I wrote some function to add some polylines to Excel sheet. Then I've discovered strange braces behavior.
I declare and define points array as this:
Dim points As Variant
Dim sh As Shape
points = Array(Array(10.5, 10.5), Array(20.4, 20.4), Array(5.1, 30.3), Array(10.5, 10.5))
' These both do not work and I get error about wrong type (error 1004) in 2007
' and application defined error 1004 on 2010:
ActiveWorkbook.ActiveSheet.Shapes.AddPolyline points
Set sh = ActiveWorkbook.ActiveSheet.Shapes.AddPolyline(points)
' These work fine:
ActiveWorkbook.ActiveSheet.Shapes.AddPolyline (points)
Set sh = ActiveWorkbook.ActiveSheet.Shapes.AddPolyline((points))
What is the strange magic of VBA braces?
Tested in 2007 and 2010 versions.
The additional parentheses around points cause the argument to be evaluated as an expression and consequently be passed ByVal.
The act of evaluating an array can change exactly how the data is packed inside the Variant that contains it (e.g. see VBA: Remove duplicates fails when columns array is passed using a variable as an example), and if the called procedure is not very lenient about what types of arrays it can accept (which it should be), then it will raise an error.
In your case I am actually surprised that passing an evaluated (points) even works, because the documentation mentions that a 2D array of Singles is expected, and Array(Array(...), Array(...), ...) is a jagged array as opposed to a 2D array. It would appear AddPolyline is written to cope with jagged arrays too, but it only recognizes them when the Variant containing the array has a particular set of flags in it which evaluating seems to produce (e.g. it might be that the presence or absence of VT_BYREF trips its flag comparison so it fails to recognize the passed array as supported).
I would call it a bug in AddPolyline, and I would explicitly define and fill a 2D array of Single to avoid it:
Dim points(1 To 4, 1 To 2) As Single
points(1, 1) = 10.5: points(1, 2) = 10.5
points(2, 1) = 20.4: points(2, 2) = 20.4
points(3, 1) = 5.1: points(3, 2) = 30.3
points(4, 1) = 10.5: points(4, 2) = 10.5
Related
My main goal is to create a named range that automatically resizes.
A common way to do this is to use the OFFSET formula in Excel and dynamically determine the height and/or width parameter values using CountA. I would like to do this using VBA. For simplicity purposes, I took a step back and focused just on getting OFFSET to run and return a range. I have the following code:
Public Function testfn()
Dim r As Range
On Error Resume Next
Set r = WorksheetFunction.Offset(Worksheets("MAIN").Range("H85"), 0, 0, 1, 2)
Debug.Print Err.Number
End Function
The output in the console is 438. I'm not really sure what's causing it because I have specified the starting reference explicitly and the rest of the values are hard-coded integers.
Can you please point out what exactly is causing the error? Could it be that it's not actually possible to call this function using VBA?
To mimic =OFFSET(rng, offR, offC, sizeR, sizeC) you can use either or both of:
rng.Offset(offR, offC)
and
rng.Resize(sizeR, sizeC)
or combined:
rng.Offset(offR, offC).Resize(sizeR, sizeC)
Since you're not actually offsetting here, you only need:
Set r = Worksheets("MAIN").Range("H85").Resize(1, 2)
This should work:
Set r = Worksheets("MAIN").Range("H85").Resize(1, 2)
Error 438 stands for: Object doesn't support this property or method.
(It might be worth to comment out the On Error Resume Next when you are debugging in order to have this information.)
This means that the method Offset is not supported by the object WorksheetFunction. This can be a little surprising since it does not appear on the list of functions that are not available in VBA according to Microsoft (See list).
