XL2000: Sample Macro That Won't Allow User to Cancel Dialog Box (213617)

SUMMARY

In Microsoft Excel, you can create a Microsoft Visual Basic for Applications macro to display built-in dialog boxes, such as the Open or the Save As dialog box. After this type of dialog box is displayed, a user can cancel it by clicking Cancel, pressing ESC, or by clicking the control menu. If you want to force a user to take a certain action in the dialog box, you can "trap" the cancellation process; that is, you can design the macro so it will not allow the user to cancel the dialog box.

The "More Information" section of this article contains a macro that requires a user to select a file to be opened in the Open dialog box.

MORE INFORMATION

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.

Sample Visual Basic Procedure

When you run the following sample macro, the Open dialog box is displayed. If you try to cancel the dialog box, the macro prompts you with a message box. When you click OK in this message box, you are returned to the Open dialog box. This process continues until you select a file to open.

Sub Test()
    Dim X As Boolean
    Do
        X = Application.Dialogs(xlDialogOpen).Show
        ' X returns False if the box is canceled.
        If X = False Then MsgBox "Please select a file to open."
    ' X equals True when you open the file.
    Loop Until X = True
End Sub

For additional information about how to display the Open or Save As dialog boxes in a Visual Basic for Applications macro, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

213371 XL2000: How to Display the Open and Save As Dialog Boxes