Visual Basic Procedure To Get Current User Name

You can make a Windows API (application programming interface) call to a Microsoft Windows DLL (dynamic-link library) to get the current user name. The current user name can be obtained by using the GetUserNameA function in ADVAPI32.DLL.

Microsoft Excel does not have the built-in functionality to access the computer's current user name. However, you can use the Declare statement in a Visual Basic for Applications macro to call a Microsoft Windows function that will return the current user name.

Microsoft provides examples of Visual Basic for Applications procedures for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability and/or fitness for a particular purpose. The Visual Basic procedures in this article are provided 'as is' and Microsoft does not guarantee that they can be used in all situations. While Microsoft support professionals can help explain the functionality of a particular macro, they will not modify these examples to provide added functionality, nor will they help you construct macros to meet your specific needs. If you have limited programming experience, you may want to consult one of the Microsoft Solution Providers. Solution Providers offer a wide range of fee-based services, including creating custom macros. For more information about Microsoft Solution Providers, call Microsoft Customer Information Service at (800) 426-9400.

EXAMPLE

1. Type the following code into a new module:

       ' Makes sure all variables are dimensioned in each subroutine.
        Option Explicit
   
        ' Access the GetUserNameA function in advapi32.dll and
        ' call the function GetUserName.
        Declare Function GetUserName Lib "advapi32.dll" Alias "GetUserNameA" _
        (ByVal lpBuffer As String, nSize As Long) As Long
   
        ' Main routine to Dimension variables, retrieve user name
        ' and display answer.
        Sub Get_User_Name()
   
        ' Dimension variables
        Dim lpBuff As String * 25
        Dim ret As Long, UserName As String
   
        ' Get the user name minus any trailing spaces found in the name.
        ret = GetUserName(lpBuff, 25)
        UserName = Left(lpBuff, InStr(lpBuff, Chr(0)) - 1)
   
        ' Display the User Name
        MsgBox UserName
        End Sub
   						

2. Run the macro Get_User_Name. Note that the current user name will appear in a message box.