XL: How to Set Print Area to Range with Defined Name (141095)

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Microsoft provides programming examples for illustration only, without warranty either expressed or implied. This includes, but is not limited to, the implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. This article assumes that you are familiar with the programming language that is being demonstrated and with the tools that are used to create and to debug procedures. Microsoft support engineers can help explain the functionality of a particular procedure, but they will not modify these examples to provide added functionality or construct procedures to meet your specific requirements. To follow the example provided in this article, enter any text information into the cell range A1:D5 on Sheet1 of a new workbook.

If you record a macro that selects the range of cells, sets the print area, and then prints the worksheet, you create a macro similar to one of the following:

Excel 5 for Windows, Excel 7 for Windows 95, or Excel 5 for the Macintosh

   Sub Macro1()
      Range("A1:D5").Select
      ActiveSheet.PageSetup.PrintArea = Selection.Address
      ActiveWindow.SelectedSheets.PrintOut Copies:=1
   End Sub
				

Excel 97 for Windows, Excel 98 Macintosh Edition

   Sub Macro1()
      Range("A1:D5").Select
      ActiveSheet.PageSetup.PrintArea = "$A$1:$D$5"
      ActiveWindow.SelectedSheets.PrintOut Copies:=1
   End Sub
				

The problem with this macro is that if you insert one or more rows within this range of cells, and then rerun the recorded macro, it still prints only the range specified in the macro. The macro does not print any rows that were moved down because of the row or rows that you inserted.

In order to have your macro automatically adjust when you insert or delete rows within the range you want to print, create a defined name for the range, and then use the defined name in your macro. For this example, you would do the following:

1. In your worksheet, select the range A1:D5.
2. On the Insert menu, point to Name, and then click Define.
3. In the Define Name dialog box, type myrange in the Names In Worksheet box at the top of the dialog box. Make sure that the Refers To box at the bottom of this dialog box contains =Sheet1!$A$1:$D$5.
4. Click OK.
5. Modify the above recorded macro so it reads:

         Sub Macro1()
            Range("myrange").Select
            ActiveSheet.PageSetup.PrintArea = "myrange"
            ActiveWindow.SelectedSheets.PrintOut Copies:=1
         End Sub
   						

   NOTE: Instead of using a fixed range of cells, use the defined name "myrange". If the second line reads:

   ActiveSheet.PageSetup.PrintArea = Selection.Address
      as in versions prior to Excel 97, this does not have to be changed.

If you now insert one or more rows within this range, the range of cells referred to by the defined name "myrange" will grow accordingly, and if you run your macro, all of the rows in this range will be printed.