Subscribe in a readerCatching Paste Operations
Introduction
You know the situation: You have carefully setup a workbook with intricate Validation schemes. But then along comes your user and he copies and pastes at will. Result: Validation zapped, workbook structure violated.
What to do? The only way I find reliable is to catch all possible paste operations. But this isn't very easy, since there are a zilion ways to paste:
- Control+v
- Control+Insert
- Shift + Insert
- Enter
- And of course various menu items and toolbar buttons, which may be located anywhere.
This article shows one way to intercept all these paste operations.
NB: as it is now, the article focuses on Excel 2000 to 2003. I will add the needed steps for Excel 2007 later on.
Explanation Of Parts Of The Code
Catching Keyboard Shortcuts
The only way to catch paste keyboard shortcuts is by assigning them to your own paste code. E.g. like this:
Application.OnKey "^v", "MyPasteValues"
Application.OnKey "^{Insert}", "MyPasteValues"
Application.OnKey "+{Insert}", "MyPasteValues"
Application.OnKey "~", "MyPasteValues"
Application.OnKey "{Enter}", "MyPasteValues"
Application.OnKey "^{Insert}", "MyPasteValues"
Application.OnKey "+{Insert}", "MyPasteValues"
Application.OnKey "~", "MyPasteValues"
Application.OnKey "{Enter}", "MyPasteValues"
(the MyPasteValues routine is shown further below)
Catching Clicks On Toolbar And Menu Controls
To catch clicks on Commandbar controls, I used a class module in which a variable is declared of type commandbarcontrol, using the WithEvents keyword. Then an instance of this class module is created for each control I want to intercept.
The class (named clsCommandBarCatcher), contains this code:
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------
' Module : clsCommandBarCatcher
' Company : JKP Application Development Services (c)
' Author : Jan Karel Pieterse
' Created : 4-10-2007
' Purpose : This class catches clicks on Excel's commandbars to be able to prevent pasting.
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Option Explicit
Public WithEvents oComBarCtl As Office.CommandBarButton
Private Sub Class_Terminate()
Set oComBarCtl = Nothing
End Sub
Private Sub oComBarCtl_Click(ByVal Ctrl As Office.CommandBarButton, CancelDefault As Boolean)
CancelDefault = True
Application.OnTime Now, "MyPasteValues"
End Sub
' Module : clsCommandBarCatcher
' Company : JKP Application Development Services (c)
' Author : Jan Karel Pieterse
' Created : 4-10-2007
' Purpose : This class catches clicks on Excel's commandbars to be able to prevent pasting.
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Option Explicit
Public WithEvents oComBarCtl As Office.CommandBarButton
Private Sub Class_Terminate()
Set oComBarCtl = Nothing
End Sub
Private Sub oComBarCtl_Click(ByVal Ctrl As Office.CommandBarButton, CancelDefault As Boolean)
CancelDefault = True
Application.OnTime Now, "MyPasteValues"
End Sub
And the code to create an instance of this class could look like this:
Dim oCtl As CommandBarButton
Dim CCatcher As clsCommandBarCatcher
Set oCtl = Application.CommandBars("Cells").FindControl(ID:=3185, recursive:=True)
Set CCatcher = New clsCommandBarCatcher
Set CCatcher.oComBarCtl = oCtl
Dim CCatcher As clsCommandBarCatcher
Set oCtl = Application.CommandBars("Cells").FindControl(ID:=3185, recursive:=True)
Set CCatcher = New clsCommandBarCatcher
Set CCatcher.oComBarCtl = oCtl
To keep the instances of the classes "alive" I create a (module) collection variable and add each instance to the collection.
The paste is handled by this routine:
Public Sub MyPasteValues()
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------
' Procedure : EnableDisableControl
' Author : Jan Karel Pieterse www.jkp-ads.com
' Created : 24-9-2007
' Purpose : Propriatary paste values routine called from control event
' handler in clsCommandBarCatcher and from various OnKey macros.
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------
If Application.CutCopyMode <> False Then
If MsgBox("Normal paste operation has been disabled. You are about to Paste Values (cannot be undone), proceed?" & vbNewLine & "Tip: to be able to undo a paste, use the paste values button on the toolbar.", vbQuestion + vbOKCancel, GSAPPNAME) = vbOK Then
On Error Resume Next
Selection.PasteSpecial Paste:=xlValues
IsCellValidationOK Selection
End If
ElseIf Application.MoveAfterReturn Then
On Error Resume Next
Select Case Application.MoveAfterReturnDirection
Case xlUp
ActiveCell.Offset(-1).Select
Case xlDown
ActiveCell.Offset(1).Select
Case xlToRight
ActiveCell.Offset(, 1).Select
Case xlToLeft
ActiveCell.Offset(, -1).Select
End Select
End If
End Sub
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------
' Procedure : EnableDisableControl
' Author : Jan Karel Pieterse www.jkp-ads.com
' Created : 24-9-2007
' Purpose : Propriatary paste values routine called from control event
' handler in clsCommandBarCatcher and from various OnKey macros.
