VBA: How To Delete a Sub Procedure After It Runs Once

ID: Q172109

The information in this article applies to:

SUMMARY

This article demonstrates how to programmatically delete a Visual Basic for Applications procedure after you run it one time.

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.

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

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

3. If the Properties window is not visible, click Properties on the 

   View menu (or press F4).
4. If the Project Explorer window is not visible, click Project Explorer 
   on the View menu.
5. On the Insert menu, click Module.

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

   to "TestModule" (without the quotation marks).
7. 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 ALT+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     : OFF: 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: XL97 8.0 
Keywords          : kbcode 
Version           : WINDOWS:97
Platform          : WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbhowto

Last Reviewed: April 2, 1999