XL2000: Using the RemoveItem Method with ListBox or ComboBox Control

If you use the RemoveItem method to remove an entry from either a ListBox or ComboBox control, you may receive the following error message:

This problem may occur when both of the following conditions are true:

• You use the RemoveItem method for either a ListBox or ComboBox control.
  -and-
• The ListBox or ComboBox control is data bound (the RowSource property is set to a range on a worksheet).

Microsoft provides programming examples 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. This article assumes that you are familiar with the programming language being demonstrated and the tools used to create and debug procedures. Microsoft support professionals can help explain the functionality of a particular procedure, but they will not modify these examples to provide added functionality or construct procedures to meet your specific needs.
If you have limited programming experience, you may want to contact a Microsoft Certified Partner or Microsoft Advisory Services. For more information, visit these Microsoft Web sites:

Microsoft Certified Partners - https://partner.microsoft.com/global/30000104 (https://partner.microsoft.com/global/30000104)

Microsoft Advisory Services - http://support.microsoft.com/gp/advisoryservice (http://support.microsoft.com/gp/advisoryservice)

For more information about the support options that are available and about how to contact Microsoft, visit the following Microsoft Web site:http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;EN-US;CNTACTMS (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=fh;en-us;cntactms)

In order to remove an item from either a ListBox or ComboBox control when the control is bound to a worksheet range, reset the range reference for the RowSource property of the control.

The following example creates a UserForm with a ListBox control and a CommandButton (with associated macro code) for removing an item from the ListBox.

1. Close and save any open workbooks, and then create a new workbook.
2. Define the range A1:A5 in Sheet1 as myrange.
3. Type the following data in Sheet1:

          A1:   a
          A2:   b
          A3:   c
          A4:   d
          A5:   e
   					

4. Start the Visual Basic Editor (press ALT+F11).
5. On the Insert menu, click UserForm.
6. Click the ListBox control in the Toolbox and add a ListBox to the UserForm.
7. If the Properties window is not visible, press F4.
8. Change the RowSource property of the ListBox control to Sheet1!myrange.
9. Add a CommandButton control to the UserForm.
10. Double-click the CommandButton to display the Visual Basic module associated with the UserForm.
11. For the Click event of the CommandButton control, type the following macro code:

           Private Sub CommandButton1_Click()
    
               Sheet1.Range("myrange").Resize _
                   (Sheet1.Range("myrange").Rows.Count - 1, 1).Name _
                   = "myrange"
    
               ListBox1.RowSource = "Sheet1!myrange"
    
           End Sub
    					

12. Press F5 to run the UserForm.
    
    The UserForm appears and the ListBox control is populated with the values from A1:A5.
13. Click the CommandButton.
    
    The last value in the list is removed from the ListBox.
14. Close the UserForm.

NOTE: The macro does not permanently delete any items from your source data; it changes the reference for a defined name. Because the RowSource property is set to this defined name, the items that are displayed in the list vary according to the range you assign to the defined name.

For more information about Adding Items to a ListBox Control, in the Visual Basic Editor, click Microsoft Visual Basic Help on the Help menu, type Ways to put data in a ListBox or ComboBox in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topic.

For additional information about the Assistant if it will not answer your query, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: