Microsoft KB Archive/184171

Knowledge Base

XL98: New UsedRange Property Behavior

Article ID: 184171

Article Last Modified on 6/17/2005

---

APPLIES TO

• Microsoft Excel 98 for Macintosh

---

This article was previously published under Q184171

SUMMARY

In earlier versions of Microsoft Excel, when you create a Visual Basic for Applications macro that performs multiple deletions or clears cells multiple times, you must save the workbook to release the random access memory that is no longer being used. In Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition, you can free this memory by using the UsedRange Property in a macro.

In addition, the UsedRange property in Microsoft Excel 98 refers to only the occupied range of cells. In earlier versions of Microsoft Excel, the UsedRange property includes cells that are referenced (by formulas) but that are not occupied with data.

NOTE: The UsedRange Property does exist in earlier versions of Microsoft Excel. This particular functionality is new in Microsoft Excel 98.

This article contains a sample macro that resets the used range of cells on the active worksheet.

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.

Example

To reset the used range of cells on the active worksheet, follow these steps:

1. On the Tools menu, point to Macro, and then click Visual Basic Editor.
2. On the Insert menu, click Module.

3. In the module sheet, type the following code:

         Sub Reset_Range()
             ActiveSheet.UsedRange
         End Sub
                           

4. On the File menu, click "Close and Return to Microsoft Excel."
5. On the Tools menu, point to Macro, and then click Macros.
6. Click the Reset_Range macro and click Run.

Locating the Last Used Cell

You can locate the last used cell on the worksheet to determine the used range of cells on the active sheet. The used range of cells starts at cell A1 and ends at the last cell that is found. To find the last cell, follow these steps:

1. On the Edit menu, click Go To.
2. Click Special.
3. Click Last Cell and click OK.

These steps select the cell that Microsoft Excel recognizes as the last used cell on the worksheet. The last used range starts at cell A1 and ends at the selected cell.

REFERENCES

For more information about UsedRange Property, from the Visual Basic Editor, click the Office Assistant, type usedrange, click Search, and then click to view "UsedRange Property."

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

Additional query words: XL98 RAM run out free up

Keywords: kbinfo kbdtacode KB184171

---

Send feedback to Microsoft

© Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.