I have many uses of the INDIRECT function in my workbook, and it is causing performance issues. I need to replace them with something that will give me the same results. All the INDIRECTS recalculate anytime anything is changed, causing the workbook to lag.
I was wondering if there is a way to code INDIRECT in VBA without actually using the INDIRECT function, and take away the volatility of the function in the code.
=INDIRECT("'" & $AC$9 & "'!" & AC26)
This is an example. I need to remove INDIRECT but get the same results for this cell. Is there a way to accomplish this in VBA?
You can try this.
Place the following routines in a standard code module:
Public Function INDIRECTVBA(ref_text As String)
INDIRECTVBA = Range(ref_text)
End Function
Public Sub FullCalc()
Application.CalculateFull
End Sub
Replace the INDIRECT functions in your formulas with INDIRECTVBA.
These will be static. If the slowness of your workbook is because your INDIRECTs are constantly evaluating, then this will put an end to that.
IMPORTANT: all cells that contain a formula using INDIRECTVBA will be static. Each formula will calculate when you confirm it, but it will not recalculate when precedents change.
You will then need a way to force them to recalculate at a convenient time. You can do that from the Ribbon. Or, you can run FullCalc.
Was going to add this as a comment, but my thought process got too long.
What is the context of the problem you are trying to solve?
I am guessing you are using some kind of data validation drop-down menu in $AC$9 to select a sheet name and then all your INDIRECT formulas are providing a mirror image of a particular section of the user-specified worksheet.
If that is the case then you might consider using INDEX as an alternative. It is written as =INDEX(Range, RowNum, ColNum) E.g. if you put this in H20: =INDEX(Sheet1!A:Z,ROW()+10,COLUMN()-5) then it would reflect whatever is in sheet 1, cell C30 (H - 5 columns, 20 + 10 rows). Of course, you don't have to offset anything if you don't want to, I just wanted to demonstrate that as an option.
Now, the trickier part would still remain - assigning/updating the SheetName variable. This could be done with a UserForm instead of typing in a value in a particular input cell. For example, you could have VBA provide an input box/dropdown menu for the user to select one of the available sheet names, then take that input and use it in a quick find and replace instruction - searching for "=INDEX(*!" and replacing with "=INDEX(" & InputVariable & "!"
I've made a few assumptions about your dataset and what you're trying to achieve, so it might not be the ideal solution, but perhaps something to think about.
The solution to volatility with the Indirect function (typical in multi-version cross platform use and partitioning to run Windows on Mac) can be absorbed by splitting its various functions with a pseudonym for Indirect I have named "Implied":
Public Function Implied(Varient)
' CREDIT: Stephen L. Rush
On Error Resume Next
If IsError(Range(Varient)) Then
If IsError(Find(Varient, "&")) Then
'Not Range, is Indirect. "A" & Match() Style (where Match() = row).
Implied = WorksheetFunction.Indirect(Varient)
Else
'Not a Range, not Indirect. "A" & B99 Reference (where B99 = row).
Implied = Range(Left(Varient, Find(Varient, "&") - 1) & Range(Right(Varient, Len(Varient) - Find(Varient, "&"))))
End If
Else
'Is pure Range
Implied = Range(Varient)
End If
'[On Error GoTo 0] Conflicts with use as formula
End Function
Related
First, I would like to apologize for my bad language, I hope you'll understand my problem.
I looked after a way to get generic function in Excel and I found the add-in method. So I tried to use it in developping custom functions whitch may help me in my everyday work. I developed a first function which work. So I thought that my add-in programmation and installation was good. But when I try to implement worksheet interractions nothing appened.
My code has to delete rows identified by a special code in a cell of those ones. I get no error message and the code seems to be totally executed. I tried other methods like Cells.delete, Cells.select, worksheet.activate or range.delete but I encounter the same issue.
This is my function's code :
Public Function NotBin1Cleaning(rSCell As Range) As Integer
Dim sht As Worksheet
Dim aLine As New ArrayList
Dim iLine As Integer
Dim iCpt As Integer
Dim iFail As Integer
Dim i As Integer
Dim oRange As Object
Set sht = rSCell.Parent
iLine = sht.Cells.Find("*PID*").Row
For Each rCell In Range(sht.Cells(iLine, 1), sht.Cells(sht.Cells(iLine, 1).End(xlDown).Row, 1))
If sht.Cells(rCell.Row, 2) > 1 Then
iLine = rCell.Row
iCpt = iLine + 1
Do Until sht.Cells(iCpt, 2) = 1
If Not sht.Cells(iCpt, 1) = rCell Then Exit Do
iCpt = iCpt + 1
Loop
If sht.Cells(iCpt, 1) = rCell Then
sht.Range(sht.Cells(iLine, 1), sht.Cells(iCpt - 1, sht.Cells(iCpt, 1).End(xlToRight).Column)).Delete xlUp
iFail = iFail + 1
End If
End If
Next
NotBin1Cleaning = iFail
End Function
it's the line:
sht.Range(sht.Cells(iLine, 1), sht.Cells(iCpt - 1, sht.Cells(iCpt, 1).End(xlToRight).Column)).Delete xlUp
which isn't producing any effect.
