VBA split References by comma delimited

decadence

Well-known Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2015
Messages
525
Office Version
  1. 365
  2. 2016
  3. 2013
  4. 2010
  5. 2007
Platform
  1. Windows
Hi, I am trying to expand references by comma delimited but not sure how. can someone help with this please

Example:

From This:


[TABLE="class: grid, width: 250"]
<tbody>[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]References
[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]A3, A7, A10-A15, A17, A19
[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]B12-18, B20
[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]C01-C09
[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]D01,D04,D08,D013-016
[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]


To This:


[TABLE="class: grid, width: 250"]
<tbody>[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]References
[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]A3,A7,A10,A11,A12,A13,A14,A15,A17,A19
[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]B12,B13,B14,B15,B16,B17,B18,B20
[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]C1,C2,C3,C4,C5,C6,C7,C8,C9
[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]D1,D4,D8,D13,D14,D15,D16
[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
</tbody>[/TABLE]
 
Last edited:

Excel Facts

What does custom number format of ;;; mean?
Three semi-colons will hide the value in the cell. Although most people use white font instead.
Couple of questions:

1. Are they already in order?
2. How good is the data, i.e are there any overlaps in the cell?
 
Upvote 0
Hi Kyle123, No they are not necessarily going to be in order and what is in the example with vary in length
 
Upvote 0
Do they need to be in order?

What about my second question?

So is "A13, A10-A14" possible and what should the outcome be?
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0
Assuming that there will be no overlapping ranges, try this: (probably as a worksheet formula)
Rich (BB code):
Option Explicit

Public Function Expand(st As String) As String

    Const delim     As String = ","
    Static regex    As Object, al As Object
    Dim x           As Long
    Dim y           As Long
    Dim letter      As String
    Dim sla, nu, nus
    
    
    If regex Is Nothing Then Set regex = CreateObject("vbscript.regexp")
    Set al = CreateObject("system.collections.arraylist")
    
    letter = Left(st, 1)
    regex.Pattern = "[A-Z]"
    regex.Global = True
    st = regex.Replace(st, "")

    sla = Split(Replace(st, " ", ""), delim)
    
    
    For x = LBound(sla) To UBound(sla)
        If InStr(1, sla(x), "-") > 0 Then
            nus = Split(sla(x), "-")
            For y = Val(nus(0)) To Val(nus(1))
                al.Add CLng(y)
            Next y
        Else
            al.Add CLng(Val(sla(x)))
        End If
        
    Next x
    
    al.Sort
    
    Expand = letter & Join(al.toarray, delim & letter)
    

End Function

Sub test()
    Debug.Print Expand("A3, A7, A10-A15, A17, A19") = "A3,A7,A10,A11,A12,A13,A14,A15,A17,A19"
    Debug.Print Expand("B12-18, B20") = "B12,B13,B14,B15,B16,B17,B18,B20"
    Debug.Print Expand("C01-C09") = "C1,C2,C3,C4,C5,C6,C7,C8,C9"
    Debug.Print Expand("D01,D04,D08,D013-016") = "D1,D4,D8,D13,D14,D15,D16"
    Debug.Print Expand("D01") = "D1"
End Sub
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0
This is better:
Rich (BB code):
Public Function Expand(st As String) As String

    Const delim     As String = ","
    
    Dim al          As Object
    Dim x           As Long
    Dim y           As Long
    Dim letter      As String
    Dim sla         As Variant
    Dim nus         As Variant
    
    Set al = CreateObject("system.collections.arraylist")
    
    letter = Left(st, 1)
    st = Replace(st, letter, "")
    
    'Trailing delim will add an additional element to the output
    If Right(st, 1) = delim Then st = Left(st, Len(st) - 1)

    sla = Split(Replace(st, " ", ""), delim)
    
    For x = LBound(sla) To UBound(sla)
        If InStr(1, sla(x), "-") > 0 Then
            nus = Split(sla(x), "-")
            For y = Val(nus(0)) To Val(nus(1))
                al.Add CLng(y)
            Next y
        Else
            al.Add CLng(Val(sla(x)))
        End If
        
    Next x
    
    al.Sort
    
    Expand = letter & Join(al.toarray, delim & letter)
    
End Function
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0
Hi kyle123, I have tried both and it skips on this line when stepping through
For x = LBound(sla) To UBound(sla)
then jumps straight to

I am calling it from a sub like this

Code:
Sub ExpandRefs()
    Dim x As range, Rng As range, c As String
    
    Set Rng = Selection
    
    For Each x In Rng
        x = Expand(c)
    Next x
    
End Sub
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0
Does it work with the test sub in post #5 ? Your sub doesn't make any sense, you aren't passing the function a value.

Why don't you just use it as a worksheet function?

This works fine for me:
Rich (BB code):
Sub ExpandRefs()
    Dim x As Range, Rng As Range
    
    Set Rng = Selection
    
    For Each x In Rng
        x = Expand(x.Value2)
    Next x
    
End Sub
 
Last edited:
Upvote 0
If you want the address of all the cells in the selection, try
Code:
Sub ExpandRefs()
    Dim Ar As Areas, Rng As Range, Cl As Range, St As String
    
    Set Ar = Selection.Areas
    
    For Each Rng In Ar
      For Each Cl In Rng
        St = Cl.Address(0, 0) & "," & St
      Next Cl
    Next Rng
    MsgBox St
    
End Sub
 
Upvote 0
Thanks for the reply, yes I now realise this Kyle123 thanks for all your help. Thanks Fluff I can use this.
 
Upvote 0

Forum statistics

Threads
1,224,817
Messages
6,181,147
Members
453,021
Latest member
Justyna P

We've detected that you are using an adblocker.

We have a great community of people providing Excel help here, but the hosting costs are enormous. You can help keep this site running by allowing ads on MrExcel.com.
Allow Ads at MrExcel

Which adblocker are you using?

Disable AdBlock

Follow these easy steps to disable AdBlock

1)Click on the icon in the browser’s toolbar.
2)Click on the icon in the browser’s toolbar.
2)Click on the "Pause on this site" option.
Go back

Disable AdBlock Plus

Follow these easy steps to disable AdBlock Plus

1)Click on the icon in the browser’s toolbar.
2)Click on the toggle to disable it for "mrexcel.com".
Go back

Disable uBlock Origin

Follow these easy steps to disable uBlock Origin

1)Click on the icon in the browser’s toolbar.
2)Click on the "Power" button.
3)Click on the "Refresh" button.
Go back

Disable uBlock

Follow these easy steps to disable uBlock

1)Click on the icon in the browser’s toolbar.
2)Click on the "Power" button.
3)Click on the "Refresh" button.
Go back
Back
Top