Visual Basic - How to use a variable from one function in another - function

Question

I have checked Google, and the suggested answers here, but have had no luck unfortunately.
The last thing I need to do is have an email read the rateNbr variable into the email body, but it just comes up empty.
I tried to make Public Function FuncRateCheckFile read as Public Function FuncRateCheckFile(ByVal rateNbr As String), to try and enable it to be called outside the function, but this then breaks the function when it is called elsewhere. :(
Here is the code, with comments as to where I am referring:
Public Function FuncRateCheckFile()
Dim blnContinue As Boolean
Dim strLine As String
Dim strSearchFor, strSearchWrd, LineCount, objFSO, objTextFile, arrLines
Dim dteNow As Date
Dim newDate As String
'//==============================================================================================
'// DECLARED
Dim rateNbr As String
'//==============================================================================================
FuncRateCheckFile = False
blnContinue = True
If blnContinue Then
Const ForReading = 1
'Get todays date and reformat it
dteNow = DateValue(Now)
newDate = Format(dteNow, "dd/MM/yy")
strSearchWrd = newDate
'Read the whole file
Set objFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set objTextFile = objFSO.OpenTextFile(m_RateCheckFile, ForReading)
LineCount = 0
Do Until objTextFile.AtEndOfStream
strLine = objTextFile.ReadLine()
If InStr(strLine, strSearchWrd) <> 0 Then
arrLines = Split(strLine, vbCrLf)
LineCount = LineCount + 1
End If
Loop
'Log a message to state how many lines have todays day, and if there are none, log an error
If LineCount <> 0 Then
'//==============================================================================================
'// "rateNbr" IS WHAT I AM TRYING TO GET TO PUT IN THE EMAIL
LogMessage "Rate file date is correct"
rateNbr = "Number of rates for " & newDate & " in the file recieved on " & newDate & " is " & LineCount
LogMessage rateNbr
EmailAdvice2
objTextFile.Close
'//==============================================================================================
Else
blnContinue = False
LogError "Failed to retrieve Current Rate date, please check rate file.."
EmailAdvice
objTextFile.Close
End If
End If
FuncRateCheckFile = blnContinue
LogMessage "Completed Check Rate file"
End Function
Private Function EmailAdvice2()
Dim strSMTPFrom As String
Dim strSMTPTo As String
Dim strSMTPRelay As String
Dim strTextBody As String
Dim strSubject As String
Dim oMessage As Object
'//==============================================================================================
'// DECLARED AGAIN
Dim rateNbr As String
'//==============================================================================================
Set oMessage = CreateObject("CDO.Message")
strSMTPFrom = "no-reply#work.com.au"
strSMTPTo = "me#work.com.au"
strSMTPRelay = "smtp.relay.com"
'//==============================================================================================
'// THIS MAKES THE TEXT BODY BLANK, BUT THE EMAIL STILL SENDS
strTextBody = rateNbr
'//==============================================================================================
strSubject = "Todays rates"
'strAttachment = "full UNC path of file"
oMessage.Configuration.Fields.Item("http://schemas.microsoft.com/cdo/configuration/sendusing") = 2
oMessage.Configuration.Fields.Item("http://schemas.microsoft.com/cdo/configuration/smtpserver") = strSMTPRelay
oMessage.Configuration.Fields.Item("http://schemas.microsoft.com/cdo/configuration/smtpserverport") = 25
oMessage.Configuration.Fields.Update
oMessage.Subject = strSubject
oMessage.From = strSMTPFrom
oMessage.To = strSMTPTo
oMessage.textbody = strTextBody
'oMessage.AddAttachment strAttachment
oMessage.Send
End Function
I am positive that it is blank because I have declared rateNbr under EmailAdvice2() and then not given it anything to fill the variable with. But I don't know how to make it call the variable under FuncRateCheckFile().
Thanks to all for any assistance.

Answer 1

As Plutonix stated, this is a scope issue.
Move the declaration of your 'rateNbr' variable out to class level, and remove the local declarations inside your functions:
Dim rateNbr As String ' <-- out at class level it will be accessible from both functions
Public Function FuncRateCheckFile()
...
' REMOVE both the decalarations of "rateNbr" that are INSIDE your functions
...
End Function
Private Function EmailAdvice2()
...
' REMOVE both the decalarations of "rateNbr" that are INSIDE your functions
...
End Function