Microsoft Access 2010 Bible

Chapter 27: Using the Windows Application Programming Interface

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TABLE 27.1

Comparing C/C++ and VBA Data Types

C Type Size VBA Data Type

char 8 bits String * 1

short 16 bits Integer

int 32 bits Long

long 32 bits Long

float 32 bits Single

double 64 bits Double

UINT 32 bits Long

ULONG 32 bits Long

USHORT 16 bits Integer

UCHAR 8 bits String * 1

DWORD 32 bits Long

BOOL 32 bits Boolean

BYTE 8 bits Byte

WORD 16 bits Integer

HANDLE 32 bits Long

LPTSTR 32 bits No equivalent

LPCTSTR 32 bits No equivalent

All these data types become important when examining both the SDKs and other API references

for VBA. You’ll have to know what kind of data type the function is expecting and match it with a

compatible type in your Access applications. Listing 27.1 shows how the GetPrivateProfile-

String function is declared in the API reference of the Win32 SDK and how to decipher each

argument declared.

LISTING 27.1

SDK Reference for GetPrivateProfileString

DWORD GetPrivateProfileString(

LPCTSTR lpszSection, // points to section name

LPCTSTR lpszKey, // points to key name

LPCTSTR lpszDefault, // points to default string

LPTSTR lpszReturnBuffer, // points to destination buffer

DWORD cchReturnBuffer, // size of destination buffer

LPCTSTR lpszFile // initialization filename

);