Problem with selecting a column in a macro

[Michael Bray]

I have a sheet that I want to do some conditional formatting on from a
macro... So I started recording, selected the column I was intereted in
("A:A") and did the conditional format. Everything worked great.

When I put the appropriate code in the macro and run it, however, things go
screwey. The line where I select the column using 'Columns("A:A").Select'
actually selects columns A thru F because there is a cell that is merged
over the A-F columns.

Q #1: How can I tell the .Select function to NOT include the columns over
which the merged cells run?

Q #2: I figured I would just be able to look up the 'Select' method in the
Excel VBA reference at msdn, thinking there might be some parameters I
could pass. But strangely, they don't list the 'Select' method at all!
Why not?? Is there any reference documentation for this function?? I'm
sure they didn't just forget about it - I must be missing something.

Thanks for any help!

-mdb

 

[Jim Thomlinson]

Normally you want to avoid the select method as there is rearely any need to
actually select. Conditional formatting however is one of those very rare
circumstances that requires a select. The Select method has no parameters. it
take a range object and selects the cells in that range. There is no way to
avoid selecting cetain cells in that range.

Merged Cells are a problem. Most XL experts avoid them. Code and merged
cells con't get along. Instead of a merged cell have you tried formatting the
text to center horizontally across the selection? Remove the Merge and then
reformat the cells as follows.

Format Cells... -> Alignement tab -> Horizontal: -> Center Across Selection

The formatting is almost identical except that it does not have the same
code issues as merged cells...

 

[Dave Peterson]

#1. I don't think you can specify this.

#2. Maybe you can look at VBA's help.

#3. It seems each version of excel treats merged cells differently. You'll
want to specify the version of excel that you're using to get responses for that
version.

#4. Merged cells are painful to work with. I try my best not to use them.

#5. Most things you do in excel don't require that you select them to work on
them. Maybe you can change your code to work directly on the range.

 

[Michael Bray]

=?Utf-8?B?SmltIFRob21saW5zb24=?=

Format Cells... -> Alignement tab -> Horizontal: -> Center Across
Selection

That worked like a charm!! Thanks so much!

-mdb

 

[Jim Thomlinson]

Except that the requirement is for conditional formatting...

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/895562

Unless the conditional formats are based on absolute references you need to
select the range... Unless you have some work around...

 

[Dave Peterson]

I missed the portion about conditional formatting.

I haven't looked at this in a while, but maybe this would work:

http://spreadsheetpage.com/index.ph...formula1_property_for_conditional_formatting/

(from John Walkenbach's site)

Oops. I guess that's the same workaround as in the KB article.