

This is one of the most annoying features of VBA/VB6, especially where you have references to other components that use the same names with different capitalisation, in which case what you see will depend on the order of the references to these other components.

?

I don’t think this actually ‘needs to be fixed’: after all it’s been like this for well over 20 years – if it were a real problem, someone would have fixed it by now. Are you able to point to any specific instances that you think don’t work properly?

?

And no, IB Developers don’t appear to monitor this group. There used to be an IB staff member in the group, which was actually very helpful due to his insider knowledge, but no longer (at least, not that we know of).

?

If you really think you need to bring this to IB’s attention, you can either raise a ticket on your Account Management page, or get access to the GitHub repository and raise an issue. But I can more or less guarantee that you won’t get any traction on this: far too much work for zero benefit.

?

Richard