XL: Visual Basic Macro to List Circular References

ID: Q125848

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Excel for Windows, versions 5.0, 5.0c
Microsoft Excel for the Macintosh, versions 5.0, 5.0a
Microsoft Excel for Windows NT, version 5.0
Microsoft Excel for Windows 95, versions 7.0, 7.0a
Microsoft Excel 97 for Windows
Microsoft Excel 98 Macintosh Edition

SUMMARY

In a Microsoft Excel worksheet, when a formula in a cell refers to the same cell it occupies, either directly or indirectly, a circular reference is created. In Microsoft Excel versions 5.0 and later, tracing tools are provided on the Auditing toolbar to help you locate unwanted circular references. Another way you can trace circular references is to create a Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications macro that produces a list of all cells containing circular references that occur in a single worksheet.

MORE INFORMATION

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   http://www.microsoft.com/support/supportnet/refguide/

Precedents are the cells referenced, directly or indirectly, by a formula. A circular reference occurs whenever the cell containing the circular reference formula is included in the formula's precedents.

The following sample Visual Basic macro generates a new sheet in a workbook and lists all circular references found on the active worksheet. The macro does this by testing each formula in the sheet to see if the cell containing the formula intersects the precedents of the formula.

NOTE: A limitation of this method is that the Precedents property in Visual Basic for Applications can only find precedents on the active sheet. The macro below will not find a circular reference that is caused by a remote reference.

Sample Visual Basic Procedure

On a module sheet, enter the following Visual Basic code:

   Sub FindCircRefs()
       ' Get source information.
       sourcesheet = ActiveSheet.Name
       Sheets.Add
       ' Get destination information.
       destsheet = ActiveSheet.Name
       destrange = ActiveCell.Address
       ' Return to source.
       Worksheets(sourcesheet).Activate
       rowcount = 0
       ' Trap for error in "result", indicating no circular reference.
       On Error GoTo notcircular

       ' Loop through every used cell in source.
       For Each Item In ActiveSheet.UsedRange
           ' Check to see if cell contains a formula.
           If Left(Item.Formula, 1) = "=" Then
               ' If cell intersects with precedents, cell has circular
               ' reference.
               result = Intersect(ActiveSheet.Range(Item.Address), _
                   ActiveSheet.Range(Item.Precedents.Address))

               Worksheets(destsheet).Range(destrange).Offset(rowcount, _
                   0).Value = Item.Address(False, False)

               Worksheets(destsheet).Range(destrange).Offset(rowcount, _
                   1).Value = "'" & Item.Formula

               rowcount = rowcount + 1
               ' Skip to here if not circular.
   skipitem:
           End If
       Next
       Exit Sub

   ' If error in "result", go here.
   notcircular:
       ' Skip cells that do not contain circular references.
       Resume skipitem
   End Sub

To use this macro, run the FindCircRefs macro from the Microsoft Excel worksheet for which you want to find circular references. A new sheet will be added to the active workbook, listing the cell addresses of circular references in column A, and the formula at that address in column B. If no circular references are found, the new sheet will be empty.

Additional query words: 8.00 7.00 5.00 5.00c XL98 XL97 XL7 XL5

Keywords          : kbprg kbdta kbdtacode PgmHowto KbVBA 
Version           : WINDOWS:5.0,5.0c,7.0,97; MACINTOSH:5.0,5.0a,98
Platform          : MACINTOSH WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbhowto

Last Reviewed: May 17, 1999