XL97: Using the SheetChange Event in Microsoft Excel 97

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This article was previously published under Q166347

SUMMARY

In Microsoft Excel, you can use the SheetChange event in Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications to automatically run a macro whenever you change the contents of any worksheet in the workbook. This article explains how to use the SheetChange event and the SheetChange subroutine.

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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, but they will not modify these examples to provide added functionality or construct procedures to meet your specific requirements.

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How to Access the SheetChange Subroutine in the Visual Basic Editor

Each workbook has a single SheetChange event. To view or edit the subroutine that uses the SheetChange event:

On the Tools menu, point to Macro, and click Visual Basic Editor.

If the Project window is not visible, click Project Explorer on the View menu.

In the list of workbooks in the Project window, a list that is similar to the following appears:

       VBAProject (Book1)
         Microsoft Excel Objects
            Sheet1 (Sheet1)
            Sheet2 (Sheet2)
            Sheet3 (Sheet3)
            ThisWorkbook

Double-click ThisWorkbook.
In the Code window, click Workbook in the Object list. Then, click SheetChange in the Procedure list.

A subroutine that is similar to the following appears:

   Private Sub Workbook_SheetChange(ByVal Sh As Object, ByVal Target As _
       Excel.Range)

       '<code goes here>

   End Sub

This is the SheetChange subroutine for the active workbook. Whenever the SheetChange event occurs, this subroutine runs automatically.

NOTE: The first line of the subroutine (Private Sub... Excel.Range) should be entered on a single line without an underscore (_) character.

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What Are "Sh" and "Target"?

The SheetChange subroutine accepts two arguments. By default, these arguments are Sh and Target.

Sh represents the name of the worksheet that changed. It signals the SheetChange subroutine to run. You can use this argument to determine the worksheet name, for example:
xWorksheetName = Sh.Name
Target represents the range of cells (or a single cell) that is changed. It signals the SheetChange subroutine to run. You can use this argument to determine the range of cells that changed, for example:
xChangedRange = Target.Address

Note that these arguments may be named differently; for example, you can use SheetName and ChangedRange instead of Sh and Target. However, do not completely remove the arguments from the subroutine. If you do, you may receive the following error message:

Compile error:

Event procedure does not match description of event having the same name

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Using the SheetChange Subroutine

The SheetChange subroutine works like any other Visual Basic for Applications subroutine in Microsoft Excel. You can use the Sh and Target arguments to determine the worksheet and range of cells that changed, or to determine the value of the changed cells. You can use these values to perform other actions.

For example, the following subroutine opens a workbook when you type the name into a cell in a worksheet in the active workbook:

   Private Sub Workbook_SheetChange(ByVal Sh As Object, ByVal Target As _
       Excel.Range)

       Workbooks.Open Filename:="C:\My Documents\" & Target.Value

   End Sub

Because Target represents the changed cell, Target.Value returns the value in that cell. If the workbook for the name you typed exists in the My Documents folder on drive C, it is opened.

This example subroutine only accepts values that are less than or equal to 100:

   Private Sub Workbook_SheetChange(ByVal Sh As Object, ByVal Target As _
       Excel.Range)

       If Target.Value > 100 Then
           MsgBox "This value is too high! Try again."
           Target.Clear
           Target.Select
       End If

   End Sub

If you type a value that is greater than 100 in a cell in the workbook, a message box appears and the value is removed.

The following example subroutine runs another macro if you type a value in cell A1 of Sheet1:

   Private Sub Workbook_SheetChange(ByVal Sh As Object, ByVal Target As _
       Excel.Range)

       If Sh.Name = "Sheet1" And Target.Address = "$A$1" Then
           RunOtherSub    'This is the name of the macro to run.
       End If

   End Sub

   Sub RunOtherSub()
       MsgBox "You typed a value in Sheet1!$A$1."
   End Sub

If any other cell in the workbook is changed, the subroutine does nothing.

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APPLIES TO

Microsoft Excel 97 Standard Edition

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kbhowto kbprogramming kbui KB166347

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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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