Excel global variable reseted to empty when navigating through workbooks - excel

I encounter a weird problem that I believe is related to Excel behavior, rather than to my code.
I have a global variable named "numEtape", which is an integer. My code consists in several steps where the user has to type data on a sheet, then press a button which saves the data in an array and increments the "numEtape", before going to the next step.
The code (simplified) looks like this :
Dim numEtape As Integer
Sub AjoutEssai()
numEtape = 2
UFPreAjoutInfos.Show 'Unrelated Userform that asks user for more informations, but doesn't modify "numEtape" or call any other macro
Call InterfaceFiller
End Sub
Sub InterfaceFiller()
Dim rangedubtn As Range
Dim btnPrecedent As Button
Select Case numEtape
Case 2
'Change value of some cells
Case 3
'Change value of some cells
Case 4
'Change value of some cells
Case Is >= 5
'Change value of some cells
Case Else
Debug.Print "Error"
End Select
Set rangedubtn = Sheets("Interface").Range("M3")
Set btnPrecedent = Sheets("Interface").Buttons.Add(rangedubtn.Left, rangedubtn.Top,rangedubtn.Width, rangedubtn.Height)
With btnPrecedent
.OnAction = "mSuivant"
.Caption = "Suivant"
.Name = "btnSuivant"
End With
End Sub
Sub mSuivant()
numEtape = numEtape + 1
Call InterfaceFiller
End Sub
I don't think the code itself is important, what I can expect from it, since I first call AjoutEssai(), is for numEtape to always be greater than 2.
However, when during the steps the user opens and close other excel/office files (that don't have any vba code/macros in it), excel seems to empty numEtape, which makes the Select Case go to the Case Else.
When does excel remove global variables from memory, and is there a way to prevent this behavior from happening?

Public numEtape As Long
A viable option is to use the word public like public numEtape As Long.
Then the variable will be saving its value for as long as the Excel workbook is opened. In older versions of VBA the word was Global (What is the difference between Dim, Global, Public, and Private as Modular Field Access Modifiers?)
Dim numEtape As Long
For using Dim outside of Sub or Function, the variable will be emptied, after the code is over. Take this snippet only:
Dim numEtape As Long
Sub MainTest()
numEtape = 23
End Sub
Once you run it and you hit End Sub the variable would be emptied as well. Check after running the MainTest():
Sub PrintingVariable()
Debug.Print numEtape
End Sub
If you want to save the value, there are 2 basic ways that work:
Write the value in an excel cell
Write the value in a database

Related

Using VBA in Excel - Static variable not retained when Multipage object has change event (changing pages)

I am having trouble with losing static variables within an Excel user form.
I have been working on a routine for excel. I am a (very) novice coder.
I am attempting to populate a cell range to an array. I have been able to do this without issue.
However, when I attempt to store the array as a *static * variable, the variable is not retained for as long as I want it to be.
I think the problem occurs when another page is selected in the multipage, the static variable is cleared.
Code is something like this:
Sub UserForm_Initialize ()
static myArray () as variant
dim myRange as range
set myRange = [namedrange]
myArray=myRange
msgbox myArray(0,0) 'this works fine
call OtherSub
end sub
sub OtherSub ()
msgbox myArray(0,0) 'this returns a blank
end sub
The first sub of code shows the array element just fine. The array element is blank in the second sub.
I have tried:
Declaring the array as a public variable, but this returns an error (I think that variables within user forms are private by default and cannot be changed).
using a very small variable (a simple string)
writing code in a module before opening the user form (variable is not retained).
I am aware that I can just write data to a cell range, but this would defeat the purpose. I was hoping to avoid multiple instances of reading large arrays from the worksheet.
This might explain it a bit clearer. Moving MyArray outside of the Procedure will set it's scope to a Module Level, making it usable through other subs within that module. You will generally want to keep the scope of your variables to the lowest level required. The other option would be to pass your variable as a parameter to your other procedure.
Option Explicit
Dim MyArray() As Variant ' Private Module Level Scope
Public ExampleVariable As String ' Public Module Level Scope (Not required, just showing an example.)
Sub UserForm_Initialize()
Dim myRange As Range ' Procedure Level Scope
Set myRange = [namedrange]
MyArray = myRange
MsgBox MyArray(0, 0) 'this works fine
Call OtherSub
End Sub
Sub OtherSub()
MsgBox MyArray(0, 0) 'this returns a blank
End Sub

