Unable to search and replace the values using column headers - excel

Question

I'm trying to create a vba script that will search for the _ in all the cells fallen under Crude Items column. However, when it finds one, it will split the values from _ and place the rest in corresponding cells fallen under Refined Ones column.
I've tried with the following which is doing the job flawlessly but I wish to search and replace the values using column headers:
Sub CopyAndReplace()
Dim cel As Range
For Each cel In Range("A2:A" & Cells(Rows.Count, 1).End(xlUp).row)
If cel.value <> "" Then
Sheets("Sheet1").Range(cel(1, 3).Address) = Split(cel, "_")(1)
End If
Next cel
End Sub
To let you visualize how the sheet might look like:
How can I search and replace the values using column headers?

Answer 1

I am not sure this is what you are after, but a few important mentions...
Try to always use at least a worksheet qualifier when writing your code. How else is your program going to know explicitly where you would like it to operate?
I have changed your process slightly, but again, not sure if this is exactly what you are after. See below code.
Sub SplitByHeader()
Dim i As Long
Dim crudeHeader As Range, refinedHeader As Range
Dim ws As Worksheet
'set ws
Set ws = ThisWorkbook.Sheets("Sheet1")
'set header ranges
Set crudeHeader = ws.Rows(1).Find(What:="Crude Items", LookAt:=xlWhole)
Set refinedHeader = ws.Rows(1).Find(What:="Refined Ones", LookAt:=xlWhole)
'simple error handler
If crudeHeader Is Nothing Or refinedHeader Is Nothing Then Exit Sub
For i = 2 To ws.Cells(ws.Rows.Count, crudeHeader.Column).End(xlUp).Row
If ws.Cells(i, crudeHeader.Column).Value <> "" Then
ws.Cells(i, refinedHeader.Column).Value = Split(ws.Cells(i, crudeHeader.Column).Value, "_")(1)
End If
Next i
End Sub

Answer 2

I have just tried this one with the code below:
It is a good idea to add additional check to the condition, like this - If myCell.Value <> "" And InStr(1, myCell, "_") Then to avoid starting from A2.
The idea is that the LocateValueCol locates the column of the first row, which has the string, passed to it. Knowing this, it works ok.
Option Explicit
Sub CopyAndReplace()
Dim searchColumn As Long
searchColumn = LocateValueCol("SearchCol", Worksheets(1))
Dim replaceColumn As Long
replaceColumn = LocateValueCol("ReplaceCol", Worksheets(1))
Dim myCell As Range
Dim lastCell As Long
With Worksheets(1)
lastCell = .Cells(.Rows.Count, searchColumn).End(xlUp).Row
For Each myCell In .Range(.Cells(1, searchColumn), .Cells(lastCell, searchColumn))
If myCell.Value <> "" And InStr(1, myCell, "_") Then
.Cells(myCell.Row, replaceColumn) = Split(myCell, "_")(1)
End If
Next
End With
End Sub
This is the function, locating the columns. (If you have ideas for improvement, feel free to make a PR here):
Public Function LocateValueCol(ByVal textTarget As String, _
ByRef wksTarget As Worksheet, _
Optional rowNeeded As Long = 1, _
Optional moreValuesFound As Long = 1, _
Optional lookForPart = False, _
Optional lookUpToBottom = True) As Long
Dim valuesFound As Long
Dim localRange As Range
Dim myCell As Range
LocateValueCol = -999
valuesFound = moreValuesFound
Set localRange = wksTarget.Range(wksTarget.Cells(rowNeeded, 1), wksTarget.Cells(rowNeeded, Columns.Count))
For Each myCell In localRange
If lookForPart Then
If textTarget = Left(myCell, Len(textTarget)) Then
If valuesFound = 1 Then
LocateValueCol = myCell.Column
If lookUpToBottom Then Exit Function
Else
Decrement valuesFound
End If
End If
Else
If textTarget = Trim(myCell) Then
If valuesFound = 1 Then
LocateValueCol = myCell.Column
If lookUpToBottom Then Exit Function
Else
Decrement valuesFound
End If
End If
End If
Next myCell
End Function
Private Sub Increment(ByRef valueToIncrement As Variant, Optional incrementWith As Double = 1)
valueToIncrement = valueToIncrement + incrementWith
End Sub
Private Sub Decrement(ByRef valueToDecrement As Variant, Optional decrementWith As Double = 1)
valueToDecrement = valueToDecrement - decrementWith
End Sub

