VBScript Compile Error with msgbox when a variable starts with "h", and 2nd character is "a" through "e" or a number

Question

The following VBScript program produces an error:

ha=1

msgbox "" &ha

The error is:

Expected end of statement
800A0401
Microsoft VBScript compilation error

This happens with any variable that starts with "h", and the 2nd character is "a" through "e". The variable "hf" (and all the way through "z") works fine.

It also happens if the 2nd character is a number, i.e. "h1"

Also, it is only the msgbox command that causes that error. You can use the variable in other cases without an issue.

Answer 1

In Visual Basic, &h... means a hexadecimal number (https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/visual-basic/programming-guide/language-features/data-types/type-characters#hexadecimal-binary-and-octal-literals). For example, &ha is 10, &hc is 12, &h1a is 26.

If you use a space, like 'x & ha', then & is a string concatenation (https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/office/vba/Language/Reference/User-Interface-Help/ampersand-operator).