How to populate combobox values from textbox text in excel vba form

I have a problem in my VBA form in Excel and I'm trying to filter the value of a combobox using VLOOKUP from whatever I type in the textbox. How do I achieve this?
My code is:
Private Sub btnTemplateSearch_Click()
Dim filterInfo As Range
Set filterInfo = Worksheets("InfoDump").Range("E2:F46")
txtTemplateFilter.Text = filterInfo.Columns(2).Value
Me.cboTemplateType.List = Application.WorksheetFunction.VLookup(Me.txtTemplateFilter.Text, filterInfo,2,True)
Below is an example of a block of code that can be used to filter the list of ComboBox entries. I decided to Dim an array variable ListForComboBox at the module level such that all procedures in the module can access it. It gets populated at the form's init event by calling LoadListForComboboxArray. You can make changes to this procedure to update the range of input values or any other changes. The combobox's list property is set to this array.
Here's the caveat: you may want to consider tuning the below for performance. I included a textbox, and in the change event, I make a call to set the global array to a filtered version of the original array, based on textbox value. That means that the code will filter the array everytime you type a letter (so if you type "ABC", it will filter three times, creating a new array each time). You may want to assign that function to a different event (textbox exit, maybe) such that the code only fires once you leave the text box, and only once.
Let me know if you have trouble adapting the code:
Dim ListForCombobox() As String
Private Sub TextBox1_Change()
Me.ComboBox1.List = Filter(ListForCombobox, Me.TextBox1.Value)
Debug.Print "CALLED"
End Sub
Private Sub UserForm_Initialize()
LoadListForComboboxArray
Me.ComboBox1.List = ListForCombobox
End Sub
Private Sub LoadListForComboboxArray()
Dim rng As Range
Set rng = Sheets("Sheet1").Range("A1:A11")
ReDim ListForCombobox(1 To rng.Rows.Count)
For i = 1 To rng.Rows.Count
ListForCombobox(i) = rng(i).Value
Next i
Debug.Print ListForCombobox(1)
End Sub

vba cope variable module

when i change avalue in B2:B10 in need the message "update"
When running Insert_row it should not give that message.
The code works but when I place the procedure Insert_row in another module the public variable is not known ?
How can i solve this.
Public blockchange As Boolean
Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)
If Not Intersect(Target, Range("B2:B10")) Is Nothing And blockchange = False Then
MsgBox "Update"
End If
End Sub
Sub Insert_rows()
blockchange = True
Dim LastRow As Integer
LastRow = 3 * ActiveSheet.UsedRange.Rows.Count
For i = 3 To LastRow Step 3
Cells(i, 1).EntireRow.Insert
Cells(i, 1).EntireRow.Insert
Next i
blockchange = False
End Sub
Some thoughts:
(1) As SJR wrote, put global variables into a regular module.
(2) If you insist, you can have a global variable also in the code of the sheet. In this case you access it by putting the codename of the sheet as prefix, eg Sheet1.blockchange. The codename of a sheet is the internal name of a sheet, you see it in the VBA editor in the project window or if you open the property window (F4), it is displayed in the first row as (name). This name doesn't change if a sheet is renamed, you can change it only in the VBA editor.
(3) For your specific case, it's maybe better not to use a variable but simply to prevent the events to fire while the Insert-code is running. You do this with the statement Application.EnableEvents = False. Just don't forget to put Application.EnableEvents = True at the end of the code, maybe with an error handler to prevent that the statement is not executed when an error occurs.