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------
If Application.CutCopyMode <> False Then
If MsgBox("Normal paste operation has been disabled. You are about to Paste Values (cannot be undone), proceed?" & vbNewLine & "Tip: to be able to undo a paste, use the paste values button on the toolbar.", vbQuestion + vbOKCancel, GSAPPNAME) = vbOK Then
On Error Resume Next
Selection.PasteSpecial Paste:=xlValues
IsCellValidationOK Selection
End If
ElseIf Application.MoveAfterReturn Then
On Error Resume Next
Select Case Application.MoveAfterReturnDirection
Case xlUp
ActiveCell.Offset(-1).Select
Case xlDown
ActiveCell.Offset(1).Select
Case xlToRight
ActiveCell.Offset(, 1).Select
Case xlToLeft
ActiveCell.Offset(, -1).Select
End Select
End If
End Sub
Note that the code above also mimicks the MoveAfterReturn behaviour of Excel.
Cell Drag And Drop Mode
Dragging the fill handle is another way to wreck your validation. Hence this is turned off too. Unfortunately changing this setting empties the clipboard, so this setting cannot be toggled at will when switching workbooks. If you do turn it on and off when switching to and from your workbook, copying and pasting from another workbook to the one with the code becomes impossible.
Validation
The code I showed above redirects all paste operations to one routine, which does a paste special, values. But pasting does not trigger any validation checks. Also, there is no way of knowing what cells may be affected by the paste before the actual paste has been done. Luckily, after the paste, the Selection object is equal to the cells affected by the paste. Using the "Validation" object of the Range object it is possible to check whether the cells adhere to their validation settings. I created this function, to which I pass the range that has been changed. The function returns False as soon as any cell violates its validation rule:
Public Function IsCellValidationOK(oRange As Object) As Boolean
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------
' Procedure : ValidateCells
' Author : Jan Karel Pieterse www.jkp-ads.com
' Created : 21-11-2007
' Purpose : This routine checks if entries pasted into the cells in oRange
' are not violating a validation rule.
' Returns False if any cell's validation is violated
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dim oCell As Range
If TypeName(oRange) <> "Range" Then Exit Function
IsCellValidationOK = True
For Each oCell In oRange
If Not oCell.Validation Is Nothing Then
If oCell.HasFormula Then
Else
If oCell.Validation.Value = False Then
IsCellValidationOK = False
Exit For
End If
End If
End If
Next
If IsCellValidationOK = False Then
MsgBox "Warning!!!" & vbNewLine & vbNewLine & _
"The paste operation has caused illegal entries to appear" & vbNewLine & _
"in one or more cells containing validation rules." & vbNewLine & vbNewLine & _
"Please check all cells you have just pasted " & vbNewLine & _
"into and correct any errors!", vbOKOnly + vbExclamation, GSAPPNAME
oRange.Select
End If
End Function
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------
' Procedure : ValidateCells
' Author : Jan Karel Pieterse www.jkp-ads.com
' Created : 21-11-2007
' Purpose : This routine checks if entries pasted into the cells in oRange
' are not violating a validation rule.
' Returns False if any cell's validation is violated
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dim oCell As Range
If TypeName(oRange) <> "Range" Then Exit Function
IsCellValidationOK = True
For Each oCell In oRange
If Not oCell.Validation Is Nothing Then
If oCell.HasFormula Then
Else
If oCell.Validation.Value = False Then
IsCellValidationOK = False
Exit For
End If
End If
End If
Next
If IsCellValidationOK = False Then
MsgBox "Warning!!!" & vbNewLine & vbNewLine & _
"The paste operation has caused illegal entries to appear" & vbNewLine & _
"in one or more cells containing validation rules." & vbNewLine & vbNewLine & _
"Please check all cells you have just pasted " & vbNewLine & _
"into and correct any errors!", vbOKOnly + vbExclamation, GSAPPNAME
oRange.Select
End If
End Function
Switching On And Off
Of course I want this paste restriction to work on just the workbook with the code. This means some code in the ThisWorkbook module is needed, to be precise in the Workbook_DeActivate and Workbook_Activate events. This is all code I have in ThisWorkbook:
Option Explicit
'Holds time of scheduled ontime macro
'(Workbook_Before_Close and Workbook_Deactivate)
Private mdNextTimeCatchPaste As Double
Private Sub Workbook_Activate()
CatchPaste
End Sub
Private Sub Workbook_BeforeClose(Cancel As Boolean)
StopCatchPaste
mdNextTimeCatchPaste = Now
Application.OnTime mdNextTimeCatchPaste, "'" & ThisWorkbook.Name & "'!CatchPaste"
Application.CellDragAndDrop = True
End Sub
Private Sub Workbook_Deactivate()
StopCatchPaste
On Error Resume Next
'Cancel scheduled macro's,
'because we might be closing the file
Application.OnTime mdNextTimeCatchPaste, "'" & ThisWorkbook.Name & "'!CatchPaste", , False
End Sub
Private Sub Workbook_Open()
CatchPaste
End Sub
'Holds time of scheduled ontime macro
'(Workbook_Before_Close and Workbook_Deactivate)
Private mdNextTimeCatchPaste As Double
Private Sub Workbook_Activate()
CatchPaste
End Sub
Private Sub Workbook_BeforeClose(Cancel As Boolean)
StopCatchPaste
mdNextTimeCatchPaste = Now
Application.OnTime mdNextTimeCatchPaste, "'" & ThisWorkbook.Name & "'!CatchPaste"
Application.CellDragAndDrop = True
End Sub
Private Sub Workbook_Deactivate()
StopCatchPaste
On Error Resume Next
'Cancel scheduled macro's,
'because we might be closing the file
Application.OnTime mdNextTimeCatchPaste, "'" & ThisWorkbook.Name & "'!CatchPaste", , False
End Sub
Private Sub Workbook_Open()
CatchPaste
End Sub
Putting It All Together
The entire module that handles the initialisation and processes the paste operation looks like this:
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------
' Module : modHandlePaste
' Author : Jan Karel Pieterse
' Created : 24-9-2007
' Purpose : Module that ensures paste and paste formats is disabled
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Option Explicit
Option Private Module
Dim mcCatchers As Collection
Sub CatchPaste()
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------
' Procedure : CatchPaste
' Author : Jan Karel Pieterse www.jkp-ads.com
' Created : 24-9-2007
' Purpose : This routine ensures all paste operations are redirected to our own.
' This way we avoid overwriting styles and validations.
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------
StopCatchPaste
Set mcCatchers = New Collection
'Paste button
AddCatch "Dummy", 22
'Paste button (with dropdown)
EnableDisableControl 6002, False
'Paste Special button
AddCatch "Dummy", 755
'Paste As Hyperlink button
AddCatch "Dummy", 2787
'Paste Formats bottun
AddCatch "Dummy", 369
'Insert Cut cells button
AddCatch "Dummy", 3185
'Insert Copied Cells button
AddCatch "Dummy", 3187
Application.OnKey "^v", "MyPasteValues"
Application.OnKey "^{Insert}", "MyPasteValues"
Application.OnKey "+{Insert}", "MyPasteValues"
Application.OnKey "~", "MyPasteValues"
Application.OnKey "{Enter}", "MyPasteValues"
'Changing the celldragdrop mode clears the clipboard.
'This means if you switch from another workbook back to this one, you would be unable to copy
'information and paste it into the template. This is why we do not reinstate the
'celldragdropmode when switching away from a B1 template and vice versa: switch it off
'when we return to a template.
If Application.CellDragAndDrop Then
'If the user has manually changed this mode to true, the clipboard WILL be emptied due to the next line
Application.CellDragAndDrop = False
End If
End Sub
Sub StopCatchPaste()
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------
' Procedure : StopCatchPaste
' Author : Jan Karel Pieterse www.jkp-ads.com
' Created : 24-9-2007
' Purpose : Resets the paste operations to their defaults
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dim lCount As Long
On Error Resume Next
Set mcCatchers = Nothing
EnableDisableControl 6002, True
Application.OnKey "^v"
Application.OnKey "^{Insert}"
Application.OnKey "+{Insert}"
Application.OnKey "~"
Application.OnKey "{Enter}"
'Changing the celldragdrop mode clears the clipboard.
'This means if you switch from another workbook back to this one, you would be unable to copy
'information and paste it into the template. This is why we do not reinstate the
'celldragdropmode when switching away from a B1 template and vice versa: switch it off
'when we return to a template.
'Next line disabled for this reason!!!
' Application.CellDragAndDrop = True
End Sub
Sub AddCatch(sCombarName As String, lID As Long)
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------
' Procedure : AddCatch
' Author : Jan Karel Pieterse www.jkp-ads.com
' Created : 24-9-2007
' Purpose : Adds a commandbarcontrol to be monitored
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dim oCtl As CommandBarControl
Dim CCatcher As clsCommandBarCatcher
Dim oBar As CommandBar
Set oCtl = Nothing
On Error Resume Next
Set oBar = Application.CommandBars(sCombarName)
If oBar Is Nothing Then
Set oBar = Application.CommandBars.Add(sCombarName, , , True)
oBar.Controls.Add ID:=lID
oBar.Visible = True
End If
With oBar
Set oCtl = .FindControl(ID:=lID, recursive:=True)
If oCtl Is Nothing Then
Set oCtl = .Controls.Add(ID:=lID)
End If
End With
'Try Insert copied/cut cells separately through the cells shortcut menu
If oCtl Is Nothing And (lID = 3185 Or lID = 3187) Then
Set oCtl = Application.CommandBars("Cell").FindControl(ID:=lID, recursive:=True)
End If
Set CCatcher = New clsCommandBarCatcher
Set CCatcher.oComBarCtl = oCtl
mcCatchers.Add CCatcher
Set CCatcher = Nothing
oBar.Delete
Set oBar = Nothing
End Sub
Private Sub EnableDisableControl(lID As Long, bEnable As Boolean)
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------
' Procedure : EnableDisableControl
' Author : Jan Karel Pieterse www.jkp-ads.com
' Created : 24-9-2007
' Purpose : Enables or disables a specific control on all commandbars
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dim oBar As CommandBar
Dim oCtl As CommandBarControl
On Error Resume Next
For Each oBar In CommandBars
Set oCtl = oBar.FindControl(ID:=lID, recursive:=True)
If Not oCtl Is Nothing Then
oCtl.Enabled = bEnable
End If
Next
End Sub
Public Sub MyPasteValues()
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------
' Procedure : EnableDisableControl
' Author : Jan Karel Pieterse www.jkp-ads.com
' Created : 24-9-2007
' Purpose : Propriatary paste values routine called from control event
' handler in clsCommandBarCatcher and from various OnKey macros.
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------
If Application.CutCopyMode <> False Then
If MsgBox("Normal paste operation has been disabled. You are about to Paste Values (cannot be undone), proceed?" & vbNewLine & "Tip: to be able to undo a paste, use the paste values button on the toolbar.", vbQuestion + vbOKCancel, GSAPPNAME) = vbOK Then
On Error Resume Next
Selection.PasteSpecial Paste:=xlValues
IsCellValidationOK Selection
End If
ElseIf Application.MoveAfterReturn Then
On Error Resume Next
Select Case Application.MoveAfterReturnDirection
Case xlUp
ActiveCell.Offset(-1).Select
Case xlDown
ActiveCell.Offset(1).Select
Case xlToRight
ActiveCell.Offset(, 1).Select
Case xlToLeft
ActiveCell.Offset(, -1).Select
End Select
End If
End Sub
Public Function IsCellValidationOK(oRange As Object) As Boolean
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------
' Procedure : ValidateCells
' Author : Jan Karel Pieterse www.jkp-ads.com
' Created : 21-11-2007
' Purpose : This routine checks if entries pasted into the cells in oRange
' are not violating a validation rule.
' Returns False if any cell's validation is violated
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dim oCell As Range
If TypeName(oRange) <> "Range" Then Exit Function
IsCellValidationOK = True
For Each oCell In oRange
If Not oCell.Validation Is Nothing Then
If oCell.HasFormula Then
Else
If oCell.Validation.Value = False Then
IsCellValidationOK = False
Exit For
End If
End If
End If
Next
If IsCellValidationOK = False Then
MsgBox "Warning!!!" & vbNewLine & vbNewLine & _
"The paste operation has caused illegal entries to appear" & vbNewLine & _
"in one or more cells containing validation rules." & vbNewLine & vbNewLine & _
"Please check all cells you have just pasted " & vbNewLine & _
"into and correct any errors!", vbOKOnly + vbExclamation, GSAPPNAME
oRange.Select
End If
End Function
' Module : modHandlePaste
' Author : Jan Karel Pieterse
' Created : 24-9-2007
' Purpose : Module that ensures paste and paste formats is disabled
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Option Explicit
Option Private Module
Dim mcCatchers As Collection
Sub CatchPaste()
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------
' Procedure : CatchPaste
' Author : Jan Karel Pieterse www.jkp-ads.com
' Created : 24-9-2007
' Purpose : This routine ensures all paste operations are redirected to our own.
