Excel / VBA Behaves differently when stepping through code and running normally - excel

I have VBA code which includes the functions Worksheet_Calculate() and Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range) because I want to update some cells when any recalculation takes place as well as when I modify some particular cells in the sheet. Both of these subroutines call exactly the same subroutines. However, one of them works properly (Worksheet_Change) and the other (Worksheet_Calculate) does not, even though they both call exactly the same functions.
The next step I took was to set up breakpoints in places where I thought things went wrong when any recalculation took place, and to my surprise, the code executed by Worksheet_Calculate() worked properly this time (when stepping through the code by using breakpoints, etc). Aditionally, it will ocasionally work properly even in normal mode (not in debug), but this is very random. I have no idea what is causing this. Below is a shortened version of my subs (MakeVisible, UpdateBaseline, UpdateDerivative1... are all subroutines I defined later):
Private Sub Worksheet_Calculate()
MakeVisible
UpdateBaseline
If ([F4] > 0) Then
UpdateDerivative1
End If
If ([F4] > 1) Then
UpdateDerivative2
End If
If ([F4] > 2) Then
UpdateDerivative3
End If
If ([F4] > 3) Then
UpdateDerivative4
End If
End Sub
Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)
If Not Application.Intersect(Sheets("Main").Range("C7:C61"), Range(Target.Address)) Is Nothing Then
MakeVisible
UpdateBaseline
If ([F4] > 0) Then
UpdateDerivative1
End If
If ([F4] > 1) Then
UpdateDerivative2
End If
If ([F4] > 2) Then
UpdateDerivative3
End If
If ([F4] > 3) Then
UpdateDerivative4
End If
End If
End Sub
After spending some more time debugging, I believe that there is some race condition since the code in UpdateBaseline, UpdateDerivative1, etc. is actually resizing and moving some shape objects (such as stars, straight connectors, etc) and these get moved to the wrong place even though the variables I'm using to position them seem to have the correct value. My intuition tells me that moving shapes or changing their properties takes some computation that might be causing some race condition, but this is just a wild guess, it could be completely unrelated.
Thank you!

I was able to identify the problem thanks to #Slai. The bug is indeed cause by a dependency of the code on the currently active sheet, but it wasn't fixed after I specified the sheet for particular cells (I changed [F4] to [Main!F4] and all other ocurrences.) I am still not able to figure out what the problem is since I made sure that all of my code specifically works with either [Main!<Cell>] or Sheets("Main").Range("<Cell>"), which would make any dependency on the currently active sheet dissappear. However, I added code to make the currently active sheet go back to "Main" when Worksheet_Calculate() gets triggered and this caused correct behavior. The code I added was Worksheets("Main").Activate on the first line of Worksheet_Calculate().
Thank you!

You can try something like this
Dim ignoreEvents As Boolean
Private Sub Worksheet_Calculate()
If ignoreEvents = True Then Exit Sub
ignoreEvents = True
' your code here
ignoreEvents = False
End Sub
Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)
If ignoreEvents = True Then Exit Sub
ignoreEvents = True
' your code here
ignoreEvents = False
End Sub

Related

Excel clear the cell of the same row but next column [duplicate]

