Using Range.Find in VBA to find only the previous value x? - excel

Question

I am trying to use the Range.Find method in VBA to locate the closest previous row number that has a "true" value.
For example, in Column X, there will be a "true" value (row 35), 10 rows with "false," and then "true" again (row 46).
When I get to row 46 in my loop, I need to do a range.find and return row 35.
The code I am using is this:
Worksheets("Data").Cells.Find(True, searchorder:=xlByColumns, searchdirection:=xlNext).Row
What is happening is that I am only finding either the very first "true" value (in this case, row 2), or the very last "true" value (row 24,xxx), as I vary search direction.
What can I do to find only the previous-most "true" value?

Answer 1

You can find the previous row with True by using the After argument in the Find method combined with xlPrevious as the SearchDirection. I have updated the code to add it into a loop, based on your comments.
Since you posted your code, I have edited my answer into your code.
Sub Main()
Dim iCurRow As Long
Dim iCounter As Long
Dim iLastRow As Long
Dim iTempRow As Long
Dim iPreviousRow As Long
Dim iChangeCol As Long
Dim ws As Worksheet
Set ws = Worksheets("Data")
With ws
iChangeCol = .Cells.Find(what:="Change Over?", searchorder:=xlByColumns, searchdirection:=xlNext).Column
iLastRow = .Cells.Find("*", searchorder:=xlByRows, searchdirection:=xlPrevious).Row
iPreviousRow = 2
For iCounter = 3 To iLastRow
If .Cells(iCounter, iChangeCol).Value = True Then
iTempRow = .Cells.Find(what:=True, After:=.Cells(iCounter, iChangeCol), searchorder:=xlByColumns, searchdirection:=xlPrevious).Row
iPreviousRow = iTempRow
End If
Next iCounter
End With
End Sub

Answer 2

This short snippet uses both the Range.Find method and Range.FindNext method to cycle through all matching cells in column X.
Sub rings_true()
Dim fnd As Range
With Worksheets("Sheet1") `<~~ set this worksheet reference properly
With .Columns(24)
Set fnd = .Find(What:="TRUE", after:=.Cells(.Rows.Count), _
LookIn:=xlValues, LookAt:=xlWhole, _
SearchDirection:=xlNext, MatchCase:=False, SearchFormat:=False)
Do While Not fnd Is Nothing
If MsgBox("Currently at " & fnd.Address(0, 0) & Chr(10) & "exit now...?", vbYesNo + vbQuestion) = vbYes Then
Exit Do
Else
Set fnd = .FindNext(after:=fnd)
End If
Loop
End With
End With
End Sub
The current cell address is reported through a MsgBox function. The same MsgBox offers the user the opportunity to break the loop.
Additional error control might include confirming at least one matching value in column X before entering into the loop.

Answer 3

There are multiple arguments to put into the Find method, regarding what you told us, I suggest that you use :
After:=.Cells(.Rows.Count, 1) to start from the bottom of the column
LookIn:=xlValues
LookAt:=xlWhole
SearchOrder:=xlByRows to look row by row (instead of column by column)
SearchDirection:=xlPrevious to look "back", from bottom to top
MatchCase:=False
SearchFormat:=False
And furthermore, you can use the .Find method into a specific range, so rather than Worksheets("Data").Cells.Find(..., you should use Worksheets("Data").Range("X:X").Find(... to look only in the column X.
Here is your amended code :
Sub test_ilarson007()
Dim FirstAddress As String, PreviousMatch As Range, cF As Range
Worksheets("Data").Activate
With Worksheets("Data").Range("X:X")
'First, define properly the Find method
Set cF = .Find(What:=True, _
After:=ActiveCell, _
LookIn:=xlValues, _
LookAt:=xlWhole, _
SearchOrder:=xlByRows, _
SearchDirection:=xlPrevious, _
MatchCase:=False, _
SearchFormat:=False)
'If there is a result,
If Not cF Is Nothing Then
FirstAddress = cF.Address
MsgBox "The row containing the previous 'True' in Column X is : " & cF.Row
'keep looking with FindNext method : Not usefull for your example
Do
Set PreviousMatch = cF
Set cF = .FindNext(cF)
'-------------------------------------------------------------
'----Place instructions to execute on the matched cell/row/...
'First match (i.e. Row 46 in your example)
MsgBox PreviousMatch.Row 'Should display 46 (then 35, then ??)
'Second match (i.e. Row 35 in your example)
MsgBox cf.Row 'Should display 35 (then ??, then ??)
'-------------------------------------------------------------
'Look until you find again the first result
Loop While Not cF Is Nothing And cF.Address <> FirstAddress
End If
End With
End Sub