Microsoft KB Archive/148355

= XL: How to Select Ranges Using Visual Basic for Applications (Novice Examples) =

PSS ID Number: 148355

Article Last Modified on 9/11/2002

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The information in this article applies to:


 * Microsoft Excel for Windows 5.0
 * Microsoft Excel for Windows 5.0c
 * Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh 5.0
 * Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition
 * Microsoft Excel for Windows NT 5.0
 * Microsoft Excel for Windows 95 7.0
 * Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows
 * Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications

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This article was previously published under Q148355



For a Microsoft Excel 2002 version of this article, see 291304.

For a Microsoft Excel 2000 version of this article, see 213599.



SUMMARY
In Microsoft Excel, you can select cells in a range either manually or by using some simple Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications code. This article provides examples you can use to select a range of cells.



Examples of How to Select Cells Manually
To manually select all the data in a column, select the first cell, and press CTRL+SHIFT+DOWN ARROW.

Likewise, to manually select a row and all columns attached to the row, press CTRL+SHIFT+DOWN ARROW+RIGHT ARROW. However, all data must be contiguous (that is, you cannot have blank rows or columns). Also, you can select the current region of data (contiguous data, with no blank rows or columns) by doing the following:
 * 1) On the Edit menu, click Go To.
 * 2) In the Go To dialog box, click Special.
 * 3) In the Go To Special dialog box, click Current Region, and then click OK.

You can also select this range by using simple Visual Basic for Applications code.

NOTE: If you try to record this procedure by using the macro recorder, you do not receive the same results.

Examples of How to Use Visual Basic Code to Select Cells in a Range
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 Partner or the Microsoft fee-based consulting line at (800) 936-5200. For more information about Microsoft Certified Partners, please visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/partner/referral/

For more information about the support options that are available and about how to contact Microsoft, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;CNTACTMS

The following Visual Basic code samples show you how to select varying ranges.

If you know the beginning cell (in this example, the beginning cell is cell C1), and you want to select down to the last cell (in the same column) that has data but do not know that address, use the following code: Sub SelectRangeDown Range("c1", Range("c1").End(xlDown)).Select End Sub NOTE: The SelectRangeDown macro assumes your data is contiguous. Otherwise, if there are blank cells in the column of data you are selecting, this macro may not select all of your cells in the column.

If your data begins in cell C1, but is not contiguous in that column, use the following macro: Sub SelectRangeDown_Discontiguous Range("c1", Range("c16384").End(xlUp)).Select End Sub In Microsoft Excel 97 and Microsoft Excel 98, this macro will be slightly different because there are more rows in a worksheet in this version of Microsoft Excel: Sub SelectRangeDown_Discontiguous97 Range("c1", Range("c65536").End(xlUp)).Select End Sub If you want to select from the active cell down and all columns to the right (assuming contiguous data in all rows and columns), use the following code: Sub myrangearea Range(ActiveCell, ActiveCell.End(xlDown).End(xlToRight)).Select End Sub If you know the starting cell (in this sample code, the starting cell is D1), and you want to select down the column and to the right, try using the following code: Sub RangeFromStart Range("d1", Range("d1").End(xlDown).End(xlToRight)).Select End Sub To select all data in the current region, use the following code: Sub CurrentArea Selection.CurrentRegion.Select End Sub The examples included in this article show you how to select varying ranges on the active worksheet of your current workbook.

For additional information about selecting ranges with Visual Basic for Applications (and for more advanced examples), please click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

120198 XL: How to Select Cells/Ranges Using Visual Basic Procedures