I would be really thankful for your help.
This issue is described on the Microsoft support site as part of the intentional design
section below, more detail here (emphasis mine)
A user-defined function called by a formula in a worksheet cell cannot change the environment of Microsoft Excel. This means that such
a function cannot do any of the following:
Insert, delete, or format cells on the spreadsheet.
Change another cell's value.
Move, rename, delete, or add sheets to a workbook.
Change any of the environment options, such as calculation mode or screen views.
Add names to a workbook.
Set properties or execute most methods.
The purpose of user-defined functions is to allow the user to create a
custom function that is not included in the functions that ship with
Microsoft Excel. The functions included in Microsoft Excel also cannot
change the environment. Functions can perform a calculation that
returns either a value or text to the cell that they are entered in.
Any environmental changes should be made through the use of a Visual
Basic subroutine.
Essentially, this means that what you're trying to do won't work in such a concise manner. The limitation, as I understand from further reading, is because Excel runs through cell equation/functions several times to determine dependencies. This would lead to your function being called two or more times. If you could delete rows, there is the potential of accidentally deleting more then twice the numbers of rows intended, due to the excess number of runs.
However, an alternative could be to have the function output a unique string result that shouldn't be found anywhere else in your workbook (maybe something like [#]><).
Then you can have a sub, ran manually, which finds all instances of that unique string, and deletes those rows. (Note: if you included any of the typical wildcard symbols in your string, you will have to precede them with a ~ to find them with the .Find method.) You can even set up the sub/macro with a shortcut key. Caution: if you duplicate a shortcut key Excel already uses, it will run the macro instead of the default. If there will be other users using this workbook, they could experience some unexpected results.
If you decide to go this route, I would recommend using this line:
Public Const dummy_str = "[#]><" ' whatever string you decided on.
in your module with your code. It goes outside any functions or subs, so it'll be global, and then you can refer to the const just as you would any other string variable.
When you write:
sht.Range(sht.Cells(iLine, 1),....
This first parameter should be the row number, but you're refering to a Cell instead. You should change sht.Cells(iLine, 1) for iLine.
BUT
Instead of all this, its easier to use the method Row.Delete:
Rows(iLine).EntireRow.Delete
I'm having some issues with an insheet function that I am writing in VBA for Excel. What I eventually am trying to achieve is an excel function which is called from within a cell on your worksheet, that outputs a range of data points underneath the cell from which it is called (like the excel function =BDP() of financial data provider Bloomberg). I cannot specify the output range beforehand because I don't know how many data points it is going to output.
The issue seems to be that excel does not allow you to edit cells on a sheet from within a function, apart from the cell from which the function is called.
I have created a simple program to isolate the problem, for the sake of this question.
The following function, when called from within an excel sheet via =test(10), should produce a list of integers from 1 to 10 underneath the cell from which it is called.
Function test(number As Integer)
For i = 1 To number
Application.Caller.Offset(i, 0) = i
Next i
End Function
The code is very simple, yet nothing happens on the worksheet from which this formula is called (except a #Value error sometimes). I have tried several other specifications of the code, like for instance:
Function test(number As Integer)
Dim tempRange As Range
Set tempRange = Worksheets("Sheet1").Range(Application.Caller.Address)
For i = 1 To number
tempRange.Offset(i, 0) = i
Next i
End Function
Strangely enough, in this last piece of code, the command "debug.print tempRange.address" does print out the address from which the function is called.
The problem seems to be updating values on the worksheet from within an insheet function. Could anybody please give some guidance as to whether it is possible to achieve this via a different method?
Thanks a lot, J
User defined functions are only allowed to alter the values of the cells they are entered into, because Excel's calculation method is built on that assumption.
Methods of bypassing this limitation usually involve scary things like caching the results and locations you want to change and then rewriting them in an after calculate event, whilst taking care of any possible circularity or infinite loops.
