Excel - Search text in texboxes - excel

Question

When creating textboxes in excel, it's impossible to use the search/find text function.
Excel will NOT search for text contained in textboxes.
This is a huge limitation for someone like me, that has 500+ textboxes spread over several worksheets.
I saw many posts of people suggesting solutions that in no way equal or replace the original excel "find text" function.
For example:
https://superuser.com/questions/1367712/find-text-in-the-textbox-in-excel
https://excel.tips.net/T011281_Finding_Text_in_Text_Boxes.html

Answer 1

I am going to share here my workaround hoping to help others as well.
What this vba code does: It exports all the shapes (including textboxes) to a new word document.
In word the search function DOES work in textboxes and the problem is solved.
This is the only solution that equals the crippled excel find text function.
Sub Export()
' THIS must be enabled in Excel: Developer > Visual basic > Tools > References > Microsoft word 1x Object library
'Known bug: if the worksheet has only 1 textbox it will mess up the copy to word. You can manually fix it by adding another textbox in that worksheet. It can be empty.
'Ctrl+break -> will stop the process
'If Word crashes -> the clipboard size is too large.
'Reduce the sheet size or split it in 2 sheets.
'The clipboard limitation is an excel wide limitation.
Dim StartTime As Double
Dim MinutesElapsed As String
StartTime = Timer
MsgBox " Wait for job completed textbox in excel!" & vbCrLf & "Close any other WORD files!"
Dim WordApp As Word.Application
Dim i As Integer
Dim sourceSheet As Worksheet
Set sourceSheet = ActiveSheet
Application.ScreenUpdating = False
Sheet1.Activate
Set WordApp = CreateObject("Word.Application")
On Error Resume Next
WordApp.Documents.Add
With WordApp.ActiveDocument.PageSetup
.PageWidth = InchesToPoints(22)
.PageHeight = InchesToPoints(22)
End With
WordApp.ActiveWindow.View.Type = wdWebView
WordApp.Visible = True
WordApp.Application.ScreenUpdating = False
WS_Count = ActiveWorkbook.Worksheets.Count
For i = 1 To WS_Count
ActiveWorkbook.Sheets(i).Activate
ActiveWorkbook.Sheets(i).Shapes.SelectAll
Selection.Copy
PasteChartIntoWord WordApp
If i <> WS_Count Then
With WordApp.Selection
.Collapse Direction:=0
.InsertBreak Type:=7
End With
End If
Application.CutCopyMode = False
Next i
' Text in textboxes -> apply style: nospacing so that text fits in the textboxes in Word
Dim objTextBox As Object
Dim objDoc As Object
Set objDoc = GetObject(, "Word.Application").ActiveDocument
For Each objTextBox In objDoc.Shapes
If objTextBox.TextFrame.HasText Then
objTextBox.TextFrame.TextRange.ParagraphFormat.LineSpacingRule = 0
objTextBox.TextFrame.TextRange.ParagraphFormat.SpaceAfter = 0
End If
Next objTextBox
Call sourceSheet.Activate
Application.ScreenUpdating = True
WordApp.Application.ScreenUpdating = True
'Determine how many seconds code took to run
MinutesElapsed = Format((Timer - StartTime) / 86400, "hh:mm:ss")
'Notify user in seconds
MsgBox "Done! " & MinutesElapsed & " minutes", vbInformation
End Sub
Function PasteChartIntoWord(WordApp As Object) As Object
' Remove textbox selection
ActiveCell.Select
Range("BB100").Select
ActiveWindow.SmallScroll up:=100
ActiveWindow.SmallScroll ToLeft:=44
' create a header with sheetname for quick referencing!
WordApp.Selection.ParagraphFormat.Alignment = wdAlignParagraphRight
WordApp.Selection.Font.Size = 36
WordApp.Selection.Font.Underline = wdUnderlineSingle
WordApp.Selection.Font.ColorIndex = wdRed
WordApp.Selection.TypeText Text:=ActiveSheet.Name
' Paste the textboxes
WordApp.Selection.PasteSpecial DataType:=wdPasteShape
End Function