Excel VBA For each loop with data validation lists

Question

I have 4 data validation drop downs and I want to use a for each loop to iterate through all possible values of the 4 data validation drop downs and copy the result to a worksheet.

The drop downs are in cells H3 and H4 and U3 and U4. H3 and U3 contains identical values and H4 and U4 contains identical values.

First I would like to check if there are data validation list in my worksheet.

Then I would like to iterate through all possible values of the 4 drop downs values and save the result in a new worksheet!

I found a thread here on stackoverflow Iterate through VBA dropdown list

and from that thread I am using the following code:

Sub LoopThroughList()
Dim Dropdown1, Dropdown2, Dropdown3, Dropdown4 As String
Dim Range1, Range2, Range3, Range4 As Range
Dim option1, option2, option3, option4 As Range

Dim Counter As Long

Counter = 1

' *** SET DROPDOWN LOCATIONS HERE ***
' ***********************************

    Dropdown1 = "H3"
    Dropdown2 = "H4"
    Dropdown2 = "U3"
    Dropdown2 = "U4"

' ***********************************
' ***********************************

Set Range1 = Evaluate(Range("H3").Validation.Formula1)
Set Range2 = Evaluate(Range("H4").Validation.Formula1)
Set Range3 = Evaluate(Range("U3").Validation.Formula1)
Set Range4 = Evaluate(Range("U4").Validation.Formula1)

For Each option1 In Range1
    For Each option2 In Range2
        For Each option3 In Range3
            For Each option4 In Range4

            Sheets(2).Cells(Counter, 1) = option1
            Sheets(2).Cells(Counter, 2) = option2
            Sheets(2).Cells(Counter, 3) = option3
            Sheets(2).Cells(Counter, 3) = option4
            Counter = Counter + 1
            Debug.Print option1, option2, option3, option4
            Next option4
        Next option3
    Next option2
Next option1


End Sub

UPDATE:

I found another thread on https://www.ozgrid.com/forum/forum/help-forums/excel-general/134028-loop-through-excel-drop-down-list-and-copy-paste-the-value?t=190022 which loops through two data validation drop down lists with VBA.

Option Explicit

Sub LoopThroughDv()
    Dim dvCell As Range
    Dim inputRange As Range
    Dim c As Range
    Dim i As Long

     'Which cell has data validation
    Set dvCell = Worksheets("Input Output").Range("I4")

     'Determine where validation comes from
    Set inputRange = Evaluate(dvCell.Validation.Formula1)

    i = 0
     'Begin our loop
    Application.ScreenUpdating = True
    For Each c In inputRange
            dvCell = c.Value
       ' Worksheets("Output").Cells(i, "A").Value = dvCell
        'Worksheets("Output").Cells(i, "A").Value = Worksheets("Input Output").Range("A1").Value
        MsgBox dvCell
        Debug.Print dvCell
        i = i + 1
    Next c
    Application.ScreenUpdating = True

End Sub

How can I improve on this code? Also, would it be possible to save the entire worksheet under the loop? For each loop the value of my vlookups change and I want to copy the information to a new worksheet and finally use it in a pivottable.

Also, found this code in a thread loop through multiple data validation lists

Sub CopyPaste()
Application.ScreenUpdating = False
Dim inputRange1, inputRange2 As Range
Dim option1, option2 As Range
Set inputRange1 = 
Evaluate(Worksheets("Scenario").Range("TabSelection").Validation.Formula1)
Set inputRange2 = 
Evaluate(Worksheets("Scenario").Range("IndexSelection").Validation.Formula1)
For Each option1 In inputRange1
Worksheets("Scenario").Range("TabSelection").Value = option1.Value
    For Each option2 In inputRange2
    ActiveSheet.EnableCalculation = True
    Worksheets("Scenario").Range("IndexSelection").Value = option2.Value
        Worksheets("Scenario").Range("CopyRange").Copy
        With Sheets("Paste").Range("A" & Rows.Count).End(xlUp).Offset(2)
            .PasteSpecial Paste:=xlPasteColumnWidths
            .PasteSpecial Paste:=xlPasteValues
            .PasteSpecial Paste:=xlPasteFormats
        End With
Next option2
Next option1
Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub

I have tried to minimize the code to this:

Sub LoopThroughDv()
Application.ScreenUpdating = True
Dim inputRange1, inputRange2 As Range
Dim option1, option2 As Range
Set inputRange1 = Evaluate(Worksheets("Input Output").Range("I4").Validation.Formula1)
Set inputRange2 = Evaluate(Worksheets("Input Output").Range("M4").Validation.Formula1)
ActiveSheet.EnableCalculation = True

For Each option1 In inputRange1
    ActiveSheet.EnableCalculation = True
    Debug.Print option1
    Worksheets("Input Output").Range("D10").Value = option1.Value
    For Each option2 In inputRange2
        Debug.Print option2

        Worksheets("Input Output").Range("E10").Value = option2.Value

    Next option2
Next option1

Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub

Excel - Data Validation list from filtered table This thread is also useful!