The simplest solution is to enter a multi-cell array formula into more cells than you will ever need.
But if you really need to do this I would recommend looking at Govert's Excel DNA which has some array resizer function.
Resizing Excel UDF results
Consider:
Public Function test(number As Integer)
Dim i As Long, ary()
ReDim ary(1 To number, 1 To 1)
For i = 1 To number
ary(i, 1) = i
Next i
test = ary
End Function
Select a block of cells (in this case from C1 through C10), and array enter:
=test(10)
Array formulas must be entered with Ctrl + Shift + Enter rather than just the Enter key.
I have the following function(which returns the last row number of any selected column)
Function LastrowCC(SelectedRange As Range)
Dim SelectedColumnNum As Long
SelectedColumnNum = SelectedRange.Column
LastrowCC = ActiveSheet.Cells(Rows.count, SelectedColumnNum).End(xlUp).Row
End Function
the problem is that when the last row of the selected column is deleted the function does not update automatically
can we make VBA custom functions update automatically when inputs change?
At risk of repeating the helpful comments and answers already posted, let me point out that there are several issues involved in your question, summed up nicely in the MSDN article "Excel Recalculation."
A more specific question, including the Excel version and the way calculation is handled on your worksheet, may help narrow things down a bit.
Let me sum up some things you may want to check out, all listed in the article above:
There are several ways a recalculation is triggered, including functions. Studying the way this happens may shed some insight. According to the article, "The calculation of worksheets in Excel can be viewed as a three-stage process:
Construction of a dependency tree,
Construction of a calculation chain,
Recalculation of cells."
Volatile functions are an option, but because of resource consumption should be used sparingly and wisely.
You may also explore Range.Dirty and Range.Calculate methods, which starting in Excel 2002 (that's farther back in the past than some of us realize!) allows "forced recalculation," to again quote the article above.
These are a few options and things to consider.
Make it Volatile :
Function LastrowCC(SelectedRange As Range) As Long
Application.Volatile
Dim SelectedColumnNum As Long
SelectedColumnNum = SelectedRange.Column
LastrowCC = ActiveSheet.Cells(Rows.Count, SelectedColumnNum).End(xlUp).Row
End Function
The key to making a function work within Excel's calculation tree and not be volatile is to include everything you need in the arguments to the function. That is, don't reference any ranges that are not included in the arguments to the function.
In your example, you can send it any single cell and it will return the last row of that same column. But you're looking outside of that single cell so Excel doesn't know that the whole column should be in the calculation tree.
In this rewrite, the function only accepts single, whole column arguments. If you send it less than a whole column, it returns an error. If you send it more than one column, it returns an error. But since the whole column is in the argument, any changes in the column trigger a recalc.
Public Function LastRowCc(ByVal SelectedRange As Range)
If SelectedRange.Address = SelectedRange.EntireColumn.Address And SelectedRange.Columns.Count = 1 Then
LastRowCc = SelectedRange.Find("*", SelectedRange.Cells(1), , , , xlPrevious).Row
Else
LastRowCc = CVErr(xlErrValue)
End If
End Function
I was trying to add conditional formats like this:
If expression =($G5<>"") then make set interior green, use this for $A$5:$H$25.
Tried this, worked fine, as expected, then tried to adapt this as VBA-Code with following code, which is working, but not as expected:
With ActiveSheet.UsedRange.Offset(1)
.FormatConditions.Delete
'set used row range to green interior color, if "Erledigt Datum" is not empty
With .FormatConditions.Add(Type:=xlExpression, _
Formula1:="=($" & cstrDefaultProgressColumn & _
.row & "<>"""")")
.Interior.ColorIndex = 4
End With
End With
The Problem is, .row is providing the right row while in debug, however my added conditional-formula seems to be one or more rows off - depending on my solution for setting the row. So I am ending up with a conditional formatting, which has an offset to the row, which should have been formatted.
In the dialog it is then =($G6<>"") or G3 or G100310 or something like this. But not my desired G5.
Setting the row has to be dynamicall, because this is used to setup conditional formats on different worksheets, which can have their data starting at different rows.
I was suspecting my With arrangement, but it did not fix this problem.
edit: To be more specific, this is NOT a UsedRange problem, having the same trouble with this:
Dim rngData As Range
Set rngData = ActiveSheet.Range("A:H") 'ActiveSheet.UsedRange.Offset(1)
rngData.FormatConditions.Delete
With rngData.FormatConditions.Add(Type:=xlExpression, _
Formula1:="=($" & cstrDefaultProgressColumn & _
1 & "<>"""")")
.Interior.ColorIndex = 4
End With
My Data looks like this:
1 -> empty cells
2 -> empty cells
3 -> empty cells
4 -> TitleCols -> A;B;C;...;H
5 -> Data to TitleCols
. .
