XL98: How to Delete Cells with a For Each...Next Loop

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Typing Sample Data

To use the macro in this article, type the following sample data in a worksheet:

   A1:  a  B1:  1
   A2:  b  B2:  2
   A3:  x  B3:  3
   A4:  x  B4:  4
   A5:  c  B5:  5
   A6:  x  B6:  6
   A7:  d  B7:  7
   A8:  x  B8:  8
   A9:  x  B9:  9
   A10: e  B10: 10
				

Typing the Sample Macro

In a new macro module, type the following macro:

    Sub DeleteCells()

       'Loop through cells A1:A10 and delete cells that contain an "x."
       For Each c in Range("A1:A10")
           If c = "x" Then c.EntireRow.Delete
       Next

   End Sub
				

Behavior of the Sample Macro in Microsoft Excel 98

When you run the macro DeleteCells in Microsoft Excel 98, only rows 3, 6, and 8 are deleted. Although rows 4 and 9 contain an "x" in column A, the macro does not delete the rows. The results of running the macro in Microsoft Excel 98 are the following:

   A1: a   B1: 1
   A2: b   B2: 2
   A3: x   B3: 4
   A4: c   B4: 5
   A5: d   B5: 7
   A6: x   B6: 9
   A7: e   B7: 10
				

When Microsoft Excel deletes row 3, all cells move up one row. For example, cell A3 assumes the contents of cell A4, cell A4 assumes the contents of cell A5, and so forth. After the For Each...Next loop evaluates a cell, it evaluates the next cell; therefore, when cells are shifted, they may be skipped by the loop.

Behavior of the Sample Macro in Microsoft Excel 5.0

When you run the macro DeleteCells in Microsoft Excel 5.0, the macro deletes all rows that contain an "x." The results of the macro in Microsoft Excel 5.0 are the following:

   A1: a   B1: 1
   A2: b   B2: 2
   A3: c   B3: 5
   A4: d   B4: 7
   A5: e   B5: 10
				

When row 3 is deleted, all cells move up one row; and cell A3 assumes the contents of cell A4, cell A4 assumes the contents of cell A5, and so forth. However, unlike the behavior of the loop in Microsoft Excel 98, when the For Each...Next loop evaluates a cell in Microsoft Excel 5.0, it reevaluates the cell if it is deleted in the loop; therefore, the cells are not skipped.

Recommended Method for Using a Loop to Delete Cells

Use the following macro when you want to use a loop to delete cells:

   Sub DeleteCells2()

       Dim rng As Range
       Dim i As Integer, counter As Integer

       'Set the range to evaluate to rng.
       Set rng = Range("A1:A10")

       'initialize i to 1
       i = 1

       'Loop for a count of 1 to the number of rows
       'in the range that you want to evaluate.
       For counter = 1 To rng.Rows.Count

           'If cell i in the range contains an "x",
           'delete the row.
           'Else increment i
           If rng.Cells(i) = "x" Then
               rng.Cells(i).EntireRow.Delete
           Else
               i = i + 1
           End If

       Next

   End Sub
				

The results of this macro in Microsoft Excel 98 and earlier versions are as follows:

   A1: a   B1: 1
   A2: b   B2: 2
   A3: c   B3: 5
   A4: d   B4: 7
   A5: e   B5: 10
				

Additional Method for Using a Loop to Delete Cells

This is an alternate method to the method shown above. It produces the same results.

   Sub DeleteCells3()

       Dim rng As Range, i As Integer

       'Set the range to evaluate to rng.
       Set rng = Range("A1:A10")

       'Loop backwards through the rows
       'in the range that you want to evaluate.
       For i = rng.Rows.Count To 1 Step -1

           'If cell i in the range contains an "x", delete the entire row.
           If rng.Cells(i).Value = "x" Then rng.Cells(i).EntireRow.Delete
       Next

   End Sub