How can I automatically execute an Excel macro each time a value in a particular cell changes?
Right now, my working code is:
Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)
If Not Intersect(Target, Range("H5")) Is Nothing Then Macro
End Sub
where "H5" is the particular cell being monitored and Macro is the name of the macro.
Is there a better way?
Your code looks pretty good.
Be careful, however, for your call to Range("H5") is a shortcut command to Application.Range("H5"), which is equivalent to Application.ActiveSheet.Range("H5"). This could be fine, if the only changes are user-changes -- which is the most typical -- but it is possible for the worksheet's cell values to change when it is not the active sheet via programmatic changes, e.g. VBA.
With this in mind, I would utilize Target.Worksheet.Range("H5"):
Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)
If Not Intersect(Target, Target.Worksheet.Range("H5")) Is Nothing Then Macro
End Sub
Or you can use Me.Range("H5"), if the event handler is on the code page for the worksheet in question (it usually is):
Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)
If Not Intersect(Target, Me.Range("H5")) Is Nothing Then Macro
End Sub
I spent a lot of time researching this and learning how it all works, after really messing up the event triggers. Since there was so much scattered info I decided to share what I have found to work all in one place, step by step as follows:
1) Open VBA Editor, under VBA Project (YourWorkBookName.xlsm) open Microsoft Excel Object and select the Sheet to which the change event will pertain.
2) The default code view is "General." From the drop-down list at the top middle, select "Worksheet."
3) Private Sub Worksheet_SelectionChange is already there as it should be, leave it alone. Copy/Paste Mike Rosenblum's code from above and change the .Range reference to the cell for which you are watching for a change (B3, in my case). Do not place your Macro yet, however (I removed the word "Macro" after "Then"):
Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)
If Not Intersect(Target, Me.Range("H5")) Is Nothing Then
End Sub
or from the drop-down list at the top left, select "Change" and in the space between Private Sub and End Sub, paste If Not Intersect(Target, Me.Range("H5")) Is Nothing Then
4) On the line after "Then" turn off events so that when you call your macro, it does not trigger events and try to run this Worksheet_Change again in a never ending cycle that crashes Excel and/or otherwise messes everything up:
Application.EnableEvents = False
5) Call your macro
Call YourMacroName
6) Turn events back on so the next change (and any/all other events) trigger:
Application.EnableEvents = True
7) End the If block and the Sub:
End If
End Sub
The entire code:
Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)
If Not Intersect(Target, Me.Range("B3")) Is Nothing Then
Application.EnableEvents = False
Call UpdateAndViewOnly
Application.EnableEvents = True
End If
End Sub
This takes turning events on/off out of the Modules which creates problems and simply lets the change trigger, turns off events, runs your macro and turns events back on.
Handle the Worksheet_Change event or the Workbook_SheetChange event.
The event handlers take an argument "Target As Range", so you can check if the range that's changing includes the cell you're interested in.
I prefer this way, not using a cell but a range
Dim cell_to_test As Range, cells_changed As Range
Set cells_changed = Target(1, 1)
Set cell_to_test = Range( RANGE_OF_CELLS_TO_DETECT )
If Not Intersect(cells_changed, cell_to_test) Is Nothing Then
Macro
End If
I have a cell which is linked to online stock database and updated frequently. I want to trigger a macro whenever the cell value is updated.
I believe this is similar to cell value change by a program or any external data update but above examples somehow do not work for me. I think the problem is because excel internal events are not triggered, but thats my guess.
I did the following,
Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)
If Not Intersect(Target, Target.Worksheets("Symbols").Range("$C$3")) Is Nothing Then
'Run Macro
End Sub

Automatically run a macro if I place cursor in a specific cell? [duplicate]