However, it is indeed not available since it's not part of the methods listed here:
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/office/ff822194(v=office.14).aspx (Office 2010)
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/vba/excel-vba/articles/worksheetfunction-object-excel (Office 365)
Alternatives:
As already suggested by Tim Williams, using the Resize method of the Range Object is the easiest way to do what you are trying to do, but if you prefer to use the Offset method, you could use:
Dim r As Range, s As Range
Set s = Worksheets("MAIN").Range("H85")
Set r = Range(s, s.Offset(0, 1))
or alternatively, you can use the Evaluate function like this:
Set r = Application.Evaluate("Offset('MAIN'!H5, 0, 0, 1, 2)")
But this one would be a little bit slower.
How do I return a value from a VBA Function variable to a Defined Name in Excel 2010?
In the example below, I want i to be returned to Excel as a Defined Name Value_Count that can be reused in other formulas, such that if MsgBox shows 7, then typing =Value_Count in a cell would also return 7.
Everything else below is about what I've tried, and why I'd like to do it. If it's inadvisable, I'd be happy to know why, and if there's a better method.
Function process_control_F(raw_data As Variant)
Dim i As Integer
i = 0
For Each cell In raw_data
i = i + 1
Next cell
MsgBox i
End Function
My goal is to have the value returned by the MsgBox be returned instead to a Defined Name that can be reused in other forumulas. However, I cannot get the value to show. I have tried a variety of forms (too numerous to recall, let alone type here) similar to
Names.Add Name:="Value_Count", RefersTo:=i
I am trying to accomplish this without returning a ton of extra info to cells, just to recall it, hence the desire to return straight to a Defined Name.
I'm using a Function rather than Sub to streamline my use, but if that's the problem, I can definitely change types.
I am creating a version of a Statistical Control Chart. My desired end result is to capture a data range (generally about 336 values) and apply a series of control rules to them (via VBA), then return any values that fall outside of the control parameters to Defined Names that can then be charted or otherwise manipulated.
I've seen (and have versions of) spreadsheets that accomplish this with digital acres of helper columns leading to a chart and summary statistics. I'm trying to accomplish it mostly in the background of VBA, to be called via Defined Names to Charts — I just can't get the values from VBA to the Charts.
The interest in using a Function rather than a Sub was to streamline access to it. I'd rather not design a user interface (or use one), if I can just keystroke the function into a cell and access the results directly. However, as pointed out by Jean-François Corbett, this is quickly turning into a circuitous route to my goal. However, I still think it is worthwhile, because in the long-term I have a lot of iterations of this analysis to perform, so some setup time is worth it for future time savings.
With minor changes to your function, you can use its return value to accomplish what you want:
Function process_control_F(raw_data As Variant) As Integer ' <~~ explicit return type
Dim i As Integer
Dim cell As Variant ' <~~~~ declare variable "cell"
i = 0
For Each cell In raw_data
i = i + 1
Next cell
process_control_F = i ' <~~~~ returns the value i
End Function
You can then use that function in formulas. For example:
I'm an occasional VBA programmer, for fun (not my job).
I have a series of VBA modules in MS Excel 2010. Can't figure out what I did wrong. This routine worked, then I changed some things and it stopped working. One of the things I did was split the code from a single function to two functions in two modules. I think it worked for a while after I split it into two, but now I can't remember if that is true since I've tried so many things to make it work again. Luckily, I saved the older version with all of the code in a single function, and it still works. It returns a large array to the spreadsheet.
Fundamentally, I have a worksheet that calls a function. That function calls another function. Using the Debug - Toggle Breakpoints in combination with some MsgBox calls, I have figured out that the first function runs down to the point that it calls the second function. Then the second function runs down to the "End Function" command. At that point, the name at the top of the worksheet flickers a few times...and nothing. While debugging, the program does not seem to return to the first function. The array that is supposed to be populated in the first function is filled with #Value.
I read several places where VBA can be corrupted, so shutting everything down and rebooting can fix it. It didn't. Then I read that if you copy/paste everything into a new worksheet, with new modules (yes, a LOT of copy/pasting), that can clean it up. It didn't.
I also read of an issue where dimensioning arrays had problems when the dimensions were input variables to the function. So I initialized the variables used to set the array dimensions, even though they were input variables to the function. Maybe that's a problem?
