3 or More Dependent Data Validation, with VBA, easy to set up

Akuini

Well-known Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2016
Messages
5,271
Office Version
  1. 365
Platform
  1. Windows
I want to share a macro to set up multi dependent data validation with vba. Some versions of dependent data validation use formulas to set them up, usually with indirect functions. For 2 or 3 dependent data validation & small data set, it's pretty easy to set it up, but for more than 3, it might be difficult to maintain as it requires lots of tables & lots of helper columns. This version uses vba, you only need 1 table, 1 helper column & 1 named range. The code is a bit complicated but easy to set up and maintain.

This is an example of 3 dependent data validation, with VBA. You can easily set up more than 3 dependent data validations as needed.
Notes:
1. You only need 1 table as data validation source, 1 helper column, 1 named range & 1 simple formula in data validation (ie =xName).
2. The columns where data validation reside may or may not be contiguous.
3. The list in the table may have duplicate, empty & unsorted, but the code will make the list in data validation unique, sorted & non-empty. The list is also dynamic, you can add more data as needed.
4. In the range with data validation, changing or deleting cell contents will delete cells in the next column with data validation.
5. But one caveat of using macro is when macro changes/writes something on sheet it will delete Undo Stack, so at that time you can't use UNDO. In this case it happens every time you put the cursor in a cell with data validation.

The File:

dhee - multiple data validation non adjacent column 2.jpg


The code:
VBA Code:
Option Explicit
'=================================================================================================
'=============== ADJUST THE CODE IN THIS PART: ===================================

'sheet's name where the list for data validation is located. [in the example: sheet "sheet2"]
Private Const sList As String = "sheet2"

'table's name where the list for data validation is located. [in the example: "Table1"]
Private Const sTable As String = "Table1"

'sDT & sDV must be in correct order (in this example 'STATE > CITY > REP).
'You can add number of columns as needed.
'Column number on the table "Table1": 'STATE > CITY > REP
Private Const sDT As String = "1,2,4"

'Column where data validation is located 'STATE > CITY > REP
Private Const sDV As String = "B:B,D:D,G:G"

'the helper column, first cell
Private Const xH As String = "H1"

'the name range as the source of data validation
Private Const xN As String = "xName"
'==================================================================================================
'==================================================================================================
Private xOld As String

Private Sub Worksheet_SelectionChange(ByVal Target As Range)

If Target.Cells.CountLarge > 1 Then Exit Sub
    
If Not Intersect(Target, Range(sDV)) Is Nothing Then
    If isValid(Target) Then     'if activecell has data validation type 3
       If Target.Validation.Formula1 = "=" & xN Then 'its formula is "=xName"
       
       Dim d As Object, va, flag As Boolean, z, q, vb, x
       Dim i As Long, y As Long, w As Long
       
       Application.CutCopyMode = False 'prevent paste to the range with the DV
       xOld = Target.Value
       Set d = CreateObject("scripting.dictionary"):  d.CompareMode = vbTextCompare
       'columns with data validation:  sDV = "B:B,D:D,G:G"
       z = Application.Transpose(Application.Transpose(Split(sDV, ","))) ''create 1D array, variant/string type, Lbound = 1
       
       For i = 1 To UBound(z)
           If Target.Column = Range(z(i)).Column Then w = i: Exit For
       Next
  
       'reset xName to blank
'       ThisWorkbook.Names(xN).RefersTo = Sheets(sList).Range(xH)
       Sheets(sList).Range(xH).Name = xN  'blank cell

       If w > 1 Then 'if previous col with DV is empty then exit sub (with xName is blank)
           If ActiveSheet.Cells(Target.Row, z(w - 1)) = "" Then Exit Sub
       End If

          
           'Column number on the source table: sDT = "1,2,4"
            q = Evaluate("{" & sDT & "}") 'create 1D array, variant/double type, Lbound = 1
      
        'populate data from Table1,
        '"Application.Max(q)" is to limit the column range as needed for populating the list.
        va = Sheets(sList).ListObjects(sTable).DataBodyRange.Resize(, Application.Max(q)).Value
   