How can I automatically execute an Excel macro each time a value in a particular cell changes?
Right now, my working code is:
Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)
If Not Intersect(Target, Range("H5")) Is Nothing Then Macro
End Sub
where "H5" is the particular cell being monitored and Macro is the name of the macro.
Is there a better way?
Your code looks pretty good.
Be careful, however, for your call to Range("H5") is a shortcut command to Application.Range("H5"), which is equivalent to Application.ActiveSheet.Range("H5"). This could be fine, if the only changes are user-changes -- which is the most typical -- but it is possible for the worksheet's cell values to change when it is not the active sheet via programmatic changes, e.g. VBA.
With this in mind, I would utilize Target.Worksheet.Range("H5"):
Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)
If Not Intersect(Target, Target.Worksheet.Range("H5")) Is Nothing Then Macro
End Sub
Or you can use Me.Range("H5"), if the event handler is on the code page for the worksheet in question (it usually is):
Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)
If Not Intersect(Target, Me.Range("H5")) Is Nothing Then Macro
End Sub
I spent a lot of time researching this and learning how it all works, after really messing up the event triggers. Since there was so much scattered info I decided to share what I have found to work all in one place, step by step as follows:
1) Open VBA Editor, under VBA Project (YourWorkBookName.xlsm) open Microsoft Excel Object and select the Sheet to which the change event will pertain.
2) The default code view is "General." From the drop-down list at the top middle, select "Worksheet."
3) Private Sub Worksheet_SelectionChange is already there as it should be, leave it alone. Copy/Paste Mike Rosenblum's code from above and change the .Range reference to the cell for which you are watching for a change (B3, in my case). Do not place your Macro yet, however (I removed the word "Macro" after "Then"):
Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)
If Not Intersect(Target, Me.Range("H5")) Is Nothing Then
End Sub
or from the drop-down list at the top left, select "Change" and in the space between Private Sub and End Sub, paste If Not Intersect(Target, Me.Range("H5")) Is Nothing Then
4) On the line after "Then" turn off events so that when you call your macro, it does not trigger events and try to run this Worksheet_Change again in a never ending cycle that crashes Excel and/or otherwise messes everything up:
Application.EnableEvents = False
5) Call your macro
Call YourMacroName
6) Turn events back on so the next change (and any/all other events) trigger:
Application.EnableEvents = True
7) End the If block and the Sub:
End If
End Sub
The entire code:
Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)
If Not Intersect(Target, Me.Range("B3")) Is Nothing Then
Application.EnableEvents = False
Call UpdateAndViewOnly
Application.EnableEvents = True
End If
End Sub
This takes turning events on/off out of the Modules which creates problems and simply lets the change trigger, turns off events, runs your macro and turns events back on.
Handle the Worksheet_Change event or the Workbook_SheetChange event.
The event handlers take an argument "Target As Range", so you can check if the range that's changing includes the cell you're interested in.
I prefer this way, not using a cell but a range
Dim cell_to_test As Range, cells_changed As Range
Set cells_changed = Target(1, 1)
Set cell_to_test = Range( RANGE_OF_CELLS_TO_DETECT )
If Not Intersect(cells_changed, cell_to_test) Is Nothing Then
Macro
End If
I have a cell which is linked to online stock database and updated frequently. I want to trigger a macro whenever the cell value is updated.
I believe this is similar to cell value change by a program or any external data update but above examples somehow do not work for me. I think the problem is because excel internal events are not triggered, but thats my guess.
I did the following,
Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)
If Not Intersect(Target, Target.Worksheets("Symbols").Range("$C$3")) Is Nothing Then
'Run Macro
End Sub

How to activate a macro by clicking in a cell with a formula?

I am trying to activate a macro by clicking in a cell.
Option Explicit
Private Sub Worksheet_SelectionChange(ByVal Target As Range)
If Selection.Count = 1 Then
If Not Intersect(Target, Range("B37")) Is Nothing Then
Worksheets("DaysEditor").Activate
Sheets("DaysEditor").Columns("C:LY").Hidden = False
Sheets("DaysEditor").Columns("C:EX").Hidden = True
Sheets("DaysEditor").Range("A1").Select
End If
End If
End Sub
This code works on a cell that doesn't have a formula but will not work on cells with a formula in them.
A few minor tweaks I would change with your code. Firstly, if you are going to make multiple calls to a worksheet, I suggest that you either make a variable of it or use it within a With <obj> statement.
Worksheets() is essentially a function. Every time you use it it has to get the function's "value" - hence not the most efficient way of doing things.
Private Sub Worksheet_SelectionChange(ByVal Target As Range)
If Target.Address = "$B$37:$C$37" Then
With Worksheets("DaysEditor")
.Columns("C:LY").Hidden = False
.Columns("C:EX").Hidden = True
.Activate
.Range("A1").Select
End With
End If
End Sub
Generally I advise against using the Activate method. But since you appear to actually want to be on the worksheet when the code runs then it's not a big deal here. Just remember that Activate is not necessary for the remainder of your code to function.
One last tweak is that I moved your Activate method after you hide/unhide the columns. Probably not a big deal either, but no need to watch the screen redraw unnecessarily.
Thanks to #K.Davis he helped me figure out that the problem was the that cell I was attaching this to was a merged cell and that was the problem. I changed the Selection.Count = 1 to Selection.Count = 2 and the code works perfectly!

