Copying a variable contained in cell into another cell - vba

I have this text in cell A2:
2018 / Erbe / France / Beflubu, zolin, Benflu, sate, furon, Bensu /
Show only: VARIABLE / Value ($ m): 169.46
I am trying to copy only the value of VARIABLE into cell D2.
Everything in this cell can vary, the only fixed things are "Show Only:", "Value ($):", all the / characters, and . (in the number part of the value)
I am trying to do it in VBA.

Try the code below, explanations inside the code's comments:
Option Explicit
Sub ExtractAfterShowOnly()
Dim WordsArr() As String
Dim i As Long
Dim MatchString As String
' use Split to read each section between "/" as arra element
WordsArr = Split(Range("A2").Value2, " / ")
' loop through array
For i = 1 To UBound(WordsArr)
' if there's a match, get the text inside and exit the loop
If WordsArr(i) Like "*Show only:*" Then
MatchString = WordsArr(i)
Exit For
End If
Next i
' Use Mid function to show the string after "Show only:"
MsgBox Mid(MatchString, Len("Show only:") + 1)
End Sub

Related

VBA Public Variable Not Working - MS Word - Counting Characters in a Table

The main VBA procedure counts characters in table cells in a Word document. Since it can count characters different ways:
Count the "Objective" text for the selected table
Count the "Accomplishment" text for the selected table
Count both the Obj and Acc texts in each table (loop), for all tables (another loop)
I created calling procedures for each option above that calls the main procedure. This way I pass variables from the calling Sub to the main Sub. These variables (1) tell the main Sub whether I want to count what is in row 3 (objective) or in row 5 (accomplishment) or both, and (2) feed the If/then lines in the main Sub to make sure the right row is counted. At the time, it seemed elegant, in hindsight - not so much.
Word template below:
There will be text in O1 and the VBA will count it (characters, spaces + paragraphs) and output it in C1, and the C1 fill changes red or green if over/under the character limit. The same for A1 and C2 and so on for any number of following tables.
PROBLEM DESCRIPTION
The VBA was working for the actions above when I had the row/columns hard coded into various places in the code. If rows/columns were ever added/deleted from the tables, they would have to updated in multiple spots. It would be simpler if the row/column numbers were in one place and referred back to as variables, so I changed the row/col #s to public variables. Then the problem began.
In the code, I track (debug.print) what becomes of oRow (output row) & chcct (character count col) and both are 0 as the main Sub runs, despite both being initialized as 3 in the public Sub Row_Col_Num() below.
My public variables are at the top of the module before the first Sub() and denoted as Public. Sub Row_Col_Num() which contains the variable assignments is also Public. All Subs are in the same standard module.
Option Explicit
Public oRow As Integer 'row with "Objectives" text
Public aRow As Integer 'row with "Accomplishments" text
Public cOnA As Integer 'column that both obj and accmp text are in
Public cChCt As Integer 'column that the char count is output to
Public Sub Row_Col_Num()
oRow = 3
aRow = 5
cOnA = 1
cChCt = 3
Debug.Print "cchct pub sub: " & cChCt
End Sub
ATTEMPTS TO FIX PROBLEM & RESULTS
I used the variable normally and left it Public as well as the Sub that assigns the variables (oRow =3) values.
Sub TableCharCount_Obj()
'Run character count for the "Objectives" in the SELECTED table
Debug.Print "orow = " & oRow
Call TableCharCount(oRow, oRow) 'provide it 2x to make IF and FOR loop
End Sub
I tried putting the Sub() name in front of the variable when it is used, e.g. Row_Col_Num.orow, in the Sub above.
Call TableCharCount(Row_Col_Num.oRow, Row_Col_Num.oRow)
I tried the module name in front of the variable as well, e.g. Module1.orow.
Call TableCharCount(Module1.oRow, Module1.oRow)
RESULTS
#1 & #3 resulted in the macro counting the wrong row and outputting to the wrong cell.
#2 resulted in error "Expected Function or variable" at line: Call TableCharCount(Row_Col_Num.oRow, Row_Col_Num.oRow)
All 3 cases orow and cchct both continued to be 0 throughout the run.
QUESTIONS / SOLUTIONS
a) Can a Public variable (oRow) be used as an argument passed from calling Sub to called Sub as ByVal a As Integer?
b) Does Public Sub Row_Col_Num(), which assigns values to the public variables, have to be explicitly run or called to populate the variables in the other Subs w/ the correct values?
c) Should I call Public Sub Row_Col_Num() in every calling Sub before calling the main Sub?
