Read a value from a cell without opening the Workbook [duplicate] - vba

Question

I found this bit of code and thought it might be good to use if I just need to pull one value from a closed sheet.
strInfoCell = "'" & strPath & "[" & strFile & "]Sheet1'!R3C3"
myvalue = ExecuteExcel4Macro(strInfoCell)
When I run this code I get a value for strinfocell of
'C:\Users\my.name\Desktop[QOS DGL stuff.xlsx]Sheet1'!R3C3
But when I run the code a dialogue pops up, showing desktop files with "QOS DGL suff" showing.
What's causing this, why is it not just pulling back the data as expected?
I know the path and file name are right, because if I copy them from the debug output and paste them in to start>>run then the correct sheet opens.
I know that Sheet1 (named: ACL), does have a value in cells(3,3)

Answer 1

It depends on how you use it. The open file dialog box is being showed to you because the "strPath" doesn't have a "" in the end ;)
Try this code.
Option Explicit
Sub Sample()
Dim wbPath As String, wbName As String
Dim wsName As String, cellRef As String
Dim Ret As String
'wbPath = "C:\Documents and Settings\Siddharth Rout\Desktop\"
wbPath = "C:\Users\my.name\Desktop\"
wbName = "QOS DGL stuff.xls"
wsName = "ACL"
cellRef = "C3"
Ret = "'" & wbPath & "[" & wbName & "]" & _
wsName & "'!" & Range(cellRef).Address(True, True, -4150)
MsgBox ExecuteExcel4Macro(Ret)
End Sub

Answer 2

Similar application, but no hard coded paths as in the examples above. This function copies the value from another closed workbook, similar to the =INDIRECT() function, but not as sophisticated. This only returns the value...not a reference..so it cannot be used with further functions which require references (i.e.: VLOOKUP()). Paste this code into a new VBA module:
'Requires filename, sheetname as first argument and cell reference as second argument
'Usage: type in an excel cell -> =getvalue(A1,B1)
'Example of A1 -> C:\TEMP\[FILE1.XLS]SHEET1'
'Example of B1 -> B3
'This will fetch contents of cell (B3) located in (sheet1) of (c:\temp\file1.xls)
'Create a module and paste the code into the module (e.g. Module1, Module2)
Public xlapp As Object
Public Function getvalue(ByVal filename As String, ref As String) As Variant
' Retrieves a value from a closed workbook
Dim arg As String
Dim path As String
Dim file As String
filename = Trim(filename)
path = Mid(filename, 1, InStrRev(filename, "\"))
file = Mid(filename, InStr(1, filename, "[") + 1, InStr(1, filename, "]") - InStr(1, filename, "[") - 1)
If Dir(path & file) = "" Then
getvalue = "File Not Found"
Exit Function
End If
If xlapp Is Nothing Then
'Object must be created only once and not at each function call
Set xlapp = CreateObject("Excel.application")
End If
' Create the argument
arg = "'" & filename & "'!" & Range(ref).Range("A1").Address(, , xlR1C1)
'Execute an XLM macro
getvalue = xlapp.ExecuteExcel4Macro(arg)
End Function

Answer 3

Code above
strInfoCell = "'" & strPath & "[" & strFile & "]Sheet1'!R3C3"
myvalue = ExecuteExcel4Macro(strInfoCell)
Should read
strInfoCell = "'" & strPath & "[" & strFile & "]" & "Sheet1'!R3C3"
myvalue = ExecuteExcel4Macro(strInfoCell)
It is missing " & "
No need for a function
Cheers
Neil

Answer 4

Data = "'" & GetDirectory & "[" & GetFileName & "]" & Sheet & "'!" & Range(Address).Range("A1").Address(, , xlR1C1)
Address = "$C$3"
GetDirectory = "C:\Users\my.name\Desktop\"
GetFileName = "QOS DGL stuff.xlsx"
Sheet = "ACL"