5.6.11 Instance Expressions

Note

This section describes the implementation of MS-VBAL §5.6.11 Instance Expressions.

An instance expression is the keyword Me.

Static Semantics

MS-VBAL §5.6.11 describes instance expressions (Me) as values:

Enclosing procedure	Me
In a class module	A value whose declared type is defined by the class module containing the enclosing procedure.
In a procedural ("standard") module	Statically invalid.

Runtime Semantics

At run time, an instance expression (Me) represents the current instance of the type defined by the enclosing class module, and has this type as its value type (MS-VBAL §5.6.11).

In line with MS-VBAL §5.6.11, RD-VBA implements Me as a simple runtime artifact, the current object, rather than as an expression. The current object is a common concept in many programming languages, where it is often written with the token this.

• The runtime injects an implicit Me (ByVal) parameter into all instance member calls, pointed at the current object.
• The runtime context supplies Me as a VBObjectValue presenting the default interface of the enclosing class type.
• The Me value is pushed to the stack frame of instance member calls as any parameter is. See RD-VBAL §5.3.1.11 Procedure Invocation Argument Processing.

RuntimeExpressionEvaluator.EvaluateInstance resolves the name Me through ResolveValue, from RuntimeEvaluationContext.Scope. RuntimeProcedureInvoker sets RuntimeEvaluationContext.Scope to the invoked procedure's own Uri. RuntimeExpressionEvaluator.EvaluateSimpleName uses the same RuntimeEvaluationContext.Scope to detect a self-reference to the executing procedure; see RD-VBAL §5.6.10 Simple Name Expressions.

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⏮️ RD-VBAL §5.6.10 Simple Name Expressions | ⏭️ RD-VBAL §5.6.12 Member Access Expressions