Browsing Main excel file and Save As directory path with use of Excel VBA - vba

Question

I have below Excel procedure I gather up and I am using it for couple of different calculations under different workbooks. So I was thinking instead changing the procedure for main and outcome files each time, I should be able to pick the file I want to carry out calculations in and the file path for outcomes files.
But I could not find anything for saving directory, I appreciate if you could help
Sub AsBuiltForm()
Dim SaveName As String
Dim mainBook As Workbook
a = InputBox("ENTER FIRST NUMBER ")
b = InputBox("ENTER LAST NUMBER ")
Workbooks.Open Filename:="C:\" 'main file can be browsed?
Set mainBook = Excel.Workbooks("CP.xlsx")
For i = a - 1 To b - 1
mainBook.Sheets(1).Range("bi1") = i + 1
SaveName = Sheets(1).Range("bi1").value & ".xlsx"
mainBook.SaveCopyAs "C:\" & SaveName 'save directory?
Workbooks.Open Filename:="C:\" & SaveName 'save directory?
With Excel.ActiveWorkbook
.Sheets("1 of 2").Range("A1:CT103").value = Sheets("1 of 2").Range("A1:CT103").value
.Sheets("2 of 2").Range("A1:CT103").value = Sheets("2 of 2").Range("A1:CT103").value
Excel.Application.DisplayAlerts = False
.Sheets("Sheet1").Delete
.Sheets("il oufall").Delete
.Sheets("1 of 2").Select
Columns("Bh:BZ").Select
Selection.Delete Shift:=xlToLeft
.Sheets("2 of 2").Select
Columns("Bn:BZ").Select
Selection.Delete Shift:=xlToLeft
.Close True
End With
Next
mainBook.Close False
Set mainBook = Nothing
End Sub

Answer 1

You can use Application.GetOpenFileName to pick files that you want to open at Run-Time.
You can use the function below to browse for a folder where you wish to save a file.
Sub FindFolder()
Dim myFolder as String
myFolder = BrowseFolder("Pick a Folder Where to Save")
End Sub
Function BrowseFolder(Optional Caption As String, Optional InitialFolder As String) As String
' based on Browse For Folder from:
' http://www.cpearson.com/excel/BrowseFolder.aspx
' this functions requires that the following Reference is active:
'Microsoft Shell Controls and Automation
Const BIF_RETURNONLYFSDIRS As Long = &H1
Dim wsh As Object
Dim SH As Shell32.Shell
Dim F As Shell32.Folder
Set wsh = CreateObject("Wscript.Shell")
Set SH = New Shell32.Shell
Set F = SH.BrowseForFolder(0&, Caption, BIF_RETURNONLYFSDIRS, InitialFolder)
If Not F Is Nothing Then
If F = "Desktop" Then
BrowseFolder = wsh.Specialfolders(F)
Else
BrowseFolder = F.Items.Item.path
End If
End If
End Function

Answer 2

The following is not really an answer to your question, but a few tips to improve your code, and too long to add as a comment.
Workbooks.Open returns a Workbook object you can save the reference, so you don't have to rely on ActiveWorkbook:
Dim oWorkbook As Workbook
Set oWorkbook = Workbooks.Open(Filename:="C:\" & SaveName)
'***** Do something with oWorkbook
Debug.Print oWorkbook.FullName
Set oWorkbook = Nothing
A few other hints:
Use Option Explicit at the top of every module to force explicit declaration of all variables in order to find typos and other errors earlier.
Avoid selecting cells

Answer 3

Yes, browsing file works now; all the ins and outs aside, the problem i face with naming the file due to the variable "bi1" and saving as many loop as i asked for. I check several times before i bother you but i do not think i have the sufficient info to address "fn" as file in the use of Application.GetOpenFileName .
Option Explicit
Sub AsBuiltForm()
Dim fn
Dim myFolder As String
Dim SaveName As String, a As Integer, b As Integer, i As Integer
myFolder = BrowseFolder("Pick a Folder Where to Save")
MsgBox "Choose Calculation File "
fn = Application.GetOpenFilename
Workbooks.Open fn
a = InputBox("ENTER FIRST NUMBER ")
b = InputBox("ENTER LAST NUMBER ")
For i = a - 1 To b - 1 Step 1
Application.DisplayAlerts = False
Workbooks.Open Filename:=fn
Range("bi1") = i + 1
SaveName = ActiveWorkbook.Sheets(1).Range("bi1").value
Sheets(1).Range("A1:CT103").value = Sheets(1).Range("A1:CT103").value
Sheets(2).Range("A1:CT103").value = Sheets(2).Range("A1:CT103").value
Application.ActiveWorkbook.SaveAs myFolder & SaveName
ActiveWorkbook.Close True
Next
End Sub
Function BrowseFolder(Optional Caption As String, Optional InitialFolder As String) As String
' based on Browse For Folder from:
' http://www.cpearson.com/excel/BrowseFolder.aspx
' this functions requires that the following Reference is active:
'Microsoft Shell Controls and Automation
Const BIF_RETURNONLYFSDIRS As Long = &H1
Dim wsh As Object
Dim SH As Shell32.Shell
Dim F As Shell32.Folder
Set wsh = CreateObject("Wscript.Shell")
Set SH = New Shell32.Shell
Set F = SH.BrowseForFolder(0&, Caption, BIF_RETURNONLYFSDIRS, InitialFolder)
If Not F Is Nothing Then
If F = "Desktop" Then
BrowseFolder = wsh.Specialfolders(F)
Else
BrowseFolder = F.Items.Item.Path
End If
End If
End Function