Using a collection to check if Names exist - excel

Question

I am trying to create a subroutine that will take a collection of a bunch of strings, step through it, and check for the existence of a named range or formula that has that string as it's name. Trying it with just one item first:
Dim colCritNames As New Collection
colCritNames.Add "Version" 'the name of a named formula
For i = 1 To colCritNames.Count
nm = CStr(colCritNames(i).Name)
nmchk = Check_UW_For_Name(nm)
If Not nmchk Then Call Fail("Critical Name") 'prints a msgbox with the error type so I know what happened
Next i
'...code for if all the names are there...
Function Check_UW_For_Name(find_name As String) As Boolean
Dim wb As Workbook
Set wb = UserFileBook 'global ref to the workbook to check
On Error Goto Fail
Check_UW_For_Name = CBool(Len(wb.Names(find_name).Name) <> 0)
On Error GoTo 0
End Function
Thats edited from the full thing. Check_UW_For_Name was working fine when I just called it with "Version" as the argument Check_UW_For_Name("Version"); it found it in USerFIleBook, and when I called it with "Nope", since there is no Nope name it went to my error handler. But when I try to use a collection to store the names I want to look for I keep getting 'ByRef argument mismatch'. I tried just nm = colCritNames(i) and nm=colCritNames(i).Name, I tried having find_name be Variant and adding a ByVal, and I originally tried having nm be a Name, having Check_UW_For_Name(find_name as Name) and using a for each (for each nm in colCritNames...) and none of it has worked.
How could I set a collection of names and step through it to see if there's a named range/formula that matches in the relevant workbook? Or is there a better way to do this? (I need the collection in other places too)

Answer 1

I don't quite understand what your plan is with a collection, but this will add any cell with the specified string in, as well as any ranges. What you're doing once they've been identified (added to collection) is not clear to me, but hopefully this makes sense and gets you going.
Sub RunForEachString()
Const yourStrings = "foo,bar,hope,this,works"
Dim stringsAsArray() As String
stringsAsArray = Split(yourStrings, ",")
Dim i As Long
For i = LBound(stringsAsArray) To UBound(stringsAsArray)
Call findAllNamesFormulas(stringsAsArray(i), ThisWorkbook)
Next i
End Sub
Private Sub findAllNamesFormulas(theText As String, theWorkbook As Workbook)
Dim ws As Worksheet, n As Name, aCell As Range
Dim aCollection As New Collection
For Each ws In ThisWorkbook.Worksheets
For Each aCell In ws.UsedRange.Cells
If InStr(1, aCell.Formula, theText, vbTextCompare) > 0 Then
aCollection.Add (aCell)
End If
Next aCell
Next ws
For Each n In ThisWorkbook.Names
If InStr(1, n.Name, theText, vbTextCompare) > 0 Then
aCollection.Add (n)
End If
Next n
'not sure what you plan to do after collection?
Debug.Print aCollection.Count
End Sub

Answer 2

This works for me:
Sub Tester()
Dim colCritNames As New Collection, nm, wb As Workbook, msg As String
colCritNames.Add "Version"
colCritNames.Add "NotThere"
colCritNames.Add "AlsoNotThere"
Set wb = ThisWorkbook 'for example
For Each nm In colCritNames
If Not Check_UW_For_Name(wb, CStr(nm)) Then
msg = msg & vbLf & " - " & nm
End If
Next nm
If Len(msg) > 0 Then
MsgBox "One or more required names are missing:" & msg, _
vbExclamation, "Oops"
Exit Sub
End If
'proceed if OK...
End Sub
'check for a defined Name `find_name` in workbook `wb`
' prefer wb as parameter over using a Global....
Function Check_UW_For_Name(wb As Workbook, find_name As String) As Boolean
On Error Resume Next
Check_UW_For_Name = (wb.Names(find_name).Name = find_name)
End Function

Answer 3

You could create a collection of all named ranges in the workbook like this:
Private Sub NamedRangesDemo()
Dim NamedRanges As New Collection, NamedRange As Variant
For Each NamedRange In ThisWorkbook.Names
NamedRanges.Add NamedRange.Name
Next NamedRange
End Sub
And then compare the whatever strings you want to the NamedRanges collection.
By the way, this question is somewhat similar to yours.