VBA Solution to Search Text and Return Desired Result

[plk0507]

Hi,

First-time poster so I want to say thank you in advance for looking at my issue. Below is a sample from my worksheet that is actually hundreds of thousands of lines long.

I'm looking for a solution to search columns J, K, and L for the values in column Y (column y is actually 5-6 thousand lines long). And if it finds the value, return it to column M, separated by a comma.

I've been using the following formula: =TEXTJOIN(", ", TRUE, IF(COUNTIF(J2:L2, "*"&$Y$2:$Y$9&"*"), $Y$2:$Y$9, ""))

My issue with that formula is it also returns partial matches. For example, look at the result in M3. It returned W269 simply because it's a partial match to W2690. On a file with 900 thousand lines, that partial match could repeat itself a few thousand times, and manually fixing it can take days. My other issue is running that formula can take a couple of hours.

My question is, is there a VBA solution to searching this data that will return the desired result without the partial matches? Thank you for your help, I sincerely appreciate it.

Book1.xlsx
	A	B	C	D	E	F	G	H	I	J	K	L	M	N	O	P	Q	R	S	T	U	V	W	X	Y
1	Aircraft Type	Tail Number	JCN	WCE ID	WUC	How Mal	Action Taken	When Discovered Code	Type Maint Code	Corrective Action	Discrepancy	WCE Narrative	Harness	RDI	Start Date	Stop Date	Labor	Base	Units Produced	How Mal Class	Block Number				Harness Number
2	F016D	8900002171	151550276	1	62000	799	X	F	B	VHF OPS CHK C/W	VHF AUDIO HARNESS W1654 PART NUMBER H16DW1654-504,W1644 PART NUMBER H16DW1644-514 AND W1844 PART NUMBER H16DW1844-300 REQUIRE REPLACEMENT.	VHF AUDIO HARNESS W1654 PART NUMBER H16DW1654-504,W1644 PART NUMBER H16DW1644-514 AND W1844 PART NUMBER H16DW1844-300 REQUIRE REPLACEMENT.	W1644, W1654, W1844		42799.71	42799.75	2	KUNSAN	1	6	40				W1644
3	F016D	9000000783	203510534	0	63000	6	F	S	R	RECOUP HOURS FOR: SOLDER NEW WAFER ON TO WIRES TO REPAIR W1812-9154J424. PERFORM CONTINUITY CHECK TO ENSURE PROPER CONNECTIONSREF 1F-16CG-2-00GV-00-2	***ADD TIME REQ, REF OP#91438*** NSFE FOUND DURING INSTALL OF HARNESS 16DW2690-501 BROKEN PINS WERE FOUND ON W1812-9154J424 T.O./FIG:REF 1F-16CG-2-00GV-00-2	***ADD TIME REQ, REF OP#91438*** NSFE FOUND DURING INSTALL OF HARNESS 16DW2690-501 BROKEN PINS WERE FOUND ON W1812-9154J424 T.O./FIG:REF 1F-16CG-2-00GV-00-2	W269, W1812, W2690		44181	44181	44.3	HILL AFB UT	1	1	42				W1654
4	F016D	9000000783	203490427	0	63000	6	F	S	R	SOLDER NEW WAFER ON TO WIRES TO REPAIR W1812-9154J424. PERFORM CONTINUITY CHECK TO ENSURE PROPER CONNECTIONSREF 1F-16CG-2-00GV-00-2	NSFE FOUND DURING INSTALL OF HARNESS 16DW2690-501 BROKEN PINS WERE FOUND ON W1812-9154J424 T.O./FIG:REF 1F-16CG-2-00GV-00-2	NSFE FOUND DURING INSTALL OF HARNESS 16DW2690-501 BROKEN PINS WERE FOUND ON W1812-9154J424 T.O./FIG:REF 1F-16CG-2-00GV-00-2	W269, W1812, W2690		44179	44179	6	HILL AFB UT	1	1	42				W1844
