Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, and 2013. 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: Converting Numbers to Strings.
You already know that you can use variables in your macros, and that there are two very basic types of variables: string variables (containing characters) and numeric variables (containing numeric values). You can quickly and easily convert a number into a string in your macros. This is the done with the Str() function. The way you use this function is as follows:
A = Str(B)
In this syntax, if B is equal to 5, then when completed, A will be " 5"; if B is -4, then A would be "-4". Notice the leading space when converting positive numbers. This may not provide satisfactory results for some subroutines. Instead, you should create a function that returns a stripped-down version of the string. The following function does just that:
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 2007, 2010, and 2013. 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: 
Function ToNum(X as Variant) as String
Dim A as String
A = Trim(Str(X))
ToNum = A
End Function
The reason that the value passed to the VBA function (X) is defined as a Variant is that you can then pass any type of numeric value.
ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (9749) applies to Microsoft Excel 2007, 2010, and 2013. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Excel here: Converting Numbers to Strings.
Program Successfully in Excel! John Walkenbach's name is synonymous with excellence in deciphering complex technical topics. With this comprehensive guide, "Mr. Spreadsheet" shows how to maximize your Excel experience using professional spreadsheet application development tips from his own personal bookshelf. Check out Excel 2013 Power Programming with VBA today!
Sometimes a macro command line can get very, very long. This can make it hard to understand when you look at it a month or so ...
Discover MoreWhen running a macro, have you ever seen Excel appear to stop responding? This can be frustrating, but there are a couple of ...
Discover MoreNeed to know if a particular cell is clicked with the mouse? Excel has no particular event handler for clicking in this way, ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2014-08-04 08:16:40
Bryan
To quote myself from a comment on this post from almost exactly a year ago: "Why reinvent the wheel? CStr does the same as ToNum. Or if you want to change the format (perhaps set a decmial), you can use Format instead.
The whole thing is generally superfluous anyway; there aren't a lot of circumstances where you HAVE to coerce a number to be a string. For instance, "Total : " & Number will give you the same result as "Total : " & CStr(Number)."
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 © 2017 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Comments