XL: How to Count Blank Cells in a Specified Range

ID: Q139573

The information in this article applies to:

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

SUMMARY

In Microsoft Excel, you can use a Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications macro (Sub procedure) to count the blank cells in a specified range.

NOTE: You can also use the COUNTBLANK worksheet function to return the number of blank cells in a range.

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/

When you run the following macro, an input box will appear requesting you to select the range to be counted.

Sample Visual Basic Procedure

   Sub CountBlanks()

       ' Dimension the variables used in the example
       Dim Holder As Object
       Dim Answer As Integer

       ' Creates the object called holder that is equal to the range
       ' that is selected from the input box.

       Set Holder = _
           Application.InputBox("Input range to check for blanks", _
           "Blank Cell Counter", Type:=8)

       ' Set the counter to 0.
       Answer = 0

       ' Count each blank cell.
       For Each x In Holder
           If IsEmpty(x.Value) Then Answer = Answer + 1
       Next x

       ' Displays answer in a message box.
       MsgBox "There are " & Answer & " blank cells in this range."

   End Sub

REFERENCES

Microsoft Press: "Excel 5 Visual Basic for Applications Reference," pages 335-336

For additional 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: 5.00 7.00 8.00 XL97 XL98 XL7 XL5 howto

Keywords          : kbprg kbualink97 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