Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Word in Microsoft 365. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: Determining the Upper Bounds of an Array.
Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated April 8, 2023)
This tip applies to Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Word in Microsoft 365
If you program macros, you already know that you can define arrays of variables that are used to store similar data. For instance, the array sClassNames() could be used to hold the names of individuals in your school class. Consider the following, which defines the array:
Dim sClassNames(29) As String
This particular code specifies that the array can hold 30 string values, using the subscripts 0 through 29.
At some point you may have a subroutine or function that needs to know how many elements have been defined for an array. One built-in VBA function that comes in handy for determining this is UBound. This function returns a value that indicates the upper bound (the largest subscript) that can be used with the array. For instance, consider the following usage:
iClassSize = UBound(sClassnames)
When you run this code, iClassSize is set to the value 29. Why? Because 29 is the largest subscript that can be used in the sClassNames() array—it represents the upper bound for the array.
If your arrays have more than one dimension, you can add another argument to the UBound function to specify for which dimension you want the upper bound:
iHighSide = UBound(cPayGrade, 2)
This example sets iHighSide equal to the upper bound for the second dimension of the cPayGrade() array.
Note:
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (12053) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Word in Microsoft 365. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Determining the Upper Bounds of an Array.
Learning Made Easy! Quickly teach yourself how to format, publish, and share your content using Word 2021 or Microsoft 365. With Step by Step, you set the pace, building and practicing the skills you need, just when you need them! Check out Microsoft Word Step by Step today!
If you need to determine a random value in a macro, you can do so using the Rnd function. This tip presents the syntax ...
Discover MoreNeed to find out the day of the year for a particular date? It's easy to do if you are using a macro. All you need to do ...
Discover MoreThe Open dialog box is one that few of us think about, but you can control how it behaves with a little bit of macro ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)
Got a version of Word that uses the ribbon interface (Word 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the menu interface.
Visit the WordTips channel on YouTube
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2025 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021, and Word in Microsoft 365. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here:
Comments