How do I reference tables in Excel using VBA?

Question

Is it possible in Excel VBA to reference a named table?

Hypothetically this could be...

Sheets("Sheet1").Table("A_Table").Select

I have seen some mention of tables being a list object but I'm not sure if that is the same thing.

Answer 1

The OP asked, is it possible to reference a table, not how to add a table. So the working equivalent of

Sheets("Sheet1").Table("A_Table").Select

would be this statement:

Sheets("Sheet1").ListObjects("A_Table").Range.Select

or to select parts (like only the data in the table):

Dim LO As ListObject
Set LO = Sheets("Sheet1").ListObjects("A_Table")
LO.HeaderRowRange.Select        ' Select just header row
LO.DataBodyRange.Select         ' Select just data cells
LO.TotalsRowRange.Select        ' Select just totals row

For the parts, you may want to test for the existence of the header and totals rows before selecting them.

And seriously, this is the only question on referencing tables in VBA in SO? Tables in Excel make so much sense, but they're so hard to work with in VBA!

Answer 2

A "table" in Excel is indeed known as a ListObject.

The "proper" way to reference a table is by getting its ListObject from its Worksheet i.e. SheetObject.ListObjects(ListObjectName).

If you want to reference a table without using the sheet, you can use a hack Application.Range(ListObjectName).ListObject.

NOTE: This hack relies on the fact that Excel always creates a named range for the table's DataBodyRange with the same name as the table. However this range name can be changed...though it's not something you'd want to do since the name will reset if you edit the table name! Also you could get a named range with no associated ListObject.

Given Excel's not-very-helpful 1004 error message when you get the name wrong, you may want to create a wrapper...

Public Function GetListObject(ByVal ListObjectName As String, Optional ParentWorksheet As Worksheet = Nothing) As Excel.ListObject
On Error Resume Next

    If (Not ParentWorksheet Is Nothing) Then
        Set GetListObject = ParentWorksheet.ListObjects(ListObjectName)
    Else
        Set GetListObject = Application.Range(ListObjectName).ListObject
    End If

On Error GoTo 0 'Or your error handler

    If (Not GetListObject Is Nothing) Then
        'Success
    ElseIf (Not ParentWorksheet Is Nothing) Then
        Call Err.Raise(1004, ThisWorkBook.Name, "ListObject '" & ListObjectName & "' not found on sheet '" & ParentWorksheet.Name & "'!")
    Else
        Call Err.Raise(1004, ThisWorkBook.Name, "ListObject '" & ListObjectName & "' not found!")
    End If

End Function

Also some good ListObject info here.