Select a column by letter from activeCell (without activeCell.EntireColumn) - vba

Question

First and foremost, the below works as expected. I'm trying to make the macro mimic one we have in word. Our word macro will select the entire column simply to display which column is currently being processed (the selection object is not used for any actual processing).
In excel, when I attempt to select the column (activecell.entirecolumn.select) if there is a merged cell it will show multiple columns. I need it only to select the letter column (pretty much the same as clicking the letter at the top) of the active cell. I'm hoping for a method that wont require me to parse the address of the cell if possible (I feel like string parsing is sloppy).
Sub setwidths()
Dim rangeName As String
Dim selectedRange As range
Dim tempRange As range
Dim x As Integer
'If only 1 cell is selected, attempt to find the correct named range
If Selection.Cells.Count = 1 Then
rangeName = Lib.getNamedRange(Selection) 'Built in function from my lib (works I promise)
If rangeName <> "" Then
Application.Goto reference:=rangeName
End If
End If
Set selectedRange = Selection
'Go column by column asking for the width
'Made to mimic a word MACRO's behavior and moving backwards served a point in word
For x = selectedRange.Columns.Count To 1 Step -1
Set tempRange = selectedRange.Columns(x)
tempRange.Cells(tempRange.Cells.Count, 1).Select
'This is where the code should go to select the column
tempRange.ColumnWidth = InputBox("This columns?")
Next
End Sub
Is there anyway to select a column by letter (range("A:A").select for instance) from within an active cell?
Edit:
Record MACRO shows that columns("A:A").select is used when clicking the letter at the top; however, entering that same line into the immediate window will select all columns that merged cells are merged across same as with range("A:A").select and activecell.selectcolumn
Sub NSTableAdjust()
Dim rangeName As String
Dim selectedRange As range
Dim tempRange As range
Dim cellsColor() As Long
Dim cellsPattern() As XlPattern
Dim cellsTaS() As Long
Dim cellsPTaS() As Long
Dim result As String
Dim abort As Boolean
Dim x As Integer
Dim y As Integer
'Delete the block between these comments and run macro on 10x10 grid in excel to test
If Selection.Cells.Count = 1 Then
rangeName = Lib.getNamedRange(Selection)
If rangeName <> "" Then
Application.Goto reference:=rangeName
End If
End If
'Delete the block between these comments and run macro on 10x10 grid in excel to test
Set selectedRange = Selection
ReDim cellsArr(1 To selectedRange.Rows.Count)
ReDim cellsColor(1 To UBound(cellsArr))
ReDim cellsPattern(1 To UBound(cellsArr))
ReDim cellsTaS(1 To UBound(cellsArr))
ReDim cellsPTaS(1 To UBound(cellsArr))
abort = False
For x = selectedRange.Columns.Count To 1 Step -1
Set tempRange = selectedRange.Columns(x)
tempRange.Cells(tempRange.Cells.Count, 1).Select
For y = 1 To UBound(cellsColor)
With tempRange.Cells(y, 1).Interior
cellsColor(y) = .Color
cellsPattern(y) = .Pattern
cellsTaS(y) = .TintAndShade
cellsPTaS(y) = .PatternTintAndShade
.Color = 14136213
End With
Next
result = InputBox("This Column?")
If IsNumeric(result) Then
tempRange.ColumnWidth = result
Else
abort = True
End If
For y = 1 To UBound(cellsColor)
With tempRange.Cells(y, 1).Interior
.Color = cellsColor(y)
.Pattern = cellsPattern(y)
.TintAndShade = cellsTaS(y)
.PatternTintAndShade = cellsPTaS(y)
End With
Next
If abort Then
Exit Sub
End If
Next
End Sub
My current solution to simply shade the cells and then restore their original shading after processing the column.

Answer 1

After an obviously lengthy discussion in the comments on the post. It appears the answer to my question is simply "Not Possible."
The solution I settled on in an attempt to get as close to the "Look" I was searching for is below:
For x = selectedRange.Columns.Count To 1 Step -1
Set tempRange = selectedRange.Columns(x) 'Range of the column
'Our standards dictate the last cell in the range will not be merged
With tempRange.Cells(tempRange.Cells.Count, 1)
.Select 'Selecting here will for excel to make sure the range is in view
'Very simple/basic conditional formatting rule
Set fCondition = .EntireColumn.FormatConditions. _
Add(Type:=xlExpression, Formula1:="=True")
fCondition.Interior.Color = 15123099
'Make sure it is the highest priority rule
fCondition.Priority = 1
End With
'Get user input
result = InputBox("This Column?")
'Delete rule
fCondition.Delete
'Validate user input
If IsNumeric(result) Then
tempRange.ColumnWidth = result
Else
abort = True
End If
If abort Then
Exit Sub
End If
Next