5	F016D	8900002166	150567407	2	64000	799	X	D	D	SEE NEW JCN 161896706 FOR UPDATED JOB	COM 2 RADIO TRANSMITS SQUEAL/TONES WHEN MIC IS KEYED, IF VOLUME KNOB IS PAST 3:00 POSITION. VOLUME ANY LOWER AND COM 2 IS INAUDIABLE	JOB CREATED TO ORDER AND REPLACE VHF AUDIO HARNESS W1654 PART NUMBER H16DW1654-504,W1644 PART NUMBER H16DW1644-514 AND W1844 PART NUMBER H16DW1844-300.	W1644, W1654, W1844		42563.25	42563.29	2	KUNSAN	1	6	40				W269
6	F016D	8800000170	210889170	8	69B98	70	R	B	B	W2690-204-20 R2 IAW 1F-16CG-2-00GV-00-2 SECTION 14	PANEL 3434 & 3436 REMOVED TO FOM SEE JCN 210550032001	W2690-204-20 SHOOTS OPEN FROM RPS 2382P2/1 TO LVT 2382P12	W269, W2690	2382P12, 2382P2/1	44286.71	44286.73	1	EGLIN AFB FL	1	1	40				W1812
7	F016D	8800000170	210670228	14	69B98	308	R	B	B	FILL PORT HARNESS R2 IAW 1F-16CG-2-00GV-00-2 PARA 14.7	MIDS 006,012,029,031,035,056,074,075 MFL'S. TACAN WORKED FINE	H16DW2693P4/1 REMOVED FOR REPLACEMENT	W269, W2693		44279.79	44280.13	24	EGLIN AFB FL	1	1	40				W2690
8	F016D	8900002162	210630128	10	69B00	800	S	F	B	REINSTALLED CABLE H16DW2682-600 IAW (PARA 14.8 00GV-2)	GUN REQ REM FOR JAM	REMOVED CABLE H16DW2682-600 TO FOM	W268, W2682		44263.67	44263.71	2	HOLLOMAN	1	6	42				W268
9	F016D	9000000783	203510537	0	69000	800	S	S	R	RECOUP HOURS FOR: INSTALL WIRE HARNESS 16DW2690-501 IN GUN DRUM IAW 16D40730.DOCUMENT STEPS AND TIME OF EACH STEP ON ATTACHED 959	***ADD TIME REQ, REF OP#91427*** NSFE WIRE HARNESS 16DW2690-501 FOUND UNINSTALLED. T.O./FIG:IAW 16D40730	***ADD TIME REQ, REF OP#91427*** NSFE WIRE HARNESS 16DW2690-501 FOUND UNINSTALLED. T.O./FIG:IAW 16D40730	W269, W2690		44181	44181	2.1	HILL AFB UT	1	6	42				W2682
10	F016D	9000000783	203490429	0	69000	800	S	S	R	INSTALL WIRE HARNESS 16DW2690-501 IN GUN DRUM IAW 16D40730.DOCUMENT STEPS AND TIME OF EACH STEP ON ATTACHED 959	NSFE WIRE HARNESS 16DW2690-501 FOUND UNINSTALLED. T.O./FIG:IAW 16D40730	NSFE WIRE HARNESS 16DW2690-501 FOUND UNINSTALLED. T.O./FIG:IAW 16D40730	W269, W2690		44179	44179	4	HILL AFB UT	1	6	42
11	F016D	8900002167	200722167	3	69B00	20	R	F	B	R2 HARNESS IAW 1F-16CG-2-00GV-00-2 CHAPTER 14	238282 P1/4 SMASHED, REQUIRES REPLACEMENT	W2690-; 2382P3/3 & 2382P6 INNER WIRE EXPOSED REQUIRE REPLCMENT; 2382P2/1 MISSING GRNDING FSTNER AND 2382P3/3 WORN GRNDING FSTNER NUT REMAIN LOOSE AFTER TIGHTENING PN(H16DW2690-501)	W269, W2690	2382P3/3, 2382P2/1, 2382P6	43909.5	43909.83	24	TULSA	1	1	42
Sheet2

 

[LongToast]

Hi buddy,

you can use InStr function to find Perfect Match in string or something similar, you can use Like operator with pattern and wildcard.

something like this :

Insert this code in module :