Sub TableCharCount_Obj()
Call Public Sub Row_Col_Num() '<<< add this call
Call TableCharCount(oRow, oRow) 'provide it 2x to make IF and FOR loop
End Sub
This option seems like a bad design.
If it's not obvious, there was some mission creep as I added more capability For now, if I could get the public variables to work, it would be done. Appreciate any suggestion to get these variables to work. For the purposes of this question, I only left the code for the variable Sub, the first calling Sub and the main Sub. VBA below:
'#0 -- This creates variables for column and row number used in all the macros. Only need to change row/col number here if row/col are added/deleted
Option Explicit
Public oRow As Integer 'row with "Objectives" text
Public aRow As Integer 'row with "Accomplishments" text
Public cOnA As Integer 'column that both obj and accmp text are in
Public cChCt As Integer 'column that the char count is output to
'This assigns row/column numbers to the variables
Public Sub Row_Col_Num()
oRow = 3
aRow = 5
cOnA = 1
cChCt = 3
Debug.Print "cchct pub sub: " & cChCt End Sub
'#2
Sub TableCharCount_Obj() 'Run character count for the "Objectives" in the SELECTED table
Debug.Print "orow = " & oRow
Call TableCharCount(oRow, oRow) 'provide it 2x to make IF and FOR loop
End Sub
'other calling procedures removed
'#5
Option Explicit
Sub TableCharCount(ByVal a As Integer, ByVal b As Integer)
'Counts total characters in a cell w/in a table and outputs the number to a different cell, and colors the cell red or green if over/under the maximum number of characters.
Dim charCount, charWSCount, paraCount, charTot As Double
Dim iRng, oRng, txtRng As Word.Range
Dim i, max, s, t, x As Integer
Dim tcount, tbl As Integer
Dim DocT As Table 'for active doc tables
Debug.Print "cchct1= " & cChCt 'Debug.Print vbCr & "-----START-------" & vbCr Application.ScreenUpdating = False
If a <> b Then
tcount = ActiveDocument.Tables.Count
tbl = 1 'used in FOR loop, start w/ table #1
s = b - a '"STEP" used in FOR loop = # of rows between objectives text and accomplishments text Else
On Error GoTo ErrMsg 'handles expected user error of not selecting a table to execute on
tbl = ActiveDocument.Range(0, Selection.Tables(1).Range.End).Tables.Count 'ID the table that is selected
tcount = tbl 'prevents FOR loop from trying to run again
s = 1 '"STEP" used in FOR loop = # of rows between objectives text and accomplishments text / do not set to zero = infinite loop End If
'Debug.Print "# of Tables: " & tcount
For t = tbl To tcount 'loops thru the tables
Set DocT = ActiveDocument.Tables(t)
For x = a To b Step s 'loops thru the applicable row(s) in the table
'Debug.Print "x # start = " & x
'Debug.Print "table " & t
iRng = DocT.Cell(x, cOnA)
iRng.Select
'Count used in output
Selection.MoveLeft wdCharacter, 1, wdExtend 'computerstats requires the text itself selected, characters.count can use the whole cell selected
charWSCount = Selection.Range.ComputeStatistics(Statistic:=wdStatisticCharactersWithSpaces) 'counts bullets & space after bullet / not line breaks (paragraphs)
'Debug.Print "Comp statchar# " & charWSCount
'---------
paraCount = Selection.Range.ComputeStatistics(Statistic:=wdStatisticParagraphs)
'Debug.Print "#paras = " & paraCount
'----------
charTot = charWSCount + paraCount
'Output to table cell
i = x - 1 'output cell is 1 row above cell that is counted
Set oRng = DocT.Cell(i, cChCt).Range 'Char count ouput row,column
Debug.Print "cchct2= " & cChCt
oRng.Text = charTot
Set txtRng = DocT.Cell(i, cChCt - 1).Range '"# Char:" location row,column
txtRng.Text = "# Char:"
'Maximum # of char allowed in a cell. Used to change cell fill red or green.
max = 2000 '"Accomplishment" row (row 5) has a max of 2000
If i = 2 Then max = 1500 '"Objective" row (row 3) has a max of 1500
'Change color of cell to indicate over/under max # of characters
If charCount < max Then
oRng.Shading.BackgroundPatternColor = wdColorBrightGreen
Else: oRng.Shading.BackgroundPatternColor = wdColorRed
End If
'Debug.Print "x # end = " & x
'Debug.Print "--------Next x--------------"
Next x
'Debug.Print "------Next Table------"
Next t
ActiveDocument.Tables(tbl).Select 'attempt to move to top of 1st table if using CharCount_AllTab() or just to the top of the selected table for the other macros
Selection.GoTo What:=wdGoToBookmark, Name:="\Page" Selection.StartOf
Application.ScreenUpdating = True
Exit Sub
ErrMsg: Msgbox "Select a table by placing the cursor anywhere in the table. Press OK and try the macro again numnuts!", _
vbOKOnly, "Table not selected"
End Sub

Custom Function Entering the Result Array into a Different Cell

I have created my own function to determine count the values in between to given values in increments of 30 as seen here
Function InBetween(First As Integer, Last As Integer)
Dim i As Long, F As String, a() As String
F = First
For i = First + 30 To Last Step 30
F = F & "|" & i
Next i
InBetween = F
End Function
When I use this function, I currently have it returning the result array in the cell the formula was entered into in the format of "1|2|3|4". Is there a way I can get this array to populate into the cell below the one containing the formula?
Note: I don't want the formula in the cell as I need to refer to the cell in a future equation that will use the result and not the equation.
This was surprisingly difficult. At first I tried calling a sub from the function to affect the cell below using application.caller but this always returned a #value error. It seems a UDF can't run anything that affects the worksheet.
Eventually I came up with this:
Create a worksheet change event by pasting this into the worksheet object in vb:
Private Sub Worksheet_SelectionChange(ByVal Target As Range)
On Error Resume Next
If Left(Target.Offset(-1, 0).Formula, 10) = "=InBetween" Then Call DoX(Target.Offset(-1, 0), InBetween(10, 60))
On Error GoTo 0
End Sub
Then paste this into a module
Sub DoX(r As Range, val As String)
Sheets(r.Parent.Name).Cells(r.Row, r.Column) = ""
Sheets(r.Parent.Name).Cells(r.Row + 1, r.Column) = val
End Sub
Then use your function as normal, but remember to hit return after you enter it so the active cell is the cell below where you entered the formula.

Knowing the assigned name of a cell instead of the "A1" name

Context:
I have several lists in my sheet (1 column wide, 1-10 rows long). When I right click a cell in these lists, I can do several options, that all work well. I have given a name to the cell at the top of each of these lists (ex. Cell A1 has been given the name cell_1, B10 is names cell_2, etc).
I would like to know if the cell I am right clicking on is the one at the top of the list; is it named "cell_(number)"? If it is not, it checks the cell on top of that one. Does it have a name that starts with "cell_"? If not, check the one on top, etc. Until I can figure out the user clicked on an element of WHICH list.
TL;DR The actual question
I can use ActiveCell.Address, which gives me something like "A1" whether or not I have assigned a name to that cell. ActiveCell.Name gives "Sheet1!A1", so it's not much better. Any idea how to get it to return the name I have assigned instead?
Create a UDF to test the application names, it's less efficient but contains error handling within the function itself:
Sub SO()
'// Example how to call function
Debug.Print GetCellName(Range("A1"))
End Sub
Function GetCellName(myCell As Excel.Range) As Variant
Dim nameCheck As Variant
For Each nameCheck In Application.Names
If Replace(Replace(Replace(nameCheck, "=", ""), "'", ""), "!", "") = _
CStr(myCell.Parent.Name & myCell.Address) Then
GetCellName = CStr(nameCheck.Name)
Exit Function
End If
Next
GetCellName = CVErr(Excel.xlErrName)
End Function
Note you can also use this function in a worksheet cell like so:
=GetCellName(A1)
Perhaps this would work. This function returns the names assigned to a cell (or bigger range for that matter). If there's more than one name, it returns it as an array for array formula...or the user can supply an index to return only the desired name position
Public Function CellIsInRangeNames(sheetname As String, checkRange As Range, Optional itemNumber As Variant) As Variant
Dim oNM As Name
Dim oSht As Worksheet
Dim isect As Range
Dim namesCollection() As Variant
Set oSht = Worksheets(sheetname)
Dim i As Integer
i = -1
For Each oNM In oSht.Names
Set isect = Application.Intersect(Range(oNM.Name), checkRange)
If Not isect Is Nothing Then
i = i + 1
ReDim Preserve namesCollection(0 To i)
namesCollection(i) = CStr(oNM.Name)
End If
Next oNM
If i = -1 Then
'didn't find any
CellIsInRangeNames = xlErrName
ElseIf Not IsMissing(itemNumber) Then
'user wanted this instance only
If (itemNumber - 1 > UBound(namesCollection)) Or (itemNumber - 1 < LBound(namesCollection)) Then
CellIsInRangeNames = xlErrValue
Else
CellIsInRangeNames = namesCollection(itemNumber - 1)
End If
Else 'here's the list as an array
CellIsInRangeNames = namesCollection
End If
End Function

