Article ID: 149241
Article Last Modified on 8/17/2005
APPLIES TO
- Microsoft Excel 97 Standard Edition
- Microsoft Excel 95 Standard Edition
- Microsoft Excel 5.0 Standard Edition
- Microsoft Excel 98 for Macintosh
This article was previously published under Q149241
SUMMARY
This article demonstrates how to get the exact visible range of a worksheet, measured in points. This information makes it possible to exactly fill the visible range with a graphic object, such as a chart.
Note that you may not always be able to determine the exact visible range on all computers, because the visible range may vary depending on the video drivers and video settings you are using. However, the macro in this
article returns coordinates that are very close to exact.
MORE INFORMATION
Microsoft provides programming examples for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied. This includes, but is not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. This article assumes that you are familiar with the programming language that is being demonstrated and with the tools that are used to create and to debug procedures. Microsoft support engineers 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 requirements. To exactly fill the visible range of a worksheet with a graphic object, such as a chart, you must know the exact Top, Left, Height and Width coordinates in points. The ActiveWindow.VisibleRange property returns the range including the partially visible column to the right and the partially visible row at the bottom. You can use the Top and Left property
of that range to get the top and left point coordinates, to get the width property of all columns except the rightmost one, and to get the height property of all rows except the bottom one.
Note, however, that there is no direct way of getting the width of the visible portion of the rightmost column or the height of the visible portion of the bottom row. The only way to get that information is to incrementally make the last column and bottom row wider or narrower until the ActiveWindow.VisibleRange property returns one fewer or more columns and rows.
The Width property of columns is read-only. Therefore, you can only widen a column with the ColumnWidth property, which is measured based on the Normal font rather than in points (the Normal may vary from computer to computer).
Furthermore, the ColumnWidth property will only widen or narrow a column by a certain minimum incremental amount, otherwise the column does not widen. So, it is first necessary to experiment with a column to find the smallest amount that it can be widened. Then, incrementally widen or narrow
it until the VisibleRange property returns one fewer or more columns. After you have determined this measurement, note the new column width and return
the column to its original width.
Row size is easier to determine, because the rowheight property is measured in points; however, rows have a minimum incremental amount by which you can make them shorter, which can vary depending on the type of computer you have.
Sample Macro to Get the Exact Visible Range
Dim LeftCol, LastCol, TopRow, LastRow, NumCols, _
NumRows, Cadd, Radd As Integer
Dim ScreenTop, ScreenLeft, ScreenHeight, ScreenWidth, _
ADJUST_BOTTOM_UPWARDS, ADJUST_RIGHT_SIDE_LEFTWARD, _
ADJUST_TOP_DOWNWARDS, ADJUST_LEFT_SIDE_RIGHTWARD, _
oldW, oldH, OldCw, OldCsw, OldRh, newW, newH, _
Cinc, Rinc, Builder As Double
' Enter custom adjustments here, if needed.
Sub CUSTOM_ADJUSTMENTS()
ADJUST_TOP_DOWNWARDS = 0
ADJUST_BOTTOM_UPWARDS = 0
ADJUST_LEFT_SIDE_RIGHTWARD = 0
ADJUST_RIGHT_SIDE_LEFTWARD = 0
End Sub
Sub Get_Visible_Area()
Application.ScreenUpdating = False
CUSTOM_ADJUSTMENTS
Sheets("Sheet1").Select
' Find minimum effective ColumnWidth increment.
' ============================================
oldW = Columns(1).ColumnWidth
Builder = 0.001
' Try to widen column by incrementally larger
' amounts until it gets Builder:
Do Until Columns(1).ColumnWidth > oldW
Columns(1).ColumnWidth = Columns(1).ColumnWidth + Builder
Builder = Builder + 0.001
Loop
newW = Columns(1).ColumnWidth
' Return column to its original width:
Columns(1).ColumnWidth = oldW
Cinc = Application.RoundUp(newW - oldW, 2)
' Find minimum effective RowHeight increment
' ==========================================
oldH = Rows(1).RowHeight
Builder = -0.001
' Try to make row shorter by incrementally larger
' amounts until it actually gets shorter:
Do Until Rows(1).RowHeight < oldH
Rows(1).RowHeight = Rows(1).RowHeight + Builder
Builder = Builder - 0.001
Loop
newH = Rows(1).RowHeight
' Return row to its original height:
Rows(1).RowHeight = oldH
Rinc = -Application.RoundDown(newH - oldH, 2)
' Get Top.
