1

Is there any way to import a range that looks like this: Image

I'm trying to import a range with an undetermined number of rows and columns. As the 5th row indicates, the range that I wish to import has in the first column business names and in their subsequent columns, different iterations of the same business.

I've been thinking of using arrays but I can't see it being possible as I would have varying dimensions per element (eg. 3 dimensions for canadian tire and 2 dimensions for mercedes).

I've also thought of using collections/dictionaries but I stumble at using and understanding them.

Ultimately, my intentions are to loop the iterations from this range in a column and, if any of these iterations match a cell in my column, to write in an offset cell the first iteration (business name in bold).

Now, I know, I could do a two dimensional array from a range like this, with repeated first iterations (business name):

hello

However, it's quite cumbersome to rewrite business names. My code below for what I was using for the two dimensional array:

Option Explicit
Sub VendorFinder()

'variable declaration
Dim msg As String
Dim ans As Integer
Dim rng As Range
Dim DescRng As Range
Dim DescCol As Range
Dim VendorCol As Range
Dim j As Long
Dim Vendor As Variant
Dim wb As Workbook
Dim sFile As String
Dim myVendor As Variant
Dim FirstRow As Range
Dim VendorRng As Range

'import vendors
sFile = "Z:\Vendor List.xlsx"
Application.ScreenUpdating = False
Set wb = Application.Workbooks.Open(sFile)
Vendor = wb.Sheets(1).Range(Cells(1, 1), Cells(Cells(Rows.Count, 2).End(xlUp).Row, 2)).Value2
wb.Close False
Application.ScreenUpdating = True

On Error GoTo BadEntry

TryAgain:

'set columns
Set DescCol = Application.InputBox("Select Description Column", "Obtain Object Range", Type:=8)
Set VendorCol = Application.InputBox("Select Vendor Column", "Obtain Object Range", Type:=8)
Set FirstRow = Application.InputBox("Select First Row with Data", "Obtain Object Range", Type:=8)

'set ranges
Set DescRng = Range(Cells(FirstRow.Row, DescCol.Column), Cells(Cells(Rows.Count, DescCol.Column).End(xlUp).Row, DescCol.Column))
Set VendorRng = Range(Cells(FirstRow.Row, VendorCol.Column), Cells(Cells(Rows.Count, DescCol.Column).End(xlUp).Row, VendorCol.Column))
myVendor = VendorRng.Value2

For Each rng In DescRng

    If Cells(rng.Row, VendorCol.Column).Value = "" Then

        For j = LBound(Vendor) To UBound(Vendor)

            If InStr(1, rng.Value, Vendor(j, 2), vbTextCompare) > 0 Then
                myVendor(rng.Row - FirstRow.Row + 1, 1) = Vendor(j, 1)

        Exit For

            End If

        Next j

    End If

Next rng

VendorRng.Resize(UBound(myVendor) - LBound(myVendor) + 1, 1) = myVendor

Exit Sub

BadEntry:

msg = "You have clicked on cancel for one of the prompts."
msg = msg & vbNewLine
msg = msg & "Do you wish to try again?"
ans = MsgBox(msg, vbRetryCancel + vbExclamation)
If ans = vbRetry Then Resume TryAgain

End Sub

Thanks a lot!

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2
  • Why in B3 cell is Dominos when there should be Domino's Pizza? Or I'm wrong? Commented Nov 18, 2018 at 8:04
  • @JohnyL You're completely right. There's a mistake. Commented Nov 18, 2018 at 12:41

4 Answers 4

Reset to default
2

I think I might have something simpler

enter image description here

Dim arr As New Collection, a
Dim var() As Variant
Dim i As Long
Dim lRows As Long, lCols As Long
Dim lRowCurrent As Long
Dim lCounter As Long

'Get the active range
Set rng = ActiveSheet.UsedRange
lRows = rng.Rows.Count
lCols = rng.Columns.Count
lRowCurrent = 0

'Loop thru every row
For i = 1 To lRows
    ' Read each line into an array
    var() = Range(Cells(i, 1), Cells(i, lCols))

