Using object properties that aren't listed in Object Browser

Question

I've been looking into the underlying structure of object properties and methods in VBA a bit more. I've just read that all properties and methods for each object is listed in the "Object Browser" in the developer box.

The reason why I was prompted to look at this was that I used a method that wasn't listed in the Object Browser. I used:

Sheets("Front face").Shapes("Drop Down 12").ControlFormat

This allowed me to then use .List to change the Shape. However .ControlFormat isn't a property/method listed in Object Browser.

Can anyone explain this?

Answer 1

It appears in mine - perhaps you're looking for "Shapes" which is a collection, as opposed to "Shape" which is the actual object?

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Detail:

Shapes is a collection of Shape objects - therefore Shapes has properties and methods that relate to a Collection object. Each item in that collection is a Shape object which has the properties and methods of a Shape

Answer 2

Besides what MacroMan explained, here is something you should always follow (as a habit)

Work with objects for intellisense to work correctly .

See this Example

Sub Sample()
    Dim ws As Worksheet
    Dim Shp As Shape

    Set ws = Sheets("Front face")
    Set Shp = ws.Shapes("Drop Down 12")
End Sub

Now if you do Shp. you will get the .ControlFormat property.

Another example

When you want to access the .Range of a worksheet, you will not get that if you type Activesheet. . For intellisense, again work with objects.