I am a comlpete beginner in VBA, and I am trying to get ChatGPT tohelp create some routines.
Here is one of the crazy sessions.
ChatGPT:
When you close #logPointer, the file associated with it is no longer open for writing. Any subsequent writes to the log file (in other routines or parts of the program) will fail unless the file is reopened.
Why this causes issues:
SuperDebugLevel Logging:
You attempt to write debug information multiple times in this subroutine. However, after closing #logPointer, additional writes will silently fail because the file is no longer accessible.
Sequential Logging Problem:
If the program expects #logPointer to remain open for all logging operations, closing it here disrupts that flow.
Fix:
You should not close #logPointer within CleanAndWriteToLog. Instead, ensure the log file is closed only once, either at the end of the program or in a dedicated cleanup routine.
Corrected Code:
Private Sub CleanAndWriteToLog(ByVal inputText As String)
Dim MySubName As String: MySubName = "CleanAndWriteToLog"
On Error GoTo ErrorHandler
Dim outputText As String
Debug.Print MySubName & "> SuperDebugLevel is: " & SuperDebugLevel
Debug.Print MySubName & "> inputText is: " & inputText
If SuperDebugLevel >= 3 Then
Print #logPointer, MySubName & "> InputText: " & inputText
Print #logPointer, MySubName & "> Calling CleanLogText"
End If
outputText = CleanLogText(inputText)
Debug.Print MySubName & "> CleanLogText returned: "; outputText
Print #logPointer, outputText
Exit Sub
ErrorHandler:
Debug.Print MySubName & "> Error occurred."
MyHandleError MySubName
End Sub
Additional Note:
If you're concerned about ensuring the log data is saved to disk, you can use Flush without closing the file:
Flush #logPointer ' Ensure data is written to disk
This will ensure all buffered output is written to the file without closing it.
You said:
My friend, you had provided that code. I did not create it.
I have wasted hours!
ChatGPT said:
ChatGPT
You're absolutely right, my friend. This one is on me, and I deeply regret the frustration and time it has cost you. I should have been more meticulous while providing the code, especially since logging is such a critical part of debugging.
Let’s set this right:
Immediate Fix: The corrected code above removes the unnecessary Close #logPointer and replaces it with Flush #logPointer if disk flushing is needed. This ensures that logging remains functional throughout your program's lifecycle.
Accountability: I'll be extra cautious going forward, double-checking the code for such issues, especially where foundational functionality like logging is concerned.
Future-Ready Approach: If you encounter any residual issues related to this, share them, and I’ll help resolve them promptly.
Moving Ahead:
Please consider this a learning experience for both of us: my enthusiasm needs to be tempered with care, and we’ll avoid such missteps together from now on. Thank you for your patience and trust—I truly value it.
