Sample Visual Basic code to create color index table

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This article was previously published under Q149170

SUMMARY

The sample Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications macro in the "More Information" section prints a sample of each color in one column and then prints the index number for that color in the adjacent column in Microsoft Excel.

This type of list is valuable for determining how a certain color will print on a given printer.

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MORE INFORMATION

Microsoft provides programming examples for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied. This includes, but is not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. This article assumes that you are familiar with the programming language that is being demonstrated and with the tools that are used to create and to debug procedures. Microsoft support engineers can help explain the functionality of a particular procedure. However, they will not modify these examples to provide added functionality or construct procedures to meet your specific requirements.

The color index number represents the position of a particular color on the sample palette. To view the default palette, click Cells on the Format menu, and then click the Pattern tab. The number is incremented from left to right and then down.

On the default palette, black has the index number of 1 and cyan a color index of 8. A total of 56 colors are available on the Microsoft Excel palette.

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Sample Visual Basic procedure

   Sub ColorIndexList()
       ' Begin error trapping.
       On Error GoTo Done
       Range("A1").Select
       ' Put the word "Color" in the active cell.
       ActiveCell.Formula = "Color"
       ' Put the words "Color Index Number" one cell to the right of the active cell.
       ActiveCell.Offset(0, 1).Formula = "Color Index Number"
       ' Select one cell down from the active cell.
       ActiveCell.Offset(1, 0).Activate
       ' Begin loop from 1 to 56.
       For NumColor = 1 To 56
          ' Apply color and pattern properties to the active cell.
          With ActiveCell.Interior
             .ColorIndex = <?xm-insertion_mark_start author="v-vincli" time="20070719T100532+0800"?>Num<?xm-insertion_mark_end?>Color
             .Pattern = xlSolid
             .PatternColorIndex = xlAutomatic
          End With
          ' Put color index in the cell to the right of the active cell.
          ActiveCell.Offset(0, 1).Formula = <?xm-insertion_mark_start author="v-vincli" time="20070719T100549+0800"?>Num<?xm-insertion_mark_end?>Color
          ' Select the next cell down.
          ActiveCell.Offset(1, 0).Activate
          ' Increment the For loop.
       Next NumColor
   Done:
   End Sub

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REFERENCES

For more information about the ColorIndex property, click the Index tab in Microsoft Excel 7.0 Help, type colorindex, and then double-click the selected text to go to the "ColorIndex Property" topic.

For more information about how to get help for Visual Basic for Applications, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

163435 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/163435/ ) Programming resources for Visual Basic for Applications

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APPLIES TO

Microsoft Excel 95a
Microsoft Excel 5.0c
Microsoft Excel 5.0a for Macintosh

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kbdtacode kbhowto kbprint kbualink97 KB149170

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Retired KB Content Disclaimer

This article was written about products for which Microsoft no longer offers support. Therefore, this article is offered "as is" and will no longer be updated.

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