Excel Macro: Setting a variable for a workbooks location? - vba

Question

I need to write a macro script that will copy data from one xml workbook and paste the values to another workbook. I've written the below macro that works fine, but i need to run this every week for several different documents so it means i have to replace the document name for each run.
Here's what i have so far:
Sub copying()
''''''Section 1''''''
Workbooks("Results_2561").Activate 'workbook i'm copying from
Range("B27:B41").Select
Selection.Copy
Workbooks("Overall_Results").Activate 'workbook i'm pasting to
Range("G2").PasteSpecial
''''''Section 2''''''
Workbooks("Results_2561").Activate
Range("C27:C41").Select
Selection.Copy
Workbooks("Overall_Results").Activate
Range("C2").PasteSpecial
''''''Section 3''''''
Workbooks("Results_2561").Activate
Range("I28:I40").Select
Selection.Copy
Workbooks("Overall_Results").Activate
Range("G17").PasteSpecial
''''''Section 4''''''
Workbooks("Results_2561").Activate
Range("J28:J40").Select
Selection.Copy
Workbooks("Overall_Results").Activate
Range("C17").PasteSpecial
End Sub
...
and that's only half the script. Is there a way i can declare a variable at the start and set it as the Workbooks file path so i can call that instead of typing and retyping it over and over again?
Preferably without using something like
Dim book1 as Workbook
Set book1 = Workbooks.Open("C://Results_2561.xlsm")
..as this keeps opening and closing the document when i run the script.
Thanks

Answer 1

since you're only interested in copying values you could use this helper Sub
Sub CopyValues(rngToCopyFrom As Range, rngToCopyTo As Range)
With rngToCopyFrom
rngToCopyTo.Resize(.Rows.COUNT, .Columns.COUNT).Value = .Value
End With
End Sub
to be exploited in your main code like follows:
Sub main()
Dim wsTo As Worksheet
Set wsTo = Workbooks("Overall_Results").ActiveSheet '<--| set the worksheet to paste values to
With Workbooks("Results_2561").ActiveSheet '<--| reference the worksheet to copy values from
CopyValues .Range("B27:B41"), wsTo.Range("G2")
CopyValues .Range("C27:C41"), wsTo.Range("C2")
CopyValues .Range("I28:I40"), wsTo.Range("G17")
CopyValues .Range("J28:J40"), wsTo.Range("C17")
End With
End Sub
should your relevant workbooks have more than one sheet, then just substitute
ActiveSheet
with
Worksheets("myRelevantShetName") '<--|change "myRelevantShetName" to the actual name of the relevant worksheet in each workbook

Answer 2

First of all, you don't have to Activate workbook every time when you want to copy/paste something. Just declare it in Range() property, for example:
''''''Section 1''''''
Workbooks("Results_2561").Sheets(1).Range("B27:B41").Copy
Workbooks("Overall_Results").Sheets(1).Range("G2").PasteSpecial
You can set Workbook as variable like:
Sub copying()
Dim wb1 As Workbook, wb2 As Workbook
Set wb1 = Workbooks("Results_2561")
Set wb2 = Workbooks("Overall_Results")
''''''Section 1''''''
wb1.Sheets(1).Range("B27:B41").Copy
wb2.Sheets(1).Range("G2").PasteSpecial
End Sub
Finally, as #A.S.H suggested, you can add a file dialog where you point which files you want to use. I have put it in some function (don't forget to put it in the same project as your copying macro):
Function strPath() As String
Dim intResult As Integer
Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogFilePicker).Title = "Select file"
intResult = Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogFilePicker).Show
If intResult <> 0 Then
strPath = Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogFilePicker).SelectedItems(1)
End If
End Function
So your final code for Section 1 would look like:
Sub copying()
Dim wb1 As Workbook, wb2 As Workbook
MsgBox "Show file to copy form."
Set wb1 = Workbooks.Open(strPath())
MsgBox "Show file to paste in."
Set wb2 = Workbooks.Open(strPath())
''''''Section 1''''''
wb1.Sheets(1).Range("B27:B41").Copy
wb2.Sheets(1).Range("G2").PasteSpecial
End Sub