Wednesday 30 May 2018

vba - Create timestamp formula for Excel


The idea is simple, I'd like a function I could do something like =MOD_DATE_OF(A1:A4) and when any of the cells in such range is modified, the cell I assigned that formula gets the current date.


I have found some similar questions on the web and even here, but none of them quite it.


The closest I've got was this code somewhere (sorry, lost track of the source):


Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Excel.Range)
If Target.Column = 1 Then
Target.Offset(0, 1).Value = Date
End If
End Sub

But it is still not a function..


I am using Excel from Office 2010


thanks



Answer



Here's a full-fledged solution that will allow you to monitor change-dates of different ranges. Note, this uses a function from Chip Pearson's tools for using arrays in VBA and function from a StackOverflow answer by user Thomas.


The basic idea is that a global array, in which the addresses of all monitored ranges (past or present) are stored with their most recent update dates, allows the function and the Worksheet_Change Sub to interact. The Worksheet_Change Sub updates this array by checking the changed range against all stored ranges. The function looks for the monitored range in the array and returns the stored change-date if it's found. Otherwise, it will return today's date (which will then be added to the array).


Also, to prevent timestamps being lost when the workbook is closed and the array of timestamps is deallocated, the array must be written to a sheet on the Workbook_Close event, and then rewritten to the array on the Workbook_Open event.


In a module, paste the following code.


Public funcInstances() As Variant

Public Function MOD_DATE_OF(monitor As Range)
Application.Volatile True
Dim i As Long
Dim tmpArray() As Variant

If Not IsDimensioned(funcInstances) Then
ReDim funcInstances(1 To 1, 1 To 2) As Variant
funcInstances(1, 1) = monitor.Address
funcInstances(1, 2) = Date
Else
For i = 1 To UBound(funcInstances, 1)
If funcInstances(i, 1) = monitor.Address Then
MOD_DATE_OF = Format(funcInstances(i, 2), "yyyy-mm-dd")
Exit Function
End If
Next i
tmpArray = ExpandArray(funcInstances, 1, 1, "")
Erase funcInstances
funcInstances = tmpArray
funcInstances(UBound(funcInstances, 1), 1) = monitor.Address
funcInstances(UBound(funcInstances, 1), 2) = Date
End If
MOD_DATE_OF = Format(funcInstances(UBound(funcInstances, 1), 2), "yyyy-mm-dd")
End Function

'ExpandArray() is the work of Chip Pearson. Code copied from http://www.cpearson.com/excel/vbaarrays.htm
Function ExpandArray(Arr As Variant, WhichDim As Long, AdditionalElements As Long, _
FillValue As Variant) As Variant
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
' ExpandArray
' This expands a two-dimensional array in either dimension. It returns the result
' array if successful, or NULL if an error occurred. The original array is never
' changed.
' Parameters:
' --------------------
' Arr is the array to be expanded.
'
' WhichDim is either 1 for additional rows or 2 for
' additional columns.
'
' AdditionalElements is the number of additional rows or columns
' to create.
'
' FillValue is the value to which the new array elements should be
' initialized.
'
' You can nest calls to Expand array to expand both the number of rows and
' columns. E.g.,
'
' C = ExpandArray(ExpandArray(Arr:=A, WhichDim:=1, AdditionalElements:=3, FillValue:="R"), _
' WhichDim:=2, AdditionalElements:=4, FillValue:="C")
' This first adds three rows at the bottom of the array, and then adds four
' columns on the right of the array.
'
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
Dim Result As Variant
Dim RowNdx As Long
Dim ColNdx As Long
Dim ResultRowNdx As Long
Dim ResultColNdx As Long
Dim NumRows As Long
Dim NumCols As Long
Dim NewUBound As Long

Const ROWS_ As Long = 1
Const COLS_ As Long = 2


''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
' Ensure Arr is an array.
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
If IsArray(Arr) = False Then
ExpandArray = Null
Exit Function
End If

'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
' Ensure the dimension is 1 or 2.
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
Select Case WhichDim
Case 1, 2
Case Else
ExpandArray = Null
Exit Function
End Select

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
' Ensure AdditionalElements is > 0.
' If AdditionalElements < 0, return NULL.
' If AdditionalElements = 0, return Arr.
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
If AdditionalElements < 0 Then
ExpandArray = Null
Exit Function
End If
If AdditionalElements = 0 Then
ExpandArray = Arr
Exit Function
End If

