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VBA hints and tips

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Use VbNullString instead of

When needing to default a String variable back to it's default of "" use vbNullString as in the following example:

Sub ClearText()

Dim strEmpName As String

strEmpName = "John Smith"
MsgBox strEmpName

strEmpName = vbNullString
MsgBox strEmpName

End Sub

Permalink (link directly to this tip). Added by Carlos, 8 Dec 2006

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Stop Screen Flickering When Running Code

Running VBA code may cause the screen to flicker as the monitor is the slowest part of the program and cannot keep up with the very fast changes taking place.

To switch off the screen until the program is run enter the following code line:

Application.ScreenUpdating = False

The screen comes on automatically on completion of the program.

Permalink (link directly to this tip). Added by Carlos, 1 Dec 2006

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Stuck in a Code Loop

If you ever get stuck in an infinite code loop when programing in VBA use

CTRL+BREAK

to exit the procedure

Permalink (link directly to this tip). Added by Carlos, 24 Nov 2006

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Display Text In a Msgbox On Multiple Lines

When displaying text in a MsgBox you may need to show it over multiple lines. To do this use:

vbCrLf

As in:

MsgBox "The System has detected an error." & vbCrLf & "Contact your System Administrator"

The first sentence in quotes will appear above the second in the MsgBox.

Permalink (link directly to this tip). Added by Carlos, 24 Nov 2006

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Empty The Clipboard with CutCopyMode

After each Copy/Paste operation in VBA, you should use the following line of code to empty the clipboard. This ensures that the computer memory doesn't overload:

ActiveSheet.Paste
Application.CutCopyMode = False

Permalink (link directly to this tip). Added by Carlos, 24 Nov 2006

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Suspend DisplayAlerts in VBA

To stop Excel asking you things like "Do you want to delete this file...", use the following line of code at the beginning of the relevant VBA procedure:

Application.DisplayAlerts = False

At the end of the procedure make sure you use the following code to reactivate Display Alerts:

Application.DisplayAlerts = True

Permalink (link directly to this tip). Added by Carlos, 24 Nov 2006

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Use GoTo to Select A Cell With VBA

To select a certain cell on a Worksheet you can use:

Application.Goto Reference:=Range("V300")

or more simply

Range("V300").Select

If, on the other hand, you want the selected cell to be the top/left cell on the screen you use:

Application.Goto Reference:=Range("V300"), Scroll=True

Permalink (link directly to this tip). Added by Carlos, 24 Nov 2006

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Add A New Sheet at the end of the Workbook

To add a new sheet at the end of the workbook you need to count the sheets in the workbook using:

Sheets.Count

Then use this value as the rank of the sheet after which you want to add the new sheet:

Sheets.Add After:=Sheets(Sheets.Count)

Permalink (link directly to this tip). Added by Carlos, 24 Nov 2006

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Count the Rows and Columns in a Selection

If you need to count the number of rows or columns in a worksheet use the following code:

Selection.Rows.Count - Returns the number of rows in the selection

Selection.Columns.Count - Returns the number of columns in the selection

Selection.CurrentRegion.Rows.Count - Returns the number of rows in the current region of the selection

Permalink (link directly to this tip). Added by Carlos, 24 Nov 2006

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Good coding practice

It is important that you always comment the VBA code that you write. By doing this it will make the code much easier to read, as both yourself and other people will be able to see what the code is doing or meant to be doing. This is very important if there is more than one person who writes code in the company as you may have different styles of coding and may not really understand what the other person is trying to do. Also if you write some code and then do not touch it for a year or so you may actually forget what it is meant to be doing. so it is very important to include comments throughout your code and try and make sure that they are as useful as possible

Permalink (link directly to this tip). Added by David, 23 Nov 2006

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Stop Display Alerts In Excel

When creating or deleting a Worksheet in Excel you don't want Excel to inform you "A file already exists....." Or "Do you want to save this file...".

To stop these alerts happening use the following line of code:

Application.DisplayAlerts = False

After the Create or Delete routine use:

Application.DisplayAlerts = True

Permalink (link directly to this tip). Added by Carlos, 7 Nov 2006

 

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