Syntax Error with MsgBox

Question

This results in a syntax error:

Sub test()
    MsgBox("hello world", vbOKCancel) ' syntax error at this line
    Exit Sub
End Sub

Why?

@Jean-FrançoisCorbett You should have come earlier. I mean the question is answered and the answer is a very good one. Way better than the one from the duplicate question. — Bitterblue
– Bitterblue, Commented Jan 6, 2014 at 15:10

Jon Egerton · Accepted Answer · 2014-01-06 11:58:02Z

10

You're just using the MsgBox method as a Sub. In VB6/VBA a Sub call either doesn't use brackets, or uses the Call keyword.

MsgBox "hello world", vbOKCancel

or

Call MsgBox("hello world", vbOKCancel)

The brackets come into play when using the method as a function (ie you want the return value)

Dim msgResult

msgResult = MsgBox("hello world", vbOKCancel)

I would guess that, since you're using vbOKCancel, this is the version you'll end up using to find out what the user clicked.

answered Jan 6, 2014 at 11:58

Jon Egerton

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3 Comments

The syntax of VBA makes me startle every time!

@mini-me: Yup - Its got plenty of "character"!

Parentheses, not brackets.