The code is really long, so I've only included the call to the second function, the declarations of variables in the second function, and a few other things. Maybe I screwed up some syntax when I passed variables?
The first function:
Option Explicit 'forces all variables to be explicitly declared
Function InputOutputDVL(InData As Variant)
'---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dim g, p, ng, np, ns, ID, count As Integer
Dim ngmax, npmax, nsmax, namax, nxmax, nymax As Integer
Dim row As Integer
Dim panelmax As Integer
Dim TLstyle As Integer
Dim Group(), Part(), Section(), Airfoil() As Variant
Dim ABP(), TV() As Double
ngmax = 20
npmax = 100
nsmax = 1000
namax = 10
ReDim Group(1 To ngmax, 1 To 4)
ReDim Part(1 To npmax, 1 To 6)
ReDim Section(1 To nsmax, 1 To 17)
ReDim Airfoil(0 To 100, 0 To 2 * namax + 1)
'missing code here
MsgBox ng & " " & np 'This msgbox works correctly and give the right value for np
ABP = Section2VL(nxmax, nymax, ns, panelmax, Group, Part, Section, Airfoil)
MsgBox "Completed Section2VL" 'The code never gets to this msgbox
InputOutputDVL = ABP 'I've tried setting this to = 1234 assuming there was a problem with
'ABP, but the cells on the spreadsheet are still #Value
End Function
The second function:
Option Explicit 'forces all variables to be explicitly declared
Function Section2VL(nxmax, nymax, ns, panelmax, Group, Part, Section, Airfoil)
Dim i, j, k, l, c1, c2 As Integer
Dim g, p, s, ng, np, chord, span, panel, ID, count As Integer
Dim NX, NY As Integer
Dim station, panelID, panelIDref As Integer
Dim pi, Xstyle, Ystyle As Double
Dim angle, dist As Double
Dim sx(), sy() As Double
Dim Scoord(), ABP() As Double
ns = 6
nxmax = 12
nymax = 12
panelmax = 300
ReDim sx(0 To nxmax), sy(0 To nymax)
ReDim Scoord(1 To ns, 0 To nxmax, 1 To 3), ABP(1 To panelmax, 1 To 32)
MsgBox ABP(panelmax, 5) 'This call works, and provides the proper value in the msgbox
'return ABP vector
Section2VL = ABP
'I've also tried just returning an integer thinking there was something wrong with the
'ABP array, like 987, but that doesn't work either
End Function 'This is where it stops when debugging. Doesn't return to first function
Thanks in advance. I've blown two long evenings and can't figure it out.
You issue is incompatable types between InputOutputDVL.ABP, Section2VL.ABP and Section2VL itself
Try declaring all thses () As Double
ie.
In InputOutputDVL
Dim ABP() As Double
In Section2VL
Dim ABP() As Double
And
Function Section2VL(...) As Double()
Note on Type declarations
When you declare variables like this
Dim i, j, k, l, c1, c2 As Integer
all except the last one are infact declared as Variant's
You need to specify each variables type explicitly.
Also, don't use Integer unless you have a specific reason. Use Long instead.
Thanks Chris! You definitely led me in the right direction. I also used these two websites:
http://www.cpearson.com/excel/passingandreturningarrays.htm
http://www.cpearson.com/excel/vbaarrays.htm
Incomplete/incompatible variable declarations were the source of my problem.
First, I had forgotten that VBA requires "as Integer" or "as Double" after EACH variable, not just at the end of the line. So many of variables were VARIANTS instead of integers, doubles, etc. Thanks again Chris!