       For i = 1 To UBound(va, 1)
           flag = True
           
           If w = 1 Then 'if target is in first data validation column
               d(va(i, q(w))) = Empty
           Else
               'apply criteria from all previous column
               For y = 1 To w - 1
                   If UCase(va(i, q(y))) <> UCase(ActiveSheet.Cells(Target.Row, z(y))) Then flag = False: Exit For
               Next
               'if all criteria are met
               If flag = True Then d(va(i, q(w))) = Empty
           End If
       Next

            If d.Exists("") Then d.Remove ""
            If d.Count > 0 Then
                Dim c As Range
                Application.EnableEvents = False
                Application.ScreenUpdating = False
                    'populate d.keys to helper column & sort it
                    With Sheets(sList)
                        .Columns(.Range(xH).Column).ClearContents
                        Set c = .Range(xH).Resize(d.Count, 1).Offset(1)
                        c = Application.Transpose(Array(d.Keys))
                        c.Sort Key1:=c.Cells(1), Order1:=xlAscending, Header:=xlNo
                    End With
                   'populating range to xName
                    c.Name = xN
        
                Application.ScreenUpdating = True
                Application.EnableEvents = True
            End If
        End If
    End If
End If

End Sub

Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)
If Target.Cells.CountLarge > 1 Then Exit Sub
    
If Not Intersect(Target, Range(sDV)) Is Nothing Then
    
    If isValid(Target) Then     'if activecell has data validation type 3
       If Target.Validation.Formula1 = "=" & xN Then 'if its formula is "=xName"
            If xOld <> Target.Value Then
            
                Dim i As Long, w As Long, z
            
                Application.EnableEvents = False
                'columns with data validation:  "B:B,D:D,G:G"
                z = Application.Transpose(Application.Transpose(Split(sDV, ",")))
                
                For i = 1 To UBound(z)
                    If Target.Column = Range(z(i)).Column Then w = i: Exit For
                Next
                     
                    'if it's not the last column with DV then clear all next column with DV
                    If w < UBound(z) Then
                        For i = w + 1 To UBound(z)
                            ActiveSheet.Cells(Target.Row, Range(z(i)).Column) = ""
                        Next
                    End If
                Application.EnableEvents = True
            End If
        End If
    End If
End If
    
End Sub

Sub toEnableEvent()
Application.EnableEvents = True
End Sub

Function isValid(f As Range) As Boolean
    Dim v
    On Error Resume Next
        v = f.Validation.Type
    On Error GoTo 0
    isValid = v = 3
End Function
 

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Akuini,

Thanks for sharing this. I have moved it to the "General Discussion & Other Applications" forum, as it is really not an "Excel Question", and it will also get buried really fast in that forum, with the number of questions that get asked. But it might be even better served if you post it to the "Excel Articles" forum, which is probably the appropriate place to post something like this.

Take a look at this link here: You Are Invited to Post Your Articles at MrExcel
 
Upvote 0
@Akuini This work is a wonderful masterpiece !

actually I was searching for long time and ask how link multiple data validirtion depends for each other of them , but I don't find persuaded answer . some members suggests using combobox . but you achieved that . I see you master the codes on userform .
well done expert! ;)
 
Upvote 0
very useful I was searching for that, but for more columns, any idea how to get that ?
 
Upvote 0
very useful I was searching for that, but for more columns, any idea how to get that ?
Basically you just need to amend the the variable value (in the part that says ADJUST THE CODE IN THIS PART) to match your data setting.
I can help you with that if you could upload a sample workbook (without sensitive data) to a sharing site like dropbox.com or google drive?
And then share the link here.
 
Upvote 0
Basically you just need to amend the the variable value (in the part that says ADJUST THE CODE IN THIS PART) to match your data setting.
I can help you with that if you could upload a sample workbook (without sensitive data) to a sharing site like dropbox.com or google drive?
And then share the link here.
It worked, many thanks ! it helped me a lot <3
 
Upvote 0

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