Check sheet names to avoid duplicates - vba

Question

I am working on a macro, a part of which takes input from the user asking what he/she would like to rename the sheet. It works fine, but I run into a runtime error if the name provided by the user is already being used by a different sheet. I understand why the error occurs but am not sure as to how I could warn the user and handle the error.
My code is as follows:-
'Change sheet name
Dim sheetname As String
sheetname = InputBox(Prompt:="Enter Model Code (eg 2SV)", _
Title:="Model Code", Default:="Model Code here")
wsCopyTo.Name = sheetname

Answer 1

There are two ways to handle this.
First, trap the error, check if there was an error, and advise, then put the error trapping back to what it was
Dim sheetname As String
sheetname = InputBox(Prompt:="Enter Model Code (eg 2SV)", _
Title:="Model Code", Default:="Model Code here")
On Error Resume next
Err.Clear 'ensure previously unhandled errors do not give a false positive on err.number
wsCopyTo.Name = sheetname
If Err.Number = ?? then 'go back and ask for another name
On Error Goto 0
Second, check all the current sheet names, and see if there is a match
Dim sheetname As String
Dim sh 'as Sheet
sheetname = InputBox(Prompt:="Enter Model Code (eg 2SV)", _
Title:="Model Code", Default:="Model Code here")
for each sh in ActiveWorkbook.Sheets
If lower(sh.name)=lower(sheetname) then
'Goback and ask for another name
Next
wsCopyTo.Name = sheetname

Answer 2

Start by looping through the ones you have and compare their names with the one the user gave. If it matches, write a message saying that's used already. Exit the sub afterwards.
For i = 1 To ActiveWorkbook.Worksheets.Count
If Worksheets(i).Name = sheetname then
msgbox "This name is already in use!"
exit sub
End if
Next

Answer 3

I just wrote a post about using Excel's native Rename Sheet dialog to do this. That way you get error-checking for duplicates, illegal characters and names that are too long. Here's a routine that adds a sheet and calls the dialog. If the user doesn't rename it, then the new sheet is deleted:
Sub PromptForNewSheetWithName()
Dim DefaultSheetName As String
ActiveWorkbook.Worksheets.Add
DefaultSheetName = ActiveSheet.Name
Application.Dialogs(xlDialogWorkbookName).Show
If ActiveSheet.Name = DefaultSheetName Then
MsgBox "You didn't name the new sheet." & vbCrLf & _
"Processing cancelled", vbExclamation
Application.DisplayAlerts = False
ActiveSheet.Delete
Application.DisplayAlerts = True
End If
End Sub
The whole post is at: http://yoursumbuddy.com/prompt-to-name-new-sheet/

Answer 4

The simplest way is to create a Worksheet variable and Set it to what user has input (you might want to Trim() as well to remove leading and trailing spaces).
If it's Nothing then name is safe to use. If Not Is Nothing then it already exists.
Dim oWS As Worksheet
On Error Resume Next
Set oWS = ThisWorkbook.Worksheets(sheetname)
If oWS Is Nothing Then
' Safe to use the name
Debug.Print """" & sheetname & """ is save to use."
Err.Clear
wsCopyTo.Name = sheetname
If Err.Number <> 0 Then
MsgBox "Cannot use """ & sheetname & """ as worksheet name."
Err.Clear
End If
Else
Debug.Print """" & sheetname & """ exists already! Cannot use."
' worksheet with same name already!
' handle it here
End If
Set oWS = Nothing
On Error GoTo 0
You could also put it into a loop until a unused sheetname is found.