ExecuteExcel4Macro to get value from closed workbook

Question

I found this bit of code and thought it might be good to use if I just need to pull one value from a closed sheet.

strInfoCell = "'" & strPath & "[" & strFile & "]Sheet1'!R3C3"
myvalue = ExecuteExcel4Macro(strInfoCell)

When I run this code I get a value for strinfocell of

'C:\Users\my.name\Desktop[QOS DGL stuff.xlsx]Sheet1'!R3C3

But when I run the code a dialogue pops up, showing desktop files with "QOS DGL suff" showing.

What's causing this, why is it not just pulling back the data as expected?

I know the path and file name are right, because if I copy them from the debug output and paste them in to start>>run then the correct sheet opens.

I know that Sheet1 (named: ACL), does have a value in cells(3,3)

Answer 1

Similar application, but no hard coded paths as in the examples above. This function copies the value from another closed workbook, similar to the =INDIRECT() function, but not as sophisticated. This only returns the value...not a reference..so it cannot be used with further functions which require references (i.e.: VLOOKUP()). Paste this code into a new VBA module:

'Requires filename, sheetname as first argument and cell reference as second argument
'Usage: type in an excel cell -> =getvalue(A1,B1)
'Example of A1 -> C:\TEMP\[FILE1.XLS]SHEET1'
'Example of B1 -> B3
'This will fetch contents of cell (B3) located in (sheet1) of (c:\temp\file1.xls)

'Create a module and paste the code into the module (e.g. Module1, Module2)

Public xlapp As Object

Public Function getvalue(ByVal filename As String, ref As String) As Variant

' Retrieves a value from a closed workbook
    Dim arg As String
    Dim path As String
    Dim file As String

    filename = Trim(filename)

    path = Mid(filename, 1, InStrRev(filename, "\"))
    file = Mid(filename, InStr(1, filename, "[") + 1, InStr(1, filename, "]") - InStr(1, filename, "[") - 1)

    If Dir(path & file) = "" Then
        getvalue = "File Not Found"
        Exit Function
    End If

    If xlapp Is Nothing Then
        'Object must be created only once and not at each function call
        Set xlapp = CreateObject("Excel.application")
    End If


    ' Create the argument
    arg = "'" & filename & "'!" & Range(ref).Range("A1").Address(, , xlR1C1)

    'Execute an XLM macro
    getvalue = xlapp.ExecuteExcel4Macro(arg)

End Function

Answer 2

It depends on how you use it. The open file dialog box is being showed to you because the "strPath" doesn't have a "" in the end ;)

Try this code.

Option Explicit

Sub Sample()
    Dim wbPath As String, wbName As String
    Dim wsName As String, cellRef As String
    Dim Ret As String
    
    'wbPath = "C:\Documents and Settings\Siddharth Rout\Desktop\"
    wbPath = "C:\Users\my.name\Desktop\"
    
    wbName = "QOS DGL stuff.xls"
    wsName = "ACL"
    cellRef = "C3"
    
    Ret = "'" & wbPath & "[" & wbName & "]" & _
          wsName & "'!" & Range(cellRef).Address(True, True, -4150)
    
    MsgBox ExecuteExcel4Macro(Ret)
End Sub