Charts Do Not Automatically Update When Data Changes

Hopefully this is an easy one. I have a series of charts in MS Excel that point to data on the same worksheet. The data on the worksheet is calculated using a VBA function. When the data is updated by the VBA function the new numbers are not reflected in the charts that are pointing to them. I tried calling Application.Calculate, but that didn't do the trick. Any thoughts?
UDPATE:
I was able to duplicate this issue on a much smaller scale. Here's how:
Create a new workbook
Rename Sheet 1 to "Summary"
Rename Sheet 2 to "Data"
Open the Summary sheet in the VBA editor and paste the following code:
Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)
If Target.Parent.Range("worksheetDate") = Target Then
Application.CalculateFull
End If
End Sub
Create a new VBA module
Paste the following code into the new VBA module (I apologize - I can't get Stack Overflow to format this correctly for the life of me - this is the best I could get it to do):
.
Function getWeekValue (weekNumber As Integer, valuesRange As Range) As Integer
Dim aCell As Range
Dim currentDate As Date
Dim arrayIndex As Integer
Dim weekValues(1 To 6) As Integer
currentDate = ThisWorkbook.Names("worksheetDate").RefersToRange.Value
arrayIndex = 1
For Each aCell In valuesRange
If month(currentDate) = month(ThisWorkbook.Sheets("Data").Cells( _
aCell.Row - 1, aCell.Column)) Then
weekValues(arrayIndex) = aCell.Value
arrayIndex = arrayIndex + 1
End If
Next
getWeekValue = weekValues(weekNumber)
End Function
.
Modify the Data worksheet to match the following image:
Select Cell B1 and name the range "worksheetDate"
Duplicate rows 1 through 3 in the following image:
In row 4, under the "Week X" headers, enter the following formula
.
= getWeekValue(1, Data!$A$2:$M$2)
incrementing the first argument to the getWeekValue function by one for each week (e.g., pass 1 for Week 1, 2 for Week 2, 3, for Week 3, etc.
Create a bar graph using cells A3 through E4 as the data
Change the date in cell B2 to a date between 10/1/2010 and 12/31/2010, choosing a month other than the month that is currently in the cell. For example, if the date is 12/11/2010, change it to something like 11/11/2010 or 10/11/2010. Note that both the data and chart update correctly.
Modify the date in cell B2 gain. Note that the data updates, but the chart does not.
Oddly, after a period of time (several minutes) has elapsed, the chart finally updates. I'm not sure if this is because I have been performing other activities that triggered the update or because Excel is triggering an update after several minutes.
Just figured out the solution to this issue as I was suffering from the same.
I've just added "DoEvents()" prior to printing or exporting and the chart got refreshed.
example
Sub a()
Dim w As Worksheet
Dim a
Set w = Worksheets(1)
For Each a In w.Range("a1:a5")
a.Value = a.Value + 1
Next
DoEvents
End Sub
at the end of my changes I close the workbook and reopen it. that seems the easiest and most reliable way to update everything for me.
For example:
Sub a()
Dim w As Worksheet
Dim a
Set w = Worksheets(1)
For Each a In w.Range("a1:a5")
a.Value = a.Value + 1
Next
w.ChartObjects(1).Chart.Refresh
End Sub
This solution worked for me. For the offending worksheet add:
Private Sub Worksheet_Activate()
Dim rngSelection As Range
Dim objChartObject As ChartObject
Dim objChart As Chart
Dim objSeriesCollection As SeriesCollection
Dim objSeries As Series
Dim strFormula As String
Set rngSelection = Selection
For Each objChartObject In Me.ChartObjects
Set objChart = objChartObject.Chart
Set objSeriesCollection = objChart.SeriesCollection
For Each objSeries In objSeriesCollection
strFormula = objSeries.Formula
objSeries.Delete
Set objSeries = objSeriesCollection.NewSeries
objSeries.Formula = strFormula
Next objSeries
Next objChartObject
rngSelection.Select
End Sub
It's possible that the issue is the argument list of getWeekValue, which includes only the week number and the data stream.
If you add a third argument, worksheetDate, then Excel's recalculation engine will be hit on the side of the head with the fact that getWeekValue uses the value held in worksheetDate. In your current implementation, this fact is held only in the VBA code, where it is probably invisible to the recalculation engine.
I write this so hedgingly because I am not privy to the inner workings of the recalculation engine. (Maybe someone who knows about this better than I can comment on my speculation) But I did do a test, in which getWeekValue does have that third argument, and the chart does recalculate properly. Nice added benefit of this approach: you can remove all that other VBA event management. -HTH
I've found that calling this Sub works...
Sub DoAllEvents()
DoEvents
DoEvents
End Sub
BUT
Microsoft cautions about being caught with the next DoEvents executing before the first DoEvents completes, which can happen depending on how often it's called without a delay between calls. Thus DoEvents appears to be acting as a type of non maskable interrupt, and nesting non maskable interrupts can cause the machine to freeze for multiple reasons without any recovery other than reboot.
(Note: If one is not calling the routine above, often and quickly, nesting may not
be an issue.)
Using the following Sub below, which I modified from their suggestion, prevents this from happening.
Sub DoAllEvents()
On Error GoTo ErrorCheck
Dim i
For i = 1 To 4000 ' Start loop. Can be higher, MS sample shows 150000
'I've found twice is enough, but only increased it to four or 4000.
If i Mod 1000 = 0 Then ' If loop has repeated 1000 times.
DoEvents ' Yield to operating system.
End If
Next i
Exit Sub
ErrorCheck:
Debug.Print "Error: "; Error, Err
Resume Next
End Sub
I appears that the number of DoEvents needed is based on the number of background tasks running on your machine, and updating the graph appears to be a background task for the application. I only needed two DoEvents because I call the routine frequently; however, I may end up upping it later if needed.
I also keep the Mod at 1000 so to not change the lag between each DoEvents as Microsoft suggests, preventing nesting. One possible reason you might want to increase the number from 2000 to a higher number is if you system does not update the graph. Increasing this number allows the machine to handle larger numbers of background events that DoEvents might encounter through multiple calls as they are probably on a stack, and the DoEvents event is only allowed to run a specific number of cycles before marking its place in the stack to allow unhandled events and returning, leaving them to be handled on the next call. Thus the need for multiple calls. Changing this to their example of 150000 doesn't appear to slow the machine too much, to play it safe you might want to make it 150000.
Note: the first example Sub with two DoEvents is probably safe depending on how often you call the Sub, however, if called too often, your machine might freeze up. Your call. ;-)
PS: DoEvents will become one of your best calls if you create a lot of nested loops and the program doesn't behave as expected. Fortunately, this is available in all apps that use VBA!
Running Excel 2019.
Added the following to the macro code:
ActiveSheet.ChartObjects(1).Chart.Refresh
DoEvents
The chart now updates during macro execution
UDF getWeekValue has to be marked as volatile.
Function getWeekValue (weekNumber As Integer, valuesRange As Range) As Integer
Application.Volatile '!!
Dim aCell As Range
Dim currentDate As Date
'...
Just an idea: in your Worksheet_Change Sub, insert as the first line:
Application.EnableEvents = False
in order to avoid self-firing events....
Of course set it back to True at the end of the Sub.

