When using vba TextColumns method to split two column a part of a word document, it will affect the entire document - vba

Question

I have a problem when using VBA for column operation.
I want to select an area in a Word document that contains several paragraphs, and then I want to split them from one column into two.
My VBA code is as follows:
Public Sub testSplitColumn()
Dim targetDoc As Document
Dim sourceFileName As String
sourceFileName = "file path"
Set targetDoc = Documents.Open(sourceFileName, , True)
targetDoc.Paragraphs(503).range.Select
'Splitting column on word
With targetDoc.Paragraphs(503).range.PageSetup.TextColumns
.SetCount NumColumns:=2
.EvenlySpaced = True
.LineBetween = False
End With
End Sub
It runs, but the result is wrong.
It is columnizing the paragraphs in the entire document, not just the selected paragraphs in the code.
I got a macro code that can achieve the correct effect through the method of word macro recording:
Sub split()
If ActiveWindow.View.SplitSpecial <> wdPaneNone Then
ActiveWindow.Panes(2).Close
End If
If ActiveWindow.ActivePane.View.Type <> wdPrintView Then
ActiveWindow.ActivePane.View.Type = wdPrintView
End If
With Selection.PageSetup.TextColumns
.SetCount NumColumns:=2
.EvenlySpaced = True
.LineBetween = False
End With
End Sub
But it's no different from mine.
How can I fix my VBA code?

Answer 1

As #JerryJeremiah said: you need section breaks before and after your selection.
When recording a macro - they will be inserted as well.
I would create a generic sub to insert the section breaks:
Public Sub test_splitTo2Columns()
'your original code
Dim targetDoc As Document
Dim sourceFileName As String
sourceFileName = "file path"
Set targetDoc = Documents.Open(sourceFileName, , True)
'calling the generic function to test with specific paragraph
splitTo2Columns targetDoc.Paragraphs(503).Range
'this will work too - splitting the selected range
splitTo2Columns ActiveDocument.Selection.Range
End Sub
Public Sub splitTo2Columns(rg As Range, Optional fSplitWholeParagraphs As Boolean = True)
Dim rgToSplit As Range
Set rgToSplit = rg.Duplicate
If fSplitWholeParagraphs = True Then
'in case rg = selection and selection is only a single character
rgToSplit.Start = rgToSplit.Paragraphs.First.Range.Start
rgToSplit.End = rgToSplit.Paragraphs.Last.Range.End
End If
insertSectionBreakContinous rgToSplit, wdCollapseStart
insertSectionBreakContinous rgToSplit, wdCollapseEnd
rgToSplit.Start = rgToSplit.Start + 1 'move behind first section break
With rg.PageSetup.TextColumns
.SetCount NumColumns:=2
.EvenlySpaced = True
.LineBetween = False
End With
End Sub
Private Sub insertSectionBreakContinous(rg As Range, startEnd As WdCollapseDirection)
Dim rgBreak As Range
Set rgBreak = rg.Duplicate
With rgBreak
.Collapse startEnd
.InsertBreak wdSectionBreakContinuous
End With
End Sub