Convert excel macro from defined range, to operate on selected cells only? - excel

Question

I have a macro that does what I want but it runs on a set range of cells. I have been trying to make it run only on cells that are selected (highlighted) by the user. I've tried various combinations of defining the range using Dim Rng as Range and also Selection method. Me:No VBA experience to speak of, some python experience.
Working code (defined range)
Sub NoHalve()
'
' Macro to remove less-than sign and report only the LOR formatted grey and underlined .
' x = columns, y = rows
For x = 1 To 200
For y = 2 To 3000
If Left(Cells(y, x), 1) = "<" Then
Cells(y, x) = (Right(Cells(y, x), Len(Cells(y, x)) - 1))
Cells(y, x).Select
Selection.Font.ColorIndex = 16
Selection.Font.Underline = xlUnderlineStyleSingle
End If
Next y
Next x
End Sub
This is my attempt to make it run on user selected cells that gives me object required error for the r.Select line:
Sub NoHalve_selection()
Set Rng = Selection
For Each r In Rng
If Left(r, 1) = "<" Then
r = (Right(r, Len(r) - 1))
r.Select
Selection.Font.ColorIndex = 16
Selection.Font.Underline = xlUnderlineStyleSingle
End If
Next
End Sub

Answer 1

You're nearly there
Sub NoHalve_selection()
Dim r As Range, Rng As Range
Set Rng = Selection
For Each r In Rng.Cells ' .Cells is implied in For Each r in Rng
With r 'Using With block is more efficient as it does fewer lookups to Excel
If Left$(.Value, 1) = "<" Then ' .Value uses the With block (so is the same as r.Value). Value is the default property of a Range
.Value = Mid$(.Value, 2)
.Font.ColorIndex = 16
.Font.Underline = xlUnderlineStyleSingle
End If
End With
Next
End Sub
Original post for comparison
Sub NoHalve_selection()
Dim r As Range, Rng As Range
Set Rng = Selection
For Each r In Rng
If Left(r, 1) = "<" Then
r = (Right(r, Len(r) - 1))
r.Font.ColorIndex = 16
r.Font.Underline = xlUnderlineStyleSingle
End If
Next
End Sub

Answer 2

This should be relatively easy by replacing the hard coded numbers with Selection.Columns.Count and Selection.Rows.Count.
Sub NoHalve()
'
' Macro to remove less-than sign and report only the LOR formatted grey and underlined .
' x = columns, y = rows
For x = 1 To Selection.Columns.Count
For y = 2 To Selection.Rows.Count
If Left(Cells(y, x), 1) = "<" Then
Cells(y, x) = (Right(Cells(y, x), Len(Cells(y, x)) - 1))
Cells(y, x).Font.ColorIndex = 16
Cells(y, x).Font.Underline = xlUnderlineStyleSingle
End If
Next y
Next x
End Sub
If you are making a simple text substitution (removing a sign), as long as that sign is left most then I'd also suggest maybe using something that doesn't rely so heavily on the position of the characters in a string. So something like replace:
Cells(y, x) = replace(Cells(y, x),"<","",,1)
Also I don't believe the line Cells(y, x).Select is required and may change the active selection unnecessarily.