' =======
ScreenTop = ActiveWindow.VisibleRange.Rows(1).Top + _
ADJUST_TOP_DOWNWARDS
' Get Left.
' ========
ScreenLeft = ActiveWindow.VisibleRange.Columns(1).Left + _
ADJUST_LEFT_SIDE_RIGHTWARD
' Get Width.
' =========
LeftCol = ActiveWindow.VisibleRange.Columns(1).Column
NumCols = ActiveWindow.VisibleRange.Columns.Count - 1
' If only one big column is visible:
If NumCols = 0 Then
Set LastCol = Columns(LeftCol)
Cinc = Cinc * -1
Else
Set LastCol = Columns(LeftCol + NumCols - 1)
End If
OldCw = LastCol.ColumnWidth
OldCsw = Columns(LastCol.Column).Width
' Change the column width until a column border crosses the
' right edge of the screen:
Do Until ActiveWindow.VisibleRange.Columns.Count <> NumCols + 1
LastCol.ColumnWidth = LastCol.ColumnWidth + Cinc
Loop
' A small adjustment; your screen may vary:
LastCol.ColumnWidth = LastCol.ColumnWidth + Abs(Cinc * 2)
' Add up the column widths:
For Cadd = LeftCol To LastCol.Column
ScreenWidth = ScreenWidth + Columns(Cadd).Width
Next
' Return the column to its original width:
LastCol.ColumnWidth = OldCw - _
ADJUST_RIGHT_SIDE_LEFTWARD - ADJUST_LEFT_SIDE_RIGHTWARD
' Get Height.
' ==========
TopRow = ActiveWindow.VisibleRange.Rows(1).Row
NumRows = ActiveWindow.VisibleRange.Rows.Count - 1
' If only one big row is visible:
If NumRows = 0 Then
Set LastRow = Rows(TopRow)
Rinc = Rinc * -1
Else
Set LastRow = Rows(TopRow + NumRows - 1)
End If
OldRh = LastRow.RowHeight
' Change the row height until a row border crosses the
' bottom edge of the screen:
Do Until ActiveWindow.VisibleRange.Rows.Count <> NumRows + 1
LastRow.RowHeight = LastRow.RowHeight + Rinc
Loop
' A small adjustment; your screen may vary:
LastRow.RowHeight = LastRow.RowHeight + Abs(Rinc * 2)
' Add up the row heights:
For Radd = TopRow To LastRow.Row
ScreenHeight = ScreenHeight + Rows(Radd).Height
Next
' Return the row to its original height:
LastRow.RowHeight = OldRh - _
ADJUST_BOTTOM_UPWARDS - ADJUST_TOP_DOWNWARDS
' Sanity check.
' ============
If ScreenWidth < 0 Then
MsgBox "Cannot create rectangle." & Chr(13) & Chr(13) _
& "ADJUST_TOP_DOWNWARDS and/or " & _
"ADJUST_BOTTOM_UPWARDS is too high."
ElseIf ScreenHeight < 0 Then
MsgBox "Cannot create rectangle." & Chr(13) & Chr(13) _
& "ADJUST_LEFT_SIDE_RIGHTWARD and/or " & _
"ADJUST_RIGHT_SIDE_LEFTWARD is too high."
Else
' Create an example object filling the viewable area.
' ==================================================
ActiveSheet.Rectangles.Add(ScreenLeft, ScreenTop, ScreenWidth, _
ScreenHeight).Select
End If
End Sub
REFERENCES
For more information about ranges in Microsoft Excel 97, from the Visual Basic Editor, click the Office Assistant, type Ranges, click Search, and then click to view "Range Property (Application, Range, or Worksheet Object)."
NOTE: If the Assistant is hidden, click the Office Assistant button on the Standard toolbar. If the Assistant is not able to answer your query, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
176476 OFF: Office Assistant Not Answering Visual Basic Questions
For more information about Ranges in Microsoft Excel 5.0, click the Search button in Help and type:
VisibleRange
Additional query words: 5.00a 8.00 XL5 XL7 XL97 XL98 viewable showing shown unhidden not hidden appearing seeable exposed unconcealed displayed XL
Keywords: kbhowto kbprogramming kbdtacode KB149241
