Comments on: Multiple Substitute VBA

By: hans schraven

hans schraven — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 22:50:00 +0000

@Rick

Sub tst4()
Sheet1.Columns(1).SpecialCells(2).Copy Sheet1.Cells(1, 3)
With Sheet1.Columns(3).SpecialCells(2)
c0 = " " & Join(WorksheetFunction.Transpose(.Value), "| ")
For Each cl In Sheet1.Columns(2).SpecialCells(2)
c0 = Replace(c0, " " & cl, "")
Next
.Value = WorksheetFunction.Transpose(Split(Trim(c0), "| "))
End With
End Sub

using 2 instead of xlcelltypeconstants makes the code code more robust, because it can also be run from other programs than Excel (for instance Word, Outlook, Access, etc.).
Copying filled cells in column A to column C reduces the string c0 to its minimum.

By: vogus bum alias

vogus bum alias — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 19:58:00 +0000

I guess mine is a relatively long one. But it works.

Function test(ByRef rng_lookup As Range, ByRef rng_find As Range) As String

Dim m As Variant, str_result As String, bln_matched As Boolean, int_count As Integer, arr_temp As Variant

arr_temp = Split(rng_lookup.Value)
str_result = rng_lookup.Value
Do
For Each m In rng_find.Value
If InStr(m, arr_temp(int_count)) > 0 Then
'=-= Example:
'=-= m = South Dakota
'=-= arr_temp(int_count) = South
If InStr(rng_lookup.Value, m) > 0 Then
'=-= Example:
'=-= rng_lookup.value = Sofas South Dakota
'=-= m = South Dakota
str_result = Replace(str_result, m, vbNullString)
bln_matched = (InStr(rng_lookup.Value, m) - 1) + Len(m) = Len(rng_lookup.Value)
Exit For
End If
End If
Next '=-= m
int_count = int_count + 1
Loop Until bln_matched Or int_count > UBound(arr_temp) '=-= will exit if the seach is done for all the chars or length of the lookup words reached the max after replacing the word

If str_result = vbNullString Then str_result = rng_lookup.Value
'xx Debug.Print bln_matched & " -> " & str_result
test = str_result

End Function

By: Rick Rothstein (MVP - Excel)

Rick Rothstein (MVP - Excel) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 17:56:00 +0000

@hans… That looks good now, except for your not Dim’ming your variables, that is [grin]. Your overall structure is similar to the code I posted (for example, your last line, except for the delimiter, looks a lot like the one I had to use in my code), but your “set up” for it is more compact. I especially like how you used SpecialCells function (although I would have used the predefined constant xlCellTypeConstants rather than the “magic number” 2 for its argument) even though using it does obfuscate the fact that the list of states is being iterated.

By: Rick Rothstein (MVP - Excel)

Rick Rothstein (MVP - Excel) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 17:38:00 +0000

@fzz…. Well, that’s true, Transpose does do a “behind the scenes” loop, but that can also be said for Replace, InStr, Trim, Array, Split, and several other function calls as well, so I’m not that sure we should be counting them as “loops” per se.

By: hans schraven

hans schraven — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 17:33:00 +0000

Rick,

I didn't see any cell in Dick's 'problem' beginning with the name of a state.
But nevertheless.
And to prevent areas in column 1

Sub tst()
c0 = Join(WorksheetFunction.Transpose(Sheets(1).usedrange.columns(1)), "|")
For Each cl In Sheets(1).Columns(2).SpecialCells(2)
c0 = Replace(c0, cl, "")
Next
Sheets(1).usedrange.Columns(1).Offset(, 2) = WorksheetFunction.Transpose(Split(replace(replace(c0," |","|"),"| ","|"), "|"))
End Sub

By: fzz

fzz — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 17:20:00 +0000

@Rick - one explicit loop, but each Application.Transpose call is an implicit loop, so your code's runtime may reflect 3 loops rather than 1 or 2.

@f - yes, you could use regular expressions, but the regex needed would be quite long. Something structured like

(Alabama|Alaska|...|Wyoming)

would also address Rick's concern about replacing Virginia before West Virginia. Once again, regular expressions rule!

By: Rick Rothstein (MVP - Excel)

Rick Rothstein (MVP - Excel) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 16:40:00 +0000

hans… one other possible problem I see with your code… it will fail if there is one or more blank rows in between the data in Column A.

By: Rick Rothstein (MVP - Excel)

Rick Rothstein (MVP - Excel) — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 16:31:00 +0000

hans… your code fails if the name of the state is the first word(s) in the text.

By: hans schraven

hans schraven — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 16:21:00 +0000

[vb]Sub tst()
c0 = Join(WorksheetFunction.Transpose(Sheets(1).Columns(1).SpecialCells(2)), "|")
For Each cl In Sheets(1).Columns(2).SpecialCells(2)
c0 = Replace(c0, " " & cl, "")
Next
Sheets(1).Columns(1).SpecialCells(2).Offset(, 2) = WorksheetFunction.Transpose(Split(c0, "|"))
End Sub[/vb]

By: f

Fri, 11 Dec 2009 14:52:00 +0000

Isnt this something you could use regex for? Here is a solution to that find state codes (certainly a little easier) but you could look around for more.

http://www.velocityreviews.com/forums/t293534-regular-expression-for-case-insensitive-usa-state-codes.html

Regex would split the string automatically, regardless of what is around it.