Second, and more specific, I only had to make one of Chris' changes noted above, and that was to properly declare ABP() as Double in the first calling function. ABP() was already properly called Double in the second function, and I did NOT declare the Function Section2VL as Double(). With the original code:
Dim ABP(), TV() as Double
This indicated that ABP was a VARIANT ARRAY. The later call to ABP = Section2VL() was then trying to stuff a VARIANT into a VARIANT ARRAY, and THAT was the problem. I'm still disappointed that the compiler didn't somehow say it had incompatible data types or some other error. This also explains where the problem came from. The code was previously working as two functions in two modules. As I was making some other changes, I noticed that I hadn't declared ABP as an Array, so I added the "()". I made other changes, and it stopped working. I focused on the other changes, not the seemingly minor "correction" of adding the () marks. What was really happening was that in the original code a combination of mistakes had resulted in a correctly working code! Imagine that!
So the code worked with ABP as a variant, or ABP() as a double array, but NOT with ABP() as a variant array.
Of course, the correct answer here is what Chris suggested, and that is correctly and explicitly declaring all of the variables. An interesting note is that a VARIANT (not VARIANT ARRAY) can essentially "accept" being assigned any incoming value, including a DOUBLE ARRAY.
So in my final code, I've left both Functions as VARIANTs, but I've now specifically declared them as VARIANT to make it clear. In the second function, ABP is properly declared as a dynamic DOUBLE ARRAY, and later given the proper dimensions to allocate memory space. In the first function, ABP could either be a VARIANT or a DOUBLE ARRAY, and either would work, but since I always want it to be a DOUBLE ARRAY, I've specified it as such.
Option Explicit 'forces all variables to be explicitly declared
Function InputOutputDVL(InData As Variant) as Variant
'---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dim ABP() as Double, TV() As Double 'This ABP was a variant array - which was incompatible
'code removed here
ABP = Section2VL(nxmax, nymax, ns, panelmax, Group, Part, Section, Airfoil)
InputOutputDVL = ABP
End Function
And the second, called function:
Option Explicit 'forces all variables to be explicitly declared
Function Section2VL(nxmax as integer, nymax as integer... ) as Variant
Dim Scoord(), ABP() As Double 'This was already correctly declaring ABP as Double Array, but
'now I realize Scoord was incorrectly a Variant Array, but it
'wasn't actually causing a problem with my code.
'I fixed this in my own code, but left here as example of what
'not to do!
ReDim ABP(1 To panelmax, 1 To 32)
'Code removed here
'return ABP vector
Section2VL = ABP
End Function
first time questioner here. Thanks in advance for any help you can give.
I'm trying to read a bunch of data from a spreadsheet, chop it up, then throw it into a database. I would rather not do things this way, but it's a basic reality of dealing with accountant-types. Thankfully these spreadsheet reports are very consistent. Anyway, I'm using LINQ for SQL to handle the object-to-reference stuff and I'm using Microsoft.Office.Interop to get my Excel on.
I read through a directory full of .xls and for each one, I'm opening the file, getting a couple of specific data from some specific cells, and then getting a range of cells to pick out values.
Private Sub ProcessAFile(ByVal f As FileInfo)
thisFile = openApp.Workbooks.Open(f.fullName)
thisMonth = Split(thisChart.Range("D6").Value, "-").Last.Trim
thisFY = thisChart.Range("L7").Value
thisWorkArea = thisChart.Range("A14", "L51").Value2
openApp.Workbooks.Close()
...
thisWorkArea was Dimmed as a global:
Dim thisWorkArea As Object(,)
I'm getting both strings and ints in my range between A14 and L51, so making it an Object array makes sense here. I don't want to go through each row and pick out ranges in Excel, I want to just read it once and then close it.
So I'm getting the following exception:
System.IndexOutOfRangeException was unhandled
Message=Index was outside the bounds of the array.
in this function:
Private Sub fillCurrMonth()
Dim theseRows As Integer() = {0, 2, 3, 5}
For Each i In theseRows
Dim thisMonth As New Month
'make sure category is in Database
thisMonth.Dept = thisDeptName
thisMonth.FY = thisFY
thisMonth.Category = thisWorkArea(i, 0)
...
"Month" above refers to a LINQ entity. It's nothing fancy.