' This way we avoid overwriting styles and validations.
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------
StopCatchPaste
Set mcCatchers = New Collection
'Paste button
AddCatch "Dummy", 22
'Paste button (with dropdown)
EnableDisableControl 6002, False
'Paste Special button
AddCatch "Dummy", 755
'Paste As Hyperlink button
AddCatch "Dummy", 2787
'Paste Formats bottun
AddCatch "Dummy", 369
'Insert Cut cells button
AddCatch "Dummy", 3185
'Insert Copied Cells button
AddCatch "Dummy", 3187
Application.OnKey "^v", "MyPasteValues"
Application.OnKey "^{Insert}", "MyPasteValues"
Application.OnKey "+{Insert}", "MyPasteValues"
Application.OnKey "~", "MyPasteValues"
Application.OnKey "{Enter}", "MyPasteValues"
'Changing the celldragdrop mode clears the clipboard.
'This means if you switch from another workbook back to this one, you would be unable to copy
'information and paste it into the template. This is why we do not reinstate the
'celldragdropmode when switching away from a B1 template and vice versa: switch it off
'when we return to a template.
If Application.CellDragAndDrop Then
'If the user has manually changed this mode to true, the clipboard WILL be emptied due to the next line
Application.CellDragAndDrop = False
End If
End Sub
Sub StopCatchPaste()
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------
' Procedure : StopCatchPaste
' Author : Jan Karel Pieterse www.jkp-ads.com
' Created : 24-9-2007
' Purpose : Resets the paste operations to their defaults
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dim lCount As Long
On Error Resume Next
Set mcCatchers = Nothing
EnableDisableControl 6002, True
Application.OnKey "^v"
Application.OnKey "^{Insert}"
Application.OnKey "+{Insert}"
Application.OnKey "~"
Application.OnKey "{Enter}"
'Changing the celldragdrop mode clears the clipboard.
'This means if you switch from another workbook back to this one, you would be unable to copy
'information and paste it into the template. This is why we do not reinstate the
'celldragdropmode when switching away from a B1 template and vice versa: switch it off
'when we return to a template.
'Next line disabled for this reason!!!
' Application.CellDragAndDrop = True
End Sub
Sub AddCatch(sCombarName As String, lID As Long)
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------
' Procedure : AddCatch
' Author : Jan Karel Pieterse www.jkp-ads.com
' Created : 24-9-2007
' Purpose : Adds a commandbarcontrol to be monitored
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dim oCtl As CommandBarControl
Dim CCatcher As clsCommandBarCatcher
Dim oBar As CommandBar
Set oCtl = Nothing
On Error Resume Next
Set oBar = Application.CommandBars(sCombarName)
If oBar Is Nothing Then
Set oBar = Application.CommandBars.Add(sCombarName, , , True)
oBar.Controls.Add ID:=lID
oBar.Visible = True
End If
With oBar
Set oCtl = .FindControl(ID:=lID, recursive:=True)
If oCtl Is Nothing Then
Set oCtl = .Controls.Add(ID:=lID)
End If
End With
'Try Insert copied/cut cells separately through the cells shortcut menu
If oCtl Is Nothing And (lID = 3185 Or lID = 3187) Then
Set oCtl = Application.CommandBars("Cell").FindControl(ID:=lID, recursive:=True)
End If
Set CCatcher = New clsCommandBarCatcher
Set CCatcher.oComBarCtl = oCtl
mcCatchers.Add CCatcher
Set CCatcher = Nothing
oBar.Delete
Set oBar = Nothing
End Sub
Private Sub EnableDisableControl(lID As Long, bEnable As Boolean)
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------
' Procedure : EnableDisableControl
' Author : Jan Karel Pieterse www.jkp-ads.com
' Created : 24-9-2007
' Purpose : Enables or disables a specific control on all commandbars
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dim oBar As CommandBar
Dim oCtl As CommandBarControl
On Error Resume Next
For Each oBar In CommandBars
Set oCtl = oBar.FindControl(ID:=lID, recursive:=True)
If Not oCtl Is Nothing Then
oCtl.Enabled = bEnable
End If
Next
End Sub
Public Sub MyPasteValues()
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------
' Procedure : EnableDisableControl
' Author : Jan Karel Pieterse www.jkp-ads.com
' Created : 24-9-2007
' Purpose : Propriatary paste values routine called from control event
' handler in clsCommandBarCatcher and from various OnKey macros.
