IF() END.IF() Handles Errors Differently than IF() in Excel

ID: Q69605

The information in this article applies to:

SUMMARY

When evaluating an error, the IF() END.IF() form handles errors differently than the single IF() statement.

The following examples illustrate the difference. 


Example 1               Example 2
---------               ---------

A1: =1/0                B1: =1/0
A2: =IF(A1=TRUE)        B2: =IF(B1=TRUE,BEEP(),)
A3: =BEEP()             B3: =RETURN()
A4: =END.IF()
A5: =RETURN()


In example 1, the macro halts at A2 and returns an error, while example 2 evaluates "=1/0" as an error but completes the macro.


MORE INFORMATION

In example 2, the IF statement is a single formula that resolves to #DIV/0, just as any simple formula (such as A1+1) that refers to a cell containing an error value will return that error value.

In example 1, the IF statement returns the same error. However, because it is part of a program structure (the IF/END.IF) rather than a stand-alone formula that returns a single value, the integrity of the code is destroyed, and Excel displays the macro error. A cell that resolves to an error cannot go on and execute an action such as branching to the END.IF(). The error must first be checked for, and the error-returning comparison (A2=TRUE) only computed if the variables are not in error.

Additional query words: 3.0 4.0 


Keywords          : 
Version           : 
Platform          : 
Issue type        :

Last Reviewed: March 21, 1999