That last line there is where I'm catching the exception. In my watch, I find that thisWorkArea has a length of 456 and (0,0) -> "Inpatient"{String}
So why am I getting this exception? I put this in your expert hands. I'm still rather new to vb.net, so maybe I'm just missing something fundamental.
Excel uses 1-based indicies. This stems from it using VB as it's in-app programming language which traditionally used 1-based indicies.
You'll find Excel returned an array defined as thisWorkArea(1 To 11, 1 To 37) As Object
'Fix excel's 1 based index
Dim oData(UBound(xData) - 1, UBound(xData, 2) - 1) As Object
For i As Integer = 1 To UBound(xData)
For ii As Integer = 1 To UBound(xData, 2)
oData(i - 1, ii - 1) = xData(i, ii)
Next
Next
Dim A As Collection
Set A = New Collection
Dim Arr2(15, 5)
Arr2(1,1) = 0
' ...
A.Add (Arr2)
How can I access the Arr2 through A? For example, I want to do the following:
A.Item(1) (1,1) = 15
so the above would change the first element of the first two-dimensional array inside the collection...
Hmmm...the syntax looks legal enough without having VBA in front of me. Am I right that your problem is that your code "compiles" and executes without raising an error, but that the array in the collection never changes? If so, I think that's because your A.Item(1) might be returning a copy of the array you stored in the collection. You then access and modify the chosen element just fine, but it's not having the effect you want because it's the wrong array instance.
In general VBA Collections work best when storing objects. Then they'll work like you want because they store references. They're fine for storing values, but I think they always copy them, even "big" ones like array variants, which means you can't mutate the contents of a stored array.
Consider this answer just a speculation until someone who knows the underlying COM stuff better weighs in. Um...paging Joel Spolsky?
EDIT: After trying this out in Excel VBA, I think I'm right. Putting an array variant in a collection makes a copy, and so does getting one out. So there doesn't appear to be a direct way to code up what you have actually asked for.
It looks like what you actually want is a 3-D array, but the fact that you were tyring to use a collection for the first dimension implies that you want to be able to change it's size in that dimension. VBA will only let you change the size of the last dimension of an array (see "redim preserve" in the help). You can put your 2-D arrays inside a 1-D array that you can change the size of, though:
ReDim a(5)
Dim b(2, 2)
a(2) = b
a(2)(1, 1) = 42
ReDim Preserve a(6)
Note that a is declared with ReDim, not Dim in this case.
Finally, it's quite possible that some other approach to whatever it is you're trying to do would be better. Growable, mutable 3-D arrays are complex and error-prone, to say the least.
#jtolle is correct. If you run the code below and inspect the values (Quick Watch is Shift-F9) of Arr2 and x you will see that they are different:
Dim A As Collection
Set A = New Collection
Dim Arr2(15, 5)
Arr2(1, 1) = 99
' ...
A.Add (Arr2) ' adds a copy of Arr2 to teh collection
Arr2(1, 1) = 11 ' this alters the value in Arr2, but not the copy in the collection
Dim x As Variant
x = A.Item(1)
x(1, 1) = 15 ' this does not alter Arr2
Maybe VBA makes a copy of the array when it assigns it to the collection? VB.net does not do this. After this code, a(3,3) is 20 in vba and 5 in vb.net.
Dim c As New Collection
Dim a(10, 10) As Integer
a(3, 3) = 20
c.Add(a)
c(1)(3, 3) = 5
I recently had this exact issue. I got round it by populating an array with the item array in question, making the change to this array, deleting the item array from the collection and then adding the changed array to the collection. Not pretty but it worked....and I can't find another way.
If you want the collection to have a copy of the array, and not a reference to the array, then use the array.clone method:-
Dim myCollection As New Collection
Dim myDates() as Date
Dim i As Integer
Do
i = 0
Array.Resize(myDates, 0)
Do
Array.Resize(myDates, i + 1)
myDates(i) = Now
...
i += 1
Loop
myCollection.Add(myDates.Clone)
Loop
At the end, myCollection will contain the accumulative collection of myDates().