XL: Visual Basic Macro Examples for Working with Arrays

ID: Q149689


The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 5.0, 5.0a, 5.0c
  • Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, version 7.0
  • Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows
  • Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, versions 5.0, 5.0a
  • Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition


SUMMARY

This article contains sample Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications procedures that you can use to work with several types of arrays.


MORE INFORMATION

Microsoft provides programming examples for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose. This article assumes that you are familiar with the programming language being demonstrated and the tools used to create and debug procedures. Microsoft support professionals can help explain the functionality of a particular procedure, but they will not modify these examples to provide added functionality or construct procedures to meet your specific needs. If you have limited programming experience, you may want to contact the Microsoft fee-based consulting line at (800) 936-5200. For more information about the support options available from Microsoft, please see the following page on the World Wide Web:

http://www.microsoft.com/support/supportnet/overview/overview.asp


NOTE: In Visual Basic for Applications procedures, the words after the apostrophe (') are comments.

To Fill an Array, and Then Copy It to a Worksheet

  1. Open a new workbook and insert a Visual Basic module sheet.


  2. Type the following code on the module sheet.
    
          Sub Sheet_Fill_Array()
             Dim myarray As Variant
             myarray = Array(1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
             Range("a1:a10").Value = Application.Transpose(myarray)
          End Sub 


  3. Select Sheet1.


  4. On the Tools menu, Click Macro.


  5. In the Macro dialog box, click Sheet_Fill_Array, and then click Run.


To Take Values from a Worksheet and Fill the array

  1. Input values on Sheet1 in cells a1:a10.


  2. On a Visual Basic module sheet, type the following code:
    
          Sub from_sheet_make_array()
             Dim thisarray As Variant
             thisarray = Range("a1:a10").Value
    
             counter = 1                'looping structure to look at array
             While counter <= UBound(thisarray)
                MsgBox thisarray(counter, 1)
                counter = counter + 1
             Wend
          End Sub 


  3. Select Sheet1.


  4. On the Tools menu, click Macro.


  5. In the Macro dialog box, click from_sheet_make_array, and then click Run.


To Pass and Receive an Array

  1. On a module sheet, type the following code:
    
          Sub pass_array()
             Dim thisarray As Variant
             thisarray = Selection.Value
             receive_array (thisarray)
          End Sub
    
          Sub receive_array(thisarray)
             counter = 1
             While counter <= UBound(thisarray)
                MsgBox thisarray(counter, 1)
                counter = counter + 1
             Wend
          End Sub 


  2. Select Sheet1, and highlight the range A1:A10.


  3. On the Tools menu, click Macro.


  4. In the Macro dialog box, click pass_array, and then click Run.


To Compare Two Arrays



  1. Create two named ranges on Sheet1. Name one range1 and the other range2.

    For example, highlight the cell range A1:A10 and name it range1; highlight the cell range B1:B10 and name it range2.


  2. Type the following code on the module sheet.
    
          Sub compare_two_array()
             Dim thisarray As Variant
             Dim thatarray As Variant
    
             thisarray = Range("range1").Value
             thatarray = Range("range2").Value
             counter = 1
             While counter <= UBound(thisarray)
                x = thisarray(counter, 1)
                y = thatarray(counter, 1)
                If x = y Then
                   MsgBox "yes"
                Else MsgBox "nope"
                End If
                counter = counter + 1
             Wend
          End Sub 


  3. Select Sheet2.


  4. On the Tools menu, click Macro.


  5. In the Macro dialog box, click compare_two_array, and then click Run.

    You will see one message box for every comparison.


To Fill an Array

  1. Type the following code on a module sheet.
    
          Function array_fill()
             array_fill = Application.Transpose(Array(1, 2, 3))
          End Function 


  2. Highlight the range A1:A3 on a Sheet2 and type =array_fill(), and then press CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER. In Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, press COMMAND+RETURN.


To Fill an Array and Add up the Array

  1. On a module sheet, type the following code:
    
          Function test(x As Object) As Integer
             For Each mycell In x
                test = test + mycell.Value
             Next
          End Function 


  2. Select Sheet1 and highlight range A1:A10.


  3. In cell A12 type =test(cell_range), and then press CTRL+SHIFT+ENTER. In Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, press COMMAND+RETURN.


To Fill a Dynamic Array



  1. On a module sheet, type the following code:
    
          Sub fill_array()
    
             Dim thisarray As Variant
             number_of_elements = 3     'number of elements in the array
    
            'must redim below to set size
             ReDim thisarray(1 To number_of_elements) As Integer
            'resizes this size of the array
             counter = 1
             fillmeup = 7
             For counter = 1 To number_of_elements
                thisarray(counter) = fillmeup
             Next counter
    
             counter = 1         'this loop shows what was filled in
             While counter <= UBound(thisarray)
                MsgBox thisarray(counter)
                counter = counter + 1
             Wend
    
          End Sub 


  2. On the Tools menu, click Macro.


  3. In the Macro dialog box, click fill_array, and then click Run.


NOTE: Changing the variable "number_of_elements" will determine the size of the array.

Additional query words: 5.00a 5.00c 8.00 xl97 copy paste visual basic editor

Keywords : kbprg kbdta kbdtacode PgmHowto KbVBA
Version : MACINTOSH:5.0,5.0a; WINDOWS:5.0,5.0a,5.0c,7.0
Platform : MACINTOSH WINDOWS
Issue type : kbhowto


Last Reviewed: November 9, 1999
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