Option Explicit

Function SEARCHHARNESS() As String
    Dim ws As Worksheet: Set ws = ThisWorkbook.Sheets("Sheet1")
    Dim i As Long
    Dim last As Long
    Dim stringBuilder As String
    
    last = ws.Range("B" & Rows.Count).End(xlUp).Row
    stringBuilder = vbNullString
    
    For i = 1 To last
        If InStr(1, ws.Range("A" & Split(Application.ThisCell.Address, "$")(2)).Value, ws.Range("B" & i).Value, 1) Then
            If Len(stringBuilder) > 0 Then
                stringBuilder = stringBuilder & ", " & ws.Range("B" & i).Value
            Else
                stringBuilder = ws.Range("B" & i).Value
            End If
        End If
    Next i
    
    If Len(stringBuilder) < 1 Then stringBuilder = "Not Found"
    SEARCHHARNESS = stringBuilder
End Function

In your worksheet, select column C1 and in formula bar type this =SEARCHHARNESS() or in Formula Tab, click insert function, and choose SEARCHHARNESS

Play around with that code and modification to your need, good luck.

 

[LongToast]

I'm sorry, this is with little fix :

Option Explicit

Function SEARCHHARNESS() As String
    Dim ws As Worksheet: Set ws = ThisWorkbook.Sheets("Sheet1")
    Dim i As Long
    Dim last As Long
    Dim stringBuilder As String
    
    last = ws.Range("B" & Rows.Count).End(xlUp).Row
    stringBuilder = vbNullString
    
    For i = 1 To last
        If InStr(1, ws.Range("A" & Split(Application.ThisCell.Address, "$")(2)).Value, ws.Range("B" & i).Value, 1) Then
            If stringBuilder <> vbNullString Then
                stringBuilder = stringBuilder & ", " & ws.Range("B" & i).Value
            Else
                stringBuilder = ws.Range("B" & i).Value
            End If
        End If
    Next i
    
    If stringBuilder = vbNullString Then stringBuilder = "Not Found"
    SEARCHHARNESS = stringBuilder
End Function

 

[plk0507]

Thank you for the reply.

For my example above, I modified your code to:

I get a #VALUE! error when I put =SEARCHHARNESS() in a column

 

[plk0507]

I did a better replication to make the data look like your example. It worked, but here are the results.

For example, look in C5. W269 is returned simply because it's part of W2690-204-20. My desired result would only return W2690. However, it ran it instantly.

 

[LongToast]

I did a better replication to make the data look like your example. It worked, but here are the results.
View attachment 53468

For example, look in C5. W269 is returned simply because it's part of W2690-204-20. My desired result would only return W2690. However, it ran it instantly.

Look at B4, you put W269 on criteria, of course it will counted right?, if you don't want W269 counted then don't put that on criteria column (in this case, column B).

However, you get error #VALUE because you had done something wrong in your modification code, in this line :

InStr(1, ws.Range("J:L" & Split(Application.ThisCell.Address, "$")(2)).Value, ws.Range("Y" & i).Value, 1)

it should be :

If InStr(1, ws.Range("J" & Split(Application.ThisCell.Address, "$")(2)).Value, ws.Range("Y" & i).Value, 1) _
Or InStr(1, ws.Range("K" & Split(Application.ThisCell.Address, "$")(2)).Value, ws.Range("Y" & i).Value, 1) _
Or InStr(1, ws.Range("L" & Split(Application.ThisCell.Address, "$")(2)).Value, ws.Range("Y" & i).Value, 1) Then
    'The rest of code'
End If
End If

 

[plk0507]

Yes, W269 is on the list. So, W269 and W2690 are both on the list. But in the search example, "W2690-204-20 R2 IAW 1F-16CG-2-00GV-00-2 SECTION 14" W269 is a partial match.

Also, can I tell the code to search more than one column at a time?

Thank you!

 

[plk0507]

Modifying the lines to J, K, and L allowed for searching each column. Thank you!

 

[LongToast]

Modifying the lines to J, K, and L allowed for searching each column. Thank you!

nice, but the partial problem not solved yet :D

thinking...

 

[plk0507]

Thank you! You have no idea how much time this will save me.