XL97: New UsedRange Property Behavior

In earlier versions of Microsoft Excel, when you create a Visual Basic for Applications macro that performs multiple deletions or clears cells multiple times, you must save the workbook to release the random access memory that is no longer being used. In Microsoft Excel 97, you can free this memory by using the UsedRange Property in a macro.

Additionally, the UsedRange property in Microsoft Excel 97 refers to only the occupied range of cells. In earlier versions of Microsoft Excel, the UsedRange property includes cells that are referred to (by formulas) but not occupied with data.

NOTE: The UsedRange Property does exist in earlier versions of Microsoft Excel. This particular functionality is new in Microsoft Excel 97.

This article contains a sample macro that resets the used range of cells on the active worksheet.

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Macro That Resets the Used Range of Cells

To reset the used range of cells on the active worksheet, use the following steps:

1. On the Tools menu, point to Macro, and then click Visual Basic Editor.
2. On the Insert menu, click Module.
3. In the module sheet, type the following code:

         Sub Reset_Range()
             ActiveSheet.UsedRange
         End Sub
   						

4. On the File menu, click "Close and Return to Microsoft Excel."
5. On the Tools menu, point to Macro, and then click Macros.
6. Click the Reset_Range macro and click Run.

Locating the Last Used Cell

You can locate the last used cell on the worksheet to determine the used range of cells on the active sheet. The used range of cells is cell A1 through the last cell that is found. To find the last cell, use the following steps:

1. On the Edit menu, click Go To.
2. Click Special.
3. Click Last Cell and click OK.

These steps select the cell that Microsoft Excel recognizes as the last used cell on the worksheet. The last used range includes cells A1 to the selected cell.

For more information about the UsedRange Property, click the Office Assistant in the Visual Basic Editor, type the following text and then click Search. Click "UsedRange Property" to view the help topic. topic.

NOTE: If the Assistant is hidden, click the Office Assistant button on the Standard toolbar. If Microsoft Visual Basic Help is not installed on your computer, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: