OpenOffice.org BASIC Guide - OpenOffice.org wiki

Global Variables
Scope and Life Span of Variables
In terms of their function, global variables are similar to public domain variables, except that their values are
retained even after the associated macro has executed. Global variables are declared in the header section of a
module using the keyword Global:
Global A As Integer
Private Variables
Private variables are only available in the module in which they are defined. Use the keyword Private to
define the variable:
Private MyInteger As Integer
If several modules contain a Private variable with the same name, OpenOffice.org Basic creates a different
variable for each occurrence of the name. In the following example, both module A and B have a Private
variable called C. The Test function first sets the Private variable in module A and then the Private variable in
module B.
Module A:
Private C As Integer
Sub Test
SetModuleA ' Sets the variable C from module A
SetModuleB ' Sets the variable C from module B
ShowVarA ' Shows the variable C from module A (= 10)
ShowVarB ' Shows the variable C from module B (= 20)
End Sub
Sub SetModuleA
C = 10
End Sub
Sub ShowVarA
MsgBox C ' Shows the variable C from module A.
End Sub
Module B:
Private C As Integer
Sub SetModuleB
C = 20
End Sub
Sub ShowVarB
MsgBox C ' Shows the variable C from module B.
End Sub
Keep in mind that ShowVarB only shows the expected value of C (20) because Sub Test is keeping it in scope. If
the calls to SetModuleB and ShowVarB are independent, e.g. SetModuleB is triggered from one toolbar button
and ShowVarB is triggered from another toolbar button, then ShowVarB will display a C value of 0 since module
variables are reset after each macro completion.
Constants
Constants are values which may be used but not changed by the program.
Defining Constants
In OpenOffice.org Basic, use the keyword Const to declare a constant.
Chapter 2 · The Language of OpenOffice.org BASIC 21