Excel tip: Decide what an INPUTBOX is supposed to return
Date: 5 september 2001If you want to get any information from the user you can use the INPUTBOX-function. This function displays a dialogbox that lets the user fill inn anything and returns the content as a string.
Sometimes you want to decide what the user is supposed to fill in, instead of accepting any information. That's when you use the INPUTBOX-method.
The Application.Inputbox-method has a third argument, Type, that decides what the user is allowed to insert in the INPUTBOX-dialog. Type can be one of the following :
0 : A formula
1 : A number
2 : Text
4 : A logical value (True or False)
8 : A cell reference, e.g. a Range-object
16 : An error value, e.g. #N/A
64 : An array of values
Copy-paste friendly code:
Sub DecideUserInput()
' Example demonstrating the difference between then
' inputbox() and application.inputbox() fuctions
Dim strText As String
Dim lNumber As Long
' here is the INPUTBOX-function :
strText = InputBox("Type your text", "This accepts any input")
' here is the APPLICATION.INPUTBOX-method :
lNumber = Application.InputBox(prompt:="Insert a number", _
Title:="This accepts numbers only", Type:=1)
MsgBox "You have inserted:" & vbNewLine & _
"text:" & Chr(9) & strText & vbNewLine & _
"number:" & Chr(9) & lNumber, vbInformation, "Result from INPUT-boxes"
End Sub
' Example demonstrating the difference between then
' inputbox() and application.inputbox() fuctions
Dim strText As String
Dim lNumber As Long
' here is the INPUTBOX-function :
strText = InputBox("Type your text", "This accepts any input")
' here is the APPLICATION.INPUTBOX-method :
lNumber = Application.InputBox(prompt:="Insert a number", _
Title:="This accepts numbers only", Type:=1)
MsgBox "You have inserted:" & vbNewLine & _
"text:" & Chr(9) & strText & vbNewLine & _
"number:" & Chr(9) & lNumber, vbInformation, "Result from INPUT-boxes"
End Sub
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