Get Column Letter

[mdmackillop]

File attached

[Ken Puls]

I actually had a use for this a couple of days ago, Malcolm. I was actually trying to get the column letters in the worksheets and ended up using the CODE and CHAR functions to work out where I needed to be.

i.e. =CHAR(COLUMN()+64)

The above only works up to Column Z, of course, then you have to fool with it again. I like your method better.

[Brandtrock]

How simple you make that look!! I went the long way around to get the integers.

I was answering a question for someone on another forum the other day. The OP was going in all sorts of directions, but the long and short of the situation was that they were retrieving data and pasting it into a worksheet range that may or may not be the same every time.

I farted around with a couple of functions that the OP seemed to be elated with. In any case, here is the code and an example workbook to play with for anyone interested.

Option Explicit
Sub Test()
    Dim Reply As String
    Dim Temp As Range
    Dim TheCell As Range
    Dim FinalAnswer As String
    
    Randomize
    Set TheCell = Cells(4, Range("MyRandom"))
    Set Temp = Range(TheCell, TheCell.Offset(0, Range("MyRandom").Value))
    Temp.Select
    Reply = Temp.Address
    FinalAnswer = ParseAddy(Reply, False)
    FinalAnswer = ParseAddy(Reply, True)
    Calculate

End Sub
 
Public Function AlphaDec(AlDec As String) As Double
'  Designed to work for base 26 alphabet numbering system like Excel Column names

    Dim i                   As Long
    Dim j                   As Variant
    Dim k                   As Long
    Dim n                   As Long
    Dim AlphaDecArray()     As Double
     
    n = Len(AlDec)
    k = -1
    ReDim AlphaDecArray(1 To n)
    For i = n To 1 Step -1
        j = Mid(AlDec, i, 1)
        k = k + 1
        
        Select Case j
        Case Is = "A"
            AlphaDecArray(i) = 1 * 26 ^ (k)
        Case Is = "B"
            AlphaDecArray(i) = 2 * 26 ^ (k)
        Case Is = "C"
            AlphaDecArray(i) = 3 * 26 ^ (k)
        Case Is = "D"
            AlphaDecArray(i) = 4 * 26 ^ (k)
        Case Is = "E"
            AlphaDecArray(i) = 5 * 26 ^ (k)
        Case Is = "F"
            AlphaDecArray(i) = 6 * 26 ^ (k)
        Case Is = "G"
            AlphaDecArray(i) = 7 * 26 ^ (k)
        Case Is = "H"
            AlphaDecArray(i) = 8 * 26 ^ (k)
        Case Is = "I"
            AlphaDecArray(i) = 9 * 26 ^ (k)
        Case Is = "J"
            AlphaDecArray(i) = 10 * 26 ^ (k)
        Case Is = "K"
            AlphaDecArray(i) = 11 * 26 ^ (k)
        Case Is = "L"
            AlphaDecArray(i) = 12 * 26 ^ (k)
        Case Is = "M"
            AlphaDecArray(i) = 13 * 26 ^ (k)
        Case Is = "N"
            AlphaDecArray(i) = 14 * 26 ^ (k)
        Case Is = "O"
            AlphaDecArray(i) = 15 * 26 ^ (k)
        Case Is = "P"
            AlphaDecArray(i) = 16 * 26 ^ (k)
        Case Is = "Q"
            AlphaDecArray(i) = 17 * 26 ^ (k)
        Case Is = "R"
            AlphaDecArray(i) = 18 * 26 ^ (k)
        Case Is = "S"
            AlphaDecArray(i) = 19 * 26 ^ (k)
        Case Is = "T"
            AlphaDecArray(i) = 20 * 26 ^ (k)
        Case Is = "U"
            AlphaDecArray(i) = 21 * 26 ^ (k)
        Case Is = "V"
            AlphaDecArray(i) = 22 * 26 ^ (k)
        Case Is = "W"
            AlphaDecArray(i) = 23 * 26 ^ (k)
        Case Is = "X"
            AlphaDecArray(i) = 24 * 26 ^ (k)
        Case Is = "Y"
            AlphaDecArray(i) = 25 * 26 ^ (k)
        Case Is = "Z"
            AlphaDecArray(i) = 26 * 26 ^ (k)
        End Select
    Next i
    AlphaDec = Application.WorksheetFunction.Sum(AlphaDecArray)
     
End Function

Public Function ParseAddy(MyAddy As String, LeftOrRight As Boolean) As Integer
'  If Left Argument is true, returns MyLefty,
'  If Left Argument is false, returns MyRighty
   
    Dim MyLefty As String
    Dim MyRighty As String
    Dim NewLefty As Integer
    Dim NewRighty As Integer
    Dim TheColon As Integer
    
    MyAddy = Application.WorksheetFunction.Substitute(MyAddy, "$", "")
    MyAddy = Application.WorksheetFunction.Substitute(MyAddy, "1", "")
    MyAddy = Application.WorksheetFunction.Substitute(MyAddy, "2", "")
    MyAddy = Application.WorksheetFunction.Substitute(MyAddy, "3", "")
    MyAddy = Application.WorksheetFunction.Substitute(MyAddy, "4", "")
    MyAddy = Application.WorksheetFunction.Substitute(MyAddy, "5", "")
    MyAddy = Application.WorksheetFunction.Substitute(MyAddy, "6", "")
    MyAddy = Application.WorksheetFunction.Substitute(MyAddy, "7", "")
    MyAddy = Application.WorksheetFunction.Substitute(MyAddy, "8", "")
    MyAddy = Application.WorksheetFunction.Substitute(MyAddy, "9", "")
    MyAddy = Application.WorksheetFunction.Substitute(MyAddy, "0", "")
    
    TheColon = Application.WorksheetFunction.Find(":", MyAddy)
'    MsgBox ("The Colon is in position #" & TheColon)
    
    MyLefty = Left(MyAddy, TheColon - 1)
    MyRighty = Right(MyAddy, Len(MyAddy) - TheColon)

    Select Case LeftOrRight
        Case Is = True Or 1
            NewLefty = AlphaDec(MyLefty)
            ParseAddy = NewLefty
        Case Is = False Or 0
            NewRighty = AlphaDec(MyRighty)
            ParseAddy = NewRighty
    End Select
MsgBox (NewLefty & " " & NewRighty)

End Function

The Test It button simply gets a random range for me to test the functions with. I left it in for the OP to be able to see if it was going to fit the purpose he needed.

Regards,

[Bob Phillips]

I actually had a use for this a couple of days ago, Malcolm. I was actually trying to get the column letters in the worksheets and ended up using the CODE and CHAR functions to work out where I needed to be.

i.e. =CHAR(COLUMN()+64)

The above only works up to Column Z, of course, then you have to fool with it again. I like your method better.

How about this

=LEFT(ADDRESS(ROW(),COLUMN(),2),FIND("$",ADDRESS(ROW(),COLUMN(),2),1)-1)

[Bob Phillips]

This is what I use in VBA

[vba]

'-----------------------------------------------------------------
Function ColumnLetter(Col As Long)
'-----------------------------------------------------------------
Dim sColumn As String
On Error Resume Next
sColumn = Split(Columns(Col).Address(, False), ":")(1)
On Error GoTo 0
ColumnLetter = sColumn
End Function
[/vba]

[mdmackillop]

This is actually Cyberdudes code from a potential KB item, posted here for him to access.
Regards
MD

[XLGibbs]

I use this in Access to convert field names that represent cell addresses for transferring carefull crafted queries into reporting templates. http://vbaexpress.com/kb/getarticle.php?kb_id=838

[vba]Public Function GetRowColumn(strRowColumn) As RowColumn
Dim lngCount As Long
Dim lngChar As String
'function to get cell references out of column names where the column names
' are equivalent to A1 style cell references (Note:R1C1 references won't work with this)
For lngCount = 1 To Len(strRowColumn)
lngChar = Asc(Mid(strRowColumn, lngCount, 1))

If lngChar >= Asc("0") And lngChar <= Asc("9") Then
Exit For
End If
Next lngCount
'this extracts the column and row from the Field Name in the recordset.