Convert VBA Macro to Function

I have been trying to create a function to retrieve column titles found in row four in an excel sheet. This is what I have so far, can anybody help me please?
Sub Test_Click()
Dim text As String
Dim titles(200) As String
Dim nTitles As Integer
For i = 1 To 199
If Trim(Sheets("Sheet1").Cells(4, i).Value) = "" Then
nTitles = i - 1
Exit For
End If
titles(i - 1) = Sheets("Sheet1").Cells(4, i).Value
Next
For i = 0 To nTitles
Sheets("Sheet1").Cells(20 + i, 1).Value = titles(i)
Next
End Sub
You need to make an array function for this. So your function will take in inputs through a range
Function ReturnArray(Input as Range) as Variant
' Do stuff with the Input range
Dim Output(m,n) as Variant
'Loop through m,n to fill in the output values as you would in a range
ReturnArray = Output
End Function
And when you put in the function in excel, type it in the cell after highlighting where you want the output and press Ctrl-Shift-Return
Just as you write a Sub you can write a Function, just substitute the words at the beginning and at the end of your code.
Now, about how to return the values, obviously it will be an array, so you'll need to declare the array, set its size, fill its cells and return it. This can be done like this:
Function yourFunction() as String()
' You already have an array named "titles" which stores the values you want
' to return. Fill it exactly as you do in your original code.
yourFunction = titles ' This is the way to return the array.
End Function
If you want to use this function in a worksheet (as a formula), remember that this is an array-function, so you'll need to press Ctrl+Shitf+Enter after you enter the function in the cell instead of just [Enter].

