VBA Use variable value across modules - excel

Question

I'm trying to use the name of a workbook which I set in module 1, across other private modules but I'm getting different errors depending on how I set it up. I added comments in the code that explain what happens in the different scenarios.
Option Explicit
Sub TestSharedVars()
CopyCellsthenClose
OpenNewWksheet (AlphaExportBook)
' *** Like this
' OpenNewWksheet (AlphaExportBook) I get "Error Variable not defined"
' *** Like this
' OpenNewWksheet I get "Error Argument not optional"
CloseWkbook
End Sub
Private Sub CopyCellsthenClose()
Dim AlphaExportBook As Workbook
Dim theRows
Dim theColumns
With ActiveSheet.UsedRange
theRows = .Rows.Count
theColumns = .Columns.Count
Range(Cells(1, 1), Cells(theRows, theColumns)).Select
End With
Selection.Copy
Set AlphaExportBook = ActiveWorkbook
End Sub
Private Sub OpenNewWksheet()
'******************************
' Open the File Dialog
'******************************
Dim ReversionWBook As Workbook
With Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogOpen)
.AllowMultiSelect = False
.Show
.Execute
If (.SelectedItems.Count = 0) Then
MsgBox "User Cancelled Operation"
' GoTo EndofInstructions
Else
End If
End With
ActiveWorkbook.Activate
Set ReversionWBook = ActiveWorkbook
End Sub
Private Sub CloseWkbook(AlphaExportBook As Workbook)
'**********************************
' Close Alpha Export WorkBook
'**********************************
AlphaExportBook.Activate
Application.DisplayAlerts = False
AlphaExportBook.Close SaveChanges:=False
Application.DisplayAlerts = True
End Sub

Answer 1

Firstly, you shouldn't be getting an "Argument not optional" error when calling OpenNewWksheet because that subroutine is not expecting arguments. You would get that error trying to call CloseWkbook without specifying a parameter, because that subroutine expects a Workbook object to be passed to it.
The easiest way to make the workbook available to all subroutines is to declare the variable with module-level scope, e.g.
Option Explicit
Dim AlphaExportBook As Workbook
Sub TestSharedVars()
CopyCellsthenClose
OpenNewWksheet
CloseWkbook
End Sub
Private Sub CopyCellsthenClose()
Dim theRows
Dim theColumns
With ActiveSheet.UsedRange
theRows = .Rows.Count
theColumns = .Columns.Count
'Note - the following line won't do what you expect unless
' UsedRange starts at cell A1
Range(Cells(1, 1), Cells(theRows, theColumns)).Select
End With
Selection.Copy
Set AlphaExportBook = ActiveWorkbook
End Sub
Private Sub OpenNewWksheet()
'******************************
' Open the File Dialog
'******************************
Dim ReversionWBook As Workbook ' Does this need to be module-level scope too?
With Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogOpen)
.AllowMultiSelect = False
.Show
.Execute
If .SelectedItems.Count = 0 Then
MsgBox "User Cancelled Operation"
End If
End With
'ActiveWorkbook.Activate ' This is redundant - the ActiveWorkbook is already active
Set ReversionWBook = ActiveWorkbook
End Sub
Private Sub CloseWkbook()
'**********************************
' Close Alpha Export WorkBook
'**********************************
'You don't need to activate the workbook before you close it
'AlphaExportBook.Activate
Application.DisplayAlerts = False
AlphaExportBook.Close SaveChanges:=False
Application.DisplayAlerts = True
End Sub
Alternatively, you could pass the workbook object between subroutines as follows:
Option Explicit
Sub TestSharedVars()
'Dimension object to have scope only within this subroutine, but we
' will pass a reference to this object to the other subroutines that
' need to reference it
Dim AlphaExportBook As Workbook
CopyCellsthenClose AlphaExportBook
OpenNewWksheet
CloseWkbook AlphaExportBook
End Sub
Private Sub CopyCellsthenClose(wb As Workbook)
Dim theRows
Dim theColumns
With ActiveSheet.UsedRange
theRows = .Rows.Count
theColumns = .Columns.Count
'Note - the following line won't do what you expect unless
' UsedRange starts at cell A1
Range(Cells(1, 1), Cells(theRows, theColumns)).Select
End With
Selection.Copy
Set wb = ActiveWorkbook
End Sub
Private Sub OpenNewWksheet()
'******************************
' Open the File Dialog
'******************************
Dim ReversionWBook As Workbook ' Does this need to be module-level scope too?
With Application.FileDialog(msoFileDialogOpen)
.AllowMultiSelect = False
.Show
.Execute
If .SelectedItems.Count = 0 Then
MsgBox "User Cancelled Operation"
End If
End With
'ActiveWorkbook.Activate ' This is redundant - the ActiveWorkbook is already active
Set ReversionWBook = ActiveWorkbook
End Sub
Private Sub CloseWkbook(wb As Workbook)
'**********************************
' Close Alpha Export WorkBook
'**********************************
'You don't need to activate the workbook before you close it
'wb.Activate
Application.DisplayAlerts = False
wb.Close SaveChanges:=False
Application.DisplayAlerts = True
End Sub