Trouble finding last column from a data-ridden sheet - excel

Question

I've tried to figure out the last used column in my excel spreadsheet using VBA to start writing something right after that column. In the image below I've tried to show what I meant and where I wanna start writing from. The desired field is already selected there which is "F2".
However, the problem is the data already available there did not maintain uniformity. How can I figure out the last used column using VBA?
This is my try:
Sub FindLastColumn()
Dim lCol&
lCol = Cells(1, Columns.Count).End(xlToLeft).Column
MsgBox lCol
End Sub
It produces 8 as result which is not correct as the right one should be 5.
The data-ridden sheet looks like below:

Answer 1

If you want to find the last column in your range excluding the header, you could achieve that as below, amend the Sheet name from Sheet1 to the Sheet you are actually using:
Sub foo()
LastRow = Sheet1.UsedRange.Rows.Count
'get the last row with data in your used range
MaxCol = 1
For i = 2 To LastRow 'loop from row 2 to last
If Sheet1.Cells(i, Sheet1.Columns.Count).End(xlToLeft).Column > MaxCol Then
MaxCol = Sheet1.Cells(i, Sheet1.Columns.Count).End(xlToLeft).Column
'get the highest value for the column into variable
End If
Next i
MsgBox MaxCol
End Sub

Answer 2

It appears that you want to find the right-hand most used column in rows 2 to the end of your data. To do that, you'll need to loop through all the rows of data keeping track of which column is Max(LastUsedColumn). Unfortunately, there is no such built in function, but you could write one something like this:
Public Function MaxUsedColumnInRow(ByVal SheetToCheck As Worksheet, ByVal RowToCheck As Long) As Long
MaxUsedColumnInRow = SheetToCheck.Cells(RowToCheck, Columns.count).End(xlToLeft).Column
End Function
Now that you have a nifty function to determine which is the maximum used column in a row, you can call it in a loop, like this:
Public Function MaxUsedColumnInRange(ByVal SheetToCheck As Worksheet, ByVal StartRow As Long, ByVal EndRow As Long) As Long
Dim curRow As Long
For curRow = StartRow To EndRow
Dim CurCol As Long
CurCol = MaxUsedColumnInRow(SheetToCheck, curRow)
Dim maxCol As Long
If CurCol > maxCol Then
maxCol = CurCol
End If
Next
End Function
And, finally, give it a quick test replacing "Sheet1" with the name of the worksheet you're specifically checking:
Public Sub TestIt()
MsgBox "Max Used column on sheet1 = " & CStr(MaxUsedColumnInRange("Sheet1", 2, 50))
End Sub
Of course, you'll want to determine the max used row on your sheet and pass that into the the MaxUsedColumnInRange function - unless you happen to have exactly 50 rows of data, the example test Sub probably won't get you your actual desired result.
As a side benefit, you now have a handy function you can call in the future to determine the max column in a row so you don't have to remember the proper way of doing it. (I usually forget so I have to look it up, or use a nifty helper function to "remember" for me.)

Answer 3

Use a variation of the Find method of finding it, but limit it to ignore row 1:
Sub Test()
Dim rng As Range
Set rng = LastCell(Sheet1)
MsgBox "Last cell containing data is " & rng.Address & vbCr & _
"Selected cell is in example is " & Sheet1.Cells(2, rng.Column + 1).Address
End Sub
Public Function LastCell(wrkSht As Worksheet) As Range
Dim lLastCol As Long, lLastRow As Long
On Error Resume Next
With wrkSht.Rows("2:1048576")
lLastCol = .Cells.Find("*", , , , xlByColumns, xlPrevious).Column
lLastRow = .Cells.Find("*", , , , xlByRows, xlPrevious).Row
If lLastCol = 0 Then lLastCol = 1
If lLastRow = 0 Then lLastRow = 1
Set LastCell = wrkSht.Cells(lLastRow, lLastCol)
End With
On Error GoTo 0
End Function

Answer 4

Easy route would be to use Find like below:
Dim rgLastColumnCell As Range
Set rgLastColumnCell = ActiveSheet.Cells.Find("*", , , , xlByColumns, xlPrevious)
MsgBox "Last Used Column is : " & rgLastColumnCell.Column
Adjust ActiveSheet.Cells portion to suit your need like: Activesheet.Range("B2:XFD1048576") if you want to skip first row from the check.

Answer 5

You cannot get the result you require by using built-in functions, either you can get the column H because it is the last used column or the column B, because it is the last filled column, To get E you have to write your own code, and by the look of it, it seems that you want the end of the colored range. You can check the last column where color is not present in a loop
Sub checkLastColumn()
col_num = 1
Do While Cells(2, col_num).Interior.Pattern <> xlNone
col_num = col_num + 1
Loop
MsgBox col_num
End Sub
It will return column F
EDIT....
As I said earlier you cannot get the cell you require by any built-in function, you have to write some code, and in order to do that you must have a definite logic that should be known and decided between you and the users of the sheet.
For example:
you can color the range as you have already done
You can name the column header, as in your example, it is status.
You can fix the number of data columns and status columns, and there will be no need to use any code
For finding the status column or any other if you decide you can use a loop as below
Sub getStatusColumn()
col_num = 1
Do While Cells(1, col_num) <> "status"
col_num = col_num + 1
Loop
MsgBox col_num
End Sub
OR
Sub getLastItemColumn()
col_num = 1
Do While Left(Cells(1, col_num), 4) = "Item"
col_num = col_num + 1
Loop
MsgBox col_num
End Sub