How to normalize filenames listed in a range

I have a list of filenames in a spreadsheet in the form of "Smith, J. 010112.pdf". However, they're in the varying formats of "010112.pdf", "01.01.12.pdf", and "1.01.2012.pdf". How could I change these to one format of "010112.pdf"?
Personally I hate using VBA where worksheet functions will work, so I've worked out a way to do this with worksheet functions. Although you could cram this all into one cell, I've broken it out into a lot of independent steps in separate columns so you can see how it's working, step by step.
For simplicity I'm assuming your file name is in A1
B1 =LEN(A1)
determine the length of the filename
C1 =SUBSTITUTE(A1," ","")
replace spaces with nothing
D1 =LEN(C1)
see how long the string is if you replace spaces with nothing
E1 =B1-D1
determine how many spaces there are
F1 =SUBSTITUTE(A1," ",CHAR(8),E1)
replace the last space with a special character that can't occur in a file name
G1 =SEARCH(CHAR(8), F1)
find the special character. Now we know where the last space is
H1 =LEFT(A1,G1-1)
peel off everything before the last space
I1 =MID(A1,G1+1,255)
peel off everything after the last space
J1 =FIND(".",I1)
find the first dot
K1 =FIND(".",I1,J1+1)
find the second dot
L1 =FIND(".",I1,K1+1)
find the third dot
M1 =MID(I1,1,J1-1)
find the first number
N1 =MID(I1,J1+1,K1-J1-1)
find the second number
O1 =MID(I1,K1+1,L1-K1-1)
find the third number
P1 =TEXT(M1,"00")
pad the first number
Q1 =TEXT(N1,"00")
pad the second number
R1 =TEXT(O1,"00")
pad the third number
S1 =IF(ISERR(K1),M1,P1&Q1&R1)
put the numbers together
T1 =H1&" "&S1&".pdf"
put it all together
It's kind of a mess because Excel hasn't added a single new string manipulation function in over 20 years, so things that should be easy (like "find last space") require severe trickery.
Here's a screenshot of a simple four-step method based on Excel commands and formulas, as suggested in a comment to the answered post (with a few changes)...
This function below works. I've assumed that the date is in ddmmyy format, but adjust as appropriate if it's mmddyy -- I can't tell from your example.
Function FormatThis(str As String) As String
Dim strDate As String
Dim iDateStart As Long
Dim iDateEnd As Long
Dim temp As Variant
' Pick out the date part
iDateStart = GetFirstNumPosition(str, False)
iDateEnd = GetFirstNumPosition(str, True)
strDate = Mid(str, iDateStart, iDateEnd - iDateStart + 1)
If InStr(strDate, ".") <> 0 Then
' Deal with the dot delimiters in the date
temp = Split(strDate, ".")
strDate = Format(DateSerial( _
CInt(temp(2)), CInt(temp(1)), CInt(temp(0))), "ddmmyy")
Else
' No dot delimiters... assume date is already formatted as ddmmyy
' Do nothing
End If
' Piece it together
FormatThis = Left(str, iDateStart - 1) _
& strDate & Right(str, Len(str) - iDateEnd)
End Function
This uses the following helper function:
Function GetFirstNumPosition(str As String, startFromRight As Boolean) As Long
Dim i As Long
Dim startIndex As Long
Dim endIndex As Long
Dim indexStep As Integer
If startFromRight Then
startIndex = Len(str)
endIndex = 1
indexStep = -1
Else
startIndex = 1
endIndex = Len(str)
indexStep = 1
End If
For i = startIndex To endIndex Step indexStep
If Mid(str, i, 1) Like "[0-9]" Then
GetFirstNumPosition = i
Exit For
End If
Next i
End Function
To test:
Sub tester()
MsgBox FormatThis("Smith, J. 01.03.12.pdf")
MsgBox FormatThis("Smith, J. 010312.pdf")
MsgBox FormatThis("Smith, J. 1.03.12.pdf")
MsgBox FormatThis("Smith, J. 1.3.12.pdf")
End Sub
They all return "Smith, J. 010312.pdf".
You don't need VBA. Start by replacing the "."s with nothing:
=SUBSTITUTE(A1,".","")
This will change the ".PDF" to "PDF", so let's put that back:
=SUBSTITUTE(SUBSTITUTE(A1,".",""),"pdf",".pdf")
Got awk? Get the data into a text file, and
awk -F'.' '{ if(/[0-9]+\.[0-9]+\.[0-9]+/) printf("%s., %02d%02d%02d.pdf\n", $1, $2, $3, length($4) > 2 ? substr($4,3,2) : $4); else print $0; }' your_text_file
Assuming the data are exactly as what you described, e.g.,
Smith, J. 010112.pdf
Mit, H. 01.02.12.pdf
Excel, M. 8.1.1989.pdf
Lec, X. 06.28.2012.pdf
DISCLAIMER:
As #Jean-FrançoisCorbett has mentioned, this does not work for "Smith, J. 1.01.12.pdf". Instead of reworking this completely, I'd recommend his solution!
Option Explicit
Function ExtractNumerals(Original As String) As String
'Pass everything up to and including ".pdf", then concatenate the result of this function with ".pdf".
'This will not return the ".pdf" if passed, which is generally not my ideal solution, but it's a simpler form that still should get the job done.
'If you have varying extensions, then look at the code of the test sub as a guide for how to compensate for the truncation this function creates.
Dim i As Integer
Dim bFoundFirstNum As Boolean
For i = 1 To Len(Original)
If IsNumeric(Mid(Original, i, 1)) Then
bFoundFirstNum = True
ExtractNumerals = ExtractNumerals & Mid(Original, i, 1)
ElseIf Not bFoundFirstNum Then
ExtractNumerals = ExtractNumerals & Mid(Original, i, 1)
End If
Next i
End Function
I used this as a testcase, which does not correctly cover all your examples:
Sub test()
MsgBox ExtractNumerals("Smith, J. 010112.pdf") & ".pdf"
End Sub