    ' Create a list of unique names only
    On Error Resume Next
    For Each a In var
       arr.Add a, a
    Next

    'List all names
    lCounter = arr.Count
    For b = 1 To lCounter
        Cells(lRowCurrent + b, 7) = arr(1)
        Cells(lRowCurrent + b, 8) = arr(b)
    Next

    Set arr = Nothing
    lRowCurrent = lRowCurrent + lCounter

Next
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2 Comments

Really nice way of doing it! Is there any way of importing what you listed into an array/collection for use as a loop? Declare another variant variable and set that variable to the listed names (range)? Thanks
Thanks. Sure it's possible. And what's more - you are about to have a lot of fun figuring it out by yourself ;) Have fun. Cheers,
2

Try this:

Sub DoTranspose()
    Dim r&, cnt&
    Dim rng As Range, rngRow As Range, cell As Range
    Set rng = Sheets("Source").Range("A1").CurrentRegion
    r = 1
    For Each rngRow In rng.Rows
        cnt = WorksheetFunction.CountA(rngRow.Cells)
        With Sheets("output").Cells(r, 1).Resize(cnt)
            .Value = rngRow.Cells(1).Value
            .Offset(, 1).Value = Application.Transpose(rngRow.Resize(, cnt).Value)
        End With
        r = r + cnt
    Next
End Sub

Sample workbook.

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3 Comments

Nice +1 for transposition :-)
@T.M. Thanks! 😉
Everything works fine with this code but it lacks the ability to remove iterations from the output, that I remove from the source. Seems like power query auto updates "better".
1

This seems to be a simple un-pivot operation. If you have Excel 2010+, you can use Power Query (aka Get&Transform in Excel 2016+), to do this.

  • Select a single cell in the table
  • Data / Get & Transform / From Range should select the entire table
  • Select the first column in the Query table.
  • Transform / Unpivot other columns
  • Delete the unwanted column
  • Save and Load

(Takes longer to type than to do)

This is the M Code, but you can do it all from the PQ GUI:

let
    Source = Excel.CurrentWorkbook(){[Name="Table1"]}[Content],
    #"Changed Type" = Table.TransformColumnTypes(Source,{{"Column1", type text}, {"Column2", type text}, {"Column3", type text}, {"Column4", type text}}),
    #"Unpivoted Other Columns" = Table.UnpivotOtherColumns(#"Changed Type", {"Column1"}, "Attribute", "Value"),
    #"Removed Columns" = Table.RemoveColumns(#"Unpivoted Other Columns",{"Attribute"})
in
    #"Removed Columns"

Original Data

enter image description here

Unpivoted

enter image description here

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10 Comments

Very nice, but it seems like it cannot be accomplished with a simple click: with VBA
Once you set up the query, you can refresh it with a single click when your data changes.
Wow that's smart, it'll actually save me lines of code through VBA then... But will it update on itself, without me opening the excel file (refreshing it)?
I don't think anything within an Excel file will update if the file is closed. Are you going to be accessing your file with a non-excel program?
Only with VBA to import it as a two dimensional array for use in a loop.
|
0

Range Array Array Range

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

The left worksheet is the initial worksheet, and the right the resulting one.
Since cBlnColors is set to True, several ranges are being colored to better understand how this code works and to indicate the upsides of having headers.
The light yellow color represents the data range, while the yellow color represents the rest of the off limits cells.
All not colored cells can be used without affecting the results in the right worksheet.
cBlnHeadersBelow set to True means that the data is above the headers (unusual), while set to False would mean that the data will be below the headers (as usual).

Headers Below Data with Colors

Another Thousand

The following picture shows the same code used with cBlnHeadersBelow set to False.
The yellow range spans down to the last row (not visible).
Again, all not colored cells can be used without affecting the results in the right worksheet.