Modifying a spreadsheet using a VB macro

I have two spreadsheets... when one gets modified in a certain way I want to have a macro run that modifies the second in an appropriate manner. I've already isolated the event I need to act on (the modification of any cell in a particular column), I just can't seem to find any concrete information on accessing and modifying another spreadsheet (this spreadsheet is located on a different LAN share also... the user has access to both, though).
Any help would be great. References on how to do this or something similar are just as good as concrete code samples.
In Excel, you would likely just write code to open the other worksheet, modify it and then save the data.
See this tutorial for more info.
I'll have to edit my VBA later, so pretend this is pseudocode, but it should look something like:
Dim xl: Set xl = CreateObject("Excel.Application")
xl.Open "\\the\share\file.xls"
Dim ws: Set ws = xl.Worksheets(1)
ws.Cells(0,1).Value = "New Value"
ws.Save
xl.Quit constSilent
You can open a spreadsheet in a single line:
Workbooks.Open FileName:="\\the\share\file.xls"
and refer to it as the active workbook:
Range("A1").value = "New value"
After playing with this for a while, I found the Michael's pseudo-code was the closest, but here's how I did it:
Dim xl As Excel.Application
Set xl = CreateObject("Excel.Application")
xl.Workbooks.Open "\\owghome1\bennejm$\testing.xls"
xl.Sheets("Sheet1").Select
Then, manipulate the sheet... maybe like this:
xl.Cells(x, y).Value = "Some text"
When you're done, use these lines to finish up:
xl.Workbooks.Close
xl.Quit
If changes were made, the user will be prompted to save the file before it's closed. There might be a way to save automatically, but this way is actually better so I'm leaving it like it is.
Thanks for all the help!
Copy the following in your ThisWorkbook object to watch for specific changes. In this case when you increase a numeric value to another numeric value.
NB: you will have to replace Workbook-SheetChange and Workbook-SheetSelectionChange with an underscore. Ex: Workbook_SheetChange and Workbook_SheetSelectionChange the underscore gets escaped in Markdown code.
Option Explicit
Dim varPreviousValue As Variant ' required for IsThisMyChange() . This should be made more unique since it's in the global space.
Private Sub Workbook-SheetChange(ByVal Sh As Object, ByVal Target As Range)
' required for IsThisMyChange()
IsThisMyChange Sh, Target
End Sub
Private Sub Workbook-SheetSelectionChange(ByVal Sh As Object, ByVal Target As Range)
' This implements and awful way of accessing the previous value via a global.
' not pretty but required for IsThisMyChange()
varPreviousValue = Target.Cells(1, 1).Value ' NB: This is used so that if a Merged set of cells if referenced only the first cell is used
End Sub
Private Sub IsThisMyChange(Sh As Object, Target As Range)
Dim isMyChange As Boolean
Dim dblValue As Double
Dim dblPreviousValue As Double
isMyChange = False
' Simple catch all. If either number cant be expressed as doubles, then exit.
On Error GoTo ErrorHandler
dblValue = CDbl(Target.Value)
dblPreviousValue = CDbl(varPreviousValue)
On Error GoTo 0 ' This turns off "On Error" statements in VBA.
If dblValue > dblPreviousValue Then
isMyChange = True
End If
If isMyChange Then
MsgBox ("You've increased the value of " & Target.Address)
End If
' end of normal execution
Exit Sub
ErrorHandler:
' Do nothing much.
Exit Sub
End Sub
If you are wishing to change another workbook based on this, i'd think about checking to see if the workbook is already open first... or even better design a solution that can batch up all your changes and do them at once. Continuously changing another spreadsheet based on you listening to this one could be painful.

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