Returning Multiple Values from a Custom Function - ms-access

Question

So, I've got a ValidateForm function that loops through a form to validate each control. I have a collection set up called ValData to capture different bits of info to be passed out of the function. This is working great.
However, I don't know how to access each item in ValData after the function returns. I can get one at a time like: ValidateForm().IsValid, but in order to get each item, I have to run the function again. I want to avoid this.
Is there a way to run the function once, but access the values of each item returned?

Answer 1

Depending upon your requirements (which are NOT clear in your question! ;-) ), you might consider using a Collection as the return from your function:
Private Function MyResultsFunction() As Collection
Dim output As Collection
Set output = New Collection
'Hydrate your collection with data by whatever means necessary:
With output
'Stupid example code:
.Add "Item1"
.Add "Item2"
.Add "Item3"
.Add "Item4"
End With
'Return a reference to the collection as the function output:
Set MyResultsFunction = output
End Function
As a simple, retarded test of the above:
Private Sub Form_Load()
'A variable to receive the results from your function:
Dim Results As Collection
'An iterator to loop through the results contained in the collection:
Dim CurrentItem As Variant
'For this example, a string to toss the results into to display in the
'MsgBox:
Dim output As String
'Use the local Collection defined above to access the reference returned by
'your function:
Set Results = MyResultsFunction
'Iterate through the collection and do something with the results
'per your project requirements:
For Each CurrentItem In Results
'This is stupid example code:
output = output & CurrentItem & vbCrLf
Next
'I am just displayng the results to show that it worked:
MsgBox output
'Clean up:
Set Results = Nothing
End Sub
Hope that heps!

Answer 2

Without seeing your code it's hard to say what exactly you are tyring to do, but here is one of several ways you can store results to query later.
Declare a public variable at the top of your module to represent the items from your ValData function. After you populate the array, you can access the items through a normal function.
You obviously could do more sophisticated things, especially if you use a collection object. You could even store a counter and create a GetNext() function. I hope this gives you a heads start.
Public Results(1 To 2) As String
Sub CreateTestArray()
Results(1) = "Foo"
Results(2) = "Bar"
End Sub
Function GetResult(ByVal i As Long) As String
If i <= UBound(Results) Then
GetResult = Results(i)
End If
End Function
Sub ProofOfConcept()
MsgBox GetResult(2) ' will show "Bar"
End Sub