Answer 3

For fun using regex and dynamically finding header columns. You can swop out the regex based function for your own and still have the dynamic column finding.
Option Explicit
Public Sub test()
Dim i As Long, inputs(), re As Object, ws As Worksheet
Dim inputColumn As Range, outputColumn As Range, inputColumnNumber As Long, outputColumnNumber As Long
Const SEARCH_ROW As Long = 1
Const INPUT_HEADER As String = "Crude items"
Const OUTPUT_HEADER As String = "Refined Ones"
Const START_ROW = 2
Set re = CreateObject("VBScript.RegExp")
Set ws = ThisWorkbook.Worksheets("Sheet1")
Set inputColumn = GetColumnByHeader(ws, SEARCH_ROW, INPUT_HEADER)
Set outputColumn = GetColumnByHeader(ws, SEARCH_ROW, OUTPUT_HEADER)
If inputColumn Is Nothing Or outputColumn Is Nothing Then Exit Sub
inputColumnNumber = inputColumn.Column
outputColumnNumber = outputColumn.Column
With ws
inputs = Application.Transpose(.Range(.Cells(START_ROW, inputColumnNumber), .Cells(.Cells(.Rows.Count, inputColumnNumber).End(xlUp).Row, inputColumnNumber)).Value)
For i = LBound(inputs) To UBound(inputs)
inputs(i) = GetMatch(re, inputs(i))
Next
.Cells(START_ROW, outputColumnNumber).Resize(UBound(inputs), 1) = Application.Transpose(inputs)
End With
End Sub
Public Function GetColumnByHeader(ByVal ws As Worksheet, ByVal SEARCH_ROW As Long, ByVal columnName As String) As Range
Set GetColumnByHeader = ws.Rows(SEARCH_ROW).Find(columnName)
End Function
Public Function GetMatch(ByVal re As Object, ByVal inputString As String) As String
With re
.Global = True
.MultiLine = True
.Pattern = "_(.*)"
If .test(inputString) Then
GetMatch = .Execute(inputString)(0).SubMatches(0)
Else
GetMatch = inputString 'or =vbNullString if want to return nothing
End If
End With
End Function

Answer 4

If you are working through an actual table things will become quite easy:
Sub Test()
Dim arr(), x As Long
With ThisWorkbook.Sheets("Sheet1") 'Change accordingly
For Each cl In .Range("Table1[Crude Items]") 'Change Table1 accordingly
ReDim Preserve arr(x)
If InStr(cl, "_") > 0 Then
arr(x) = Split(cl, "_")(1)
Else
arr(x) = ""
End If
x = x + 1
Next cl
.Range("Table1[Refined Ones]").Value = Application.Transpose(arr)
End With
End Sub
There is a check for "_". If not there, the cell will be kept empty.

Answer 5

You can also consider to use formula to do it.

Answer 6

I am not clear about what you want to replace "_" character with. For example, iff you replace the following line of your script:
Sheets("Sheet1").Range(cel(1, 3).Address) = Split(cel, "_")(1)
with this one:
Sheets("Sheet1").Range(cel(1, 3).Address) = WorksheetFunction.Substitute(cel, "_", "")
The above line should replace the "_" character with nothing from the cells in the Crude_Items column
And as Lee said, you can also consider using formula in the worksheet if you do not have significant amount of data