. .
. .
25
When I execute this edited code on Excel 2007 and lookup the formula in the conditional dialog it is =($G1048571<>"") - it should be =($G1<>""), then everything works fine.
Whats even more strange - this is an edited version of a fine working code, which used to add conditional formats for each row. But then I realized, that it's possible to write an expression, which formats a whole row or parts of it - thought this would be adapted in a minute, and now this ^^
edit: Additional task informations
I use conditional formatting here, because this functions shall setup a table to react on user input. So, if properly setup and a user edits some cell in my conditionalized column of this tabel, the corresponding row will turn green for the used range of rows.
Now, because there might be rows before the main header-row and there might be a various number of data-columns, and also the targeted column may change, I do of course use some specific informations.
To keep them minimal, I do use NamedRanges to determine the correct offset and to determine the correct DefaultProgessColumn.
GetTitleRow is used to determine the header-row by NamedRange or header-contents.
With ActiveSheet.UsedRange.Offset(GetTitleRow(ActiveSheet.UsedRange) - _
ActiveSheet.UsedRange.Rows(1).row + 1)
Corrected my Formula1, because I found the construct before not well formed.
Formula1:="=(" & Cells(.row, _
Range(strMatchCol1).Column).Address(RowAbsolute:=False) & _
"<>"""")"
strMatchCol1 - is the name of a range.
Got it, lol. Set the ActiveCell before doing the grunt work...
ActiveSheet.Range("A1").Activate
Excel is pulling its automagic range adjusting which is throwing off the formula when the FromatCondition is added.
The reason that Conditional Formatting and Data Validation exhibit this strange behavior is because the formulas they use are outside the normal calculation chain. They have to be so that you can refer to the active cell in the formula. If you're in G1, you can't type =G1="" because you'll create a circular reference. But in CF or DV, you can type that formula. Those formulas are disassociated with the current cell unlike real formulas.
When you enter a CF formula, it's always relative to the active cell. If, in CF, you make a formula
=ISBLANK($G2)
and you're in A5, Excel converts it to
=ISBLANK(R[-3]C7)
and when that gets put into the CF, it ends up being relative to the cell it's applied to. So in row 2, the formula comes out to
=ISBLANK($G655536)
(for Excel 2003). It offsets -3 rows and that wraps to the bottom of the spreadsheet.
You can use Application.ConvertFormula to make the formula relative to some other cell. If I'm in row 5 and the start of my range is in row 2, I make the formula relative to row 8. That way the R[-3] will put the formula in A5 as $G5 (three rows up from A8).
Sub test()
Dim cstrDefaultProgressColumn As String
Dim sFormula As String
cstrDefaultProgressColumn = "$G"
With ActiveSheet.UsedRange.Offset(1)
.FormatConditions.Delete
'set used row range to green interior color, if "Erledigt Datum" is not empty
'Build formula
sFormula = "=ISBLANK(" & cstrDefaultProgressColumn & .Row & ")"
'convert to r1c1
sFormula = Application.ConvertFormula(sFormula, xlA1, xlR1C1)
'convert to a1 and make relative
sFormula = Application.ConvertFormula(sFormula, xlR1C1, xlA1, , ActiveCell.Offset(ActiveCell.Row - .Cells(1).Row))
With .FormatConditions.Add(Type:=xlExpression, _
Formula1:=sFormula)
.Interior.ColorIndex = 4
End With
End With
End Sub
I only offset .Cells(1) row-wise because the column is absolute in this example. If both row and column are relative in your CF formula, you need more offsetting. Also, this only works if the active cell is below the first cell in your range. To make it more general purpose, you would have to determine where the activecell is relative to the range and offset appropriately. If the offset put you above row 1, you would need to code it so that it referred to a cell nearer the bottom of the total number of rows for your version of Excel.
If you thought selecting was a bit of a kludge, I'm sure you'll agree that this is worse. Even though I abhor unnecessary Selecting and Activating, Conditional Formatting and Data Validation are two places where it's a necessary evil.
A brief example:
Sub Format_Range()
Dim oRange As Range
Dim iRange_Rows As Integer
Dim iCnt As Integer
'First, create a named range manually in Excel (eg. "FORMAT_RANGE")
'In your case that would be range "$A$5:$H$25".
