Inserting, searching, copying, pasting across 2 spreadsheets in Excel - vba

Question

I thought I'd be able to figure this out based off an analysis of similar code we had written for something else, but code isn't my forte.
Diving into VBA without guidance has proved to be too daunting for me to proceed.
Forgive my terminology if I use the wrong language, I'm happy to learn and be corrected.
This shouldn't be difficult for someone that knows what they're doing, I just don't at all.
I'm trying to create a macro enabled workbook that does the following:
Open "Data.csv" from a folder called "Data" in the same directory as the macro. We'll call this workbook A - wbA.
Insert a column on wbA after Column C titled "Group Image Name." This Column D is where we want data to end up.
Open "Groups.csv" from a folder called "Groups" in the same directory as the macro. We'll call this workbook B - wkB.
(This next part needs to be a loop that starts at C1 on wbA and proceeds down the column until the end of the spreadsheet)
Copy value from selected cell in Column C on wbA
Search Column C on wbB for copied value. When found, move selection over to corresponding cell in Column A. (If C2, then A2)
Copy contents of the column A value from wbB to column D cell on wbA that corresponds to the original starting point on wbA.
Basically in plain language: Search for Column C contents from wbA on Column C of wbB. When found, move to Column A of same cell # on wbB, copy contents, and paste into cell # of Column D on wbA that corresponds to cell # of starting point from Column C.
I hope that's clear; please feel free to ask for more details if necessary. Thanks for anyone's help in advance!
Here is my terrible code I'm working with at the moment:
Sub OpenDataAddGroupImageTitleColumn()
ChDir "C:\[RealCodeHasCorrectFilepath..]\Desktop\TEST"
Workbooks.Open Filename:="C:\[RealCodeHasCorrectFilepath..]\Desktop\TEST\DATA.csv"
Columns("D:D").Select
Selection.Insert Shift:=xlToRight, CopyOrigin:=xlFormatFromLeftOrAbove
Cells.Select
Cells.EntireColumn.AutoFit
Range("D1").Select
ActiveCell.FormulaR1C1 = "Group Image Title"
Range("C2").Select
'Variables for storing Row, Column Location, and Value here
Dim GROUPNAME As String
Dim RowLocationX As Long
Dim ColumnLocationZ As Integer
GROUPNAME = ActiveCell.Value
RowLocationX = ActiveCell.Row
ColumnLocationZ = ActiveCell.Column
Workbooks.Open Filename:="C:\[RealCodeHasCorrectFilepath..]\Desktop\GROUPS.csv"
Columns("C:C").Select
Selection.Find(What:="GROUPNAME", After:=ActiveCell, LookIn:=xlFormulas, LookAt _
:=xlPart, SearchOrder:=xlByRows, SearchDirection:=xlNext, MatchCase:= _
False, SearchFormat:=False).Activate
End Sub
The current snag I can't figure out after much googling is this: Is it possible to search for my variable GROUPNAME using the Find/Replace feature? Or should I be taking a different approach using something involving copying to clipboard?

Answer 1

The first problems that I see are:
1) You don't put functions in the middle of sub routines. If you want a function, you put it on its own as such:
Sub MySub()
'Do Stuff
x = myFunction()
debug.print x
End Sub
Function MyFunction() As String
'Do Stuff
MyFunction = "Test"
End Function
2) The code you have provided won't compile for reason 1 and also because you have ended the Sub with "End Function" instead of End Sub. Try running the code and you will get error messages. Then you can research the error message and try to fix it. Further, if you don't get error messages, you can step through the code to make sure it is working the way you intend it to.
3) The very first line isn't going to work. You need to use the ENTIRE path of the file, even if it is in the same folder as the file you currently have open. There are ways to get the directory of the file you currently have open (google will surely show you many of them), and you could just append the filename to the directory of the file you have open.
4) You want a loop, but you haven't put in any looping structions. Google "Excel VBA loop through cells" and you can find many examples to use.
5) I think the biggest issue that you are having is that you are overwhelmed because you are trying to do everything all at once. I would suggest solving one problem at a time and then putting the code together. For instance, you want to open two files. Start by writing code just to open one file. Then try to get a value out of the file into the open workbook. Then open another file. Then get data out of that file. Then test looping through cells in the current workbook and checking for desired criteria and pasting the results if they match. Then combine all of these things into coherent code.
Nobody writes efficient code the first time they try, so even if you end up with really long code that isn't efficient, you'll learn a lot and have something. Even experienced programmers can get stuck or write code that doesn't work the first or even tenth time. If you get stuck, ask a specific question about a specific error message or specific issue that you can't resolve.