Headers Above Data with Colors

The Code

Option Explicit

'*******************************************************************************
' Purpose:    In a specified worksheet of a specified workbook, transposes a
'             range of data (vertical table!?) to a two-column range in a newly
'             created worksheet.
' Arguments (As Constants):
'   cStrFile
'     The path of the workbook file. If "", then ActiveWorkbook is used.
'   cVarWs
'     It is declared as variant to be able to use both, the title
'     (a string e.g. "Sheet1") or the index (a positive whole number e.g. 1)
'     of the worksheet. If "", then ActiveSheet is used.
'   cStrTitle
'     The contents of the first cell in the headers to be searched for.
'   cBlnHeaders
'     If True, USE headers.
'     If False, do NOT use headers i.e. cBlnHeadersBelow has no effect and the
'     first data found by searching by column from "A1" is used as first cell
'     and the last found data on the worksheet is used for last cell.
'   cBlnHeadersBelow
'     If True, the data is ABOVE the headers (Data-Then-Headers).
'     If False, the data is as usual BELOW the headers (Headers-Then-Data).
'   cStrPaste
'     The cell address of the first cell of the resulting range in the new
'     worksheet.
'   cBlnColors
'     If True, and cBlnHeaders is True, then colors are being used i.e. one
'     color for the data range, and another for off limits ranges.
'     If True, and cBlnHeaders is False, all cells are off limits,
'     so only the data range is colored.
' Returns
'   A new worksheet with resulting data. No threat to the initial worksheet.
'   If you don't like the result, just close the workbook.
'*******************************************************************************
Sub VendorFinder()

  Application.ScreenUpdating = False

'***************************************
' Variables
'***************************************
  Const cStrFile As String = ""             ' "Z:\arrInit List.xlsx"
  Const cVarWs As Variant = 1               ' "" for ActiveSheet.
  Const cStrTitle As String = "Business"    ' Contents of First Cell of Header
  Const cBlnHeaders As Boolean = True       ' True for Headers
  Const cBlnHeadersBelow As Boolean = True  ' True for Headers Below Data
  Const cStrPaste As String = "A1"          ' Resulting First Cell Address
  Const cBlnColors As Boolean = True        ' Activate Colors

  Dim objWb As Workbook       ' Workbook  to be processed
  Dim objWs As Worksheet      ' Worksheet to be processed
  Dim objTitle As Range       ' First Cell of Header
  Dim objFirst As Range       ' First Cell of Data
  Dim objLast As Range        ' Last Cell of Data
  Dim objResult As Range      ' Resulting Range

  Dim arrInit As Variant      ' Array of Initial Data
  Dim arrResult() As Variant  ' Array of Resulting Data

  Dim lngRows As Long         ' Array Rows Counter
  Dim iCols As Integer        ' Array Columns Counter
  Dim lngVendor As Long       ' Array Data Counter, Array Row Counter

'            ' Debug
'            Const r1 As String = vbCr   ' Debug Rows Separator
'            Const c1 As String = ","    ' Debug Columns Separator
'
'            Dim str1 As String          ' Debug String Builder
'            Dim lng1 As Long            ' Debug Rows Counter
'            Dim i1 As Integer           ' Debug Columns Counter

'***************************************
' Workbook
'***************************************
  'On Error GoTo WorkbookErr

  If cStrFile <> "" Then
    Set objWb = Workbooks.Open(cStrFile)
   Else
    Set objWb = ActiveWorkbook
  End If

'***************************************
' Worksheet
'***************************************
  ' On Error GoTo WorksheetErr

  If cVarWs <> "" Then
    Set objWs = objWb.Worksheets(cVarWs)
   Else
    Set objWs = objWb.ActiveSheet
  End If


  With objWs

    ' Colors
    If cBlnColors = True Then
      Dim lngData As Variant: lngData = RGB(255, 255, 153)
      Dim lngOffLimits As Variant: lngOffLimits = RGB(255, 255, 0)
     Else
      .Cells.Interior.ColorIndex = xlNone
    End If