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------
If Application.CutCopyMode <> False Then
If MsgBox("Normal paste operation has been disabled. You are about to Paste Values (cannot be undone), proceed?" & vbNewLine & "Tip: to be able to undo a paste, use the paste values button on the toolbar.", vbQuestion + vbOKCancel, GSAPPNAME) = vbOK Then
On Error Resume Next
Selection.PasteSpecial Paste:=xlValues
IsCellValidationOK Selection
End If
ElseIf Application.MoveAfterReturn Then
On Error Resume Next
Select Case Application.MoveAfterReturnDirection
Case xlUp
ActiveCell.Offset(-1).Select
Case xlDown
ActiveCell.Offset(1).Select
Case xlToRight
ActiveCell.Offset(, 1).Select
Case xlToLeft
ActiveCell.Offset(, -1).Select
End Select
End If
End Sub
Public Function IsCellValidationOK(oRange As Object) As Boolean
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------
' Procedure : ValidateCells
' Author : Jan Karel Pieterse www.jkp-ads.com
' Created : 21-11-2007
' Purpose : This routine checks if entries pasted into the cells in oRange
' are not violating a validation rule.
' Returns False if any cell's validation is violated
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dim oCell As Range
If TypeName(oRange) <> "Range" Then Exit Function
IsCellValidationOK = True
For Each oCell In oRange
If Not oCell.Validation Is Nothing Then
If oCell.HasFormula Then
Else
If oCell.Validation.Value = False Then
IsCellValidationOK = False
Exit For
End If
End If
End If
Next
If IsCellValidationOK = False Then
MsgBox "Warning!!!" & vbNewLine & vbNewLine & _
"The paste operation has caused illegal entries to appear" & vbNewLine & _
"in one or more cells containing validation rules." & vbNewLine & vbNewLine & _
"Please check all cells you have just pasted " & vbNewLine & _
"into and correct any errors!", vbOKOnly + vbExclamation, GSAPPNAME
oRange.Select
End If
End Function
Sample File
I prepared a sample file so you can see how to put this all together.
Comments
Showing last 8 comments of 20 in total (Show All Comments):Comment by: Jan Karel Pieterse (10/17/2008 2:15:43 AM)Hi Aaron,
I am not sure I understand what you mean. Does the code sample change the behaviour?
Comment by: ArtHudson (1/8/2009 1:15:39 PM)Just as a formula in B21 can be cached as a cell comment in B20 (the headings row), and then can be extracted from that cell comment as a formula in B21 for filldown, so I suspect that sheet-resident validation can be cached somewhere (perhaps in a macro?) so that it can repopulate the validation in the sheet each time the sheet is activated.
I store my validation list in an external file named "List_"&<ColHdg>&".xls" so I have no need to recreate a destroyed validation list that resides in any sheet. I had to write an app to do that, but it was worth it.
Comment by: Steve (5/11/2009 3:06:12 AM)Great piece of code! I got really excited for a moment as I have been looking for the foolproof dis-abler for some time however I tried double clicking a cell with contents, highlighting the text then Ctrl-c, followed by esc then double click a new cell then ctrl-v and voila - copy & paste.
great code though!
Comment by: Jan Karel Pieterse (5/11/2009 4:16:25 AM)Hi Steve,
Of course, that can't be avoided since you can't run code when you're in cell edit mode.
Luckily this particular method of pasting does not zap validation or cell formatting, so no big harm is done.
Comment by: seiji (5/12/2009 3:01:48 AM)Excellent code. The only problem I see here is if the user is pasting hundreds of lines of data, the code's going to be VERY slow.
Comment by: Jan Karel Pieterse (5/12/2009 9:55:44 PM)Hi seiji,
Well, yes if you leave in the validation check it might be.
The situation where I used this code didn't allow for pasting huge amounts of data: the worksheet had restricted input areas which were limited in size.
Comment by: Elliot (6/18/2009 12:46:16 PM)Great Code!
Per above - you indicated that you planned on adding code for excel 2007.
Do you have a timeframe in mind?
Thanks so much in advance.
Regards,
Elliot
Comment by: Jan Karel Pieterse (6/21/2009 3:08:44 AM)Hi Elliot,
Ouch, that is the risk of writing that on plans to add something in future. I haven't had time to look into this yet.
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