option explicit

[OldMoses]

I don't typically use it when doing little one off algorithms, but I've been warming up to OPTION _EXPLICIT more and more when writing big projects, where I really don't want to be dealing with typo errors in dozens of subroutines that are recycling local variables. It mostly catches when I do screw ups like using x and x% interchangeably. In fact, it's just about the first thing I will type in when starting a new large project. It's a lot easier to do it up front, and accept that discipline, than to add it later.

If I were to use any big variable names like SuperCalifragiVariable%, then I'd use it there as well. Those are the bugs that will drive you mad for hours without that tool.

I also find it helpful when I'm going back to clean up and optimize my algorithms. When I see a whole raft of DIMs at the head of a SUB or FUNCTION I start looking for ways to cut the number down while achieving the same results.