    ' Assumptions:
    '   1. Headers is a contiguous range.
    '   2. The Headers Title is the first cell of Headers i.e. the first cell
    '      where cStrTitle is found while searching by rows starting from cell
    '      "A1".
    '   3. The Headers Range spans from the Headers Title to the last cell,
    '      containing data, on the right.
    '   4. All cells to the left and to the right of the Headers Range except
    '      for the cell adjacent to the right are free to be used i.e. no
    '      calculation is performed on them. If cBlnHeadersBelow is set to True,
    '      the cells below the Headers Range are free to be used. Similarly,
    '      if cBlnHeadersBelow is set to False the cells above are free to be
    '      used.
    '   5. When cBlnHeadersBelow is set to True, the first row of data is
    '      calculated just using the column of the Headers Title
    If cBlnHeaders = True Then ' USE Headers.

      ' Calculate Headers Title (using cStrTitle as criteria).
      Set objTitle = .Cells _
          .Find(What:=cStrTitle, After:=.Cells(.Rows.Count, .Columns.Count), _
            LookIn:=xlFormulas, Lookat:=xlWhole, _
            SearchOrder:=xlByRows, SearchDirection:=xlNext)

      ' Calculate initial first and last cells of data.
      If cBlnHeadersBelow Then ' Headers are below data.

        ' Search for data in column of Headers Title starting from the first
        ' worksheet's row forwards to the row of Headers Title.
        ' When first data is found, the first cell is determined.
        Set objFirst = .Range(.Cells(1, objTitle.Column), objTitle) _
            .Find(What:="*", After:=.Cells(objTitle.Row, objTitle.Column), _
              LookIn:=xlFormulas, Lookat:=xlWhole, _
              SearchOrder:=xlByRows, SearchDirection:=xlNext)

        ' xlToRight, indicating that Headers Range is contiguous, uses the
        ' last cell of Headers Range while -1 sets the cells' row, one row above
        ' the Headers Title, resulting in the last cell range.
        Set objLast = objTitle.End(xlToRight).Offset(-1, 0)

        ' Colors
        If cBlnColors = True Then
          .Cells.Interior.ColorIndex = xlNone
          If objFirst.Row > 1 Then
            .Range(.Cells(1, objFirst.Column), _
                .Cells(objFirst.Row - 1, objLast.Column)) _
                .Interior.color = lngOffLimits
          End If
          If objLast.Column < .Columns.Count Then
            .Range(objTitle, .Cells(objTitle.Row, objLast.Column + 1)) _
                .Interior.color = lngOffLimits
           Else
            .Range(objTitle, .Cells(objTitle.Row, objLast.Column)) _
                .Interior.color = lngOffLimits
          End If
          .Range(objFirst, objLast).Interior.color = lngData
        End If

       Else ' Headers are above data (usually).

        ' 1 sets the cells' row, one row below the Headers Title
        ' resulting in the first cell range.
        Set objFirst = objTitle.Offset(1, 0)

        ' Search for data in column of Headers Title starting from the last
        ' worksheet's row backwards to the row of Headers Title.
        ' When first data is found, the last row is determined and combined
        ' with the last column results in the last cell range.
        Set objLast = .Cells( _
            .Range(objTitle, .Cells(.Rows.Count, _
              objTitle.End(xlToRight).Column)) _
            .Find(What:="*", After:=objTitle, _
              LookIn:=xlFormulas, Lookat:=xlWhole, _
              SearchOrder:=xlByRows, SearchDirection:=xlPrevious) _
            .Row, _
 _
            objTitle.End(xlToRight) _
            .Column)

        'Colors
        If cBlnColors = True Then
          .Cells.Interior.ColorIndex = xlNone
          If objLast.Row < .Rows.Count Then
            .Range(.Cells(objLast.Row + 1, objFirst.Column), _
                .Cells(.Rows.Count, objLast.Column)) _
                .Interior.color = lngOffLimits
          End If
          If objLast.Column < .Columns.Count Then
            .Range(objTitle, .Cells(objTitle.Row, objLast.Column + 1)) _
                .Interior.color = lngOffLimits
           Else
            .Range(objTitle, .Cells(objTitle.Row, objLast.Column)) _
                .Interior.color = lngOffLimits
          End If
          .Range(objFirst, objLast).Interior.color = lngData
        End If

      End If

     Else ' Do NOT use headers.

