VBA Error 1004 in function - vba

Question

I'm trying to write a function which returns the value of a specific cell located on the same column as the one I give in argument, (lig= row number, col=column number), but everytime I run it, I get an error '1004", here's my code:
Function week(lig As Integer, col As Integer) As Integer
Dim i As Integer
i = 0
Do Until Cells(lig - i, 1) = "Row labels"
i = i + 1
Loop
week = Cells(lig - i, col)
End Function
The line in which the error appears is :
Do Until Cells(lig - i, 1) = "Row labels"
I know that I test the values of cells containing integers before getting to this one, I suspeect a type error, but I can't fix it.
Could anyone please help ?

Answer 1

The error isn't a type error. The problem is that you are trying to access a cell that doesn't exist. Your loop evidently fails to reach a cell that holds the value "Row labels" and eventually tries to access Cells(0,1) -- which triggers error 1004. As to why this is happening -- you haven't provided enough details to say.

Answer 2

I suspect that the value in the cell is actually "Row Labels" or "ROW LABELS" or Row labels " or something else that doesn't actually match exactly. Try this:
Do Until Trim(Ucase(Cells(lig - i, 1))) = "ROW LABELS"
Or if you simply want to stop at row one use this:
Do Until lig - i = 1

Answer 3

i=0 will cause an error as the cells(0,1) does not exist in the sheet. You may also want an exit clause for if your logic is never found as you will get an error when you hit the end of the sheet. if you pass this lig =1 you will also get an error (as lig - i (1-1) would result in 0)so you may also want to handle that scenario
Function week(lig As Integer, col As Integer) As Integer
Dim i As Integer
i = 1'Changed to 1
Do Until Cells(lig - i, 1) = "Row labels"
i = i + 1
if i > 1000000 then exit do 'Exit clause
Loop
if i < 1000000 then
week = Cells(lig - i, col)
else
week = 0'Handle 0's in calling code
end if
End Function

Answer 4

You might like to consider re-writing as follows, which I think is clearer.
Function week(lig As Integer, col As Integer) As Integer
Dim i As Integer
' Thsi function will return 0 if no row with the text is found
week = 0
For i = lig To 1 Step -1
If Cells(i, 1) = "Row labels" Then
week = Cells(i, col)
Exit For
End If
Next i
End Function
' EVEN BETTER USE THIS (or similar)!
Function week(MyCell As Range) As Integer
Dim i As Integer
week = 0
For i = MyCell.Row To 1 Step -1
If MyCell.Parent.Cells(i, 1) = "Row labels" Then
week = MyCell.Parent.Cells(i, MyCell.Column)
Exit For
End If
' Note
' MyCell.Parent. returns the sheet containing the cell
' Just using Cells(i, 1) (wihtout preceeding with "MyCell.Parent." will pick up
' cells on the currently active sheet, which may not be the sheet with the cell!
'
Next i
End Function