VBA - Returning array from Property Get

In VBA, arrays are never returned by reference unless they are returned through a ByRef parameter. Furthermore, whenever you use = to assign an array to a variable, you've made a new copy of the array, even if you're assigning it to a ByRef argument inside of a procedure, so you're pretty much out of luck trying to make this work.

Some alternative are...

• Use a VBA.Collection instead of an array.
• Make your own class that encapsulates an array and exposes procedures for indirectly accessing and manipulating the internal array.

You don't have a let property. Also, the get property is returning the entire array, rather than just the element in question. Change the return type of Property Get from Double() to just plain Double. Add Property Let. Note that it takes two inputs, but only one is passed to it. The last variable (MyValue, in this case) is assumed to get it's value from whatever is after the = sign. Put a break point somewhere early in Test1() and see how the values are affected in the Locals window. Compare the variables created by the original code versus my code:

'Class1 class module
Private v() As Double
Public Property Get Vec(index As Long) As Double
    Vec = v(index)
End Property
Public Property Let Vec(index As Long, MyValue As Double)
    v(index) = MyValue
End Property
Private Sub Class_Initialize()
    ReDim v(0 To 3)
End Sub
' end class module

'Begin module
Sub Test1()
    Dim c As Class1
    Set c = New Class1
    Debug.Print c.Vec(1) ' prints 0 as expected
    c.Vec(1) = 5.6
    Debug.Print c.Vec(1) ' prints 5.6
End Sub
'End module