Talk:Documentation/BASIC Guide/Procedures and Functions

Page Structure

I see a number of issues on this page, but perhaps it is because of my perspective as someone new to AOO. I'm hesitant to do this, because oo.org seems happy with it - and has been since 2009 or so. Therefore, instead of inserting the changes I've prepared, I'll list a small subset of the issues i see, and watch for incoming missiles. Shields up.

• There is confusion about Procedures, subs and functions. To microsoft, and I think to many, a "sub" and a "function" are both procedures. As it is, "procedure" becomes unavailable to denote anything but a sub.
• Syntax for Sub and Function definitions is presented as though it were definitive: "Its syntax IS" followed by a very incomplete statement of the syntax. I will guess this is to avoid confusing the reader with a great long string of abstract possibilities. In my view the syntax definition is a reference. It is expected to be complete, not simple. Clarification is better done with judicious examples.
• Post 2000, VBA supports functions returning arrays (at least according to CPearson.com). I don't think it is clear from this page that AOO does not support this feature; Unless I messed up (a distinct possibility), "function yada(arg as long) as double()" creates a syntax error at the last two parentheses. Why not note that it can be done with a Variant?
• For that matter, Variant might have its own entry under "working with variables". Variants are odd beasts, deserving some explanation.

Elsewhere, I see a stated goal of providing migration information for users coming from MS. Changes such as these might serve that purpose, and aid folks unfamiliar with VBA as well.Pawn (talk) May 24 2013