I found another thread with instructions Determine if cell contains data validation to find data validation cells. Now that I have the address, formula1 and incelldropdown of my data validation cells.

How can I loop through the data validation step by step?

Option Explicit

Public Sub ShowValidationInfo()

    Dim rngCell             As Range
    Dim lngValidation       As Long

    For Each rngCell In ActiveSheet.UsedRange

        lngValidation = 0

        On Error Resume Next
        lngValidation = rngCell.SpecialCells(xlCellTypeSameValidation).Count
        On Error GoTo 0

        If lngValidation <> 0 Then
            Debug.Print rngCell.Address
            Debug.Print rngCell.Validation.Formula1
            Debug.Print rngCell.Validation.InCellDropdown
        End If
    Next

End Sub

UPDATE:

I have found that this code does what I want, however it only does it for one data validation drop down. How can I modify this code to use 2 or #n dropdowns?

Sub LoopThroughDv()
    Dim dvCell As Range
    Dim inputRange As Range
    Dim c As Range
    Dim i As Long

     'Which cell has data validation
    Set dvCell = Worksheets("Input Output").Range("I4")

     'Determine where validation comes from
    Set inputRange = Evaluate(dvCell.Validation.Formula1)

    i = 0
     'Begin our loop
    Application.ScreenUpdating = True
    For Each c In inputRange
            dvCell = c.Value
       ' Worksheets("Output").Cells(i, "A").Value = dvCell
        'Worksheets("Output").Cells(i, "A").Value = Worksheets("Input Output").Range("A1").Value
        MsgBox dvCell
        Debug.Print dvCell
        i = i + 1
    Next c
    Application.ScreenUpdating = True

End Sub

UPDATE 2018 07 24:

I am still trying to loop through my 4 data validation lists, Could someone help me adapt the code below to use 2 data validation lists?

Option Explicit

Sub LoopThroughValidationList()
    Dim lst As Variant
    Dim rCl As Range
    Dim str As String
    Dim iX As Integer

    str = Range("B1").Validation.Formula1
    On Error GoTo exit_proc:
    If Left(str, 1) = "=" Then
        str = Right(str, Len(str) - 1)
        For Each rCl In Worksheets(Range(str).Parent.Name).Range(str).Cells
            Range("B1").Value = rCl.Value
        Next rCl
    Else
        lst = Split(str, ",")
        For iX = 0 To UBound(lst)
            Range("B1").Value = lst(iX)
        Next iX
    End If
    Exit Sub
exit_proc:
    MsgBox "No validation list ", vbCritical, "Error"
End Sub

I am using INDEX and MATCH in my dependant drop down list and this causes a type mismatch. — Waimea, Jul 04 '18 at 11:16
I wasn't going to answer this question till I seen the code that you are trying to modify. If `Range1`, `Range2`, and `Range3` each have ten cells then this code will add 1000 rows. — TinMan, Jul 04 '18 at 13:09

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Jul 04 '18 at 13:06

This code will still work even if the named ranges using INDEX and MATCH are invalid.

ExtractDataValidationList:Sub

Sub ExtractDataValidationList(Source As Range, Optional TargetWorkSheet As Worksheet)
    Dim cell As Range, rValidation As Range
    Dim list As Object, item As Variant, values As Variant
    On Error Resume Next
    Set rValidation = Source.SpecialCells(xlCellTypeAllValidation)
    On Error GoTo 0

    If rValidation Is Nothing Then
        MsgBox "No Data Validation Found"
    Else
        Set list = CreateObject("System.Collections.ArrayList")
        For Each cell In rValidation
            On Error Resume Next
            values = Range(cell.Validation.Formula1).Value
            If Err.Number <> 0 Then values = Split(cell.Validation.Formula1, ",")
            On Error GoTo 0

            For Each item In values
                If Not list.Contains(item) Then list.Add item
            Next
        Next

        If list.Count = 0 Then
            MsgBox "No Items in Data Validation Formula1"
        Else
            list.Sort
            If TargetWorkSheet Is Nothing Then Set TargetWorkSheet = Worksheets.Add
            TargetWorkSheet.Range("A1").Resize(list.Count).Value = WorksheetFunction.Transpose(list.ToArray)
        End If
    End If

End Sub

Usage

 ExtractDataValidationList ActiveSheet.Cells

This code works but it only gives me one list where I expect two lists, dropdown 1 and 2. — Waimea, Jul 09 '18 at 11:36

Excel VBA For each loop with data validation lists

1 Answers1

ExtractDataValidationList:Sub

Usage

Linked