GetRowColumn.col = Left(strRowColumn, lngCount - 1)
GetRowColumn.row = Right(strRowColumn, Len(strRowColumn) - lngCount + 1)

End Function
Option Explicit
Public Type RowColumn 'function requires a user defined type
row As String
col As String
End Type
[/vba]
But this is for parsing a would be Access column Name (which represent it's intended location in Excel) from Access to Excel.

[Tommy]

This is what I use when I need a column letter:
[VBA]
Private Sub Worksheet_SelectionChange(ByVal Target As Range)
GiveColLeter Target.Column
End Sub
Public Function GiveColLeter(iNumber As Long) As String
Dim A As String, B As String
If iNumber \ 26 > 0 Then A = Chr(64 + iNumber \ 26)
B = Chr(64 + ((iNumber / 26) - (iNumber \ 26)) * 26)
GiveColLeter = A & B
End Function
[/VBA]

a few more pennies on the stack

[Ken Puls]

This is fantastic! What a great variety of ways!

I have to say that I find it pretty funny on those occasions that I write 50 lines of painstaking code, only to have Bob come along and give a 50 character formula to do the same thing.

[Brandtrock]

This is fantastic! What a great variety of ways!

I have to say that I find it pretty funny on those occasions that I write 50 lines of painstaking code, only to have Bob come along and give a 50 character formula to do the same thing.

In the immortal words of Buzz Lightyear, "You're mocking me, aren't you?!"



Ken, I know what you mean.

[johnske]

This is fantastic! What a great variety of ways!

I have to say that I find it pretty funny on those occasions that I write 50 lines of painstaking code, only to have Bob come along and give a 50 character formula to do the same thing.

I've already added it to my list (got 7 short ones now)

[Zack Barresse]

I use something similar to Bob's, although it works with 97 as well...

[vba]Function ColLet(lngCol As Long) As String
'---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
' Procedure : ColLet
' DateTime : 6/2006
' Author : Zack Barresse
' Purpose : Return a column letter from column index value. 97 Compliant
'---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dim strAddy As String
ColLet = "ERROR!"
On Error GoTo 0
strAddy = Cells(1, lngCol).Address(False, False)
If Err <> 0 Or strAddy = "" Then Exit Function
ColLet = Left(strAddy, Len(strAddy) - 1)
End Function[/vba]

Of course, the downside, if there is not an activesheet, it fails.

[Bob Phillips]

I use something similar to Bob's, although it works with 97 as well...

So does mine!

Of course, the downside, if there is not an activesheet, it fails.

Downside of using built-ins.

[johnske]

8...
[VBA]
Sub ColumnLetter3()
Dim Addy As String
Addy = ActiveCell.EntireColumn.Address(0, 0)
MsgBox Left(Addy, Int(Len(Addy) / 2))
End Sub
[/VBA]

[Zack Barresse]

So does mine!

The Split() function works in 97??

[Ken Puls]

The Split() function works in 97??

No....

[Zack Barresse]

...

I'm trying to understand how Bob's function works in 97, as I do not have it installed to test it. Bob, Ken, anyone mind filling in the gaps for me?

[Bob Phillips]

[vba]
#If VBA6 Then
#Else
'-----------------------------------------------------------------
Function Split(Text As String, _
Optional Delimiter As String = ",") As Variant
'-----------------------------------------------------------------
Dim i As Long
Dim sFormula As String
Dim aryEval
Dim aryValues

If Delimiter = vbNullChar Then
Delimiter = Chr(7)
Text = Replace(Text, vbNullChar, Delimiter)
End If
sFormula = "{""" & Application.Substitute(Text, Delimiter, """,""") & """}"
aryEval = Evaluate(sFormula)
ReDim aryValues(0 To UBound(aryEval) - 1)
For i = 0 To UBound(aryValues)
aryValues(i) = aryEval(i + 1)
Next

Split = aryValues

End Function
#End If
[/vba]

[Ken Puls]

Bob,

Not to split hairs, but doesn't the conditional compilation mean that it is essentially ignored in 97? I'd hardly say that qualifies as "works".

Let me know if I'm missing something...

[Zack Barresse]

I see now. Yeah, technically it will work in 97 through the use of a UDF to simulate the use of the (post 97) native Split() function. I should have said my function will work - natively - from 97 and up.