      ' Search for data in any cell from "A1" by column. When first data is
      ' found, the first cell is determined.
      Set objFirst = _
          .Cells _
          .Find(What:="*", After:=.Cells(.Rows.Count, .Columns.Count), _
          LookIn:=xlFormulas, Lookat:=xlWhole, _
          SearchOrder:=xlByColumns, SearchDirection:=xlNext)

      ' Last cell with data on the worksheet.
      Set objLast = .Cells( _
 _
          .Cells _
          .Find(What:="*", After:=.Cells(1, 1), _
          LookIn:=xlFormulas, Lookat:=xlWhole, _
          SearchOrder:=xlByRows, SearchDirection:=xlPrevious) _
          .Row, _
 _
          .Cells _
          .Find(What:="*", After:=.Cells(1, 1), _
          LookIn:=xlFormulas, Lookat:=xlWhole, _
          SearchOrder:=xlByColumns, SearchDirection:=xlPrevious) _
          .Column)

        ' Colors
        If cBlnColors = True Then
          .Cells.Interior.ColorIndex = xlNone
          Range(objFirst, objLast).Interior.color = lngData
        End If
    End If

  End With

'***************************************
' arrInit
'***************************************
  ' On Error GoTo arrInitErr

  ' Paste the values (Value2) of initial range into initial array (arrInit).
  arrInit = Range(objFirst, objLast).Value2

'            ' Debug
'            str1 = r1 & "Initial Array (arrInit)" & r1
'            For lng1 = LBound(arrInit) To UBound(arrInit)
'              str1 = str1 & r1
'              For i1 = LBound(arrInit, 2) To UBound(arrInit, 2)
'                If i1 <> 1 Then
'                  str1 = str1 & c1
'                End If
'                str1 = str1 & arrInit(lng1, i1)
'              Next
'            Next
'            Debug.Print str1

  ' Count data in arrInit.
  For lngRows = LBound(arrInit) To UBound(arrInit)
    For iCols = LBound(arrInit, 2) To UBound(arrInit, 2)
      If arrInit(lngRows, iCols) <> "" Then
        lngVendor = lngVendor + 1
      End If
    Next
  Next

'***************************************
' arrResult
'***************************************
 ' On Error GoTo arrResultErr

  ReDim arrResult(1 To lngVendor, 1 To 2) ' Resize resulting array (arrResult).
  lngVendor = 0 ' Reset array data counter to be used as array row counter.

  ' Loop through arrInit and write to arrResult.
  For lngRows = LBound(arrInit) To UBound(arrInit)
    For iCols = LBound(arrInit, 2) To UBound(arrInit, 2)
      If arrInit(lngRows, iCols) <> "" Then
        lngVendor = lngVendor + 1
        If iCols = 1 Then
          arrResult(lngVendor, 1) = arrInit(lngRows, iCols)
         Else
          arrResult(lngVendor, 1) = arrResult(lngVendor - 1, 1)
        End If
        arrResult(lngVendor, 2) = arrInit(lngRows, iCols)
      End If
    Next
  Next
  Erase arrInit ' Data is in arrResult.

'            ' Debug
'            str1 = r1 & "Resulting Array (arrResult)" & r1
'            For lng1 = LBound(arrResult) To UBound(arrResult)
'              str1 = str1 & r1
'              For i1 = LBound(arrResult, 2) To UBound(arrResult, 2)
'                If i1 <> 1 Then
'                  str1 = str1 & c1
'                End If
'                str1 = str1 & arrResult(lng1, i1)
'              Next
'            Next
'            Debug.Print str1

' Since there is only an infinite number of possibilities what to do with the
' resulting array, pasting it into a new worksheet has been chosen to be able
' to apply the bold formatting of the "Business Names" requested.

