VBA check if object is set VBA check if object is set vba vba

VBA check if object is set


If obj Is Nothing Then    ' need to initialize obj: '    Set obj = ...Else    ' obj already set / initialized. 'End If

Or, if you prefer it the other way around:

If Not obj Is Nothing Then    ' obj already set / initialized. 'Else    ' need to initialize obj: '    Set obj = ...End If


The (un)safe way to do this - if you are ok with not using option explicit - is...

Not TypeName(myObj) = "Empty"

This also handles the case if the object has not been declared. This is useful if you want to just comment out a declaration to switch off some behaviour...

Dim myObj as ObjectNot TypeName(myObj) = "Empty"  '/ true, the object exists - TypeName is Object'Dim myObj as ObjectNot TypeName(myObj) = "Empty"  '/ false, the object has not been declared

This works because VBA will auto-instantiate an undeclared variable as an Empty Variant type. It eliminates the need for an auxiliary Boolean to manage the behaviour.


When using global variables it's possible to run into a situation in which the object is empty. So, the code:

If Not obj Is Nothing Then  'obj is already setElse  'set objEnd If

produces an 'object required' error.

In this situation, the following works:

'First check it is initialized If IsObject(obj) Then     'Then check if it is set     If Not obj Is Nothing Then        'obj is set     Else        'set obj     End IfEnd If