Possible bug with VB Scripting Dictionary

Hard to know how to classify this question so apologies for the
cross-post.

I am writing an application using VBA Retail 6.4.9972 over VB 6.3
inside AutoCAD 2002 (Wait! Don't abandon this question VB programmers
- you really don't need to know anything about AutoCAD in order to
help). It's a fairly sizeable application (10,000+ lines) and is
working quite well but this thing has had me pulling my hair out since
yesterday.

I am using a Dictionary to store information about roof struts but I've
found that modifying the Item for a particular key modifies not only
the intended item, but also another (seemingly unrelated) item!! It's
true! I've stepped through line by line and can see in the Watch
window that they *both* change when the one assignment line is
executed. Now the data structure is not straightforward and it may be
related to that but I've tried various modifications on the theme and
the same problem keeps happening.

Here's the relevant code:

In a class module named Strut2DClass
------------------------------------
Public MaxPosition
Public MinPosition
Public MinHalfSpread As Double
Public ActualPosition
Public ActualHalfSpread As Double
Public LineHandle As String
Public StrutLength As Long
Public ParentDetails As New Dictionary

In the standard AutoCAD module named ThisDrawing

 

Hi,

so only a thought

your item in the Dictionary the referenc to class Strut2DClass that you
construct on the local heap of the function once!
Then you add this REFERENC as item for the key "FF" so if you add an
additional key and use your class instance Strut2D also for the second
insertion, changing the properties of the item class will affect the class
instance therefor this will look like both are change but there is only one
instance that is changed!
Here a example which shows as code what i intended to deliver:

Public foodict as new Dictionary

Class fooDataClass
Public counter
end Class

sub main()
dim myinst as new fooDataClass

myinst.counter = 1
foodict.Add "1", myinst

' for resolving this problem a new instance must be generated by using
following line
' Set mylist = new fooDataClass
myinst.counter = 2 'this will also change the value of the item of
key "1"
foodict.Add "2", myinst

myinst("1").counter = 1 'this will also chnage the value of the item
from key "2"

end sub

Regards,

Rob

 

Public foodict as new Dictionary

With the related change...

dim myinst as fooDataClass 'note the removal of new on the dim