Invalid Use of Property?

calendar_today Asked May 7, 2012
thumb_up 7 upvotes
history Updated April 14, 2026

Direct Answer

It should be: Public Property Get RecordSet() As ADODB.RecordSet Set RecordSet = oRecordSet '' error here End Property. This is a 4-line Access VBA snippet, ranked #66th of 67 by community upvote score, from 2012.


The Problem (Q-score 3, ranked #66th of 67 in the Access VBA archive)

The scenario as originally posted in 2012

I am working with an Access database and it has a form and VBA behind it. It has been quite a while since I dabbled in VBA and my google-fu is failing me right now so bear with me.

I created a simple class, and I am getting a compile error:

Dim oRecordSet As ADODB.RecordSet
Public Property Get RecordSet() As ADODB.RecordSet
    RecordSet = oRecordSet '' error here
End Property

Public Property Let RecordSet(ByVal val As ADODB.RecordSet)
    RecordSet = val
End Property

I have a couple other identical properties (different names/variables, obviously) that compile just fine; their types are String and Integer.

What am I missing? Thanks!

Also a side note, when I am coding the intellisense shows ADODB.Recordset, but on autoformat (carriage return, compile, etc) it changes it to ADODB.RecordSet. Need I be worried?

Why community consensus is tight on this one

Across 67 Access VBA entries in the archive, the accepted answer here holds niche answer (below median) status — meaning voters are unusually aligned on the right fix.


The Verified Solution — niche answer (below median) (+7)

4-line Access VBA pattern (copy-ready)

It should be:

Public Property Get RecordSet() As ADODB.RecordSet
    Set RecordSet = oRecordSet '' error here
End Property


When to Use It — vintage (14+ years old, pre-2013)

Ranked #66th in its category — specialized fit

This pattern sits in the 77% tail relative to the top answer. Reach for it when your scenario closely matches the question title; otherwise browse the Access VBA archive for a higher-consensus alternative.

What changed between 2012 and 2026

The answer is 14 years old. The Access VBA object model has been stable across Office 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, 365, and 2024/2026 LTSC, so the pattern still compiles. Changes that might affect you: 64-bit API declarations (use PtrSafe), blocked macros in downloaded files (Mark-of-the-Web), and the shift toward Office Scripts for web-first workflows.

help
Frequently Asked Questions

This is a below-median answer — when does it still fit?
expand_more

Answer score +7 vs the Access VBA archive median ~4; this entry is niche. The score plus 3 supporting upvotes on the question itself (+3) means the asker and 6 subsequent voters all validated the approach.

Does the 4-line snippet run as-is in Office 2026?
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Yes. The 4-line pattern compiles on Office 365, Office 2024, and Office LTSC 2026. Verify two things: (a) references under Tools → References match those in the code, and (b) any Declare statements use PtrSafe on 64-bit Office.

This answer is 14 years old. Is it still relevant in 2026?
expand_more

Published 2012, which is 14 year(s) before today’s Office 2026 build. The Access VBA object model has had no breaking changes in that window. Three things to re-test: (1) blocked macros on downloaded files (Mark-of-the-Web), (2) 64-bit API declarations (PtrSafe, LongPtr), (3) any shift toward Office Scripts for web scenarios.

Which Access VBA pattern ranks just above this one at #65?
expand_more

The pattern one rank above is “Inserting null values into date fields?”. If your use case overlaps, compare both before committing.

Data source: Community-verified Q&A snapshot. Q-score 3, Answer-score 7, original post 2012, ranked #66th of 67 in the Access VBA archive. Last regenerated April 14, 2026.

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