'You only need to do this once,
'through VBA you can afterwards dynamically adapt size + location at any time.
'If you don't feel comfortable with that, you can create headers
'and look for the headers dynamically in the sheet to retrieve
'their position dynamically too.
'Setting this range makes it independent
'from which sheet in the workbook is active
'No unnecessary .Activate is needed and certainly no hard coded "A1" cell.
'(which makes it more potentially subject to bugs later on)
Set oRange = ThisWorkbook.Names("FORMAT_RANGE").RefersToRange
iRange_Rows = oRange.Rows.Count
For iCnt = 1 To iRange_Rows
If oRange(iCnt, 1) <> oRange(iCnt, 2) Then
oRange(iCnt, 2).Interior.ColorIndex = 4
End If
Next iCnt
End Sub
Regarding my comments given on the other reply:
If you have to do this for many rows, it is definitely faster to load the the entire range into memory (an array) and check the conditions within the array, after which you do the writing on those cells that need to be written (formatted).
I could agree that this technique is not "necessary" in this case - however it is good practise because it is flexible for many (any type of) customizations afterwards and easier to debug (using the immediate / locals / watches window).
I'm not a fan of Offset although I don't state it doesn't work as it should and in some limited scenarios I could say that the chance for problems "could" be small: I experienced that some business users tend to use it constantly (here offset +3, there offset -3, then again -2, etc...); although it is easy to write, I can tell you it is hell to revise. It is also very often subject to bugs when changes are made by end users.
I am very much "for" the use of headers (although I'm also a fan of reducing database capabilities for Excel, because for many it results in avoiding Access), because it will allow you very much flexibility. Even when I used columns 1 and 2; better is it to retrieve the column nr dynamically based on the location of the named range of the header. If then another column is inserted, no bugs will appear.
Last but not least, it may sound exaggerated, but the last time, I used a class module with properties and functions to perform all retrievals of potential data within each sheet dynamically, perform checks on all bugs I could think of and some additional functions to execute specific tasks.
So if you need many types of data from a specific sheet, you can instantiate that class and have all the data at your disposal, accessible through defined functions. I haven't noticed anyone doing it so far, but it gives you few trouble despite a little bit more work (you can use the same principles again over and over).
Now I don't think that this is what you need; but there may come a day that you need to make large tools for end users who don't know how it works but will complain a lot about things because of something they might have done themselves (even when it's not your "fault"); it's good to keep this in mind.
I'm trying to use the error function and the complimentary error function in my program. Neither are working. I keep getting the error Compile Error: Sub or Function not defined. However, if I go into a cell and manually try to use the error function, it works.
Why is that? How can I use it in my actual code?
The error function is ERF(x) and the complimentary error function is ERFC(x).
Here's an example of things that don't work:
Sub SeriouslyWHYIsntThisWorking()
x = 3
Range("A1") = Erf(x)
End Sub
Even this doesn't work:
Sub PleaseWork()
Range("A1") = Erfc(1)
End Sub
But if I went into Excel and typed =ERF(3) or =ERFC(1) into a cell, it'll work.
I'm very new to this and probably missing something incredibly simple. Help would be greatly appreciated!
Do you have the Analysis Toolpak for VBA add-in installed/referenced? (Look for atpvbaen.xls)
The ERF function is part of that add-in, and there are two versions of it (one for use in Excel functions, and one for VBA), and you'll need the right one set up and referenced by your project to be usable.
The add-ins are standard from MSFT, but not always set up by default. If you can use it in Excel normally, then you've already set up at least the Excel version. So using it all like it looks like you want to do will require the add-in, regardless of how you implement/use that function. Meaning, if you want to share this with anyone else, they will need the add-in installed/activated.
To link together this answer with the others provided (which are equally accurate and correct), either setting a cell value with
Range("A1").value = Application.WorksheetFunction.ERF(x)
or setting a cell formula with
Range("A1").Formula = "=Erfc(" + x + ")"
will require the end-user using the add-in.
To use a worksheet formula in vba, you need to put Application.WorksheetFunction. in front of it.
Some functions do have vba equivalents, but (as far as I know) not in the case of erf and erfc
Try this:
Sub ThisShouldWorkNow()
x = 3
formula = "=Erfc(" + x + ")"
Range("A1").Formula = formula
End Sub
Totally untested, since I don't have Excel on my Linux machine... But I think I'm getting the point across -- you need to use the .Formula property of the Range object.
There's more information here:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/office/gg192736.aspx