XL: How to Select Ranges Using VB for Apps (Novice Examples)

ID: Q148355

The information in this article applies to:

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.

MORE INFORMATION

Examples of How To Select Cells Manually

In Microsoft Excel, to manually select all the data in a column, select the first cell, hold down the CTRL+SHIFT keys, and then press the DOWN ARROW key.

Likewise, to manually select a row and all columns attached to the row, hold down the CTRL+SHIFT keys, and then press the DOWN ARROW+RIGHT ARROW keys. 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 will 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 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 Visual Basic code examples will 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 see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 

   ARTICLE-ID: Q120198
   TITLE     : XL: How to Select Cells/Ranges Using Visual Basic
               Procedures

REFERENCES

For more information about Select Ranges with the End Property, follow these steps:

1. Type "end" (without the quotation marks) on a blank line on a module 

   sheet.
2. Select the word "end" that you typed in step 1.

3. Press F1.

4. In the Context Help dialog box click the item for the "Excel" 

   library, and then click Help (click OK in Microsoft Excel versions
   5.0 and 7.0).
Additional query words: 5.00 5.00c 7.00 8.00 ranges select adjacent 
Keywords          : kbprg kbdta kbdtacode PgmHowto KbVBA 
Version           : WINDOWS: 5.0, 7.0, 97; MACINTOSH: 5.0, 98
Platform          : MACINTOSH WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbhowto

Last Reviewed: May 17, 1999