If you post your sub code, the group may give you better feedback on why
that declaration might have caused the original problem.

I always have them set up with variable declarations in the Sub line (for
all I
know, that's the only way).

As someone who's never had the formal training to know better, I do the
opposite- I never set them up with variable declarations in the sub line,
with the infrequent exception of functions or subs where I absoloutely need
to pass data directly. I probably don't use it as often as I should (and
perhaps not correctly when I do), but I definitely wouldn't throw them in
unless you were intentionally going to pass a variable to that sub from a
calling procedure.

I look forward to reading some of the more expert replies on the subject.

HTH,
Keith