'***************************************
' New Worksheet
'***************************************
  On Error GoTo NewWorksheetErr
  Worksheets.Add After:=objWs
  Set objResult = ActiveSheet.Range(Range(cStrPaste), _
      Range(cStrPaste).Offset(UBound(arrResult) - 1, _
      UBound(arrResult, 2) - 1))
  With objResult
    ' Paste arrResult into resulting range (objResult).
    .Value2 = arrResult
    ' Apply some formatting.
    For lngRows = LBound(arrResult) To UBound(arrResult)
'      If .Cells(lngRows, 1) = .Cells(lngRows, 2) Then ' Too slow!
      If arrResult(lngRows, 1) = arrResult(lngRows, 2) Then
        .Cells(lngRows, 1).Font.Bold = True
      End If
    Next
    Erase arrResult ' Data is in objResult.
    .Columns.AutoFit
  End With
  ' To suppress the "Do you want to save changes you made to ... ?" - Alert:
  objWb.Saved = True

'***************************************
' Clean Up
'***************************************
NewWorksheetExit:
  Set objResult = Nothing
WorksheetExit:
  Set objLast = Nothing
  Set objFirst = Nothing
  Set objTitle = Nothing
  Set objWs = Nothing
WorkbookExit:
  Set objWb = Nothing

  Application.ScreenUpdating = True

Exit Sub

'***************************************
' Errors
'***************************************
WorkbookErr:
  MsgBox "Workbook Error" & " (Error: '" & Err.Number & "')"
  GoTo WorkbookExit
WorksheetErr:
  MsgBox "Worksheet Error" & " (Error: '" & Err.Number & "')"
  GoTo WorksheetExit
arrInitErr:
  MsgBox "arrInit Error" & " (Error: '" & Err.Number & "')"
  GoTo WorksheetExit
arrResultErr:
  MsgBox "arrResult Error" & " (Error: '" & Err.Number & "')"
  GoTo WorksheetExit
NewWorksheetErr:
  MsgBox "New Worksheet Error" & " (Error: '" & Err.Number & "')"
  GoTo NewWorksheetExit

End Sub
'*******************************************************************************

Extras

While testing the code, there were a little too many many worksheets in the workbook so I wrote this:

'*******************************************************************************
' Purpose:  Deletes all Worksheets in the ActiveWorkbook except one.
' Danger:   This code doesn't ask anything, it just does. In the end you will
'           end up with just one worksheet (cStrWsExcept) in the workbook
'           (cStrWbPath). If you have executed this code and the result is not
'           satisfactory, just close the workbook and try again or don't. There
'           will be no alert like "Do you want to save ..." because of the line:
'           ".Saved = True" i.e. "objWb.Saved = True".
' Arguments (As Constants):
'   cStrWbPath
'     The path of the workbook to be processed. If "", then ActiveWorkbook is
'     used.
'   cStrWsExcept
'     The worksheet not to be deleted. If "", then the Activesheet is used.
'*******************************************************************************
Sub DeleteWorksheetsExceptOne()

  Const cStrWbPath = ""          ' if "" then ActiveWorkbook
  Const cStrWsExcept = "Sheet1"  ' if "" then ActiveSheet

  Dim objWb As Workbook
  Dim objWsExcept As Worksheet
  Dim objWsDelete As Worksheet

  If cStrWbPath = "" Then
    Set objWb = ActiveWorkbook
   Else
    Set objWb = Workbooks(cStrWbPath)
  End If

  With objWb
    If cStrWsExcept = "" Then
      Set objWsExcept = .ActiveSheet
     Else
      Set objWsExcept = .Worksheets(cStrWsExcept)
    End If

    ' To suppress the "Data may exist in the sheet(s) selected for deletion.
    '                  To permanently delete the data, press Delete." - Alert:
    Application.DisplayAlerts = False

      For Each objWsDelete In .Worksheets
        If objWsDelete.Name <> objWsExcept.Name Then
          objWsDelete.Delete
        End If
      Next

      ' To suppress the "Do you want to save changes you made to ... ?" - Alert:
      .Saved = True

    Application.DisplayAlerts = True

  End With

End Sub
'*******************************************************************************
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