XL97: Deleting a Cell Changes the UsedRange Property

ID: Q232094

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows

SYMPTOMS

In Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications, the UsedRange property of the worksheet returns an incorrect address for the actual used range of the worksheet. If you attempt to use the Select method with the address returned by the UsedRange property, you receive the following error message:

Run-time error '1004':

Select method of range class failed.

And the macro fails.

CAUSE

This problem occurs when you do the following:

You resize row heights on the worksheet.

-and-

You delete a cell.

-and-

You run a macro that uses the UsedRange property, such as in the following example:
```
ActiveSheet.UsedRange.Select 
```

WORKAROUND

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 a Microsoft Certified Solution Provider or the Microsoft fee-based consulting line at (800) 936-5200. For more information about Microsoft Certified Solution Providers, please see the following page on the World Wide Web:

http://www.microsoft.com/mcsp/

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

To return the correct used range on the worksheet, use the SpecialCells method instead of the UsedRange property. The following sample macro returns the used range of the worksheet.

NOTE: The sample macro below finds cells that contain data, such as text, values, and formulas. It does not find cells that only contain formatting and no real data.


Sub MyUsedRange()
Dim ar As Range, r As Double, c As Integer, tr As Double, tc As Integer
Dim ur As Range, fr As Double, fc As Integer, tfr As Double, tfc As Integer

On Error Resume Next
  fc = ActiveSheet.Columns.Count
  fr = ActiveSheet.Rows.Count
  Set ur = Union(ActiveSheet.UsedRange.SpecialCells(xlCellTypeConstants), _
      ActiveSheet.UsedRange.SpecialCells(xlCellTypeFormulas))
  If Err.Number = 1004 Then
      Err.Clear
      Set ur = ActiveSheet.UsedRange.SpecialCells(xlCellTypeConstants)
  End If
  If Err.Number = 1004 Then
      Err.Clear
      Set ur = ActiveSheet.UsedRange.SpecialCells(xlCellTypeFormulas)
  End If
  If Err.Number = 0 Then
      For Each ar In ur.Areas
         tr = ar.Range("A1").Row + ar.Rows.Count - 1
         tc = ar.Range("A1").Column + ar.Columns.Count - 1
         If tc > c Then c = tc
         If tr > r Then r = tr
         tfr = ar.Range("A1").Row
         tfc = ar.Range("A1").Column
         If tfc < fc Then fc = tfc
         If tfr < fr Then fr = tfr
      Next
      Range(Cells(fr, fc), Cells(r, c)).Select
  ElseIf Err.Number = 1004 Then
      Range("A1").Select
  End If
End Sub

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article.

Additional query words: XL97

Keywords : kbcode kberrmsg kbdta EPUCon
Version : WINDOWS:97
Platform : WINDOWS
Issue type : kbbug