Using target offset to clear a range of cells in excel - excel

Question

I'm trying to clear a range of 5 cells when changing another. For example: H5 is changed, J5:J10 is cleared. This works a treat in clearing J5 when H5 is changed.
Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)
If Left(Target.Address(, False), 1) = "H" Then Target.Offset(, 2).ClearContents
End Sub
However this does not clear the 4 cells below. I was wary of using a function to specify the range as I've got multiple rows of data in H. So for example if H24 changes, J24:J29 are cleared, which goes on for about 200 rows...
Any help is appreciated!

Answer 1

The Offset-function returns a range with the same size than the original Range, just at a different place. To increase (or decrease) the size of a range, you can use the Resize-function. So basically, you need to combine both functions.
I don't want to argue with you about how to check for the column, but I think using If Target.Column = 8 Then is much easier.
Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)
If Target.Column = 8 Then ' Col H
Dim destRange As Range
Set destRange = Target.Offset(0, 2).Resize(5, 1)
Debug.Print destRange.Address
destRange.ClearContents
End If
End Sub
Be aware that Target may contain more than one cell (eg via Cut&Paste), you probably need to handle that.

Answer 2

This should do it.
Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)
Application.EnableEvents = False
If Left(Target.Address(, False), 1) = "H" Then ActiveSheet.Range(Target.Offset(, 2), Target.Offset(5, 2)).ClearContents
Application.EnableEvents = True
End Sub
Okay with merged cells offset gets weird and even offsetting the topleft cell of the merged area (Target.MergeArea(1, 1)) will give bad results so we need to create the range ourselves.
Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)
Application.EnableEvents = False
If Target.MergeCells = True Then
If Left(Target.Address(, False), 1) = "H" Then ActiveSheet.Range(Target.Offset(0, 2), ActiveSheet.Cells(Target.MergeArea(1, 1).Row + 5, Target.MergeArea(1, 1).Offset(0, 2).Column)).ClearContents
Else
If Left(Target.Address(, False), 1) = "H" Then ActiveSheet.Range(Target.Offset(, 2), Target.Offset(5, 2)).ClearContents
End If
Application.EnableEvents = True
End Sub
I hardcoded the 5 into the row change if you need it to be the size of the merged area you will need to get the difference in rows from the top to the bottom of the merged area.

Answer 3

Clear Cells on Any Side of Merged Cells
The colors in the image show which contents will be cleared in column J if a value in a cell in column H is changed (manually or via VBA).
The Code
Option Explicit
Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)
Dim doEnableEvents As Boolean
On Error GoTo clearError
Const FirstCellAddress As String = "H2"
Const ColOffset As Long = 2
Dim irg As Range
With Range(FirstCellAddress)
Set irg = Intersect(.Resize(.Worksheet.Rows.Count - .Row + 1), Target)
End With
If Not irg Is Nothing Then
Application.EnableEvents = False
doEnableEvents = True
Dim arg As Range
Dim cel As Range
For Each arg In irg.Areas
For Each cel In arg.Cells
If cel.MergeCells Then
With cel.MergeArea
.Cells(1, 1).Offset(, ColOffset).Resize(.Rows.Count) _
.ClearContents
End With
Else
cel.Offset(, ColOffset).ClearContents
End If
Next cel
Next arg
End If
ProcExit:
If doEnableEvents Then
Application.EnableEvents = True
End If
Exit Sub
clearError:
Debug.Print "Run-time error '" & Err.Number & "': " & Err.Description
Resume ProcExit
End Sub
Sub testMultiArea()
Dim rg As Range: Set rg = Range("H2,H7")
rg.Value = 500
End Sub