How to pass range variables between subroutines in Excel VBA - vba

Question

I'm trying to pass a range to a subroutine, but its throwing up a "Method 'Range' of object '_Global' failed" error.
In the main I declare and define the range variable I want to use:
Sub maintest()
Dim ScheduledSort As Range
Set ScheduledSort = Range("F4:F321")
Call test(ScheduledSort)
End Sub
Then in the subroutine test I want it to sort using the range I passed it from the routine above:
Sub test(RangeForSort)
Sheets("SheetTest").Select
' Sort in descending order
ActiveWorkbook.Worksheets("SheetTest").AutoFilter.Sort.SortFields.Add _
Key:=Range("RangeForSort"), SortOn:=xlSortOnValues, Order:=xlDescending, _
DataOption:=xlSortTextAsNumbers
With ActiveWorkbook.Worksheets("SheetTest").AutoFilter.Sort
.Header = xlYes
.MatchCase = False
.Orientation = xlTopToBottom
.SortMethod = xlPinYin
.Apply
End With
End Sub
I think its going wrong at the Key:=Range("RangeForSort") but I can't work out why and how to fix it.
What is it I'm doing wrong with the Range and how do I fix it such that I can pass it any Range to sort on?
And if you have a better suggestion for what I'm trying to do, feel free to add! :-)

Answer 1

Shorter version would look like this:
Sub test(rng As Range)
' Sort in descending order
Worksheets(rng.Parent.Name).AutoFilter.Sort.SortFields.Add _
Key:=rng, SortOn:=xlSortOnValues, Order:=xlDescending, _
DataOption:=xlSortTextAsNumbers
With Worksheets(rng.Parent.Name).AutoFilter.Sort
.Header = xlYes
.MatchCase = False
.Orientation = xlTopToBottom
.SortMethod = xlPinYin
.Apply
End With
End Sub
To run:
Call test(Worksheets("YOUR WORKSHEET NAME").Range("YOUR RANGE")).

Answer 2

If you pass a Range object to the sub, you are passing an object that is already associated with some worksheet. The sub selects a potentially different worksheet and then has trouble handling the passed range.
If you want to pass a specific block of cells to a sub that needs to change worksheets, then pass a String variable instead.
UNTESTED
Sub maintest()
Dim ScheduledSort As String
ScheduledSort = "F4:F321"
Call test(ScheduledSort)
End Sub
Sub test(RangeForSort As String)
Sheets("SheetTest").Select
ActiveWorkbook.Worksheets("SheetTest").AutoFilter.Sort.SortFields.Add _
Key:=Range(RangeForSort), SortOn:=xlSortOnValues, Order:=xlDescending, _
DataOption:=xlSortTextAsNumbers
With ActiveWorkbook.Worksheets("SheetTest").AutoFilter.Sort
.Header = xlYes
.MatchCase = False
.Orientation = xlTopToBottom
.SortMethod = xlPinYin
.Apply
End With
End Sub

Answer 3

I set this up and now I can pass the "ActiveCell/Range" whatever and call the function throughout my project if needed.
Public colLetter As Variant
Sub Test()
Dim rng As Range
Set rng = ActiveWorkbook.ActiveSheet.Range("A1:A1")
Call GetColLet(rng)
End Sub
Public Sub GetColLet(var As Range)
colLetter = Split(var.Address, "$")(1)
MsgBox colLetter
End Sub