VBA crashes when adding formula to multiple cells

when using the below code my excel freezes with no error (i have to pause code and end to allow excel to be used again. - the weird thing is i can run each of the updates individually and it wll work fine. but when all of them are active it stops working.
any advice?
Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)
With ThisWorkbook
Dim Country As String
Country = .Sheets("Views").Range("C2").Text
Select Case Country
Case Is = "Australia"
.Sheets("Views").Range("C5").Formula = "=Volume!B7+Volume!H7+Volume!N7+Volume!T7+Volume!Z7+Volume!AF7"
.Sheets("Views").Range("C6").Formula = "=Volume!C7+Volume!I7+Volume!O7+Volume!U7+Volume!AA7+Volume!AG7"
.Sheets("Views").Range("C7").Formula = "=Volume!D7+Volume!J7+Volume!P7+Volume!V7+Volume!AB7+Volume!AH7"
.Sheets("Views").Range("C8").Formula = "=Volume!E7+Volume!K7+Volume!Q7+Volume!W7+Volume!AC7+Volume!AF7"
Case Is = "China"
'do china
End Select
End With
End Sub
thanks Variatus, you were 100% correct.
Presuming that the code is in the code sheet of Sheets("Views") the Change event, once triggered, would cause Change events by the changes it creates on the sheet, resulting in an endless loop which would, probably, eventually end in "out of memory". To avoid that, set Application.EnableEvents = False before any changes are made and set the property back to True after all changes have been completed. – yesterday
I also found that adding the following at the start also helped, this way the code only trigered updates when the specific Cell i wanted changed was changed i.e. the Country selection
If Not Application.Intersect(Range("C2"), Range(Target.Address)) Is Nothing Then
'code you want exicuted
End If

Delay Macro Run, Excessive Countifs

I am running a macro that opens a file referencing the one I am working in, pastes the relevant items as values into a separate sheet and makes a workbook out of that sheet.
The reason why I am doing this is because there are several thousand countifs, averageifs, and processor-intensive ilk.
The program runs from start to finish, just fine. The issue is that only a few of the items are calculated before the copy/paste operation and so I get a lot of #VALUE errors on the copy of the sheet with the formulas--even though the formulas are calculating correctly on further inspection.
I suspect the correct course of action is to delay the run until the sheet finishes calculating. Any and all help would be appreciated.
EDIT: I've tried all manner of application.calculations and nothing seems to be working. The links and items calculate normally if I open manually and let the processor do its thing. The only items that calculate are the ones that contain "COUNTA" somewhere in it. Is it possible that the application calculation methods don't work with Countifs and the like?
Shouldn't be that hard to do - the Worksheet object has a Calculate property that fires after it calculates. You can add a custom property to the worksheet that exposes a flag that you set after it is done calculating. In the worksheet code that has the time consuming calculation...
Option Explicit
Private can_copy As Boolean
Public Property Get CopyOK()
CopyOK = can_copy
End Property
Private Sub Worksheet_Calculate()
can_copy = True
End Sub
Private Sub Worksheet_Activate()
can_copy = False
End Sub
Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)
can_copy = False
End Sub
'For volitile functions.
Private Sub Worksheet_SelectionChange(ByVal Target As Range)
can_copy = False
End Sub
...and in the calling code:
Dim book As Workbook
Set book = Application.Workbooks.Open("C:\foobar.xlsm")
Do While Not book.Worksheets("Sheet1").CopyOK
DoEvents
Loop
'Do your thing...
Note that I likely missed some events that would trigger a recalculation, but this should cover the scenario of just opening it.
So, I found a means for this to work:
Do Until Application.CalculationState = xlDone
Application.Calculate
While Application.CalculationState <> xlDone
MsgBox Application.CalculationState
DoEvents
Wend
Loop
It was a solution I sort of applied from Siddharth Rout : Wait until Application.Calculate has finished
Thank you everyone for your help!

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