NumRows = UBound(Arr, 1) - LBound(Arr, 1) + 1
NumCols = UBound(Arr, 2) - LBound(Arr, 2) + 1

If WhichDim = ROWS_ Then
'''''''''''''''
' Redim Result.
'''''''''''''''
ReDim Result(LBound(Arr, 1) To UBound(Arr, 1) + AdditionalElements, LBound(Arr, 2) To UBound(Arr, 2))
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
' Transfer Arr array to Result
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
For RowNdx = LBound(Arr, 1) To UBound(Arr, 1)
For ColNdx = LBound(Arr, 2) To UBound(Arr, 2)
Result(RowNdx, ColNdx) = Arr(RowNdx, ColNdx)
Next ColNdx
Next RowNdx
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
' Fill the rest of the result
' array with FillValue.
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
For RowNdx = UBound(Arr, 1) + 1 To UBound(Result, 1)
For ColNdx = LBound(Arr, 2) To UBound(Arr, 2)
Result(RowNdx, ColNdx) = FillValue
Next ColNdx
Next RowNdx
Else
'''''''''''''''
' Redim Result.
'''''''''''''''
ReDim Result(LBound(Arr, 1) To UBound(Arr, 1), UBound(Arr, 2) + AdditionalElements)
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
' Transfer Arr array to Result
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
For RowNdx = LBound(Arr, 1) To UBound(Arr, 1)
For ColNdx = LBound(Arr, 2) To UBound(Arr, 2)
Result(RowNdx, ColNdx) = Arr(RowNdx, ColNdx)
Next ColNdx
Next RowNdx
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
' Fill the rest of the result
' array with FillValue.
'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
For RowNdx = LBound(Arr, 1) To UBound(Arr, 1)
For ColNdx = UBound(Arr, 2) + 1 To UBound(Result, 2)
Result(RowNdx, ColNdx) = FillValue
Next ColNdx
Next RowNdx

End If
''''''''''''''''''''
' Return the result.
''''''''''''''''''''
ExpandArray = Result

End Function

'IsDimensioned() is the work of StackOverflow user @Thomas. Code copied from https://stackoverflow.com/a/5480690/657668
Public Function IsDimensioned(vValue As Variant) As Boolean
On Error Resume Next
If Not IsArray(vValue) Then Exit Function
Dim i As Integer
i = UBound(vValue)
IsDimensioned = Err.Number = 0
End Function

In the appropriate Worksheet module, paste the following code.


Private Sub Worksheet_Change(ByVal Target As Range)
Application.EnableEvents = False
Dim j As Long
If IsDimensioned(funcInstances) Then
For j = 1 To UBound(funcInstances, 1)
If Not Intersect(Target, Range(funcInstances(j, 1))) Is Nothing Then
funcInstances(j, 2) = Date
End If
Next j
Me.Calculate
End If
Application.EnableEvents = True
End Sub

Finally, in the ThisWorkbook module, paste the following code:


Private Sub Workbook_BeforeClose(Cancel As Boolean)
If IsDimensioned(funcInstances) Then
Application.ScreenUpdating = False
'Store array on a new temporary and hidden worksheet.
Dim tmpS As Worksheet, tmpR As Range
Set tmpS = Worksheets.Add
tmpS.Name = "TEMP Record of Timestamps"
tmpS.Visible = xlSheetHidden
Set tmpR = tmpS.Range("A1:B1").Resize(UBound(funcInstances, 1), 2)
tmpR.Value = funcInstances
ThisWorkbook.Save
Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End If
End Sub

Private Sub Workbook_Open()
Dim ws As Worksheet, tstamps As Range
Dim wsfound As Boolean
wsfound = False
Application.ScreenUpdating = False
For Each ws In ThisWorkbook.Worksheets
If ws.Name = "TEMP Record of Timestamps" Then
wsfound = True
Exit For
End If
Next ws
If wsfound Then
Set tstamps = ws.UsedRange
funcInstances = tstamps.Value
Application.DisplayAlerts = False
ws.Delete
Application.DisplayAlerts = True
End If
Application.ScreenUpdating = True
End Sub

NOTE for anyone who stumbles across this page: Many of the comments are about previous, incomplete solutions, so don't be confused by them.


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