Maybe SkyNet Will Be Written In Excel VBA After All … OR … Why ThisWorkbook Can Save You Headaches With Your Macros


In my last post
, I joked that SkyNet from The Terminator would not be written in Excel VBA because you cannot make Excel VBA code aware that it exists within a particular workbook.

Turns out that I may have been wrong about SkyNet and that I was very wrong about needing to create a workbook object to ensure your code looks at the workbook in which it exists.

There is a way to force your macros to look at the workbook in which they exist.

You use the ThisWorkbook property.

OK, Give Me An Example

Of course. For the example below, create a workbook called “WhyThisWorkbookIsOKWithMacroCode.xlsm” and place the code below in a VBA module.


Sub NotSoConfusingThisWorkbook()

Dim whatYouThinkIsActiveWorkbook As Workbook
Dim whatActuallyIsActiveWorkbook As Workbook

Set whatYouThinkIsActiveWorkbook = Workbooks("WhyThisWorkbookIsOKWithMacroCode.xlsm")
Set whatActuallyIsActiveWorkbook = Workbooks.Add

whatYouThinkIsActiveWorkbook.Worksheets("Sheet1").Cells(1, 1) = "this is what you think you will see"
whatActuallyIsActiveWorkbook.Worksheets("Sheet1").Cells(1, 1) = "this is what you actually see since activeWorkbook confused you"

whatActuallyIsActiveWorkbook.Activate
Debug.Print ActiveWorkbook.Worksheets("Sheet1").Cells(1, 1)

' show how ThisWorkbook works
Debug.Print "Now Let's try it with ThisWorkbook"
Debug.Print ThisWorkbook.Worksheets("Sheet1").Cells(1,1)

Set whatYouThinkIsActiveWorkbook = Nothing
Set whatActuallyIsActiveWorkbook = Nothing

End Sub

As you can see after running this code, while ActiveWorkbook looks at the last activated or clicked workbook, ThisWorkbook refers back to the workbook in which the VBA Macro code exists.

Walkenbach & Mr. Excel: The Two Books to Get Stared in Excel VBA

If you want to get begin using Excel VBA, the best way to do so is to read these two books:

They will give you the foundation that you need to use Excel in powerful and just as importantly in reliable ways. If you choose to read them, make sure that you type out all of the examples in these books yourself in the Excel VBA IDE (what you see when type Alt-F11).

Excel VBA Programming For Dummies by John Walkenbach

This is the book with which to get started, especially if you do not know the first thing about programming. Walkenbach does an excellent job of holding your hand through the basic concepts that you need to know. As well, he sells a power utility pak that uses VBA to give Excel powerful and useful features. For extra money, you can see the code for it. I strongly recommend purchasing the pack and paying to see the code. You will see lots of examples of how to write practical applications for Excel in VBA.

VBA and Macros for Microsoft Excel Bill Jelen and Tracy Syrstad

WARNING: They have written similar books written since then, but previewing them on Amazon makes me think that they are missing key content. You need to buy the one written in 2004.

This book will take you to the next level. It is aimed at people who are more intermediate than beginner. It will show you just how powerful VBA in Excel can be. This is the book that allowed me to start getting my head around the VBA Object Model and writing VBA Classes.

While you should read the whole book, you should pay very close attention to the following chapters:

  • R1C1 Style Formulas
  • Names
  • Event Programming
  • User Forms
  • Automating Word
  • Event Programming
  • Creating Classes Records and Collections – this one is the most important
  • Handling Errors

I feel that these books are essential for getting started. You can buy them from the links below or at the top of the post: