XL98: How to Delete a Sub Procedure After It Runs Once

ID: Q183101

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition

SUMMARY

This article contains an example that programmatically deletes a Visual Basic for Applications procedure after you run it once.

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/refguide/

The following sample macro (Sub procedure) displays a message box, and then deletes the current Visual Basic module. Although the steps to create the sample macro are written for Microsoft Excel, the code can be used in other programs that support the Visual Basic for Applications programming language and the Visual Basic Editor.

NOTE: Because the macro in this example deletes the module that contains it, store procedures that you want to keep in a separate module.

To use this example, follow these steps:

1. Start Microsoft Excel, and then create a new workbook.

2. Press OPTION+F11 to start the Visual Basic Editor.

3. On the Insert menu, click Module.

4. Press F6 to open the Properties window.

5. In the Properties window, change the (Name) property of the module

   to "TestModule" (without the quotation marks).

6. Type the following code into the module:

      Sub DeleteAfterRun()

         Dim x As Object

         ' This is the code that I want to run once.
         MsgBox "Hello, World!"

         Set x = Application.VBE.ActiveVBProject.VBComponents

         ' Delete the current module.
         x.Remove VBComponent:=x.Item("TestModule")

      End Sub

8. Press OPTION+F11 to switch to Microsoft Excel.

9. Run the DeleteAfterRun macro, and then press ALT+F11 to switch to the

   Visual Basic Editor.

   The TestModule module has been deleted.

REFERENCES

For more information about controlling the Visual Basic Editor programmatically, click the Office Assistant while in the Visual Basic Editor, type "vbe," click Search, and then click to view "VBE 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:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q176476
   TITLE     : OFF97: Office Assistant Not Answering Visual Basic Questions

For more information about getting help with Visual Basic for Applications, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q163435
   TITLE     : VBA: Programming Resources for Visual Basic for
                    Applications

Additional query words: XL98 8.0

Keywords          : kbdta OffVBA 
Version           : MACINTOSH:98
Platform          : MACINTOSH
Issue type        : kbhowto

Last Reviewed: May 18, 1999