[vba] Hash Table/Associative Array in VBA

I can't seem to find the documentation explaining how to create a hash table or associative array in VBA. Is it even possible?

Can you link to an article or better yet post the code?

Try using the Dictionary Object or the Collection Object.

http://visualbasic.ittoolbox.com/documents/dictionary-object-vs-collection-object-12196

I've used Francesco Balena's HashTable class several times in the past when a Collection or Dictionary wasn't a perfect fit and i just needed a HashTable.

Here we go... just copy the code to a module, it's ready to use

Private Type hashtable
    key As Variant
    value As Variant
End Type

Private GetErrMsg As String

Private Function CreateHashTable(htable() As hashtable) As Boolean
    GetErrMsg = ""
    On Error GoTo CreateErr
        ReDim htable(0)
        CreateHashTable = True
    Exit Function

CreateErr:
    CreateHashTable = False
    GetErrMsg = Err.Description
End Function

Private Function AddValue(htable() As hashtable, key As Variant, value As Variant) As Long
    GetErrMsg = ""
    On Error GoTo AddErr
        Dim idx As Long
        idx = UBound(htable) + 1

        Dim htVal As hashtable
        htVal.key = key
        htVal.value = value

        Dim i As Long
        For i = 1 To UBound(htable)
            If htable(i).key = key Then Err.Raise 9999, , "Key [" & CStr(key) & "] is not unique"
        Next i

        ReDim Preserve htable(idx)

        htable(idx) = htVal
        AddValue = idx
    Exit Function

AddErr:
    AddValue = 0
    GetErrMsg = Err.Description
End Function

Private Function RemoveValue(htable() As hashtable, key As Variant) As Boolean
    GetErrMsg = ""
    On Error GoTo RemoveErr

        Dim i As Long, idx As Long
        Dim htTemp() As hashtable
        idx = 0

        For i = 1 To UBound(htable)
            If htable(i).key <> key And IsEmpty(htable(i).key) = False Then
                ReDim Preserve htTemp(idx)
                AddValue htTemp, htable(i).key, htable(i).value
                idx = idx + 1
            End If
        Next i

        If UBound(htable) = UBound(htTemp) Then Err.Raise 9998, , "Key [" & CStr(key) & "] not found"

        htable = htTemp
        RemoveValue = True
    Exit Function

RemoveErr:
    RemoveValue = False
    GetErrMsg = Err.Description
End Function

Private Function GetValue(htable() As hashtable, key As Variant) As Variant
    GetErrMsg = ""
    On Error GoTo GetValueErr
        Dim found As Boolean
        found = False

        For i = 1 To UBound(htable)
            If htable(i).key = key And IsEmpty(htable(i).key) = False Then
                GetValue = htable(i).value
                Exit Function
            End If
        Next i
        Err.Raise 9997, , "Key [" & CStr(key) & "] not found"

    Exit Function

GetValueErr:
    GetValue = ""
    GetErrMsg = Err.Description
End Function

Private Function GetValueCount(htable() As hashtable) As Long
    GetErrMsg = ""
    On Error GoTo GetValueCountErr
        GetValueCount = UBound(htable)
    Exit Function

GetValueCountErr:
    GetValueCount = 0
    GetErrMsg = Err.Description
End Function

To use in your VB(A) App:

Public Sub Test()
    Dim hashtbl() As hashtable
    Debug.Print "Create Hashtable: " & CreateHashTable(hashtbl)
    Debug.Print ""
    Debug.Print "ID Test   Add V1: " & AddValue(hashtbl, "Hallo_0", "Testwert 0")
    Debug.Print "ID Test   Add V2: " & AddValue(hashtbl, "Hallo_0", "Testwert 0")
    Debug.Print "ID Test 1 Add V1: " & AddValue(hashtbl, "Hallo.1", "Testwert 1")
    Debug.Print "ID Test 2 Add V1: " & AddValue(hashtbl, "Hallo-2", "Testwert 2")
    Debug.Print "ID Test 3 Add V1: " & AddValue(hashtbl, "Hallo 3", "Testwert 3")
    Debug.Print ""
    Debug.Print "Test 1 Removed V1: " & RemoveValue(hashtbl, "Hallo_1")
    Debug.Print "Test 1 Removed V2: " & RemoveValue(hashtbl, "Hallo_1")
    Debug.Print "Test 2 Removed V1: " & RemoveValue(hashtbl, "Hallo-2")
    Debug.Print ""
    Debug.Print "Value Test 3: " & CStr(GetValue(hashtbl, "Hallo 3"))
    Debug.Print "Value Test 1: " & CStr(GetValue(hashtbl, "Hallo_1"))
    Debug.Print ""
    Debug.Print "Hashtable Content:"

    For i = 1 To UBound(hashtbl)
        Debug.Print CStr(i) & ": " & CStr(hashtbl(i).key) & " - " & CStr(hashtbl(i).value)
    Next i

    Debug.Print ""
    Debug.Print "Count: " & CStr(GetValueCount(hashtbl))
End Sub