Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: Pulling Cell Names into VBA.
If you have used Excel for any length of time, you undoubtedly know that you can define names in your worksheets that refer to various cells and ranges of cells. You can even define names that refer to constants and to formulas. (The naming abilities of Excel are really quite handy.)
As you are developing macros, you may wonder if there is a way to retrieve a list of defined names within a worksheet. This is actually quite easy, if you remember that the defined names are maintained in the Names collection, which belongs to the Workbook object. With this in mind, you can use the following code to put together a variable array that consists of all the names in a workbook:
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. If you are using an earlier version (Excel 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Excel, click here: 
Dim NamesList()
Dim NumNames As Integer
Dim x As Integer
NumNames = ActiveWorkbook.Names.Count
ReDim NamesList(1 To NumNames)
For x = 1 To NumNames
NamesList(x) = ActiveWorkbook.Names(x).Name
Next x
Note:
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (5676) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, 2013, and 2016. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Pulling Cell Names into VBA.
Comprehensive VBA Guide Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) is the language used for writing macros in all Office programs. This complete guide shows both professionals and novices how to master VBA in order to customize the entire Office suite for their needs. Check out Mastering VBA for Office 2010 today!
Want to print a document by using a macro? One way is to display the Print dialog box and allow the user to interact with ...
Discover MoreThe undo list can be a lifesaver when working in a macro. Unfortunately, the undo list is not preserved when you run a ...
Discover MoreWhen developing a macro, it is often necessary to step through the various code lines so you can see what is happening on ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2013-07-17 21:20:30
Bob Davey
Don,
Not sure where you are coming from here? The Macro returns every name in the workbook, together with its worksheet name and cell reference, also any appended comment. What other info would you like it to include?
2013-07-16 10:39:47
Don
OK...this is embarassing. Never mind all that gobbledygook about ValidWorkbookParameter and WorkbookParameter. I've now confused myself and wish I could take it all back, except the first and last paragraph of the first comment I made.
2013-07-16 10:29:23
Don
Correction: It is "WorkbookParameter" not "ValidWorkbookParameter"
2013-07-16 10:26:20
Don
One thing to add: Names can also be scoped to the worksheets.
Therefore, if you want just the Names scoped across the whole workbook (I think of them as the "global" Names), include a check for Names(x).ValidWorkbookParameter = TRUE
Another way to identify worksheet-scoped Names is to check for an exclamation point in Names(x).Name. to the left of the exclamation point is the name of the worksheet, similar to references to ranges on other worksheets.
2013-07-14 00:25:22
Bob Davey
The code below is a little more elaborate, expands the information available and produces a hard copy. Great for isolating names that a no longer functioning.
Sub ListAllNames()
t = "List all Names"
On Error GoTo EH
With ActiveWorkbook
If .Names.Count = 0 Then
MsgBox "There are no named ranges in this workbook.", 16, t
GoTo RE
End If
.Sheets.Add After:=Worksheets(Worksheets.Count)
ActiveSheet.Name = "WBNames" & Worksheets.Count
With ActiveSheet
.Range("A1").Value = " Range Name "
.Range("B1").Value = " Sheet & Cell Reference "
.Range("C1").Value = " Named Range Comment "
.Range("D1").Value = " Listing Created " & Now
Range("A1:D1").Select
Selection.Font.Bold = True
Range("A1").Select
Application.CutCopyMode = False
With .Range("A2")
For i = 1 To ActiveWorkbook.Names.Count
.Offset(i - 1, 0).Value = ActiveWorkbook.Names(i).NameLocal
.Offset(i - 1, 1).Value = ActiveWorkbook.Names(i)
.Offset(i - 1, 2).Value = ActiveWorkbook.Names(i).Comment
Next
With .CurrentRegion
.Columns.AutoFit
.Sort key1:=ActiveCell, Header:=xlYes
End With
End With
End With
End With
GoTo RE
EH:
MsgBox Error, 16, t
RE:
End Sub
Got a version of Excel that uses the ribbon interface (Excel 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the menu interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2018 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments